CSU Animal-Human Policy Center

Join us to hear Melina Jacques talk about her new book, What it Really Means to Love Dogs: A Cultural and Ethical Exploration. Endorsed by animal ethicist Jessica Pierce, canine behaviourist Clive Wynne, and biologist Jonathan Balcombe, the book examines the social and ethical consequences of the modern elevation of dogs. It explores how dog devotion has become intertwined with moral identity, social expectations, and ideas about virtue and belonging, while examining the often-overlooked costs to people, other animals, and the environment. The book challenges widely held assumptions about what it means to love dogs and asks who bears the consequences when an animal becomes a cultural ideal.

Melina Jacques is an independent researcher and writer whose work examines the cultural, historical, and symbolic dimensions of human-dog relationships. She has spent many years researching the subject across animal studies, psychology, sociology, history, anthropology, philosophy, ethics, and related fields.

Learn how topical pet flea and tick preventives impacts our water and our environment from Stephanie Hughes, a registered Chemical Engineer with 30 years of experience in water quality and regulatory compliance. Stephanie teaches at Santa Clara University and advises California municipalities. Since 2014, Stephanie has been evaluating less-toxic options to on-pet topical flea control due to water quality and public health concerns.

Join Dr. Nichole L. Nageotte (Community Research and Evaluation Manager) and Dr. Lynn Von Hagen (Africa Conservation Program Director) - both at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance - talk about the important role zoos play in conservation.

Join us for a conversation with Oxford zoologist Tim Coulson about octopus biology, how predator-prey arms races have shaped life on Earth, and the challenges of human-wildlife coexistence following wolf reintroduction in the American West.

Learn from Dr Ana Davidson and Lindsey Sterling Krank about prairie dogs in the west. These keystone species are threatened by plague and unlimited shooting on public lands, but conservationists are working to stop these threats.

Listen to AHPC co-director Becky Niemiec share her reflections on what we can learn from Dr Jane Goodall.

Join us for a discussion with Dr Jo Hockenhull, the Head of Research at The Donkey Sanctuary, leading a team of dedicated researchers working to improve the lives of donkeys and their hybrids across the world.

Join us in a discussion with Dr Sarah King about wild horses and burros in the Western United States. Learn how they are managed, why they are managed, and the complexity of achieving improved wild horse welfare.

Learn about the effort to stop Colorado's unlimited trapping and hunting of coyotes, foxes, bobcats and other "furbearers" in the state.

Samantha works with the Center for Biological Diversity's Carnivore Conservation program. She handles carnivore issues nationwide with a focus on state-level progress. Samantha's career has included wildlife commission reform, political advocacy, and coalition building to advance carnivore policyacross the U.S. West. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from University California Riverside and a Master of Public Policy from Pepperdine University.

Join us as we talk to Noelle Webb about the personal risks, ethical dilemmas, and societal impact of whistleblowers who challenge powerful institutions in pursuit of accountability and justice.

After a 30-year award-winning career in pharmaceuticalsales, Noelle Webb became a whistleblower in 2014, reporting illegal off-label marketing of pain medications and fraud against Medicare. During the ensuing decade of personal and professional upheaval, she found a new path training service dogs for veterans with PTSD, earning a MS in canine cognition. She shares her experiences and the resilience-building power of the human–dog bond in her forthcoming book, Leash of Courage (March 20, 2026).

Hear Drs. Gwendy Reyes-Illg and Jeff Hill talk about mass depopulation in animal agriculture, unpacking the policies behind it, the welfare consequences for animals, and the emerging alternatives shaping the next generation of agricultural regulation.

An inside look with Pamela Linden, MSW, PhD, the Interim Director of the Center for Veterinary Social Work at the University of Tennessee, at how veterinary social work bridges professions to support wellbeing, advance research, and strengthen the human–animal bond.

Learn from Emily Zepeda why urban coyotes show up where they do—and why parks, pathways, and landscape features matter far more than human demographics.

Learn what it takes to prosecute animal crimes with Jake Kamins, the animal cruelty resource prosecutor in the Oregon Department of Justice.

Kristen Baltrum is the founder and Executive Director of Annie and Millie's Place, a non-profit dedicated to helping people experiencing homelessness keep their pets by providing resources, pet-friendly solutions, and advocacy, named inmemory of her sister Annie and her dog Millie, who faced homelessness together.

Learn from Shelly Fisher about the Animal-Assisted Wellness Garden, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to promote healing, connection, and balance at a healthcare facility. Easily adaptable to other settings, including universities, the garden combines nature, animal interaction, and evidence-based design to create a restorative space where people can study,reflect, heal, and connect meaningfully with both animals and the natural world.

Learn from Brent Hershey, a pork producer who converted his operation away from gestation crates after Proposition 12 towards more humane pig housing systems, and who has been keeping track of the impacts of the change.

Learn what it takes to protect carnivores around the world with Dr Anthony Giordano, who is the founder, director, and Chief Conservation Officer at Species, the Society for the Preservation of Endangered Carnivores and their International Ecological Study

Join us as Dr. Philip Tedeschi explores the growing global movement to recognize animals as feeling, thinking individuals. From science and ethics to policy and personal choices, we unpack why animal sentience matters—and how it challenges us to build more compassionate relationships with all species.

Join us to hear conservation psychologist and campaigner Stephanie Klarmann talk about South Africa’s controversial captive lion industry. She discusses the hidden realities of canned hunting, the commercial exploitation of big cats, and the movement to end this unethical trade.

Additional information:

Blood Lions website: ⁠https://bloodlions.org/⁠

More info on industry myths: ⁠https://bloodlions.org/about-the-brutal-industry/debunking-industry-myths/⁠

Wild Choices: ⁠https://www.wildchoices.org/⁠

Stephanie's latest research paper on the impact of captive farming on wild populations: ⁠https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2316