What does it mean to care deeply while participating—directly or indirectly—in systems that cause harm?

Author Melanie D.G. Kaplan joins us to share her new book Lab Dog, the remarkable story of a beagle's past, and the future of animal research. In conversation with local chef Jason Sellers, Melanie will help us grapple with our relationship to a species we love and exploit, while giving us a reason for hope. This event will include adopted beagles who were bred for use in research.

In Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research, journalist Melanie weaves together memoir, investigative reporting, and ethical inquiry. The story begins with a beagle she loves—and unfolds into a searching exploration of the scientific, legal, and moral systems that shape how animals are used in research.

Melanie D.G. Kaplan is a former MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow and Vermont Law School Animal Law Media Fellow, who brings rare access and clarity to a world most of us never see: laboratories, regulatory bodies, scientists, activists, and the quiet contradictions many well-meaning people live with when care, progress, suffering, and necessity collide. https://melaniedgkaplan.com

Jason Sellers is the owner and chef at Plant, a James Beard Award-recognized restaurant in North Asheville. https://plantisfood.com