PODCAST · science
The Animal Welfare Junction
by A. Michelle Gonzalez, DVM, MS
The Animal Welfare Junction is a podcast developed to bring awareness to different topics in animal welfare. The host, Michelle Gonzalez (Dr. G) is a veterinarian who provides affordable veterinary care in the State of Ohio, and also a Forensic Veterinarian helping with the investigation and prosecution of cases of animal cruelty and neglect.The topics presented are based on the experiences of Dr. G and our guests and include discussions about real cases, humane projects, and legal issues that affect animals and the community. Due to the nature of the discussion, listener discretion is advised as some topics may be too strong for some listeners.
Episodes
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Dangerous Dogs: Avery's Law and the Danger of an Overbroad Definition
After the devastating dog attack that seriously injured Avery Russell, Ohio lawmakers passed Avery's Law to strengthen the state's dangerous dog statutes and increase accountability for owners of designated dangerous dogs. But does the new law accomplish its goal? In this episode of The Animal...
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Who is Speaking for Ohio's Pets? Paws, Politics and Policy with guest Vicki Diesner
This week's guest is Vicki Diesner, Executive Director of Ohio Animal Advocates. She joins Dr. G to discuss legislation currently being considered at the Ohio Statehouse that could improve the wellbeing of companion animals and those who care about them. On this episode we discuss: - Ban on cat...
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Osceola Turkey Hunter Fraud - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Dr. Eileen Roy-Zokan
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida When we think of hunting crimes, our first thought may be illegal hunting. In this case however, the hunters were the victims of a long-running scam. Dr. Eileen Roy-Zokan from University of Florida takes us through an investigation that started with…
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Clinical pathology - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Dr. Laurie Millward
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Dr. Laurie Millward from the Ohio State University describes clinical pathology and its uses in assisting in cases of animal neglect and cruelty.
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Puppy Mill Pipeline - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Shalimar Oliver
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Humane World for Animals' Case Manager, Shalimar Oliver, gives up a brief description of the puppy mill pipeline and how consumers can protect themselves if they become victim of this trade.
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Forensic Toxicology - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Dr. Rachel Sheffler
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Dr. Rachel Sheffler shares information on the use of toxicology for the identification of substances that may be present in an animal victim of crime.
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Ballistics - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Dr. Nancy Bradley
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Dr. Nancy Bradley discusses the use of ballistic information in animal related crimes.
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Fingerprint Analysis - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Tonia Smith
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Tonia Smith from the Orange County Sheriff's Office shares with us how fingerprints are used in investigations to rule people in/out, what information can be obtained and myths of fingerprint science. She also offers some guidance on collection and...
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Wildlife Forensics - 2026 Animal ForensiCon
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Dr. Adam Stern, Dr. Eileen Roy-Zokan, and Victoria Bradley describe what is Wildlife Forensics and how crime scene investigation techniques, DNA analysis, and animal victim examination can help build these cases for prosecution.
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Private Citizens and Cruelty Investigations - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Jamie McManus
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Jamie McManus, civil litigation attorney and former prosecutor, shares with us the importance of private citizens in the reporting of suspected animal abuse and neglect. While they play an important role in recognition and reporting, they can also...
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UF VETS Disaster Response - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Dr. Larry Garcia
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida Dr. Larry Garcia, Associate Professor at the University of Florida, shares his experience at the UF Distaster Reponse Team.
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Forensic Entomology - 2026 Animal ForensiCon with Dr. Samantha Sawyer
The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida BUGS!!! Dr. Samantha Sawyer shares information about what we can and cannot learn from insects in crime scene investigations as well as the do's and don'ts of insect collection. For more information about the Animal ForensiCon, visit...
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Animal ForensiCon 2026 - What to Expect from the Conference with Dr. Adam Stern
Welcome to the 2026 Animal ForensiCon. This year the conference is in Orlando, Florida and Dr. Adam Stern joins us to talk about what we can expect from this year's speakers For more information about the Animal ForensiCon, visit...
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Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 11: The Trial of Steffen Baldwin
After a long investigation, the Union County Prosecutor's Office proceeded to indict Steffen Baldwin with the help of Detective Jim Conroy. This episode, the last in the series, takes our listeners through the process of indictment, trial, and sentencing with the help of the prosecutors who filed...
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Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 10: Escape from Ohio
From Humane Society Director to Humane Agent to Trainer, Steffen Baldwin made his way through different animal welfare organizations leaving a path of destruction behind. But his greed and desire for fame eventually caught up to him when he met with people willing to stand up to him and hold him...
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Season One: State vs Steffen Baldwin / Episode 9: The Monster Behind the Mask
The case of Steffen Baldwin is often defined by the animals he failed—but the animals were not the end goal. They were a means to power, manipulation, and personal gain. In this episode, special guest Maya Badham joins us to examine how Baldwin used animals as tools of coercive control—not only...
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Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 8: The Link
WARNING: Real stories of domestic violence In this episode we learn about how Steffen used dogs to manipulate vulnerable people. The LINK between interpersonal violence and animal cruelty is well known, and Steffen is just another example of how malicious and manipulative these abusers can be.…
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Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 7: Dog's Worst Friend
Episode 7 is the story of some of the dogs Steffen failed. We talk about Sammie, Beretta and Cheyenne as well as some of the collateral damage in their stories. In this episode, we are joined by trainer Jenny Falvey in discussing how Steffen failed these dogs behaviorally. These episodes discuss...
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Season One: State vs Steffen Baldwin / Episode 6: The Con Whisperer
Season One: State vs Steffen Baldwin / Episode 6: The Con Whisperer We will be diving into the stories of Baldwin's victims. In this episode, we discuss: Chesty Romeo Belle PeeWee, and Coco Some of these dogs survived him, others were not as lucky. We want to share their stories and that of the...
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Season 1: State v Steffen Baldwin / Episode 5: Taking TOPS to the Bottom
Steffen Baldwin lied about his credentials and past experience to enter the animal world through the Union County Humane Society. With lies, deception, and the help of social media, he developed a persona who gained the trust of the animal welfare community. Due to his perceived greatness as the...
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Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 4 The Rise to Fame Part 2
The Animal Welfare Junction Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 4 The Rise to Fame Part 2 If you have not listened to Part 1, pause and come back after you have listened to or watched Part 1. This episode is presented in two parts, both released simultaneously. Investigators, witnesses...
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Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 4 The Rise to Fame Part 1
The Animal Welfare Junction Season One: State v. Steffen Baldwin / Episode 4 The Rise to Fame Part 1 This episode is presented in two parts, both released simultaneously. Investigators, witnesses and victims share their experiences as Steffen Baldwin rose to fame as an animal advocate. This…
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Season 1: State v Steffen Baldwin / Episode 3: Who is Steffen Baldwin?
Season 1: State vs Steffen Baldwin / Episode 3: Who is Steffen Baldwin? Steffen Baldwin fooled the animal welfare world with his “masked persona”, presenting himself as a dog savior when in fact he was harming and killing the dogs he was asked to help. But how does someone evolve into this? What...
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Season 1: State vs Steffen Baldwin / Episode 2: The Rabbit Hole
Season 1: State vs Steffen Baldwin / Episode 2: The Rabbit Hole After finding out that Steffen had secretly euthanized Remi, the Kargakos’ found themselves looking for someone to investigate Steffen and get to the truth of what happened to Remi. In Episode Two, Officer Jim Conroy, from the…
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Season 1: State v Steffen Baldwin / Episode 1: Remi
Season 1: State v Steffen Baldwin / Episode 1: Remi Steffen Baldwin gained popularity in the State of Ohio as a "dog savior", proclaiming that he could rehabilitate and rehome any dog, including those deemed dangerous and not adoptable. He spent years sharing his "success" stories, but the truth...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Bovine Distance Evaluation with João Bittar, DVM
Dr. João Bittar, Assistant Professor of Beef Cattle Extension at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, talks about the importance of long-distance observation of livestock in determining their physical and behavioral health. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Diagnostic Imaging of Thoracic Trauma with Federico Grosso, DVM
Dr. Federico Grosso, Clinical Associate Professor of Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, discusses the importance of x-rays in diagnosing the cause and consequences of trauma to the chest. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Sharp Trauma in Cetaceans and Sirenians with Denise Boyd
Denise Boyd, researcher with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, shares with us the dangers faced by manatees, dolphins and whales in Southwest Florida from collisions with boats. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event,...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Shelter Vet Forensics with Jennifer Bonovich, DVM
Dr. Jennifer Bonovich gives us an overview of the role of the sheter veterinarian in forensic cases and how animal cruelty cases can be pursued “on a budget”. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Animal Hoarding with Becky Morrow, DVM
Dr. Becky Morrow, founder of Frankie’s Friends, gives us an overview of the role of the veterinarian in forensic cases including testifying in court. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida from May…
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Animal Crimes and Family Violence with Laura Koivula
Laura Koivula, director of Animal Crimes and Investigations for Humane World for Animal’s Animal Rescue Team, discusses the LINK between animal cruelty and family violence. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Internet investigations with Jacob Lloyd
Can the internet be a resource for criminal investigations? Jacob Lloyd, from the Animal Welfare Investigations Project, shares with us do’s and don’ts of internet searching in animal crimes. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered…
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Morphology Assessment of Mammals with Verity Mathis
If you ever watched the show Bones, here is the real thing. Verity Mathis talks about the collection of species and how they can help with identification of unknown samples. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Crime Scene Processing with FBI Agent Lauren Regucci
FBI Agent Lauren Regucci discusses the FBI’s 12-step approach to evidence collection and the importance of properly documenting a crime scene. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida from May 7th to...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Livestock Investigations with Justin McClure
Justin McClure, Agriculture Investigator for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, shares information on the evaluation of livestock for cruelty and neglect and gives advise on how to assess their condition to determine if a crime is being committed. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The…
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Jury Selection and Expert Testimony with Laura Hope
Laura Hope, Assistant State Attorney for the 5th Circuit, shares information on jury selection and expert witness testimony in jury trials. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida from May 7th to 9th,...
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Animal ForensiCon 2025: Dogfighting with Janette Reever
Janette Reever, dogfighting expert from the Humane World for Animals gives a quick review on dogfighting, what to look for and document both to present a strong criminal case. The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach...
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Animal Forensicon 2025 - Pathology, Bloodstain Analysis, Animal Law and Evidence
The 2025 Animal ForensiCon: The Animal Forensic Investigations Conference is a three-day event, offered in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida from May 7th to 9th, 2025. The conference is hosted by the University of Florida’s Veterinary Forensic Sciences Laboratory. ForensiCon offers workshops and...
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Behind the Scenes of HBO's "Chimp Crazy"
Join us on a behind the scenes look at the HBO documentary Chimp Crazy. Dr. G is joined by Brittany Peet, General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement for the PETA Foundation, and Angela Scott, volunteer turned whistleblower who helped rescue several chimps from the Missouri Primate...
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Ep. 76 All Cats Matter: Ohio Supreme Court Decision in State v Alonzo Kyles
Last year, a case came before the Ohio Supreme Court that challenged the legal status of dogs and cats as companion animals based on being "kept". Dr. G's guests, Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecutors Tasha Forchione and Sarah Hutnik, will take you through the entire process, from the initial...
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Veterinary Communication in a Multi-Cultural World with guest Mia Navedo-Williams
Are you successful at reaching your clients, donors, or adopters? We do not have a single audience, and our message has to be directed towards a multitude of individuals if we want to make a difference in the lives of animals. This is not always an easy task, but it is not an impossible one…
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2023 ALDF State Animal Protection Ranking Report with guest Kathleen Wood, Esq.
Kathleen Wood, Senior Staff Attorney for The Animal Legal Defense Fund (aldf.org), joins Dr. G to discuss the 2023 ALDF State Animal Protection Ranking Report. Learn about the purpose and the information found on this document, and how it can help promote better animal protection laws in every...
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LA Times Investigative Report on the Puppy Mill Pipeline to California, with Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedyian
Investigative reporters for the LA Times, Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedyian, discuss the findings of their investigation into the puppy mill pipeline to California, the cruelty and the fraud. From the LA Times: An L.A. Times investigation found that many dogs sold as California-bred come…
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The Acatemy with Guest Julia Grosz
Dr. G chats with the Executive Director of Cat Hustler, Julia Grosz, about the Acatemy, a weekend program geared towards cat owners, rescuers, and caretakers. Learn about the program and the amazing speakers who will be featured at this event. About the Acatemy They say “it's all about the cats”...
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Anthrozoology and the Interconnection Between Humans and Animals with guest Marika Bell
The interconnection between humans and animals extends beyond the human-animal bond into many different ways in which we interact with animals. On this episode, Dr. G and guest Marika Bell, dive into Anthrozoology, behavior, shelter animals, and more. Marika also shares her experiences…
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The Puppy Mill Pipeline to Texas with guest Shelby Bobosky, Esq.
The Animal Welfare Junction Episode 70: The Puppy Mill Pipeline to Texas, with guest Shelby Bobosky, Esq. Attorney Shelby Bobosky, Executive Director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, joins us to discuss the puppy mill pipeline to Texas, Texas breeder laws, and how consumers are dumped…
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Farm Animal Welfare with guest Dr. Susan Krebsbach
All animals deserve a life free from pain and suffering, and this includes farm animals. Dr. Susan Krebsbach, Executive Director for the Veterinary Association for Farm Animal Welfare, joins us to discuss this difficult topic. While we realize that animal use for food and fiber won't end soon, we...
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Unleashing the Bond with guest Rustin Moore, DVM
Dr. Rustin Moore, Dean of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine and author of the book "Unleashing the Bond: Harnessing the Benefits and Safeguarding the Risks of Human-Animal Interactions", joins us to discuss the importance of the human-animal bond and his upcoming book release. This…
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Homeless with my Pet: Stories. My Dog is My Home and Found House 10th Anniversary
This episode of The Animal Welfare Junction podcast takes place during the My Dog is My Home and Found House 10th Anniversary celebration in Cincinnati, OH. These organizations help individuals experiencing homelessness with their pets. This episode contains the stories of four individuals who…
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SMART Shelters with guest Dan Ettinger
Dan Ettinger, host of The Animal Control Report, joins Dr. G to discuss SMART animal shelters and its goal to Save More Animals Responsibly Together. For more information on SMART, visit www.keepithumane.com Like our content? Help us by rating and sharing our podcast. Together we can make a...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Animal Welfare Junction is a podcast developed to bring awareness to different topics in animal welfare. The host, Michelle Gonzalez (Dr. G) is a veterinarian who provides affordable veterinary care in the State of Ohio, and also a Forensic Veterinarian helping with the investigation and prosecution of cases of animal cruelty and neglect.The topics presented are based on the experiences of Dr. G and our guests and include discussions about real cases, humane projects, and legal issues that affect animals and the community. Due to the nature of the discussion, listener discretion is advised as some topics may be too strong for some listeners.
HOSTED BY
A. Michelle Gonzalez, DVM, MS
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Animal Welfare Junction have?
The Animal Welfare Junction currently has 116 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Animal Welfare Junction about?
The Animal Welfare Junction is a podcast developed to bring awareness to different topics in animal welfare. The host, Michelle Gonzalez (Dr. G) is a veterinarian who provides affordable veterinary care in the State of Ohio, and also a Forensic Veterinarian helping with the investigation and...
How often does The Animal Welfare Junction release new episodes?
The Animal Welfare Junction publishes regularly with 116 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Animal Welfare Junction?
You can listen to The Animal Welfare Junction on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Animal Welfare Junction?
The Animal Welfare Junction is created and hosted by A. Michelle Gonzalez, DVM, MS.
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