Episodes

John, Lori and Chelsey are joined by Brandon Wilder, to discuss animal research and the lives of the animals involved. We ask Brandon the difficult questions: When is animal research justified? Who decides whether an experiment is necessary? And how do we account for an animal’s well-being during research and long after it ends? Brandon shares what drives his work, where he believes research practices need to improve, and why he hopes emerging methods could help reduce the use of animals. We a...

Joe Bailey didn't plan on becoming an advocate for former research dogs — he just wanted a beagle. On this episode of Dogs Beyond The Lab, hosts Chelsey Marino (Keeper and Kin), Lori Cohen (The Beagle Alliance), and John Ramer (Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary) hear how a two-week notice from the Beagle Freedom Project brought Presley, a six-and-a-half-year-old beagle straight off an Oklahoma breeding farm, into Joe's Los Angeles home. Joe taught him stairs, leashes and how to eat slowly, and lea...

John Ramer, Chelsey Marino, and Lori Cohen talk with Alice and Dima about Kane, a senior lemon beagle rescued from Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary.

Rob Wadd joins Dogs Beyond the Lab to share the profound journey of Gabe, a former research beagle whose life was transformed by love, patience, and community. Rob recounts how he and his wife Sharon moved from life with Badger—their confident, well-adjusted beagle—to adopting Gabe, a deeply traumatized ex-lab dog terrified of ordinary things like doorways, wind, darkness, and TV. With Badger as a mentor and Sharon as his anchor, Gabe slowly learned safety, routine, and trust, from four-hour bac...

Melanie Kaplan shares what she uncovered about industrial-scale facilities, the gaps in animal-welfare enforcement, and the promise—and slow adoption—of non-animal research methods. It’s an honest conversation about grief, investigative journalism, advocacy, and why Hammy’s story still matters.

Luke Toennies tells the story of adopting Snoop, a former research beagle. Luke initially reached out to the Beagle Alliance after losing his dog Leo.

David and Ginny share their adoption and rehabilitation of Celie, a severely fearful former research beagle from Kindness Ranch. They describe choosing Celie, her initial terror at the ranch and home, and the slow work to build trust through routine, “place” training, and positive games like “boop” and ball play. Bowman, their calm older beagle, served as a critical mentor, helping Celie gain confidence.

This week's episode features photographer/activist Robert Sturman, and of course, his good pal Otis - a former research hound. Robert shares how early exposure to the realities of animal testing shaped his compassion, eventually leading him to adopt Otis after seeing him through Beagle Freedom Project. While Otis is still triggered by loud noises like trains and fireworks, Rob explains all the ways he and Otis help each other every day.

Angelique shared her journey of adopting research beagle Oliver from Kindness Ranch. Oliver is a deeply fearful dog who required months of patience before showing signs of progress. Her journey stands in stark contrast to easier adoption stories, illustrating what happens when an adopter commits to a dog with severe trauma and learned helplessness.

Meet Jean Unger, a longtime Kindness Ranch volunteer and adopter whose life has been transformed by former research beagles. Jean shares how adopting her first lab beagle, Henry, opened her eyes to the hidden world of animals used in research and set her on a path of deep involvement with Kindness Ranch. She describes working hands‑on with hundreds of dogs at the sanctuary, helping match them with the right homes, and the emotional push‑and‑pull of falling in love with dogs she doesn’t ultima...

Hosts John Ramer (Kindness Ranch), Lori Cohen (The Beagle Alliance), and Chelsey Marino (Keeper & Kin) talk with Christy Cooke, a teacher and “foster fail” adopter of Casey (formerly Fiat), a former research beagle. Christy shares how her family, intending only to foster, instantly fell in love when Casey walked out of the kennel and into her daughter’s arms. She describes Casey as unusually “normal” for a former research dog—deeply trusting, social with strangers, and bonded to her canine “b...

Dogs Beyond the Lab’s first episode introduces John Ramer (Kindness Ranch, Wyoming), Lori Cohen (The Beagle Alliance, Manitoba), and Chelsey Marino (Keeper and Kin, North Carolina), and the unique collaboration among their organizations. They recount how a viral article about the 4,000 Envigo beagles and Lori’s supportive voicemail led to their partnership and later town halls and joint rescue efforts. The conversation explores the emotional toll of public backlash, the complexity of animal r...

This is Dogs Beyond The Lab. This show explores what happens after rescue — when dogs raised in research facilities encounter freedom, trust, and everyday life for the very first time. Featuring insights from John Ramer, Lori Cohen, and Chelsey Marino. John Ramer is the Executive Director of Kindness Ranch, one of the leading sanctuaries in North America dedicated to former research animals. Working in animal rescue since 1999, he has devoted his career to helping animals transition from l...