The Animal Files Podcast brings you the real stories behind animal cruelty cases, rescue missions, and the laws that protect — or fail — our animals.
Powered by Animal Victory Disaster and Abuse Fund, each episode uncovers the truth and calls for change.
For more than 30 years combined, Paul Mueller and I have been fighting animal abuse in our own ways. Today, Paul is out front telling powerful stories on camera to raise awareness, while I’m behind the scenes managing petitions, organizing outreach, and pushing toward one shared goal: to hold animal abusers accountable.
Over the past year, Paul and I have stayed closely connected as we sort through the overwhelming number of cruelty cases that come our way. Sometimes it feels like too much. We’ve asked ourselves over and over:
What do we do with all this information?
How do we decide what to focus on first?
How do we fight a system where animals don’t legally have rights?
And how do we make sure people truly understand what’s happening?
Then one day, during a quiet moment on one of our calls, it became clear:
These conversations shouldn’t be private. They need to be heard.
That’s when The Animal Files Podcast was born.
We decided to combine our voices, share real stories from the field, talk openly about the barriers and failures we see, and connect our audiences so more people can learn, get involved, and help create real change. Between us, we’ve created over 342 petitions and produced hundreds of videos, and we’ve seen firsthand the impact awareness and public pressure can make.
But here’s the truth:
So many incredible people are out there fighting animal abuse alone — rescuers, advocates, volunteers, investigators, and everyday citizens who care deeply but don’t have support, a platform, or a network behind them.
We want to change that.
Through this podcast, we will bring people together, create collaboration instead of isolation, amplify voices that are rarely heard, and make sure the world knows what is happening to animals — and what we can do about it. Together, we will build a stronger community, share resources, and inspire action so that real progress can finally happen for animals who desperately need it.
To create awareness of real animal abuse cases to help society understand the horror of their suffering and to emphasize the urgent truth: lasting change is long overdue and we need EVERYONES help.
To create a world where animals are treated with kindness, compassion and respect.
Our podcast focuses on dogs and cats, as they are the closest companions to humans and the most frequently reported abused animals—in that order.
In 2024, an estimated 89.7 million dogs and 73.8 million cats live in households across the United States, according to data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Dog Ownership:
Cat Ownership:
These figures highlight the importance of our mission to protect and advocate for these beloved animals.
Neglect is the most common form of cruelty. It includes the failure to provide basic needs such as:
food & water
shelter
veterinary care
grooming
safety
Most cruelty cases in the U.S. fall under passive abuse, where animals simply don’t receive the care required to survive.
This is one of the largest drivers of suffering for dogs and cats.
In the U.S., an estimated 70 million dogs and cats are homeless at any given time, yet only about 6–8 million enter shelters each year — meaning most never find help. Globally, stray and homeless dogs and cats may number in the hundreds of millions.
When animals are not spayed or neutered, litters pile up, and people become overwhelmed — leading to widespread neglect and abandonment.
Overpopulation causes:
abandonment
surrender to shelters
dumping
hoarding situations
unintentional neglect from overwhelmed owners
And the downstream consequences:
homeless animals struggling to survive
overcrowded shelters are drowning in intakes
higher euthanasia rates
preventable suffering on a massive scale
This category alone is responsible for millions of animal deaths every year.
Intentional or active abuse includes deliberately harming an animal.
It is often linked to:
power and control dynamics
domestic violence (pets harmed to punish family members)
psychological disorders
displaced aggression
organized cruelty, such as dogfighting
These cases involve direct acts of cruelty — beating, burning, torture, and killing — and often overlap with broader patterns of human violence.
This category represents commercial exploitation, and it is one of the most chronic and pervasive cruelty problems.
These operations create:
lifelong confinement
severe neglect
untreated medical issues
psychological trauma
high mortality rates
Animals are bred for profit, not care, producing a constant supply of sick, unsocialized, and unwanted puppies, which further fuels the overpopulation crisis.
Read more about neglect below.
The Animal Files Podcast is more than conversation — it is a coordinated effort to expose cruelty, mobilize support, and drive meaningful action for animals in crisis. Powered by Animal Victory Disaster & Abuse Fund, this project turns awareness into accountability.
We accomplish our mission through a clear, impact-driven approach:
1️⃣ We listen directly to the people impacted.
We speak with survivors, rescuers, veterinarians, investigators, prosecutors, advocates, and community members across the country. Their firsthand experiences reveal how and why animals are being failed — and what must change.
2️⃣ We expose systemic problems.
By documenting patterns in laws, enforcement, neglect, and abuse, we help listeners understand the bigger picture. This isn’t just about isolated tragedies — it’s about a broken system that must be fixed.
3️⃣ We mobilize the public into action.
Listeners won’t just hear stories; they will know what they can do. We connect episodes to petitions, calls to action, reporting guidance, and opportunities to support rescues, investigations, and meaningful change.
4️⃣ We build community support and collaboration.
We work alongside advocacy organizations, legal professionals, shelters, and rescue groups. Together, we amplify efforts, share resources, and strengthen a national network of people fighting for animals.
5️⃣ We follow through — and keep the pressure on.
Stories don’t disappear after one episode. We provide updates, track progress, revisit cases, and hold responsible parties accountable. Continuous visibility prevents injustice from being forgotten.
6️⃣ We inspire courage, compassion, and empowerment.
Our goal is not only to inform — but to equip society with knowledge, tools, and confidence to speak up, report abuse, demand justice, and protect animals in their communities.
Through consistent storytelling, community engagement, and action-based advocacy, The Animal Files Podcast will help drive a culture where animal cruelty is addressed, prosecuted, and prevented — and where animals finally receive the protection and respect they deserve.
For more than 30 years combined, Paul Mueller and I have been fighting animal abuse in our own ways. Today, Paul is out front telling powerful stories on camera to raise awareness, while I’m behind the scenes managing petitions, organizing outreach, and pushing toward one shared goal: to hold animal abusers accountable.
Over the past year, Paul and I have stayed closely connected as we sort through the overwhelming number of cruelty cases that come our way. Sometimes it feels like too much. We’ve asked ourselves over and over:
What do we do with all this information?
How do we decide what to focus on first?
How do we fight a system where animals don’t legally have rights?
And how do we make sure people truly understand what’s happening?
Then one day, during a quiet moment on one of our calls, it became clear:
These conversations shouldn’t be private. They need to be heard.
That’s when The Animal Files Podcast was born.
We decided to combine our voices, share real stories from the field, talk openly about the barriers and failures we see, and connect our audiences so more people can learn, get involved, and help create real change. Between us, we’ve created over 342 petitions and produced hundreds of videos, and we’ve seen firsthand the impact awareness and public pressure can make.
But here’s the truth:
So many incredible people are out there fighting animal abuse alone — rescuers, advocates, volunteers, investigators, and everyday citizens who care deeply but don’t have support, a platform, or a network behind them.
We want to change that.
Through this podcast, we will bring people together, create collaboration instead of isolation, amplify voices that are rarely heard, and make sure the world knows what is happening to animals — and what we can do about it. Together, we will build a stronger community, share resources, and inspire action so that real progress can finally happen for animals who desperately need it.
Neglect is the most common form of cruelty. It includes the failure to provide basic needs such as:
food & water
shelter
veterinary care
grooming
safety
Most cruelty cases in the U.S. fall under passive abuse, where animals simply don’t receive the care required to survive.
This is one of the largest drivers of suffering for dogs and cats.
In the U.S., an estimated 70 million dogs and cats are homeless at any given time, yet only about 6–8 million enter shelters each year — meaning most never find help. Globally, stray and homeless dogs and cats may number in the hundreds of millions.
When animals are not spayed or neutered, litters pile up, and people become overwhelmed — leading to widespread neglect and abandonment.
Overpopulation causes:
abandonment
surrender to shelters
dumping
hoarding situations
unintentional neglect from overwhelmed owners
And the downstream consequences:
homeless animals struggling to survive
overcrowded shelters are drowning in intakes
higher euthanasia rates
preventable suffering on a massive scale
This category alone is responsible for millions of animal deaths every year.
Intentional or active abuse includes deliberately harming an animal.
It is often linked to:
power and control dynamics
domestic violence (pets harmed to punish family members)
psychological disorders
displaced aggression
organized cruelty, such as dogfighting
These cases involve direct acts of cruelty — beating, burning, torture, and killing — and often overlap with broader patterns of human violence.
This category represents commercial exploitation, and it is one of the most chronic and pervasive cruelty problems.
These operations create:
lifelong confinement
severe neglect
untreated medical issues
psychological trauma
high mortality rates
Animals are bred for profit, not care, producing a constant supply of sick, unsocialized, and unwanted puppies, which further fuels the overpopulation crisis.
We will also highlight the people and organizations making a difference around the world, working tirelessly in their communities to help animals in need.
The Animal Files is a project of the Animal Victory Disaster and Abuse Fund—a non-profit dedicated to helping animals in crisis and disasters. Fortunately the mission of The Animal Files Podcast meets the criteria of their mission. Your tax-deductible donations are the only way we can fund the promotion of this podcast, highlighting systemic issues and failures that enable cruelty and shedding light on the urgent need for reform. 
Approximately 65% of donations for this project will be allocated to small, credible, sustainable dog and cat rescue/rights organizations within the United States that lack a large platform to promote their work and receive funding. The remaining funds will support the podcast’s infrastructure and operations.
Those looking for a tax deduction while supporting our podcast, along with hundreds of small dog and cat rescues, creates a beneficial situation for all.
The Animal Files will dedicate approximately 65% of its donations to helping dogs and cats. These donations or supplies will go to credible, sustainable small non profit dog and cat rescue/rights organizations, or individuals, who do not have a platform to promote their cause and receive funding.
Sometimes, we are asked why we share animal abuse videos and graphic animal pictures, and some people express concerns that animal abusers might get ideas from them. 
While some may question our motives, there is no scientific research suggesting that watching abuse videos from animal advocates directly leads to animal abuse by viewers. In fact, most research indicates the opposite: exposing the public to the realities of animal cruelty aims to increase awareness, empathy, and advocacy efforts to prevent abuse.
Witnessing actual abuse can shock people into recognizing the severity of the problem and motivate them to take action, such as signing petitions, contacting authorities, or spreading the message. Outrage often leads to action!
If we didn’t see them, we wouldn’t know this abuse exists —
Consequently, if we don’t share these experiences, how will you know what’s happening? How will we create change?
We understand that watching these videos can be horrific, and you are not obligated to view them if they cause distress.
We’ve realized that cute, fuzzy pictures of dogs and cats do not accurately reflect the harsh reality of the cases we report, and authorities must see the factual evidence.
As animal abuse petitioners, news reporters, influencers, and podcasters, our primary goal to report the news as accurately as possible, using the evidence we receive to help society understand the horror of their suffering and to emphasize the urgent truth: lasting change is long overdue.
I hope this information is helpful. Please continue to join us by listening in and joining the conversation. We will continue to welcome your suggestions and insights on how we can collaborate to create a better world for animals. 
Your support means everything to us. Without YOU, the animals lose.
The Animal Files
Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Donation Policy
Effective Date: December 16, 2025
About The Animal Files
The Animal Files is a podcast and media project operated by Animal Victory Disaster & Abuse Fund, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 88-3617975) (“AVDAF,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).
The podcast is produced to educate, inform, and advocate for the protection of animals through storytelling, investigative discussion, and public awareness.
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Donation Policy
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Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law as contributions to Animal Victory Disaster & Abuse Fund (EIN: 88-3617975).
Use of Funds
Donations support AVDAF’s charitable mission, including producing and operating The Animal Files podcast as an educational and advocacy program.
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Animal Victory Disaster & Abuse Fund
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Wilmington, NC 28403
Email: info@animalvictoryfund.org
Whether it’s a one-time or monthly gift, you will provide the support needed for abused children seeking justice as well as the help needed to raise the bar for animal welfare in the courtroom.
Be their CHAMPION today.
Whether it’s a one-time or monthly gift, you will provide the support needed for abused animals seeking justice as well as the help needed to raise the bar for animal welfare in the courtroom.
Be their CHAMPION today.
Whether it’s a one-time or monthly gift, you will provide the support needed for abused animals seeking justice as well as the help needed to raise the bar for animal welfare in the courtroom.
Be their CHAMPION today.
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