In this episode of the Barn & Beyond Podcast, Chase sits down with facilities member Alayna! Alayna, being a somewhat newer facilities member, shares her experiences so far at Barn Sanctuary and goes into detail about her extensive experience working with farmed animals previous to working at the sanctuary, including working with horses both professionally and at home. Alayna details the stark contrast between working with farmed animals in the industry and working with them in the sanctuary environment. Chase and Alayna also talk about the wild horse and donkey roundups that are hurting our hooved friends out west, and why they are happening. Join us for another excellent episode of the Barn & Beyond podcast!

In this episode of Barn & Beyond, Chase sits down with Alicia MacLean, Barn Sanctuary’s Animal Care Director, for a conversation about her lifelong dedication to animal care and the journey that brought her to where she is today. With more than 15 years of experience working with animals and over 8 years as part of the Barn Sanctuary team, Alicia shares what she has learned from the residents, the challenges and rewards of sanctuary work, and what it was like to be part of Animal Planet’s Saved by the Barn, the television series that spotlighted Barn Sanctuary’s rescue and rehabilitation efforts. Chase and Alicia also reflect on her growth from animal caretaker to Animal Care Director, exploring the leadership, compassion, and hands-on experience that guide her work every day.

In this episode of Barn & Beyond, we sit down with Daniel Parilo, a neuroscience graduate of Notre Dame, for a thoughtful conversation about what it means for animals to think, feel, and experience the world. Drawing from ideas in animal sentience, consciousness, and cognition, Daniel helps us explore how science is reshaping the way we understand nonhuman minds.

Together, we discuss the growing evidence that animals are more emotionally and cognitively complex than they are often given credit for, and how that understanding has shaped Daniel’s views as a vegan. From questions of awareness and suffering to the ethical responsibilities humans have toward other species, this episode invites listeners to reconsider the lives of animals beyond the barn and beyond our assumptions.

Whether you are curious about neuroscience, animal ethics, veganism, or the inner lives of other beings, this conversation offers an accessible and compassionate look at why animal minds matter.