Sentience in Animals with Dr. Lori Marino

Sentience in Animals with Dr. Lori Marino - Episode 81 of the For Animals For Earth Show.

Dr. Lori Marino is famous for her work on sentience in animals. She is a neuroscientist and expert in animal behavior and intelligence. She’s an expert in the evolution of the brain and intelligence in dolphins and whales (as well as primates and farmed animals).

Lori has worn many hats throughout her life, everything from student to faculty member, to researcher and collaborator. She’s been featured in films like Blackfish, Unlocking the Cage, and Blackfish follow-up Long Gone Wild.

She’s on the team building The Whale Sanctuary Project – an alternative for whales who have only known captivity and will have the chance to live in nature.

Lori is the Founder & Executive Director of The Kimmela Center for Scholarship-based Animal Advocacy.  This group focuses on bringing science to animal law, promoting scholar advocacy, and applying science to animal advocacy. Lori really sits on the edge of combining animal welfare and science and has published over 140 papers!

Lori was also a member of The Someone Project team, which compiled research on sentience in farm animals.  Farm animals (all animals actually) desperately need us to speak up for them right now as the Farm Bill is crafted.  There is worry that factory farms who are lobbying the government may roll back decades of progress made for animal welfare.  Learn more and reach out to your Congress People here.

Personally, I think the work that Lori does is some of the coolest work in the world.  By using science, data, and controlled tests, she’s leading the way for us to better understand what animals are REALLY thinking and feeling.

Listen to the episode:

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5 Simple Ideas to Help Animals:

1. DON’T VISIT ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY – DO SOMETHING ELSE.  Lori says, “If you decide not to go, you are really making a difference because eventually if enough people decide not to go, we’ll phase that out.”  Your kids will better understand how other animals need to live in nature as well.  They won’t suffer by not visiting these places.

2. DO NOT SWIM WITH DOLPHINS.  They swim or interact with us because that is the only way for them to be fed.  They do not want to play with us. In addition, they are wild animals, they’re not happy, and swimming with them is dangerous.

3. REPLACE ONE MEAL A WEEK WITH SOMETHING THAT IS NOT MEAT. Not everyone needs to be vegan. We should focus on helping each other live more compassionate lives, and if that means one meal a week, then it’s worth that one meal.

4. BE UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE.  There are some pretty horrible things going on in the world, but if people are trying to make a difference, be understanding of less than perfection. And if you’re like me, remind yourself that you don’t have to be perfect either. ;-)  Our hearts are in the right place, and our actions are making a difference.

5. CALL YOUR CONGRESS PEOPLE ABOUT THE FARM BILL.  There seems to be an ongoing effort from the factory farming industry in the United States to dismantle progress in animal welfare laws.  Our Congress People need to hear from us again to ensure that animal welfare stays top of mind for them.  Sadly these things are often snuck in behind closed doors and unless we stay on it, pretty detrimental laws could be passed.  Take 30 seconds to use The Humane League’s form to contact your Congress People.

Whale Sanctuary Project:

Lori lights up when she talks about the Whale Sanctuary Project and for good reason!  This endeavor takes years of her research of sentience in animals and applies it to a real-world solution to help whales who are suffering.  Learn more about it here:

The Someone Project (Sentience in Farm Animals):

Additional Articles to Enjoy:

Contact Lori:

  1. Email: MarinoLori@outlook.com
  2. The Kimmela Center for Scholarship-Based Advocacy: www.Kimmela.org
  3. Whale Santuary Project: www.WhaleSanctuary.com
  4. LinkedIn: @LoriMarino
  5. Facebook: @Lori.Marino.5

Watch the episode:

Closed captioning transcript included in video.  Subscribe on YouTube.

About Lori Marino:

Dr. Lori Marino discusses sentience in animals on the For Animals For Earth Show in episode 81.

Lori Marino is a neuroscientist and adjunct professor of Animal Studies at New York University. She is the founder and President of the Whale Sanctuary Project and Executive Director of The Kimmela Center for Scholarship-based Animal Advocacy. Lori’s scientific work focuses on the evolution of the brain and intelligence in dolphins and whales (as well as primates and farmed animals), and on the effects of captivity on wild animals. She has published over 140 peer- reviewed scientific papers, book chapters, and magazine articles in these areas. Lori also works at the intersection of science and animal law and policy and is the co-director (with Professor Kathy Hessler) of the Animal Law and Science Project at George Washington University as well as an adjunct faculty member at Vermont Law School. She also teaches at the Vermont Law School and has worked with the Nonhuman Rights Project.

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This neuroscientist is breaking barriers in animal welfare. Dr. Lori Marino's cutting edge research shows animals are a lot more like us than we think. Episode 81 of the For Animals For Earth Show.
Sentience in Farm Animals? Join me with Dr. Lori Marino to learn how multiple research studies show what they're thinking and feeling. Episode 81 of the For Animals For Earth Show.
Swimming with Dolphins? Why you should pass on this vacation excursion for the sake of the dolphin and your safety - Episode 81 of the For Animals For Earth Show.

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