Animal Radio®

Petting a Million Dogs Gideon Kidd has a goal to pet a million dogs for his pet project. So far, the 9-year-old boy has pet more than 360 in his Iowa hometown. He’s chronicled his journey on Twitter, garnering over 90,000 followers. He’ll tell us why he’s doing this. Please Don’t Repo Fido - Lawmakers Ban Pet Leasing Puppies sold in pet stores, most of which are sourced from puppy mills, are often accompanied by soaring sticker prices. To make the puppies appear more affordable, private lending companies are offering leasing plans. Miss a payment and they can repossess your pup. Bill Ketzer, from ASPCA Government Relations, is asking lawmakers to end this predatory practice. Managing Leash Aggression Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Wailani Sung studies and treats ‘leash aggression.’ She’ll help you control your lunging dog. This feature is part of the Fear Free Pets Expert Series, helping your pet live a happier and healthier life. Smart Toilets for Cats Sharp, the electronics maker has a hot new pet product set to go on the market next month. It’s a smart toilet for cats that can automatically measure urine data and the weight of the cat to keep track of its health. It will also alert its human if any abnormality is detected. What if you have multiple cats? In that case, a sensor for identifying each cat is available and can be used in combination with the smart toilet to keep tabs on the health of up to three cats. Pit Bull Puppy Saves Baby A pit bull puppy in Northern California is being called a hero. Sasha the puppy is only 4 months old. She and her baby human sister were born only a few days apart. Now, that bond is even stronger after Sasha alerted the family to a fire at the neighbor’s house that was spreading to their home. The puppy ran to the bedroom and got the baby off a bed by her diaper before the mother had even arrived in the room.

Parrots Helping Veterans with P.T.S.D. Dr. Lorin Lindner founded Serenity Park, a unique sanctuary on the grounds of the Los Angeles Veterans Administration Healthcare Center. She noticed that the veterans she treated as a clinical psychologist and the parrots she had taken in as a rescuer quickly formed bonds. Men and women who had been silent in therapy would share their stories and their feelings more easily with animals. Are American’s Too Attached To Their Pets? Psychological Scientist Dr. Clay Routledge believes young adults may be bonding with animals at the expense of vital human relationships. While the Animal Radio team may be divided on the health aspects of loving your pet “too much,” there is one empirical fact; some of us have trouble prioritizing humans over animals. Filthy Pet Food Facility Mars markets canned dog and cat foods under the Pedigree, Cesar, Whiskas, Nutro and IAMS brands and problems over the past two years at their pet food production facility in Columbus, OH, are now becoming public. Food Safety News has revealed that the facility was crawling with an infestation of German cockroaches between October 2016 and July of last year. Pet food from the plant also generated consumer complaints about finding hard plastic pieces in the pet food. A recall of the affected foods was issued, but inspections of the facility to check on how they remedied the problem found the company had not completed repairs as promised. Oldest Cat Turns 30 A British cat has been given the title of oldest in the world after celebrating its 30th birthday. The cat, named Rubble, has been with his mom since she got him as a kitten on her 20th birthday in May of 1988. They have been inseparable ever since and Rubble has now matched the age of the last world record holder. The oldest cat ever according to the record books is Creme Puff who was born on August 3, 1967 and lived until August 6, 2005, an amazing 38 years and 3 days. Gone to the Birds We often celebrate our cats and dogs, but today it’ll be about the birds. We’ll focus on bad bird behavior and training your parrot of cockatoo. Dr. Debbie breaks the myths about bird food and explains the nutritional value of seeds vs. pellets.

Our Wild Life Bobbie Jo Abrams doesn’t mind the camels in her kitchen or sloths in her living room. And she rather enjoys the kangaroos hanging onto her. Her new TLC hit series, Our Wild Life, is causing a lot of chatter about the 81 mostly exotic animals she shares her house with. She explains how she pays for her bizarre pet collecting habit. Avoiding and Treating Heat Stroke in Dogs Typically, when you think of a dog getting heat stroke, you might envision a dog in a hot car. But heat stroke can affect your dog simply by being outside in 80-degree temperatures. Fear Free Vet Dr. Stacy Eckman talks about the breed of dogs most at risk and the myths behind improper treatment of heat stroke. Check out the Fear Free Expert Series. A Rescue Cat Who Inspired a Community When life gives you lemons, you know what you’re supposed to do! After battling cancer, Helen Brown embraced a “special needs” foster cat named Bono. This little cat was the last thing Helen wanted or needed, or so she thought. Helen tells us how Bono left his mark-on-her-heart. Funerals for Robotic Dogs Most of us know how difficult it is losing a pet, but what happens when the “pet” in question is a robot? It’s something that happens frequently in Japan where Aibo the robotic dog is manufactured. The demise of the irreparable Aibo robotic dog is marked in much the same way as that of humans, with a solemn ceremony at a Buddhist temple. At a recent memorial for more than a hundred “deceased” members of Sony’s older generation of Aibo robot dogs, incense wafted through the air as priests in robes chanted and prayed for their souls. I’ve Pet That Dog Gideon Kidd is a 9-year-old from Iowa whose love in life is petting dogs. This has all been documented with photos taken by his mother, which are then posted on his blog named “I’ve Pet That Dog!” So far, Gideon has documented himself petting over 300 dogs. Gideon’s Twitter page has exploded with more than 70,000 followers.

Rap King to TrapKing The TrapKing Sterling Davis spreads the word about Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) and his approach to educating and engaging different demographics while ending the “crazy cat lady” stereotype! “Gotta let the fellas know, you don’t lose cool points for compassion.” Could Your Pet’s GPS Leak Sensitive Information? Smart collars and other devices for animals that track their locations are very popular now. However, the problem, according to Kaspersky Lab, is that these tracking devices can leak sensitive information. The pet-tracker class of connected gadgets adds one more layer of vulnerability, but calling attention to the flaws could be a wake-up call to the manufacturers. Don’t Lease a Pet! Buying a pet at a pet store can end up costing twice what it says on the price tag if you are lured into signing a pet-leasing contract. Pet leasing has been drawing scrutiny from lawmakers and animal welfare groups since last year highlighted many consumer complaints against Reno, Nevada-based Wags Lending, which pioneered the practice of loans to lease pets. And if you stop making payments, the company has the right to take your animal back and ding your credit score. Music Calms The Savage Beast Multi-platinum musician Terry Woodford’s Canine Lullabies are being played in over 2500 rescue and shelter facilities. The results are quite remarkable. The music, with a heartbeat in the mix, reduces anxiety and comforts sick animals. It’s Allergy Season Did you know your dog could be allergic to cats? Did you know your cat could be allergic to YOU? Many pet owners are dealing with animals that have seasonal or food allergies. Dr. Debbie has some ideas for when you’ve tried everything else to comfort your pet.

The Secrets Of The Snout Scientist and researcher Frank Rosell joins us live from Norway to talk about our pet’s incredible nose and smelling capabilities. He’ll explain why your friend’s dog is “all-up-in-your-business” and just how far and how much our dog can smell stuff. They can even smell cancer. 65-year-old Woman Has Had Her Pet 56 Years Here’s a story you don’t hear very often. Jeanna Smith got her pet tortoise during the Kennedy administration, and it might still be alive for the Bieber administration. Not many people live most of their life with their childhood pet. Your Turn To Weigh In On Airline Service Animal Policy The Transportation Department announced it’s seeking comments for drafting rules for dealing with animals flying with passengers on planes. The proposal asks for comments about questions such as: whether to treat psychiatric service animals the same as other service animals, such as for the blind and deaf; whether to require emotional-support animals to travel in containers or with a harness or leash; and limiting the types of animals qualifying as emotional-support animals. Comment Here. What To Do When You Can’t Reach A Veterinarian The Fear Free Pets Expert Series continues with Dr. Dawn Crandall. She’ll teach you how to evaluate and treat your pet when a veterinarian isn’t easily accessible. Before you take your dog on a summer trip or camping, make sure you’re prepared for the unexpected. Chernobyl Dogs Headed To U.S. In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant melted down creating a huge evacuation zone for more than 120,000 humans with many pets being left behind. Over the last 32 years, the surviving former pets have multiplied, creating a community of hundreds that live in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Now, a dozen of those homeless puppies will head to the United States for adoption.

When Pets Attack Many of us have stories of being bit or attacked by companion animals. Some careers are inherently vulnerable to attacks, like veterinarians and postal carriers. USPS Carrier Ramiro DeMarco talks about dogs, cats and snakes that have ‘gone postal.’ The Sounds You Can’t Hear Dr. Jeremy Turner, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Illinois College, studies the sounds that humans can’t hear, but that may be loud and clear, and maybe even annoying to your pets. Dr. Turner says the proliferation of electronic devices introduces un-heard noise that can actually stress our furry companions. Dog Shoots Man An Iowa man’s dog shot him while the two were playing together. They were roughhousing on the couch when the large mixed breed dog bounded back up on the sofa, somehow disabling the safety on the gun, which the man had in his belly-band. The dog then stepped on the trigger, hitting the man in the leg. After the gun went off, the dog knew it was no longer playtime because he laid down beside his owner and cried because he thought he had done something wrong. Woman Discovers Dog Is Actually Fox A woman was stunned to discover her dog was actually a domesticated fox. She paid $190 for what she believed to be a Japanese Spitz puppy from a pet shop. For months she raised the pup, but kept noticing odd behaviors. The dog never barked and at three-months-old it began refusing to eat dog food. She turned to a friend who worked at a nearby zoo who told her that her dog wasn’t a Spitz; it was really a white haired domesticated fox! Pawfficer Donut Sworn In A suburban Detroit police department is giving a kitten a new home after their newly selected police cat, Pawfficer Badges, was too sick to join the force. “Badges” has Feline Leukemia, which is a viral disease that typically can cause immune suppression, is contagious to other cats and can be fatal in the long run. Badges will receive treatment and will eventually be adopted into a home. However, the Troy Police Department has officially sworn in a new cat named “Pawfficer Donut,” who has some big paws to fill.

Natasha Lyonne Spoils Her Maltipoo Actress Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black) is our guest. She divulges her obsession with “Root Beer,” her Maltese/Poodle mutt. Natasha joins Will Arnett, Stanley Tucci and Shaq for the new movie Show Dogs. She says it’s much easier to work with dog actors than human actors. Listen Now Human Meds for Pets Dr. Lisa Radosta explains the use of common human behavioral medicines, including Prozac, for use with anxiety-ridden dogs and cats. She says veterinarians are more eager to prescribe psychotropic drugs to help our pets live a Fear Free life. Listen to Dr. Radosta in the Fear Free Pets Expert Series. Can Animals Predict Earthquakes It’s been believed by many people that dogs, cats and other animals can anticipate or predict an earthquake. Now, for the first time, researchers have scientifically studied the claim. It is near impossible to determine whether the unusual animal behaviors are predictive or coincidence. However, the experts acknowledge, “the animals may sense seismic waves generated by fore shocks, but probably can’t predict an earthquake.” Who Loves Ya Baby? Christian Savannas, son of Kojak star Telly Savannas, has just finished designing a smartphone gaming app revolving around his mother’s dog. He joins us to share the inspiration behind “Wild Wiener,” the wildly addictive dachshund game. United Airlines Bans Certain Breeds of Cats & Dogs From Flying After a review of all of its policies and practices concerning animals, United Airlines is banning 25 different pet breeds when it resumes flying pets this summer. It will be a few months, but United will again accept dogs and cats in the cargo hold starting July 9 if the pet parent is booked on the same flight. United will now no longer allow 21 dog and four cat breeds that are prone to physical problems from heat or other travel stress.

Being Blind - Faking A Sighted Person For 30 years, legally blind from birth, Stephen Kuusistos went about his daily business as if he had 20/20 vision. He even drove bikes and motorcycles. But his life changed dramatically when he met his first service dog, Corky. This dog assisted him and even taught him some valuable life lessons. The Truth About Raccoons Over the years, many people have tried to make pets out of raccoons. This is nearly impossible. Raccoons not only make bad, destructive pets, but they also inherently carry disease. Animal Radio’s Dr. Debbie has to let down a listener that was dead-set on making a wild raccoon a family member. Recreational Drugs and Alcohol - Not For Pets The Family Center for Recovery surveyed over 1,000 pet owners who admitted to seeing their pet ingest drugs or other substances. 10% of men and 5% women in this survey said they purposefully got their pet high on drugs so they could share the experience and nearly 8% of men and 4% of women said they gave their pet drugs or alcohol out of boredom. Dog Park Hijacked For Ten Years The Tribeca Dog Park in New York was literally stolen, or hijacked, ten years ago by area residents who put a lock on the gate, began charging fees, banning non-member status mutts and enforcing its 22 rules with an iron fist and the city never noticed. The people with the pirated dog park installed a keypad lock on the gate and sent members a secret 4-digit passcode after they paid a $120 annual fee over Paypal on the group’s website. Man Shoots At Roommate Over Cat Hair On Couch A 58-year-old Florida man has been arrested after he shot at his roommate because he was angry about cat hair being on the couch. The roommate told police that the cat-hair-hating-guy fired in his direction and said, “The next one’s going to be you.” Mr. Cat Hair Hater is being held without bond and is facing charges of shooting into a dwelling, aggravated battery and aggravated assault.

Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom The little known insurance company would’ve sunk into obscurity if it weren’t for the marriage to the iconic television programming it hitched its name to. Marlin Perkins and his monkey hosted the Sunday evening tradition. The show lives on today as a web series hosted by this week’s Animal Radio guest, Peter Gros. Peter talks about several harrowing experiences filming wild animals, including chasing a 12-foot python through the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Meet Your Breed Don’t just get a dog because it’s cute. To ensure a long lasting relationship, you should get a breed that suits your activity level, as some dogs require lots of stimulation while others, like the unsuspecting Greyhound, would rather be a couch potato. Behaviorist Kim Brophey is here to help you pick out your new furry family member. The New Fear Free Guide The biggest thing to recently happen to animal welfare is arguably the Fear Free movement. Starting with veterinarians, changes were made to make vet visits a better experience for the pet and everyone involved. Then Fear Free moved into the household by creating the Fear Free Happy Homes program. Now, with the help of Fear Free father and renown author, Dr. Marty Becker talks about the new Fear Free book, From Fearful to Fear Free. Listen to Dr. Becker in the Fear Free Expert Series on Animal Radio. Raccoon Overdoses on Heroin Firefighters at Wayne Township in Indiana must still be laughing about a recent visit they had from a frantic woman who showed up at the station house early one morning with her pet raccoon. The raccoon was stoned after being exposed to too much marijuana and the owner thought the raccoon was overdosing. Later, they discovered the raccoon had actually gotten into someone’s stash of heroine.

No Dogs Left Behind Jeffrey Beri founded the global animal rescue No Dogs Left Behind. He checks in with Animal Radio from China where he’s rescuing thousands of dogs from a horrific life and ultimate slaughter. He reports that the Chinese are changing their view on pets. Brilliant Shelter Program Alan Cook, the inventor and mastermind behind the Brilliant Pad Self-Cleaning Dog Potty, is donating hundreds of potties to shelters and adopters across America. “By potty training shelter dogs, we’re helping to make more dogs adoptable,” says Cook. Shelters may apply at http://BrilliantPad.com/shelters. Think About Your Pets When Buying That Tech Gadget Tech expert Kim Commando says every piece of technology we put into our homes could very easily emit a sound that cannot be heard by humans but comes in loud and clear for pets. That’s not to say pets are suffering because of our gadgets, but that the possibility exists and it is something you may want to consider. In scientific terms, humans can hear sounds up to about 20,000 Hz, while dogs can hear sounds up to 45,000 Hz and cats 64,000 Hz. That means there are frequencies undetectable to us but very noticeable and even hurtful to animals. Lights can also be a problem, because animals see the world differently than humans. LED lights flicker more than others, though the speed at which they do so isn’t really noticed by humans. Dogs, however, are sensitive up to 80 Hz or flickers per second. Retiring Former Research Chimps The Director of Behavior and Research at Chimp Haven joins Animal Radio to talk about the many chimps that are now living at her sanctuary in Louisiana. Amy Fultz is currently fund raising to help build more habitats in the 200-acre refuge.

Catstravaganza Comedian/Actress Mindy Sterling (Austin Powers) is doing a musical about cats along with Fred Willard, Emily Deschanel and Nicole Sullivan. These are only a smattering of celebrities that will be singing their heart out. Mindy is our guest this week. How To Think Like A Cat Do cats worry about retirement? Nope. Do cats do things they don’t want to? Definitely not. Stephane Garner joins us from France to tell us how to structure our life to be more like the serene feline. Who knows, you may learn a little something something that will make your mundane existence a little better. Sucker Buys Rachael Ray Food In a move that isn’t good for consumers. The J.M. Sucker Co. has announced it will buy Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, maker of Rachael Ray’s Nutrish brand. The deal is valued at about $1.7 billion. You might remember that Smucker was just called to the mat for pentobarbital in their pet food. Getting Kittens Started Right Inventor and veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Bales says it’s great to socialize your kitten early, just like a dog. There are even kitten socialization classes. She has some quick tips for enriching your cat’s life. Dr. Bale is up next in the Fear Free Pets Expert Series on Animal Radio.

Pets Make You More Attractive Dr. Helen Fisher is a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. She’s been studying the correlation between pets and dating. Dr. Fisher says, “Dogs are chick magnets!” Women find men with a dog to be more attractive. But interestingly, or not, this does not work in reverse. In fact, the ‘cat lady’ has a negative stigma. Major Pet Store Raided After Whistle Blowing Employee Police in Bellevue, Tennessee recently raided a national pet store chain location after getting a tip and photos concerning animal cruelty. That tip, along with the pictures, came from an employee at the PetSmart store. Mandatory Pet Rental Laws If you don’t own a home and you have a pet, you know that finding a home to rent that accepts pets can be difficult. According to a poll, 64% of respondents felt landlords should have the right to refuse to rent to pet owners, compared to 36% who felt landlords should not be able to deny a tenant’s pets. Of course, opinions varied between homeowners and tenants. Pet Insurance & Preexisting Conditions While pet insurance may seem like a good value, be sure to check to fine print. Some breeds predisposed to certain ailments, like hip-dysplasia, may be excluded from certain insurance policies, especially if your pet has been seen before for problems related to the claim.

Hidden Pain In Cats Cats may feel pain but there may be no obvious signs. Dr. Robin Downing specializes in pain and palliative medicine for pets and she explains why cats may not exhibit the signs of pain, or at least how humans perceive pain. Dr. Downing also discusses pain treatments for our furry friends. This segment is part of the Fear Free Expert Series. Sea-furring Felines We remember the bold seafarers of yore, from Magellan to Shackleton, for their extraordinary exploits; New lands discovered, storms weathered, and battles won. But somehow history has neglected the stalwart, hardworking species who made it all possible … yes, the noble cat! Philippa Sandall joins us from down-under to describe these under appreciated sea-furring felines. United Suspends Pet Cargo After three mistakes in a single week, all involving dogs that made international headlines last month, United Airlines has now suspended its transport of animals in the cargo compartments of its planes. However, animals for which arrangements had already been made before March 20th will still be able to fly. United won’t accept any more reservations for pets until it has completed an internal company review of its programs involving animals. United carried the most animals in cargo of any airline last year and the most animal deaths in each of the last five years. Firefighters Thought They Were Rescuing Puppies Firefighters in Colorado Springs say they are pretty surprised to learn that the littler of “puppies” they rescued from a storm drain were actually baby foxes. Before learning they actually had baby foxes in their care, they were taken to a veterinary hospital where they were told the tiny little things were really newborn red fox kits.

Mistakes Veterinarians Make As hard as it may be to believe, doctors are human too. An anonymous veterinarian confesses to the mistakes he/she made in their practice. Common errors include forgetting to take out an IV catheter to leaving a thermometer in. Listen as Dr. Debbie comments on these FAILS. How Much Does A Vet Visit Really Cost Research shows that 1 in 3 pets will need urgent vet care this year. Every 6 seconds an owner is given a vet bill more than $1000. This is why Rob Jackson, top dog at Healthy Paws Pet Insurance says you need his service. He’ll tell us why only 1% of pet owners carry an kind of pet insurance. 3 Strikes For United Already under scrutiny about a French bulldog dying in an overhead bin and another dog being accidentally sent to Japan, United Airlines has acknowledged its third animal-related mistake in just that week. This latest case happened when a United flight was diverted to Akron, Ohio after the airline realized a pet had been loaded onto the flight by mistake. That plane was headed to St. Louis, Missouri with 33 passengers. What do you do when you’re an airline that’s had as bad of a week for pet disasters as United had? You get that dog to where it was supposed to be - never mind the 33 passengers that are supposed to be going to St. Louis. You take those passengers along for an emergency drop off of the dog in Akron, Ohio. Comforting The Kids After Shooting When students and teachers returned to Marjory Stonemason Douglas High School after the Valentine’s Day school shooting, a team of golden retrievers were there to offer comfort and hope. Cubby, a comfort dog from Fort Collins, was among the furry, four-legged counselors, gently placing her paw on the hands and arms of the traumatized students and teachers. Bonnie Fear, Cubby’s guardian explains how her church is deploying comfort dogs regularly.

Animal Officer Sings To Dogs Vance County North Carolina Animal Control Officer Chad Olds discovered a new use for his incredible singing skills. He’s able to quiet the barking a several dozen dogs by playing guitar and singing to them. The shelter videotaped one of his sessions. The video went viral and adoptions increased. Stress and Skin Did you know that stress could be a factor in your pet’s skin issues? The number one reason animal guardians visit the vet revolves around skin and dermatological problems. Dr. Tom Lewis specializes in these sorts of health issues. As a proponent for the Fear Free movement, he says it’s made a big difference in his practice. Dr. Lewis is next up in the Fear Free Expert Series. Shock Collars Banned In England A ban on pet “shock collars” will be enacted in England, under plans confirmed by the government. Shock collars are often marketed as a harmless quick-fix solution or training aides, but animal experts say shock collars can easily cause more problems than they seek to fix. High Rate Of Veterinarian Suicides Santa Barbara, California is dealing with a crisis in its animal care community, which is a problem happening all over the country. The problem is the high rate of suicide among veterinarians. In fact, vets have the highest rate of suicide among all professional groups. Top Household Pet Poisons Pet World Insider Robert Semrow is at it again. He’s a list-maker and he has the top toxins that you may have in your house. Make sure your pet is safe by putting these items out of their reach. Do You Talk ‘Baby Talk’ To Your Pets? Researchers Alex Benjamin and Katie Slocombe set out to investigate if so-called dog-speak improves bonding between pets and humans, and specifically, whether it is useful for the dogs to hear that high pitched baby talk. They found that adult dogs were more likely to want to interact and spend time with the speaker that used dog-directed speech with dog-related content.