Radio Free Rescue

Stephen Wells is the executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Over the past six years, until January, 2006, Stephen founded and served as the director of ALDF’s successful Animal Law Program which provides support and resources to ALDF’s law professional and law student members and pro bono opportunities for attorneys and firms to assist ALDF with its mission. Prior to joining ALDF in 1999, Stephen served as the executive director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance in Anchorage where he became known for his work to protect Alaska’s wildlife, particularly wolves and bears, and its unique wild places. He has committed himself to animal and environmental protection and over the years, in addition to his full-time work, he has continued to volunteer his time for local organizations and projects.

ABOUT DAVID KIRBY DAVID KIRBY is the author of Evidence of Harm, which was a New York Times bestseller, winner of the 2005 Investigative Reporters and Editors award for best book, and a finalist for the New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism, and Animal Factory, an acclaimed investigation into the environmental impact of factory farms. His work has been featured on Anderson Cooper 360, O Magazine, NPR.org, and many other outlets.  He lives in Brooklyn, New York and is available for interviews this summer.  Learn more about DEATH AT SEAWORLD on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DeathAtSeaworld. ABOUT THE BOOK   DEATH AT SEAWORLD (St. Martin’s Press; July 17, 2012; Hardcover) is a groundbreaking scientific examination that exposes the dark side of SeaWorld, America’s most beloved marine mammal park.  From the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010, to other, less-publicized violent incidents, journalist David Kirby puts these brutal animal-on-human attacks in context and

Due to popular demand (our most downloaded show!), we're repeating our inaugural broadcast featuring Brian Lochlaer, founder and director of Harp Seals DFW.  Elise Bissell, executive director of Take Me Home Pet Rescue, was originally scheduled to be interviewed this evening. Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, she will be unable to join us. However, we are working on rescheduling her for a future broadcast soon, so stay tuned!   

Alex Lewis has already accomplished more in her 24 years than many twice her age. After watching The Cove, the infamous documentary about the horrific dolphin killings in Taiji, Japan, she took it upon herself to learn everything she could about marine mammal captivity. She has since become a prominent activist in the captivity protest movement.  In July of this year, Alex joined forces with the Free the Atlanta 11 and Georgia Animal Rights Protection organizations to protest the importation of 18 Beluga Whales to the United States by the Georgia Aquarium and other undisclosed marine parks. The protest resulted in significant press coverage and a growing awareness among the public of the marine mammal conservation efforts led by individuals such as Alex.  Alex, along with five others, recently co-founded Fins and Fluke, an organization dedicated to educating local communities about ocean conservation. 

Yvonne Ybarra is the founder and publisher of DallasDogLife.com, the Dallas/Fort Worth area's premier publication for all things dog-related. What's more, the site is strictly rescue-friendly - no breeders need apply for an ad, event listing, or anything else! Yvonne is active with Duck Team 6, a small group of dedicated volunteers whose sole mission is to capture and rescue Dallas' elusive stray dogs, provide them with the veterinary care they so desperately need, and place them with foster families or rescue groups with their own foster networks.  For more information about Yvonne's work, go to DallasDogLife.com. Duck Team 6 maintains a very active Facebook page, complete with up-to-date news about the many stray dogs they're tracking, fostering and/or networking.

Welcome to Radio Free Rescue!  Our inaugural interview features Brian Lochlaer, founder and coordinator of Harp Seals DFW.  Brian founded Harp Seals DFW in August 2011 as a grassroots organization working to raise awareness of the annual harp seal hunt in northern Canada. The group also hosts fundraising events on behalf of Harpseals.org and the Humane Society of the United States, both of which are active in the harp seal protest movement. One of Harp Seals DFW's most prominent campaigns is a national boycott of the Red Lobster restaurant chain, the largest importer of Canadian seafood in the United States. About the Mission Each year, hundreds of fisherman in the Newfoundland and Labrador province of Canada head out to the ice floes and slaughter tens of thousands of harp seals pups, the vast majority of which are under three months of age. (Harp seals can live up to 40+ years of age.) The hunt, which dates back several hundred years, serves two purposes, according to the fishermen: to generate income