What happens when the responsibility to care for animals collides with gaps in the law?

In this episode of The State I Am In, Manny sits down with Megan Merritt, founder of Homebound Farm & Rescue in Sterling, Alaska. A lifelong Alaskan and the self-described “machine” behind the rescue, Megan works daily with animals that have been abandoned, neglected, or left in conditions where help should exist—but often doesn’t.

The conversation centers on a recent video Megan posted showing horse and cows living in exposed winter conditions and in poor health, multiple reports have been made and yet nothing has changed in years. This sparks a deeper discussion about animal neglect, personal freedom, and where stewardship begins. Together, Manny and Megan explore how animal welfare laws on the Kenai Peninsula are written, how they’re enforced (or not), and why nothing is being done.

Megan shares her personal journey into rescue work, the emotional toll of advocating for animals when intervention fails, and the reality of working cases that repeat year after year without resolution. The episode also raises difficult questions:
• When does personal liberty end and responsibility begin?
• Why are veterinarians rarely involved when the law says they should be?
• And what changes could actually protect animals while respecting individual freedom?

This is an honest, grounded conversation about Alaska, community, compassion, and the uncomfortable gray areas where the system falls short.

🎥 Note: The video discussed in this episode is available on TikTok via Homebound Farm & Rescue and provides important context for the conversation:

Follow Homebound on Facebook & Tiktok

Shoot me a text, what do you think?