Monica Kaho Herkules Bando

Monica Bando has dedicated the past 16 years of her career to advancing the welfare and interests of wild and domestic animals across the globe.

As Veterinarian for the Transparency and Regulatory Affairs Program, Monica will provide scientific and veterinary expertise to address health and welfare harms of animals in laboratories, entertainment, factory farms, and puppy mills through data gathering and analysis, regulatory advocacy, and supporting strategic litigation.

Prior to joining ALDF, Monica was Captive Wildlife Veterinarian for the Captive Animal Law Enforcement Division of the PETA Foundation, investigating abuse, neglect and cruelty of wild, exotic, and domestic animals. In this role she also contributed to drafting regulatory guidelines and a petition to improve standards of care and regulatory enforcement for birds and large carnivores.

Monica has provided veterinary support to several international wildlife and animal welfare charities in Asia, Africa, and North America and is veterinary advisor to Black Bear Rescue Manitoba. She served as Senior Veterinarian for Animals Asia’s award-winning China Bear Rescue Center in Chengdu, China, where she rescued, rehabilitated, and provided long-term care to bears rescued from the bear bile industry as well as contributed to veterinary capacity building and outreach to shelters following mass rescues from dog meat markets. She is featured in the documentary Cages of Shame.

Monica is passionate about improving animal welfare education to future veterinarians and was a founding member contributing to the development of a new, animal-welfare focused veterinary curriculum at the University of Lancashire in the U.K.

Monica completed a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, master’s degree in Marine Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, veterinary degree at Massey University in New Zealand, and PhD at Washington State University.

Monica lives in Colorado with her husband, Nick, and their two rescue cats, Jersey and Hereford. In her free time she enjoys trying out and devouring new vegan recipes, making feline friendly enrichment items, and spending time outdoors trail running or training for triathlons.