A wild owl born in captivity spent years in a cage too small to fly. When he escaped, people around the world cheered.
Why?
In this episode of Better Life for Animals, Cheryl Moss speaks with animal law attorney and award-winning author Christine Mott about the legal, ethical, and cultural questions raised by Flaco the owl’s story. What begins as a conversation about a
children’s book expands into a deeper look at wildlife captivity, factory farming, animal cruelty laws, and the role each of us plays in protecting animals.
Christine does not approach advocacy from only one angle. As a former Chair of the Animal Law Committee at the New York City Bar Association, she has worked on policy reform, cruelty legislation, carriage horse bans, and broader legal protections for animals. At the same time, she understands the power of storytelling — especially when it comes to shaping the next generation.
This conversation connects the law, culture, education, and individual responsibility in a way that is both practical and urgent.
The Birth of a Book — and a Bigger Question
Christine shares what moved her to write Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight. Flaco’s real-life escape from the Central Park Zoo became more than a news story. It became a mirror.
If people instinctively root for an owl’s freedom, what does that reveal about how we truly feel about captivity?
The deeper question becomes clear: if we celebrate freedom for one animal, how do we reconcile the confinement of millions of others?
The Power of the “Why” in Animal Advocacy
Policy matters. Laws matter. Enforcement matters.
But Christine explains that before change happens legislatively, it must happen internally. Advocacy is not just about the “how.” It begins with the “why.”
Why should someone care about factory farming?
Why should wildlife captivity concern us?
Why do cruelty laws often fall short?
When people understand the why, the how becomes possible.
Books Matter More Than We Think
Most advocacy efforts target adults. But children form their worldview early.
Christine makes the case that children’s literature can quietly shape empathy, awareness, and moral reasoning. Stories allow children to see animals not as products, exhibits, or abstractions — but as beings with physical and emotional lives.
The goal is not preaching. It is planting seeds.
If empathy becomes natural in childhood, it becomes durable in adulthood.
Law, Policy, and the Gaps That Remain
Christine outlines some of the policy areas she has worked on, including:
- Strengthening animal cruelty laws
- Addressing carriage horse practices in New York City
- Tackling enforcement gaps
- Confronting federal preemption issues
- Responding to ag-gag laws that restrict transparency
One sobering reality: animal cruelty laws are often outdated, inconsistent, or weakly enforced. In many jurisdictions, violent acts against animals carry minimal consequences.
And research consistently shows a connection between animal abuse and violence toward humans. Addressing cruelty is not a fringe issue. It is a public safety issue.
Sanctuaries as a Turning Point
Animal sanctuaries play a critical role in shifting public perception.
Christine speaks to the importance of giving people direct experiences with rescued animals. When someone pets a pig, stands near a cow, or meets a turkey in a sanctuary setting, assumptions dissolve quickly.
Sanctuaries move animals from abstraction to relationship.
And that changes behavior.
Bearing Witness in an Age of Resistance
Exposing cruelty has become increasingly difficult. Christine discusses ag-gag laws and federal measures that create serious penalties for documenting abuse inside factory farms and animal enterprises.
Animal agriculture is a powerful industry with significant political influence. Efforts to increase transparency are often met with resistance.
But awareness still matters.
Industries rely on distance. Advocacy relies on visibility.
What Individuals Can Do
The problems are large. The industries are powerful.
But Christine emphasizes something practical: live in alignment. Use your strengths. Educate where you can. Share information. Support sanctuaries. Raise compassionate children.
Cultural change happens gradually — but it does happen.
Episode Highlights
[00:00] Introduction
[01:30] About Christine Mott and her passion for animal welfare
[04:00] Understanding the “Why” of animal advocacy
[08:00] Freedom for the animals is about educating the children
[14:00] Books matter
[19:00] Most people know more than they realize
[22:00] Policy changes Christine has led the charge on
[26:30] Animal abuse is often a precursor to human abuse
[31:30] Christine’s position on animal sanctuaries
[34:45] Bearing witness to the abuses of factory farms
[39:00] Animal agriculture is a powerful industry to fight against… but we must
About Christine Mott
Christine Mott is an award-winning author, attorney and animal advocate. Christine is a former chair of the Animal Law Committee of the NYC Bar Association and serves on the boards of various animal advocacy organizations. She is the author of the award-winning children’s book, “Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight” (2025, Lantern Publishing & Media). Christine received her J.D. from NYU Law and her B.A. from Smith College and is a graduate of the Emma Willard School. A native New Yorker, Christine lives in Southern California with her husband, two daughters, a dog and two guinea pigs (all rescues). Learn more about Christine at www.christinemott.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-mott-21aa4a77/
About Cheryl Moss
Cheryl Moss is the host of the Better Life for Animals podcast, where she shares uplifting stories from sanctuaries and highlights the work of vegan activists, ethical consumers, and animal welfare leaders. She is also the founder of the Funding Blueprint for Sanctuaries summit designed to empower those involved with sanctuaries sustainable funding streams.
A passionate advocate for animal welfare, she is dedicated to ending factory farming and is working to raise $100,000 for Mercy For Animals to support underrepresented sanctuaries.
Beyond podcasting, Cheryl is a banking professional and an accomplished children’s author. A graduate of Main Street Vegan Academy, she promotes plant-based living through her books, Gabriel, Cluck, and Pickle the Pig, which inspire young readers to embrace kindness, sustainability, and compassion for animals.
When not advocating, she enjoys Pilates, and spending time with her rescue dogs and grandchildren. Through her work, writing, and activism, Cheryl continues to inspire positive change for animals and the planet.
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