Animal Radio®

After selling her successful Pet-sitting business, Lindsey Grant wrote a book about the strange and curious relationships we have with our pets. Some of her client’s requests make for a noteworthy book. She’ll also be talking about how Switzerland, her new home, treats animals. Also, you’ll love this week’s Hero Person. She’s 84-year-old Dolly Jefferson. And she had no qualms about intercepting angry coyotes to save a neighbor’s dog. Now she’s making news nationwide. Also, Movie Producer Eric Ristau released his latest masterpiece about the many dogs that travel alongside their owner in a motorcycle sidecar. Sit Stay Ride: The Story of America’s Sidecar Dogs is the full-length movie that launched with a Kickstarter campaign, and now proceeds benefit animal welfare. Also, authorities in Louisiana have backed off on its demand that Zeus be gotten rid of or be destroyed. In October, Moreauville passed a law banning Pit Bulls or Rottweilers. When they targeted Zeus, the whole thing blew up on national television and on the Internet. Zeus helps the Owen’s daughter O’Hara who uses a wheelchair and has spasms, which Zeus monitors and gets her help when she needs it.

QVC’s Carolyn Gracie loves her animals. Besides a house full of rescues, she also is quick to bring a pet into the QVC fold. “If you want to sell-out a product, bring a pet on TV with you,” Carolyn advises. She regularly pitches products from small up-and-coming pet product entrepreneurs. Also, Lisa Hennessy decided she was done with commercial dog food for her Collie. She started creating healthy, fresh dishes that her dog could share with her. Lisa tested dozens of recipes and compiled them into several cookbooks. She’s here to share some of her recipes with you. Also, how much would you spend to try and find your dog if he got lost? The sky is the limit it seems for Janet Mihalyfi of Georgetown. Her 5-year-old, Rottweiler mix, Havoc, has been missing for a year this month. So far she’s spent $35,000 dollars trying to find him. Also, when Mary Krupa befriended a wild squirrel, she learned that she could easily dress “Sneezy” up and take photos of the rodent in hats and clothing. Now, she regularly meets up with the squirrel for photo sessions. Also, testing cosmetics on animals has recently been banned in Europe and India and a similar ban here in the United States will be on the front burner when the new Congress convenes in January. Virginia Democrat Don Beyer is expected to take the lead on the issue. Their state, Virginia, is home to several big cosmetic companies. And finally, the nurse in Spain who recovered from Ebola, but whose dog Excalibur was killed by Spanish Health authorities, is suing. Teresa Romero’s lawsuit seeks the equivalent of $186,000 for the loss of her dog and another $186,000 for damage done to her name.

You might remember him from Seinfeld. He was the first winner on Dancing With The Stars and People’s Sexiest Man of the Year. John O’Hurley, host of the National Dog Show on NBC, is back to spread Thanksgiving cheer and Holiday warm-fuzzies all over Animal Radio airwaves. Also, more than half of the people in the nation have at least one pet according to a new Rasmussen survey. 49% have a dog and 23% have a cat. 24% have more than one kind of pet. Only 3% have a fish, bird or some other sort of animal. An overwhelming majority of pet guardians, 92% say they talk to their pet. Also, a couple in Atlanta has their Shih Tzu, Jordan, back after eight years. The last time Mike Nuanes saw Jordan he was just a puppy. He’s sure someone snatched Jordan out of their backyard. They did everything to find him, but no luck until a few weeks ago, when the Fulton County Animal Services called to say Jordan had been turned in as a stray. Luckily, Jordan was microchipped, the key to his finally getting home.

Cat expert Jackson Galaxy is back. This time he has great ideas for turning your house into a cat-friendly playground without losing its aesthetic appeal. It’s not enough to just have a feeding bowl and litter anymore. Cats need stimulation. Jackson has a plan, even if you’re a renter. Oh, did we mention we have giveaways of Jackson’s book? Also, forget about canine separation anxiety. Let’s talk about how much we miss our pets when we go out of town. 10% of us call our pets to say hi. 4% of us send postcards to our pets. And a whopping 23% of us buy souvenirs for our critters. Tammy Trujillo has all the details about our obsession with our pets. Also, actress Charlotte Ross guests this weekend. This charismatic fireball loves the animals. You’ve seen her on Glee, NYPD Blue, Nashville and Arrow. But her biggest role is being a voice for the voiceless. Also, there are lots of home-remedies for fleas that simply don’t work or can be dangerous for your pet. No, Motor Oil doesn’t work, and is obviously very dangerous. Lemon juice doesn’t kill fleas either. Nor does Dawn dish detergent. Dr. Debbie & Dogfather Joey Villani have what you need-to-know to effectively and safely rid your pet and house of fleas. Also, our Hero Person this week is trying to put an end to an archaic method of euthanization. 22 states still use the gas chamber to get rid of unwanted animals. Joe Dwyer adopted a dog that survived a gassing. Now the lucky dog, “Daniel,” is the poster-dog for anti-gas chamber legislation.

When a marriage breaks up, it’s the children who often get caught in the middle, but pets can end up becoming the subjects of custody battles too. Now the British animal charity Blue Cross has come up with what it calls a ‘Pet-Nup’ that spells out who will get the family pet if a couple splits up. Also, you don’t hear very often, maybe never, about a goldfish having an operation. But you don’t often hear about a goldfish having a life-threatening tumor growing from its head. Little George of Melbourne, Australia had both. Also, this week’s Hero Person has her hands full with paraplegic and quadriplegic dogs. Elizabeth Forsberg has adopted animals that normally would be put-down because of their handicap. Also, if you leave something behind when you get off a plane, getting it back can be a real pain. Not so anymore if that plane lands at Amsterdam Airport Schipole. Sherlock will get it back to you, no problem. Sherlock is a beagle specifically trained to return lost items to passengers. Also, one pet groomer in Yekaterinburg, Russia is doing more than just baths and hair cuts, she’s giving dogs and cats makeovers into creatures like mythical green dragons or yellow and black striped bumblebees. Daria Gotz says she only uses dyes made from botanical extracts that wear off once the animal’s coat grows out. And, of course, Dr. Debbie and Dogfather Joey Villani are answering your pet questions about jumping dogs, TPLO surgery, doggy A.D.D., teaching your bird to talk, fleas, eating poop, ear-mites, hairballs, motion sickness, allergies and aggressive behavior. Call from the free Animal Radio iPhone/Android App.

Should Homeless People Have Pets? Dr. Gillian Squirrell has developed a nonprofit program, Working Dog LLC, for vulnerable adults and young people working with dogs as a way to develop interpersonal and workplace skills. Dr. Squirrell tells us that Working Dog LLC has a small fund for the development of ideas about how to improve support for homeless people and their animal companions. As we know, these clients and their animals can fall through gaps in service provision. Should homeless people have pets? Dr. Gillian states that that is an interesting conversation starter. This is a very under-researched and little understood area. There is a lot of judgment attached to homelessness as well as a lot of fear. People range on a continuum from “Absolutely they shouldn’t, they can’t look after themselves, to thinking it’s a really cute thing,” states Dr. Gillian. Also, author Lisa Rogek has found 50 cats that have jobs. This isn’t easy. Cats are notoriously not workers, unlike dogs. From Grumpy Cat to Kitty Models, Lisa will share the stories behind these frolicking felines. Also, Halloween can be a fun time for your pets. But some animals just aren’t cut out for the holiday and would be safer cuddled inside on the night of trickery. Also, there’s a warning for pet owners after a cat was found with its head stuck in a rodent trap. The cat, which was seriously injured, was caught in a Fenn Trap, meant for squirrels and rats. Luckily the cat was found and rescued by a Good Samaritan. Since the incident last month, the SPCA is now calling on people to be aware that setting these rodent traps could be breaking the law. Also, a study reveals having a pet in the classroom may provide real educational value through leadership skills and character building. Despite some of the challenges to having classroom pet, such as coping with loss and teachers spending their own money to care for the pet, the study found six objectives proving the benefit of caring for a classroom pet, like teaching children responsibility compassion, empathy, respect and leadership through animal care and providing relaxation when children are stressed.

San Francisco Police spent hours trying to convince a jumper not to jump. It wasn’t until the officers brought in the jumper’s tabby cat that the standoff ended. Never underestimate the bond between people and their pets. Also, being overweight can seriously impact our health and that of our pets. The Association for Pet Obesity estimates that nearly 54% of cats and dogs in the US are overweight or obese. Lori Brooks has tips to tell if your pet is a healthy weight. We’ll also discuss the safest methods for lowering your pets caloric intake and increasing exercise. Also, an anonymous real life hero saved the life of a dog that was trapped inside a burning home this week in Tennessee.  As someone who witnessed it describes it said, “This guy in a gray mustang pulls up says, ‘I do this for a living,’ and he runs in and he comes out about two minutes later with this beautiful dog in his arms.” Less than a minute later the roof of the home caved in. And finally, vets often find it truly scary during this time of year. The things that make Halloween a treat for people can overwhelm many pets. Some parts of Halloween can even be dangerous. On the other hand, some pets absolutely love the holiday. There’s no shortage of dogs and cats that love the attention and adulation they receive in their costume. We’ll help you determine which side of the scale your pets find most comfortable. Dr. Debbie sees more patients the day after Halloween. She’ll explain why and what you can do to avoid the vet.

Animal Radio’s Season of Stars continues with the lead singer for The Marshall Tucker Band, Doug Gray. He shares his life with animals, including anecdotes about his Persian kitties, “Cheech & Chong.” Also, are you fearful that your dog will catch a disease if you let him out of the yard. You’re not alone. Numbers of “backyard prisoners” are growing and causing more behavioral problems in the long run. Both Vladae and Dr. Debbie have answers to battle this epidemic. Also, emergency responders in the U.K. say a 2 year-old Basset Hound dialed 9-9-9, the British version of 9-1-1, while he was choking on the phone’s cord. The dog reportedly knocked over the phone and became tangled in the cord, and somehow managed to dial for help.And finally, Izzy is among a small number of Beagles employed by TSA that lives and works at an airport. His job is to smell luggage for fruit, meat, plants, seeds and vegetables. Federal officials won’t disclose how many canines are employed as “passive response dogs.”

Russ Kennedy holds down security at Charleston’s Yeager Airport. He’s also the handler for Greg, a border collie that clears runways from geese and other wildlife that could cause a fatal aircraft accident. Also, a Wisconsin man made headlines after a dog lick led to a rare infection resulting in the amputation of part of his legs and arms. This has set off unwarranted alarm. While the bacterium is extremely common in dogs and cats, the risk posed by being licked is infinitesimally low. Also, a coalition of animal groups in Washington, D.C., have started the D.C. Cat Count, which will try to create a more accurate estimate of the city’s entire cat population, including both feral cats and pet cats. The project is expected to take three years and cost $1.5 million. The groups hope the information will help improve efforts to manage the cat population. The project will use many different strategies to arrive at a total population count, including an app allowing residents to snap their own images of cats they encounter. Also, a dog groomer in Japan is literally turning dogs into fluff balls. Yoriko Hamachiyo is clipping usually small dogs into a ball. He does this by cutting their hair so they look like a soft, fluffy round ball, a ball with legs. Also, dogs can communicate through scent, leaving their mark everywhere. New research finds that smaller dogs “cheat” by using higher raised-leg angles to leave higher urine marks, thus exaggerating their size to other dogs that would come along and sniff later. And finally, The voice of Bart Simpson is our flashback guest. Nancy Cartwright really loves animals. She has an entire menagerie at her L.A. ranch. Her prized pet is a fiberglass cow. Nancy felt that because she’s always saying, “don’t have a cow man,” that she should have one. She also has seahorses.

Dr. Lisa Moses says there is a place for DNA tests, but only as a novelty. While these tests may show a predisposition towards breed specific diseases, she warns against making medical decisions based on a DNA swab or blood tests. Also, in a study of 2,000 cat owners reveals many of them are oblivious about what foods could be harmful to their cat’s health. More than 50% of those questioned did not know that milk, grapes, raisins, garlic and onions are hazardous to a cat’s health. A fifth of owners don’t even know their cats are carnivores, with one in 10 feeding them raw vegetables and another one in 20 serving up salad leaves. Also, “unattended pets often set their homes on fire and pets can’t call 911,” according to Zsolt Sapy, the COO of Smoke Alarm Monitoring. Just how does this happen? What can you do to stack the odds in your pet’s favor? Also, Right Pet has announced the findings of its 8-year pet ownership study that used the data of nearly 17,000 pet owners across 113 countries. The biggest revelation is that children between the ages of 10 and 17 years old say they get more satisfaction owning pet rats rather than cats or dogs. Also, if you’ve ever thought of quitting your job and living out your life saving cats on a picturesque Greek island, here’s some great news. A cat rescue in Greece, called God’s Little People Cat Rescue, is looking for a new caretaker. They’re looking for a part-time caretaker to look after 55 cats with free lodging in the form of the sanctuary manager’s house that overlooks the Aegean Sea. And finally, the late iconic actor Ed Asner is our flashback to 2010. Bet you didn’t know Ed was a “cat” guy? His satirist banter and love for his personal kitties makes this one of most memorable moments of Animal Radio.

Kelly Lund and Loki, his Husky - Wolf mix, didn’t intentionally become a viral Internet sensation. Kelly casually posted a picture on Instagram that was picked up by Reddit, Bored Panda and Buzzfeed. Now Loki has a half-million followers and a new book. Kelly will give us tips on making your pet a star. Also, Fiona Gilbert has Multiple Sclerosis. a degenerative neurological condition that affected her ability to walk. Without her service dog, she cannot function or work. The only problem is that Koda, her service animal is a pit-bull mix. As a frequent flyer on Delta Airlines, she is no longer welcome because her service dog is banned on the carrier. Also, Forbes came out with multiple lists on social media influencers. On the list of Pet Influencers, probably the best-known Internet pet that still commands the most eyeballs and makes money to match her fame, is the long-deceased ‘Grumpy Cat.’ Why are these animals so engaging and why are they so valuable to advertisers? Collectively, the top 10 Pet Influencers have 50 million followers. Also, Kea parrots are big and about 18 inches long. They’re native to New Zealand where they can be a pest, but they do attract the tourists. These big parrots have been caught on camera shifting traffic cones into active traffic lanes. Why? The New Zealand Transportation Agency thinks they know why. And finally, through the freedom of information act, some new information has come to light in the case of a pet food company having pentobarbital tainted horse meat in some of its canned food. The manufacturer was in compliance and had a license to use horse-meat at that time. However, it turns out they had been processing horse-meat as early as 2015 without a license. Records show an inspector found it on the premises of the processing plant during an inspection that was made as a result of complaints over health concerns and unsanitary conditions at the facility.

Taryn Nahm wants you to kick back a few cocktails with your pet. She says you can bond with your pet while you relax with a beverage. Taryn created pet cocktails that look just like the human adult versions, except without alcohol. Also, do you have trouble getting your pet to the vet? You’re not alone. Certified Trainer Mikkel Becker has some great ideas for making a vet visits easy and enjoyable. Check out our Fear Free Expert Series. Also, there has been a Campylobacter outbreak associated with puppies sold at Petland stores and it’s the humans that have handled these puppies that are getting sick. So far, more than 55 people in 12 states have now been diagnosed in this outbreak, which is so serious that at least a fourth of the patients have been hospitalized. Also, Millennials, or Generation Y, are those born between 1982 and 2004 and they are quickly changing the world of pets. According to the American Pet Products Association, Millennials are now the largest segment of pet owners. They found Millennials invest more time in their pets, evaluating their needs more thoroughly and spending more money. Also, research shows that if your pet is unwell, it can make you unwell, leading to depression, anxiety and a poorer quality of life. It’s the same problem that was previously found in the human world.

Shellie Powell has an unusual pet. She is the proud guardian of “Diva,” a pet duck that wears a diaper and shoes. Diva goes with Shellie everywhere, including Walmart, Target and PetSmart. Shellie is training Diva the Duck to be a Therapy Pet. Also, many veterinarians are practicing “Fear Free.” Pets that like going to the veterinarian are generally healthier. Now, the Fear Free movement is coming to your home with ideas for enriching your pet’s life everyday. Dr. Marty Becker is back to explain how your pets can live an improved lifestyle. Also, researchers are looking into the connection between having a pet and obesity. They are interested in gut health and trying to find out if certain microbial swaps (such as a kiss or a lick with your pet) might help or hurt when it comes to weight problems in both pets and people. Current evidence actually suggests heavier people have heavier pets, which some scientists believe could be due to microbial swaps from a human to a dog. Also, the number of pet related fraud cases are on the rise. The latest is Texas where a woman’s cat mysteriously disappeared from the front porch where he would take his afternoon nap every day. The day after he vanished, she put up fliers all over her neighborhood. Less than a week later, she received a call from a man who asked if there was a reward for the cats return. He then said she could get Romeo back for $300 and offered to finance the payments for 8 months! Also, your dog doesn’t need to be in a hot car to suffer from heat exhaustion. Temperatures above 82 degrees are enough to cause a fatal reaction. Steve Burdo from Contra Costa Animal Services sat inside his Acura as temperatures soared about 115 degrees. He did this to bring attention to the new California law that allows people to break into cars to rescue hot animals.

Olaf Danielson has made a hobby out of birding without any clothes. Olaf is an author, religious scholar, storyteller and adventurer. He will share some of his favorite stories of seeking out rare and exotic avian wildlife… while naked as a jaybird. Also, who is tracking your pet purchases? With the pet industry growing so fast, any information that can be gained from your purchases for your pets is going to be extrapolated every way possible for those companies which profit from your spending habits. Search data pulled by Hitwise from major pet supply websites in June shows the majority of both cat and dog owners, or at least those doing the buying for their pets, are women and that the women who own dogs make nearly twice as much as those who have cats.Also, Jeff Jenkins is the ringleader for the Midnight Circus, a pit-bull agility performance that shows the often-misunderstood dogs in a positive light. He’s helping youngsters train their pit-bulls to do tricks instead of fighting. Also, a pet cemetery and crematory in Illinois is accused of deceiving clients by giving them ashes that were not be from their deceased pets. Police found three deceased animals inside an old freezer at the facility and fortunately one of the animals had been micro chipped. Authorities contacted the owner who said they had already received their cat’s ashes. But the only thing illegal in this case was misrepresenting ashes of an animal because pet crematories in Illinois are not regulated. Also, are kittens and puppies the key to a successful marriage? You’re thinking love, communication, trust, common interests and that kind of stuff, right? But, a new study from the University of Florida says it could also be cute, cuddly puppies, kittens and bunnies. The team of psychological scientists found that to break the ‘familiarity breeds contempt syndrome’ or boredom that can happen in long-term relationships, couples can make better associations with their spouse through a positive stimulus like puppies and bunnies.

Donna Lewis is a Lost Pet Recovery Expert for LostMyDoggie.com & LostMyKitty.com. This nationwide service will automatically dial all the phones within the radius of the lost pet alerting neighbors. Does this work? The service claims an 85% success rate. If you’ve lost your pet and have the cash, then this might be a good solution. Also, your cat probably doesn’t miss you when you’re away. According to a study that observed the relationships between a number of cats and their owners, domestic cats do not generally see their owners as a focus of safety and security in the same way that dogs do. Also, 5 Signs You Need To Get To The Vet ASAP! Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker counts down the top 5 things to look out for that indicate a health emergency for your pet. Also, more than half of pet owners disregard instruction for medicating their pets as prescribed by their vet. This can have horrific results, especially where antibiotics are concerned. Doc Halligan has tips on easily pilling your pet. And finally, a west coast freak show owner who paid $50,000 for “Medusa”, a three-foot-long, 4-year-old two-headed Honduran Milk snake born in Florida, recently purchased a rare two-headed albino snake. The proud new owner says he’s wanted the snake since the day it was born four years ago, but price just kept getting higher.” By the way, this guy currently holds a Guinness World Record for having the biggest collection of two-headed animals.