From Vet to Visionary: Manda Scott on Healing, Hope, and Systemic Change

From Vet to Visionary: Manda Scott on Healing, Hope, and Systemic Change

Author: maryvy March 13, 2026 Duration: 1:12:44
In this expansive and deeply grounded conversation, we hear from Manda Scott, to explore why personal healing and systemic change must go hand in hand if we want to leave a healthy planet for future generations. Tracing her journey from veterinary medicine in Scotland and Cambridge to award‑winning writing and spiritual practice, Manda shares her understanding of today’s interconnected poly crisis, the sixth mass extinction, breached planetary boundaries, and why incremental solutions can’t meet the scale of the challenge. Manda reminds us that the answers already exist—and meaningful change is still possible if we choose to act together.   Biography Born in Scotland at 318ppm CO2, Manda Scott trained as a veterinary surgeon, but is now an award-winning novelist, host of the Accidental Gods podcast and co-creator of the Thrutopia Masterclass. Best known for the Boudica: Dreaming series, her latest novel, Any Human Power, is a mytho-political Thrutopian thriller that explores the potential for a future we'd be proud to leave as our legacy. She believes that the way forward now is for everyone to craft open-hearted connections with all parts of ourselves, each other and the Web of Life. She lives with her wife in the Shropshire Marches.   Further information Accidental Gods Podcast https://accidentalgods.life/our-podcast/ Accidental Gods Membership https://accidentalgods.life/join-us/ Thrutopia Masterclass https://thrutopia.life/the-thrutopia-masterclass/ Dreaming Awake https://dreamingawake.co.uk/ Manda books https://mandascott.co.uk/  Resource Page from Any Human Power https://mandascott.co.uk/any-human-power-resources/   Audrey Tang https://rightlivelihood.org/the-change-makers/find-a-laureate/audrey-tang/ Doughnut Economics https://doughnuteconomics.org/ Wellbeing Alliance (there’s a strong hub of this in Scotland) https://weall.org/ Client Earth https://www.clientearth.org/ Stop Ecocide https://www.stopecocide.earth/ Layers for Nature https://lawyers-for-nature.ghost.io/ Biomimicry https://biomimicry.org/inspiration/what-is-biomimicry/ The Work that Reconnects https://workthatreconnects.org/dimensions-of-the-great-turning/ River Dôn Project https://www.theriverdon.org/ Local Currencies  https://centerforneweconomics.org/publications/local-currencies-in-the-21st-century-understanding-money-building-local-economies-renewing-community/

What does it truly mean to care for an animal, whether it's a beloved pet at home or a species on the brink in the wild? Animal Welfare Conversations digs into that question through candid, often surprising discussions with the people on the front lines. Hosted by maryvy, each episode brings you directly into dialogue with veterinary surgeons and nurses making critical medical decisions, conservationists designing field interventions, and animal owners navigating daily ethical choices. The scope is deliberately broad, covering pets, domestic animals, farm residents, zoo inhabitants, and wildlife, because the principles of compassionate care connect them all. You'll hear concrete stories about decision-making and the realities of providing a good life, not just abstract theory. This is a podcast built on curiosity and a willingness to re-examine what we think we know, challenging assumptions about standard practices and long-held beliefs in the pursuit of tangible improvement. It’s for anyone-families, science enthusiasts, or nature lovers-who believes animal welfare is a complex, evolving conversation worth having. Tune in for perspectives that are both deeply personal and rigorously practical, reminding us of our shared responsibility toward the creatures in our care.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 41

Animal Welfare Conversations
Podcast Episodes
Sneak Preview - Vet Nursing Awareness Month [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:10
In this short intro episode, we highlight new episodes for May, otherwise known as Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month. So, we're focussing on the impact of veterinary nursing on animal welfare. In our first 3 episodes we…
Episode 8 - Animal welfare and the CMA report [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:26
In this episode we take a break from interviews, and Mary considers the impact of the CMA report on animal welfare. Recent years have seen many changes in veterinary practice, and in particular the corporatisation of the…
Episode 7 - Dr Tanya Stephens FRCVS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:57
This edition of Animal Welfare Conversations focusses on veterinary life in Australia. We’re joined by Dr Tanya Stephens BVSc, MSc, IAWEL, MANZCVS, FRCVS. Tanya is a veterinary practitioner in Australia, who has been abl…
Episode 6 - Joe Bailey -The Humanimal Trust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:19
In this episode of The Animal Welfare Conversation we are joined by Joe Bailey, CEO of the Humanimal Trust, a charity set up in 2014 by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick to support collaboration between human health professiona…
Episode 5 - Dr Matt Morgan - One Medicine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:52
In this episode we catch up with Dr Matt Morgan, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, adjunct Professor, regular BMJ columnist and author of One Medicine - What animals can teach us and why it matters. We chat about th…
Episode 1 - Amy Lyons - Veterinary Nursing in Australia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:00
We were delighted to chat with Amy Lyons in our more recent edition of Animal Welfare Conversations. Working as a veterinary nurse in Australia Amy sees a variety of different animals – anything from wombats and kangaroo…
AWC_Introduction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:13
Welcome to Animal Welfare Conversations A podcast for veterinary nurses, vets, vet students, and anyone who just loves working with animals. This podcast is for you if you want to feel part of a larger conversation and c…