Melanie Kaplan: Lab Beagles, Legislation, and Love
Hosts John Ramer, Lori Cohen, and Chelsey Marino call up their good friend, journalist and author Melanie Kaplan to discuss her book Lab Dog, which chronicles her journey with Hammy, a former research beagle. Kaplan explains how adopting Hammy led her to investigate the vast and largely hidden industry of breeding dogs for laboratory research—a scale that stunned her as she uncovered industrial facilities housing tens of thousands of animals. The conversation moves from Hammy's behavior and the emotional challenges of adopting a lab beagle to the systemic issues within animal research, including inconsistent enforcement of welfare laws and the slow adoption of non-animal testing methods.
They discuss:
- The industrial scale of beagle breeding facilities and how three major operations dwindled to one during Kaplan's reporting
- Balancing the heartbreak of animal research with readability and emotional engagement in the book
- Why legislation and enforcement are the most effective pathways to change in the research industry
- How non-animal methods are advancing rapidly but face barriers to widespread adoption
- The personal experience of losing Hammy and continuing to share his story through book tours and public speaking
This episode explores the intersection of personal grief, investigative journalism, and advocacy—offering insight for anyone seeking to understand the realities of animal research and the dogs who emerge from it.
Links to Melanie:
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