Animal Radio®

From the Licki Brush to the Puppoose, The Washington Post's Sadie Dingfelder tried some of the oddest pet products for sale online. She'll tell us how it went. For instance, give your dog a toy - a rawhide chew, a tennis ball, or even this little plush figurine of Donald Trump - and your dog, regardless of political affiliation, will immediately tear it to shreds. Cats, on the other hand, dispose of their belongings by looking at them with such disdain that the toys self-destruct in shame. Also, Melain Rodriguez from Viagen Pets says there are lots of reasons you should think about Genetic Preservation. Collecting a sample of your pet's DNA could be helpful if there are medical advances that could potentially help your furry-friend. Of course, you could also use the DNA to clone your pet too. Also, Animal Radio's Veterinarian, Dr. Debbie White will answer your questions about your pet's health, because that's what we do. Make sure to call us toll-free Animal Radio App for iPhone and Android. Also, Jeremy Feig was at rock bottom - broke, alone, and living in a shoe box-sized apartment. At the same time, his cat was perfectly content. What was her secret? She couldn't say it out loud, but it was clear she had all the answers to living a good life. Jeremy will share those answers with Animal Radio listeners. Also, Alan Kabel reports on a dog that swallowed their guardian's wedding ring. What happens next is quite amusing. He'll also tell us about an alligator that loves pizza.

Daniel Williams quit his regular job to open a pet transport business, like Zoo-ber. He says it's going well although he has one customer than demands he talks to their dog only in “baby-talk.” Also, we're on the heels of another big flea season. Chances are good your pets will get fleas, unless you live in Las Vegas or Phoenix. Is there a safer solution than the traditional topicals? Doc Halligan says there are lots of safe remedies for the ‘battle of the fleas.' Also, Diabetes is fairly prevalent with the trend towards obese pets. It can be managed with daily insulin injections. Pancreatitis also plagues dogs especially when they've been fed fatty treats from the table. Dr. Debbie has the information you need if your pet suffers from an obesity related disease. Also, Animal Radio's Pet World Insider Robert Semrow has a knack for lists. This week he has the top 5 strange, unique and elusive pets that are actually legal to own in the U.S. - Sorry, ferrets are still against the law in California and New York. Also, you may not think of big hairy spiders as pets, but some people do, and Petco wants their business. The company has announced it is expanding their “tarantula offerings” to give pet parents the chance to further explore the amazing world of arachnids. Interestingly, not only do tarantulas have eight legs, they also have a large round eye surrounded by three smaller ones on each side for a total of eight eyes as well. Also, a California woman captured video of another woman driving her car and walking her dog by holding its leash out of the car window while she was driving. The director of the local animal services department in Stockton said he found the video distressing and recommended the woman be charged with animal cruelty, but police reviewed the video and did not believe there was evidence of cruelty, but said the woman in the car would have been charged with “distracted driving” IF she had been seen by an officer.

The Federal Drug and Food Administration is warning dog owners about a new diet Peanut Butter made with an alternative sweetener. ‘Xylitol' can shut a dog's kidney down in a matter of minutes. Also, still, the best way to ensure your lost pet is returned is by implanting a rice-sized microchip under their skin. This is a simple, fast and painless procedure done at your veterinarian or local shelter. Some people are afraid of the technology, mistakenly thinking ‘Big Brother' is tracking your pet. We'll break that myth. We'll also discuss the different types of microchips and how to make sure your pet has the right one. Also, we all love pets and whenever anyone feels socially rejected or sad, new research from Miami University shows that just a thought - or a picture of their pet - can lift their mood. In the study they also found that just thinking about another human did not produce the same effect. Also, a kitten that was found paralyzed and abandoned by its mother on the streets of upstate New York has been given a unique makeshift wheelchair by a local veterinarian. This mobility device was made out of Legos! Also, a mother goose recently knocked on the door of a Cincinnati police cruiser in her search for help for a gosling tangled in a Mylar balloon string. The officer in the car said he initially thought the goose was hungry when he discovered her pecking at the door of his car.

Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about cats, Laura Moss tells us about cats that like hiking, camping, kayaking, canoeing, and even surfing. If you have an adventurous cat, she'll tell you what you can do to enrich the furr-balls' life. Also, for millennia, cats have been celebrated as secretive, mysterious companions, content to live alongside (but apart from) humans. Thomas McNamee shares the science revealing cats' hidden depths of emotion and affection for humans. Also, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control, pit bulls are NOT the deadliest animals, or even rattlesnakes. Believe it or not, deer are the deadliest animals in America, responsible for killing 120 people on average every year. Deer are normally not violent, but the majority of the deaths caused from deer stem from car accidents. Also, United Airlines is investigating an incident where one of the world's biggest rabbits was found dead after a plane had landed from a flight from London's Heathrow airport to Chicago's O'Hare. It turns out that United had the most animal deaths of all U.S. airlines last year for the second year in a row. Also, the FDA has given warning letters to 14 companies that are selling more than 65 fake cancer treatments. The bogus products include pills, capsules, powders, creams, teas, oils and treatment and diagnostic kits. They're most commonly marketed and sold without FDA approval on websites and social media platforms and are usually advertised as ‘natural' and often falsely labeled as dietary supplements.

She's a real life Pet Detective, schooled as a human Private Investigator. Jamie Katz has found over 150 lost or stolen pets in the last 2 years. She'll share some wild stories and give you tips to make sure your pet isn't stolen. Also, the Interior Department welcomed a new breed of visitor to its Washington headquarters last month, one on four legs, covered with fur and on a mission to boost morale at the agency in charge of public lands. The first federal agency to go dog friendly opened its doors to 85 dogs that first Dog Day! Also, scientists have a double-shot of bad news about ticks. There's a new, and potentially fatal, tick-borne illness called Powassan and this summer looks like it might be one of the worst on record for an increase in the tick population. The Centers for Disease Control say tick-borne diseases are on the rise and prevention should be on everyone's mind now through early fall when ticks are most active. Also, a small team of women prisoners in Phoenix is working with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Animal Safety Unit. The program helps comfort and train animals rescued from deplorable conditions. Six days a week the women in the program are transported to a former men's jail that has been converted into a holding center and safe haven for animals. Also, one of only a handful of colleges that allow and encourage pets, Eckerd College wants students to bring their dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, ducks and chinchillas to school. They supply pet dorms and vet visits for college kids and their pets. They even have a graduation ceremony for the creatures big and small. Tanya Womack is the Staff Coordinator for Pet Life at Eckerd College. She's happy to tell us about this groundbreaking initiative and she consults with other colleges that wish to institute the same policy.

World Turtle Day is coming up. The Executive Director of the American Tortoise Rescue, Susan Tellum tells us why turtles and tortoises make great pets, except when they're having sex. Also, animal advocate Anita Kranjnc faced a prison sentence for feeding water to a dehydrated pig. After two years of defending herself in a court battle, the judge dismissed the charges against her for mischief and meddling with private property. Also, Dogfather Joey Villani shares a little known secret for easily getting rid of ticks. Simply pulling them out of your animals, or using a match to get rid of them can actually cause more problems. But with this technique, the ticks will leave on their own accord. Also, research suggests women rated men holding puppies as almost 24% sexier, 14% more trustworthy and 13% more attractive than the same men not holding a puppy. Meanwhile, women with kittens were perceived as the least attractive and women with cats were rated lowest on sexiness and trustworthiness. Also, four law firms are making news for representing pet owners in a class action lawsuit, which alleges that prescription dog and cat food is a marketing scheme devised by pet food companies to pump up their profits. They state that requiring a prescription from a veterinarian misleads consumers, providing cover that enables pet food companies to charge excessive prices because prescription pet food contains no drug or other ingredient not also common in non-prescription pet food.

The pet food industry is worth 29 BILLION dollars a year. With so much at stake, they've formed a lobbying group called Pet Food Institute. PFI's Communications Director, Mary Emma Young joins us to tell you want they want you to know about pet food. Also, pet food advocate and director of the movie “Pet Fooled,” Kohl Harrington believes you are being lied to and manipulated by the major pet food manufacturers - all in the name of economics. Kohl shares the information he collected while producing the movie, including documentation that you're being deceived into slowly killing your pets; and even paid hush money by pet food makers. You'll want to hear this before you shop for pet food again! Also, Harper-Collins Publishers is now offering their employees “PAWternity leave” when they adopt a new pet, giving workers up to five working days of paid leave to settle in with their new animal friend. The publisher says it wants to encourage responsible adoption of animals as well as make life easier for their staff that choose to open their homes to furry friends. Also, volunteers at an overdose prevention site in Vancouver, Canada, say they saved the life of a pet rat named Snuggles after the little rodent overdosed on heroin it had eaten off a table. Also, for cat lovers and exercise enthusiasts, free yoga classes filled with feline friends sounds like a pretty good deal. But these classes are offered with a larger purpose in mind, as the cats need homes. The P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center in Camden, Maine, offers free monthly cat yoga classes as a way to introduce potential new pet owners to some kitties in need. Also, police in the town of Winkler, Manitoba, Canada, are asking people to be extra vigilant when buying anything online after three people were scammed out of hundreds of dollars when they bought dogs that they never received. The victims had all recently responded to online classified ads listing dogs for sale.

Actor and humanitarian Sir Patrick Stewart is fostering a pit bull named Ginger after they bonded instantly. He admits that he once believed the negative stereotypes about pit bulls, but his love for Ginger and other pit bulls has grown so deep that now he's partnered up with the ASPCA to #GetTough against dog fighters. Also, when Dr. Marty Becker created the Fear Free certification for Veterinarians, he had no idea it would take off so fast. More and more veterinarians are creating a relaxed environment that pets will like. They're practicing techniques that make dogs and cats enjoy going to the vet. The end-game is happier, healthier pets that live longer. Also, TV Host and Animal Advocate David Frei was the top dog at Westminster for almost 30 years. He tells us that he's created the first major west coast AKC Dog Show and it's all going on in Beverly Hills. Trailing the super success of the Thanksgiving Day Dog Show, NBC has bankrolled the celebrity filled dog show. Also, Taiwan is the first country in Asia to pass a law outlawing the human consumption of dog and cat meat. An amendment to an animal protection law, passed earlier this month by the Taiwanese, indicates a changing attitude in, “A society in which dog meat was regularly eaten, to one in which many people treat pet cats and dogs as valued members of their families,” according to the government's own news agency. Also, if your cat is always hawking up hairballs, then perhaps you should hear what Animal Radio's Dogfather, Joey Villani has to say. He has some inexpensive and effective ways to reduce the hair your cat consumes. This is especially helpful if you've ever stepped in a juicy hairball in the middle of the night.

We're flashing back to comedian Paula Poundstone's guest spot. She proudly defends being the cat mama to 16 cats (3 if the landlord asks). She's trying to decide whether to buy cat litter or send her kids to college. Also, a Houston couple is finding out firsthand some of the unintended consequences that can come with letting a stranger on an App take care of your pet. Their version of the unthinkable happened when they trusted a stranger on the “Wag!” app to walk Winnie, their 10-month-old Wheaten Terrier. Winnie died on that walk. The husband says Wag! representatives have not offered any details into how Winnie died. Wag did offer to reimburse the couple $188.71 for Winnie's cremation costs if the couple signed a non-disclosure agreement, stating that, among other things, they would be legally required to keep quiet about what happened to Winnie. Just eight days before, another Wag! dog-walker in California was charged with animal cruelty after police say he kicked one of the four dogs he was walking. Also, government health officials are warning that there have been at least 11 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium in 8 states. All involved hedgehogs. Even when hedgehogs appear healthy, the CDC says they can carry salmonella germs in their droppings. Those germs can then spread around the hedgehog's body and then to anything in the area where they live. Also, while Aspirin might be just what the doctor ordered after a night out drinking; your dog or cat's body won't assimilate the chemicals safely. Enough ‘well-meaning' aspirin can kill your pet. Same holds true for Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen. There are a lot safer anti-inflammatory medicines that your veterinarian can prescribe. Animal Radio's Dr. Debbie has a tip for determining if something your pet swallowed is toxic and if you should go to the veterinarian.

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. Also, tech expert Kim Komando 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. also, 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.

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. Also, 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. Also, 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.

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. also, 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. Also, 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. Also, 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.

Scientific American Senior Editor Josh Fischman translates the results from current research on the brains and neurons of cats, dogs, raccoons, bears and humans. You may be surprised by the results. Cat lovers - brace yourself. Also, according to a study of 2,000 American pet parents, half of them have never traveled outside of the country since owning their pet. The main reason pet owners struggle to take a vacation without their pet is likely due to the 68% who felt especially guilty when they leave their pets behind. Also, identity theft has been a big concern for years. Now those photos you post of your pet could lead strangers straight to your home. The meta-data hidden beneath those cute furry photos include your geo-location. And one website, IKnowWhereYourCatLives.com, actually highlights just that. Also, the KONG is the most ubiquitous dog toy in existence. The name KONG has become a part of the vernacular, just like Kleenex and Band-Aid. So, you'll be quite amused when KONG creator Joe Markham tells us how the toy was invented by accident. Also, an animal shelter in Arlington, Virginia, is helping a dying dog with cancer live his best life. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington hopes that a family will adopt Smoke, a 10-year-old hound with terminal cancer, in the last weeks or months that he has left. But, until that time, the shelter has created a bucket list for Smoke that is still growing. On the list already are entries such as riding in a fire truck, eating ice cream, going to the beach, riding in a police car and howling with the sirens, and getting a full body doggy massage.

If Rebecca Eyre gets her way, you'll never again see a dog tied up outside a retail or food establishment. She says “Dogspot,” a climate controlled parking spot for your dog, is being rolled-out across the country. Using the smartphone app, you'll gain access to a safe and secure dog locker fitted with UV lamps and cameras. So many questions, so little time. Also, has your veterinarian ever recommended an expensive battery of blood tests for your pet? Dr. Fred Metzler explains why these blood tests are needed to really understand your pets health, even when they're healthy. Since our pets cannot speak English, veterinarians rely upon blood to tell the story. Also, Laura Vorreyer has become a petsitter for celebrity pet owners and their furry companions. She says that some of her clients have large requests when it comes to pet are. Laura will tell us about a popular singer who tests her songs on her dogs to see if they'll be a hit. Also, there's some new information from the Food and Drug Administration's that says potatoes, legumes, peas and lentils used as protein sources in many dog foods may be linked to canine heart disease. The agency is researching dogs that developed dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, which is a disease of a dog's heart muscle and often results in congestive heart failure.

Model Summer Rayne Oakes dispels common stereotypes. A Cornell graduate in Etymology, she has no problems feeding her best friend live meal-worms, something that would make most models squirm. Of course, her best friend is a chicken named Kippy. The two are inseparable. You might see them together on a N.Y. Subway. Kippy has even appeared in several photo shoots. Also, have you seen you pet twitch, move or mumble while they sleep. Could they be dreaming? Harvard Professor and Dream Researcher Dr. Deirdre Barrett shares what she knows about pet dreams. Also, some pets can be alarmed or startled by noises like thunder, cars and fireworks. It's not uncommon. Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. E'Lise Christensen tells us about ways we can desensitize our furry friends. Our pets deserve to be Fear Free Pets. Also, as part of last month's Take Your Dog to Work Day, Ollie, a human-grade dog food company, polled animal lovers who currently cannot take their dog to the office to see what they would be willing to do to gain that privilege. One in four said they would give up three vacations days if it meant their dog would be allowed in the office. Additionally, 70% of pet parents said they would show up to work earlier if it meant they could bring their dog and 68% said they would stay later. Two-thirds of those polled said they would be willing to switch to another company if it meant getting pet-friendly perks. Also, two major air carriers, American and Southwest Airlines, are urging the Federal Government to no longer require them to allow Emotional Support Animals on board. The Transportation Department is reconsidering its rules for traditional service animals and comfort pets. The flight industry group, Airlines for America, which represents American and Southwest, has told the Transportation Department that it should narrow the broad definition of “service animals” to only quote, “trained dogs that perform a task or work for an individual with a disability.”