Animal Radio®

For the greyhounds running at Florida’s dozen racetracks, a trip to the winner’s circle also means a urine test. So per state regulations, the dog officially known as “WW’s Flicka” submitted her sample. The results came back positive for cocaine. But a hardcore narcotic swimming through the bloodstream of an innocent pup shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone paying attention. According to state records, Flicka had already tested positive five times for cocaine this year before the latest test. Also, join the folks that are giving up life’s traditional path to become live-in pet sitters while traveling abroad. Watch people’s pets in exchange for room and board. Trusted House Sitters’ Angela Law describes what it’s like to constantly be on vacation all over the world. Also, pet owners report stronger neighborhood social connections than non-pet owners, according to a recently published study. They were consistently more likely to report social benefits such as helpfulness, friendliness and trust between neighbors. The research adds strength to claims that pet ownership is a valuable and positive feature in community and neighborhood life. Also, humans and primates have a finely tuned sense of inequity. New research suggests dogs and wolves also possess a sense of fairness. A study in the journal Current Biology, shows the sense is equally strong in dogs and wolves, suggesting a sense of fairness is wired in the genes of canines. So, yes, your dogs know when you’re treating one differently than another. Also, Marissa Hooper pranked her parents by replacing the family photos with almost identical pictures of her Chihuahua. Her mom didn’t notice for two weeks, despite her fastidious house cleaning. The photos went viral and Marissa is on Animal Radio to tell us the motives behind her mayhem.

Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Peter Rork quit his thriving practice to create “Dog Is My Co-Pilot,” a non-profit organization dedicated to flying dogs and cats from kill-shelters to rescues that can re-home them. So far Dr. Rork has transported 10,000 animals, much of it at his expense. He explains why this is more rewarding than orthopedic surgery. Also, Womply’s science team analyzed transactions from 4,400 local pet businesses on all 365 days of the calendar year in all 50 states to identify consumer-spending patterns. The top-five sales days of the year are all in December with an average expenditure of $113.89. Also, a Minneapolis marketing company announced it has adopted a company-wide policy of allowing employees to work flexible hours from home for one week when welcoming a new puppy or kitten into their homes. “Part of embracing employee satisfaction as a business priority means recognizing important life events that happen outside of the office,” Nina Hale CEO Donna Robinson said. “If we want to continue to set the example as a top workplace, it is crucial to offer innovative benefits that help to preserve the work-life happiness of our employee owners.” Also, the Invisible Fence Company created the Project Breathe Program, which donates pet oxygen masks to first responders. Since the program’s inception in 2006, 23,500 masks have been donated to first responders and now the company is giving more. Invisible Fence will equip 45 additional fire departments across the U.S. and Canada with these lifesaving devices. And finally, Brian Jones is a self-proclaimed audio-psychic. He tapes animals, including dogs and cats, and slows the tape down to reveal words. He believes the animals are trying to talk to us and we need to listen. We’ll let you be the judge.

Do dogs or cats make you happy? The dog vs. cat argument will probably go on forever. But now there’s a new survey that says dog owners are officially happier than cat owners, but not by much. Dog owners are only happier by a mere 4%. Also, Dr. Allen Kamrava believes he has invented a better way to cover the costs of a catastrophic health event. According to Kamrava, advances in technology allow for a community-based model that can replace typical pet health insurance. Also, dogs, miniature horses, cats, rabbits and even llamas are increasingly being used to help heal and cheer the sick in hospitals, cancer clinics and other settings. However, research to support the efficacy of animal-assisted therapy is largely in its early stages. A team led by scientists at UC Davis published a study about interactions between family house cats and children with autism. It found that cats in families with a child with autism-spectrum disorder “ often provided valuable bonding, attention and calming affect to the child.” And finally, for years, animal lovers and animal welfare organizations have been working to end dog and cat meat sales. There has been a big step toward that goal, as the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation named the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act. The Act makes it “illegal to knowingly slaughter, ship, transport, move, deliver, receive, possess, purchase, sell or donate a dog or cat or his or her parts for human consumption, and authorizes a fine of up to $5,000 for each violation” in the United States. Listen Now

Hobbyist Kenneth Hendrick specifically bought his flying camera drone to look for lost pets in Florida. Teaming up with a Loxahatchee Lost and Found Pets Inc, they search for up to 95 animals a month. He says he reunites pet parents with cats, dogs, pigs, turtles and even calves. Also, birds are really remarkable pets that can fill a home with love, laughter and entertainment. They are interactive and intelligent. Unfortunately, they are also susceptible to household dangers that are very common in many homes. Pet World Insider Robert Semrow shares some of these dangers that exist before they bring harm to a pet bird in your life. Also, Alex Quintero is the first Boy Scout to create an Eagle Service Project assisting shelter animals. At 17 years old, he’s focused on whatever he can do to help his local shelter in Flagstaff, Arizona. From collecting blankets to acquiring food for shelter animals, you’ll find Alex stepping forward to assist animals and help them get adopted. Also, federal agents killed 154,943 animals in the state of Washington alone last year. The agency responsible is the little-known Wildlife Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which for public and private sector clients kills animals all over the country, from ravens, swans and doves to wolves, which are deemed a “problem” by the client. Last month 14-year old boy was injured and his 3- year-old yellow Lab was killed by a cyanide trap set by Wildlife Services intended to kill coyotes in Idaho.

Mary Thorn is no regular pet guardian. Yes, she has dogs, but she also has a pet squirrel and an Alligator that she dresses in clothing. Mary just battled the State of Florida to keep “Rambo,” a 6’ gator that she considers part of the family. The calm and collected reptile also is a therapy animal for troubled children. Also, E. Reid Ross (Cracked) will tell us about 500 of the most absurd and horrifying things that happen in nature. From murderous squirrels to farting fish, “E” uncovers, and revels in, some of Mother Nature’s ugliest moments. Also, a dog in Belgium earned himself a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the world’s longest tail. An Irish wolfhound named Keon gets the honor. His tail measures 30.2 inches long from the top of the bone to the tip, without including his hair, according to the Guinness World Records. And finally, there’s a cat named Oreo C. Collins from Macon, Georgia, who successfully earned an online “High School Diploma” from Jefferson High School. Oreo’s owner, Kelvin Collins, actually got Oreo’s diploma as a way to highlight fraud in online degree programs.

Brigette Brouillard lives in Kentucky where she rescues and rehabs wild animals. At any moment you could see an opossum scurrying through the house or ‘Justin Beaver’ building a dam out of toys and household furniture. One of her two human children are on-board, even following in her footsteps. The other wants nothing to do with mom’s hobby. Brigette tells her story like any proud rodent mama would! Also, California has enacted a new law that gives judges the power to consider what’s in the best interests of pets in divorce cases, instead of treating them as physical property like a car or a sofa. It allows judges to consider “the care of the pet” then create shared custody agreements for the animal. A national survey of divorce lawyers found 88% of pet custody fights were about dogs and only 5% about cats. Also, if you’ve got your cell phone close, take a quick look at the pictures you’ve taken. Do you see more pet pictures than pictures of your significant other? The results of a new study shows 65% of dog owners take more pictures of their dogs than their husbands, wives, girlfriends or boyfriends. The study also claims that nearly half of the people polled find it harder to leave their dog for a week than their human counterpart. Also, police in Hamden, Connecticut say a man shot and killed his own dog in a park because he feared it might attack some children who were close by. The man told police that his dog, a pit bull that was not on a leash at the time, attacked and seriously injured another dog that was on a leash. He shot his dog in front of the owner of the injured dog as well as that man’s three children.

Dr. Page Wages, a Raleigh veterinarian loves animals so much she has 93 on her “Funny Farm” and a Weather Predicting Pig. Ellmer the Pig has some weird behavior when it’s going to rain. Dr. Wages describes her big family and what she has to do every day to care for 93 animals. Also, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed new animal welfare laws. The laws include banning petting zoos and animal fights. It also bans the killing of stray animals, which must instead be captured and placed in shelters. Also, when those stray animals are captured and taken to a shelter, they can only be captured out of sight of children and it must be recorded for public review. This was not a fast change. The law was first submitted to the Russian parliament in 2010 but was only approved and signed into law last month. Also, Lisa Baronoff was tired of cleaning her dog’s paws after winter walks in Manhattan. She became worried after her cocker spaniel got sick from the snowmelt chemicals put on sidewalks. She took her marketing background and launched her dog waders, Walkee Paws. She’s on Animal Radio this week to tell us about her invention and foray into the 72 million dollar pet sector. Also, we all know that vision, forward thinking, risk-taking, determination, hard work, dedication and a good game plan are what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. However, something else isn’t so well known also helps. According to a new study conducted for Banfield Pet Hospitals, having a pet can actually help people become successful and better company leaders. The research found that behind most C-suite executives (which are the CEO’s, CFO’s, COO’s), is a pet.

Rover.com and the WAG app have come under a lot of criticism lately for their transparency about several pet deaths. We speak to attorney Robert Tauler who is currently suing former Baywatch actress Angelica Bridges and Rover.com for negligence. Apparently the actress was the pet sitter during an incident with the plaintiff’s dog. Also, Michelle Gaylord tells us how she organically grew her business into a celebration of the lives of pets. From the simple pendant that contains cremains to wine glasses made with your pet’s ashes, she’ll talk about some of the more unique ways people have chosen to memorialize their pets. Also, under a new bill introduced in the State House, pet parents will be required to microchip their pets in order to get opioid painkillers for their pet. The politician who wrote the bill says it is an attempt to stop addicts from fraudulently obtaining narcotics for their pet to feed their own addiction. Minnesota is testing a system using microchips in pets that, when scanned, would tell them if another vet just prescribed opioids at another clinic. States such as Colorado and Maine require vets to look at a pet owner’s past medication history before dispensing opioids or writing an opioid prescription. Also, Photojournalist Ross Taylor’s latest project captures the last moments between humans and their pets prior to euthanasia. Admittedly a difficult subject, he explains his mission as a guide to assist those going through this process. And finally, we’ve all seen pictures of dogs and their owners who look alike. Now there’s a study that has found that dogs resemble their owners in an entirely different way, meaning their personalities actually tend to be similar. A highly agreeable person is twice as likely to have a dog that is highly active and excitable and less aggressive than someone who is less agreeable. The study also found that conscientious owners rated their dogs as more responsive to training and neurotic owners rated their dogs as more fearful. The hypothesis is that part of it is the dog you pick and the other part of it is the dog it ultimately becomes because of you.

Chris Perondi runs Stunt Dog Productions and the Stunt Dog Academy in Stockton, California with his wife, Suhey, and their team of canine performers. They perform more than 1,000 shows every year across the country. Today, Chris is on Animal Radio to teach us a trick we can train our dogs. Yes, even yours. Also, new research highlights potential risks in being over-affectionate with our pets by increasing the risk of catching drug-resistant illnesses. While experts acknowledge and even encourage the bond between a pet parent and their fur kids, some are now recommending limits on physical interaction. The danger is posed by the transfer of antibiotic-resistant bugs and carries a risk for humans and animals alike. Also, Bailey, who was no ordinary feline, catapulted to social media mega-stardom. What makes Bailey more addictive than catnip? In addition to his adorable expressions and hilarious, heartfelt antics, Bailey has a penchant for doing things that are demonstratively un-catlike. Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year, activist Bailey’s human Erin Merry waxes poetic about this incredible furry viral sensation. Also, a parrot has been taken into custody after nearly ruining a police raid, because the bird had been trained to be a lookout for his owners who were arrested on suspicion of dealing crack. When police showed up, the bird repeatedly began squawking a phrase that means “Mama, Police!” But, it seems that is all the bird knows. Police took it into custody and said that in the three weeks they had the bird at the police station, the parrot said nothing. Law enforcement claims that there had already been an estimated 1,700 birds seized for having been trained to alert their owners if police approached.

Zoologist Lucy Cooke says humans aren’t doing animals any favors when we moralize their behavior. Humans have gone to the Moon and split the atom, but when it comes to understanding animals, we’ve still got a long way to go. So you’ve probably never considered if moose get drunk, penguins cheat on their mates, or worker ants lay about. They do—and that’s just for starters. Also, even if you’re aware of pet scams, you should never buy a pet online. A Volusia County, Florida, woman is heartbroken after she paid her hard-earned money for a dog online. She now wants to warn everyone because these scams break your heart and your wallet. Also,these are the most controversial topics in the pet world right now. Holistic Veterinarian Dr. Judy Morgan takes the topics head on and shares her experiences with CBD’s, her views on Vaccines and the raw diet she feeds her own dogs. Dr. Morgan has an integrative approach combining holistic medicine with traditional Western techniques. Also, a couple who lost 2 dogs while visiting a friend five years ago has one of those dogs, a deaf dog named Army, back today because he was micro-chipped. Their advice? Microchip your pets and keep your contact information updated with the microchip company and the vet. A lot of people think it’s very expensive but at most vet offices you can get your pet micro-chipped for $25 or less and it’s there forever. And finally, a 5-year-old cat was missing in England for 2 weeks. Hatty the cat then turned up on the Royal Albert Bridge. A complicated 6-day, $7,500 rescue mission was launched to rescue the cat, before she simply wandered back home on her own. Still, the good news is Hatty is home and safe, and her owners are vowing to make her an inside only cat.

Molly is a bilingual chocolate lab. She responds to direction in both English and Spanish. Her trainer, Memo, escaped Mafia violence in Columbia and came to the US where he founded a dog training business. They are a certified therapy team that has helped so many children in homeless shelters. Because of their bilingual abilities and Memo’s deep understanding of what it is like to be thrown into a new culture, they are bringing unprecedented joy to children in desperate situations. Also, in Pennsylvania, former attorney and now state Rep. Anita Kulik has introduced H.B. 1432, which would establish the new areas of concern for judges to consider when deciding guardianship of a pet in divorce cases. If the bill passes, the judge would be allowed to consider: whether the animal was acquired prior to or during the marriage; the basic, daily needs of the animal; who generally gets veterinary care and social interaction for the animal; who deals with local and state regulations, such as licensing; and who has the greater ability to financially support the pet. Also, usually humping is associated with male dogs, but humping is also very common amongst female dogs. Some girls will hump toys or other objects, some hump air, others hump other dogs or even people. We talk with Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Chair of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers Nick Hof, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, KPA-CTP, CSAT, to answer some of your most commonly asked questions about female dogs and humping.

Katie Cleary is a Model, Actress and Philanthropist, Filmmaker who got her start in the entertainment business on the hit TV show America’s Next Top Model. After graduating college, Katie landed the role on NBC’s hit game show Deal or No Deal. Katie’s main passion is advocating animal welfare issues while rescuing and rehabilitating animals and lovingly finding them forever homes. She tells us about her 12 pets. Also, dogs are capable of laughing, and they typically do so when they are playing. Canine laughter begins with the doggy equivalent of smiling but also includes a sound that is much like panting. Animal behaviorist Patricia Simonet recorded those sounds while dogs played. On analyzing the recordings, she found that they involved a broader range of frequencies than regular dog panting. So, what makes a dog laugh? What can we do to make them laugh? Are they already laughing about us behind our back? We’ll try to figure out what tickles their funny bone. Also, just as there are anti-vaxxers who don’t want to vaccinate their children, there are people who don’t want to vaccinate their pets. However, experts want you know that vaccines do not cause autism in pets. The most dangerous of all of the dog diseases is rabies, which is effectively a death sentence for a dog and could’ve been prevented with the Rabies vaccine. Also, the distemper virus has returned to North America, reportedly transported on dogs that were not vaccinated. Lori Brooks reports why it just makes sense to protect your furry-family by finding a happy medium of reduced but necessary vaccinations. Also, a North Carolina couple’s puppy is now famous for quickly appointing himself as a seeing-eye-puppy for their 11-year-old golden retriever that lost both of his eyes to glaucoma pain. The puppy, named Maverick, came to their family in January and Charlie, the now blind dog, was at first not excited to have another dog in the house.  However, Maverick soon appointed himself as Charlie’s protector. “When they would play, Maverick would realize that Charlie had lost the toy, so [Maverick] would pick it up and put it back in front of Charlie to re-engage him in playtime,” said their owner.  Yes, they’re now famous on social media and have their own Instagram page. Also, every year dogs bite about 4.5 million people.  Dog bites and other dog-related injuries accounted for nearly one-third of all homeowners’ insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2020.  Over the past year, the number of dog bite claims has decreased by 9%. However, the news isn’t all good. The number of emergency room visits by children age 1 and under actually doubled from nearly 1,800 visits in 2001 to more than 3,100 last year.

The extremely talented and very funny author, Dave Barry is our guest. He’ll tell us about the lessons he has learned from his dog, Lucy. He says Lucy taught him to effectively deal with road rage. Dave also explains why he’s not much of a cat fan. Also, a young dog imported from South Korea into western Canada brought along a dangerous hitchhiker, the Asia-1 strain of canine distemper virus (CDV), which until then had not been reported in North America. Scientists at Cornell University College of Veterinary identified the virus in samples from the dog, which they suspect was part of a shipment of animals rescued from a Korean meat market. Also, a woman in Napa, California, who’s German Shepherd died while in the care of a dog trainer has been awarded $60,000 by a County court. She sued the trainer for negligence, breach of contract and violation of state health and safety codes. A necropsy revealed her dog had died from heat stress or hyperthermia after less than 3 weeks in the trainers care. Police officers also found inhumane and cruel conditions at the home where the dog, Gunnar, had likely been held. Also, a lot of kids go to the park to see ducks, but 8-year-old Kylie Brown of Freeport, Maine takes her duck to see the park. If you missed the viral story about Kylie and her duck, its name is Snowflake. She takes it to the pond at a park and it even returns when she calls its name. Kylie’s parents say Snowflake has had to be by their daughter’s side 24/7 since the day they brought him home. So they brought him in the house, put a diaper on him and now he’s a house duck. Also, Steve Munt wants to send the cremains of his beloved cat into space. While dog lovers have been memorializing their dogs this way for years, Steve’s cat will be the first feline remains shot into space in a satellite that will circle the earth in perpetuity. Steve is our guest and he’ll explain why he wants to do this.

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. Also, 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. Also, 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. Also, 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.

A lawsuit has been filed in a California court saying Bark Adoptions masquerades as a non-profit animal rescue organization passing off puppy mill dogs as rescued animals and selling them for a profit. California has banned the sale of puppy mill dogs and it is believed multiple fictitious rescues are circumventing the law. Deborah Howard, founder of the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) explains how her organization is trying to raise awareness on the issue. Also, the Bureau of Labor Statistics identified the occupations that pay workers more than $56,000 a year and involve lots of quality time with animals. Veterinarians are the highest paid with a median yearly salary of  $90,000 and projected job growth of 19% over the next 7 years. Also, a North Carolina man has been charged with abandoning a pet fish that police say he left behind without food when he was evicted. Kind of unusual, but times are changing and how we think about animals is much different that it used to be. Also, Hump Day was a few days early at a pet store in Michigan when the operator of a local petting zoo walked in with his camel on a trip to their local PetSmart. This comes a week after a bull was escorted into a Petco. Both chains encourage bringing pets into the store. And finally, cats are almost always described as aloof but they know their own names and recognize it when we call for them, new research shows. Scientists found that our feline friends are able to tell their names apart from other words and have a grasp of words closer to a dog’s than we think.