12:00: Animal shelters and rescue groups face growing challenges
1:00: 'Connections Summer Sessions:' Making sense of the end of a high-profile vegan dining experiment
According to the founder of the Bissell Pet Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting animal welfare organizations, the nation’s animal shelters are in crisis. The economy, the housing market and veterinary deserts are making it harder for people to keep or adopt pets, and shelters are understaffed and overwhelmed. Guest host Julie Philipp and her guests will look at how this crisis is playing out locally. And we will examine some creative solutions designed to find loving homes for pets, including horses! In studio:
- Jennifer Lilly, co-founder and current president of Begin Again Horse Rescue in Lima, NY
- Vicky Pape, director of animal placement at Lollypop Farm
- Wendy Weisberg, founder of Second Hand Dog Rescue
Then in our second hour, "Connections Summer Sessions" continues with a series of special rebroadcasts about food and beverage. "The vegan experiment is over at Eleven Madison Park," says Eater New York. The high-end restaurant became the world's first three-Michelin-star vegan restaurant in 2021. That changed last fall, when meat and fish options returned to the menu. Predictably, meat lovers declared this to be a sign of a backlash to veganism. Is that over-stating it, or has the vegan movement stalled? Our guests have a range of experience in the industry. In studio:
- Chris Grocki, restaurant operations and beverage consultant
- Ryan Jennings, culinary director of Max Rochester
- Art Rogers, chef and owner of Lento Restaurant
"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
