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Our Hen House is thrilled to welcome Kate Wall, Senior Legislative Manager for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), to the podcast this week. Kate give us an overview of her work lobbying at the federal level and provides a detailed breakdown of the worsening biodiversity crisis and what can be done to limit it. The bottom line is that we are losing wild species at an unprecedented rate that is simply too fast for evolution to keep up with, and there is still far too little attention being paid. Kate also shares her legislative priorities, some possible upcoming good news and her passion for educating people about the inextricable links between humans and wildlife—including zoonotic diseases and pandemics.
Since adopting a kitten from her local SPCA at the age of two, Kate’s love and compassion for animals have been an unwavering pillar of her life. While working toward an undergraduate biology degree in Philadelphia, Kate pursued her love for animals by working as a veterinary technician and volunteering at a wildlife rescue facility. Kate now serves as IFAW’s Senior Legislative Manager for the US office, presenting wildlife and habitat conservation, wildlife trafficking, and appropriations priorities before Congress. Her skills and knowledge of the strategic legislative framework are anchored in both experience and a never-ending commitment to ensure the wellbeing animals, humans, and our shared ecosystems.
“There is a false belief held by people in all levels of society, from individuals all the way up to decision-makers, that there is a dichotomy, that it’s a sort of a zero-sum game. You either protect the economy or you protect the environment. But actually, the majority of our economy is based on the environment.” – Kate Wall
Highlights:
- How IFAW is working on issues of animal welfare across the globe
- Kate’s lobbying, legislative, and policy work in the United States
- How climate change drives biodiversity loss and why biodiversity loss contributes to climate change
- How human economies are tied to biodiversity
- Why our decision-makers must take biodiversity into account when planning for the future
- Why ending animal exploitation could protect us and future generations from more global pandemics like COVID-19
- The reasons that it is so detrimental to humans to encroach on animal’s habitats
- Whether Kate feels that we are seeing progress in Congress under the current administration, particularly in relation to the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act
- The difference between wildlife corridors and wildlife crossings and why they are so vital for wildlife to be able to migrate
Connect with Kate Wall:
- International Fund for Animal Welfare Website
- International Fund for Animal Welfare on Facebook
- International Fund for Animal Welfare on Instagram
- International Fund for Animal Welfare on Twitter
Connect with Our Hen House:
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This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.
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Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.
The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.