Rodeos are often framed as tradition or entertainment, but the reality is far different. What looks like sport is, in many cases, stress, fear, and physical harm for the animals involved. Karen Bacon does not tiptoe around this. She calls it what it is… outdated behavior that no longer makes sense in a world where we have better choices.
Her perspective is simple and direct. Someday, society will look back on these practices and question why they were ever accepted.
From Attorney to Advocate
Karen Bacon is the founder of Positive Change for Animals, a Massachusetts-based volunteer group focused on advancing animal rights through community action and legislation.
Her journey began with a desire to work in animal law, but like many in the field, she ran into the realities of limited opportunities and a legal system that still classifies animals as property. Rather than walk away from the mission, she took a 
different route.
She built a platform that focuses on what actually moves change forward… people.
Through Positive Change for Animals, she brings together advocates, sanctuary supporters, and everyday individuals to create a stronger, more unified voice for animals.
Why Laws Do Not Change on Their Own
One of the most important points Karen makes is that legal systems rarely lead social change. They follow it.
Court cases can raise awareness, but they often fall short because of how animals are defined under the law. Lasting change comes from legislation, and legislation comes from public pressure.
That means people have to show up. They have to write letters, contact representatives, and stay engaged long after the initial interest fades.
Without that, even the strongest proposals stall out.
There Is More Than One Way to Advocate
A standout part of Karen’s work is her recognition that the movement needs different types of people.
Not everyone is going to organize a protest. Not everyone will lobby legislators. Some people are rescuers. Others are educators. Some are connectors who bring people together.
Each role plays a part.
Karen developed a framework to help people identify where they fit, so they can contribute in a way that aligns with their strengths instead of stepping back altogether.
Turning Support Into Action
Karen shares a clear example of how change actually happens.
In her efforts to address bull riding events, she started with a petition. But she did not stop there. She reached out individually to people who signed it, built relationships, and guided them through the next steps.
That outreach led to dozens of letters to city officials and a strong public presence at meetings. The result was movement toward drafting an ordinance.
It was not fast. It was not easy. But it worked.
The Challenge of a Fragmented Movement
The animal rights space is filled with passionate people doing important work. The challenge is that much of it happens in separate pockets.
Rescue groups, legislative advocates, and sanctuary operators often focus on their own areas, which can spread efforts thin.
Karen raises an important question. What would happen if more people aligned around a few key campaigns at a time?
It is not about abandoning other work. It is about creating enough momentum to get real results.
Why This Work Matters
At its core, this conversation is about more than rodeos or any single issue. It is about how society justifies systems that no longer serve us.
Karen points out that many of the practices still in place today are not only harmful to animals, but also wasteful and unnecessary.
The shift will come. The only question is how long it will take and how many people are willing to be part of it.
How to Get Involved
Karen encourages people to move beyond awareness and take simple, consistent action.
Follow organizations doing the work
Pay attention to legislation
Contact elected officials
Support efforts that align with your values
Even small actions matter when enough people take them.
Karen Bacon and Positive Change for Animals are most active on Facebook, where they share updates, campaigns, and ways to participate.
This episode brings a clear message. Change does not happen because something is wrong. It happens because people decide to do something about it.
Episode Highlights
[00:00] Introduction
[01:15] Positive Change for Animals… the beginning
[03:25] Social awareness is crucial
[08:00] Animals are part of the whole of society
[13:30] Why bans of rodeos are important
[16:30] Focus on bans goes beyond rodeos
[21:30] Unifying and prioritizing animal movement actions
[26:00] Finding Positive Change for Animals online
About Karen Bacon
Karen Bacon is the Founder of Positive Change for Animals, a grassroots social and volunteer organization with nearly 1,100 members dedicated to advancing animal rights through community engagement, advocacy, and education. She also serves as a Community Advocacy Lead with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, working to strengthen protections and public awareness for animals across the state.
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Karen earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science and American Studies from Brandeis University and her law degree from Northeastern University. Her senior thesis explored the history of the animal rights and welfare movement in the United States, reflecting a lifelong commitment to understanding and advancing justice for animals. She further developed her legal foundation in animal advocacy through an internship at the Rutgers School of Law Animal Rights Center in 1997.
Karen’s passion for animals began in early childhood and has shaped her personal and professional path. She became a vegetarian during her first year of college and actively participated in protests, leafleting campaigns, and legislative efforts to combat animal cruelty. In 2014, she founded Positive Change for Animals to harness the power of friendship, trust, and community as catalysts for social transformation. The organization supports rescue groups and sanctuaries, advances key legislative initiatives, organizes demonstrations, and hosts inclusive community events that bring people together around compassionate living.
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.
https://www.facebook.com/BLFAnimals/
https://x.com/betterlife4anim
https://www.instagram.com/betterlife4animals/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylmossabetterlifeforanimals/
