Pets In The City - New York City Pets & Animals - Pets & Animals on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

‘Greatest American Dog’, a ten-week reality series which showed dogs and their people competing for a $250,000 prize on CBS this summer, captivated pet lovers who wanted to see which dog/person team would ultimately demonstrate the strongest bond between each dog and his or her person. But relationships between the human contestants were another story. Strained, tense and angry confrontations were common in front of the camera and, according to one of the shows more controversial contestants, things were even worse than what they seemed. Whether you were a fan or foe of Beth Joy Knutsen (and her Bella Starlet Dog), listen in as she speaks candidly about what she saw behind-the-scenes, from bitterness between contestants to the questionable safety of the dogs themselves. This is part one of a two-part segment examining Greatest American Dog and other pet-related ‘reality’ shows. Next week, we’ll talk directly with American Humane, the 68 year-old watchdog group for the treatment of animals in movies and television, and the new challenges reality television has brought with it. Then, Pets In the City once again turns its attention to the economy’s effect on our pets and the way we care for them. Some argue that New York City pets are among the most pampered in the world, but there are many more pet owners struggling to keep their canines in kibble and their cats in catnip. What products and services are worth cutting back on, and what’s worth the splurge? We’ll talk with Rachel Swan, head of Pawsitive Productions and creator of "The Enlightened Canine Expo" coming up this November, to get her insights and advice.

The unstable economy is not just hurting workers, but their families as well -- including their pets. Unlike our suburban neighbors, who may surrender their pets to shelters or abandon them if they lose their house in foreclosure, some city dwellers are giving up their pets because they lost their high-paying jobs and the only affordable place is a "no pets" building. Jenn Bristol, head of Animal Haven SoHo, a combination adoption center and pet boutique, is finding more and more people surrendering their beloved pets after the Wall Street crash. Thankfully, even with the economy in the tank, some fundraising for pets (and people) remains strong. Come with us to Central Park South to the Jumeriah Essex House as we attend "Celebrity Dogs Unleashed", a fundraiser as unique as it is fancy. Famous people, from Robert Kennedy Jr., Menudo, and Rachel Ray (and everyone in-between!) were given the task of painting fiberglass Labrador Retriever models that best reflected their personalities with surprising results.

The first weekend of October is generally filled with "Blessing of the Animals" ceremonies in honor of St. Francis Day, a saint who is thought to have had a particular affinity for animals in Europe many centuries ago. New Yorkers come out in droves to their local houses of worship, Christian and otherwise, with their pets to these simple, touching ceremonies to bless their pets for good health and long life for the coming year. This week we’ll talk with two experts in the field of blessing and honoring our pets in this life and the next. Edward Martin, caretaker of Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York, talks to us about how one New York dog about 100 years ago started this beautiful, peaceful resting place for many of the city’s animals, and his thoughts on the types of people who lay their pets to rest here. Then, we’ll talk with the cemetery’s Chaplain, Reverend David James, and ask him the perennial, controversial question: do pets go to heaven, or is the ‘Rainbow Bridge’ just a myth we tell ourselves? Finally, we’ll talk to a human/dog duo who are very much alive, well, and rolling along the United States in their bicycle built for two: David Sylvester and his girl, "Chiva", to learn about and raise awareness about shelter dogs throughout the United States.

Many come to New York to see their dreams of fame and stardom take flight, but some visitors already have wings. WebVet.com, a new consumer-friendly veterinary question-and-answer site, invited creatures of the air to enter their 'Birds on Broadway' contest recently to sing, dance, and flap their way to stardom right on 47th Street. Pets In the City talks with WebVet.com president Hope Schultz about the unusual launch of this special contest for hopeful avian actors and the particular needs of our feathered friends.

Diane chats with Erinlee Adamson, casting producer for Animal Planet’s hit show, "Groomer Has It." Groomer Has It is seeking competitive dog stylists who have what it takes to win! Listen and find out how to enter! Animal Planet’s newest hit show GROOMER HAS IT is a competition based reality show challenging dog groomers from around the country to be the next GROOMER OF THE YEAR and to win $50,000 cash!!" They are looking for Dog Groomers with skills, personality, competitive spirit and tons of passion for what they do. Last year’s amazing cast helped introduce America to the world of dog grooming and now they are on season two and looking for 12 new groomers! New groomer or years of experience, mobile or salon... THEY WANT THE BEST!!

Fashionistas, buyers, models and the pet--obsessed stormed several floors of the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea on August 23 and August 24 for New York’s Third Annual ‘Pet Fashion Week.’ While the name may be misleading (the ‘Week’ is really a ‘Weekend’) there were more awards, products, grooming demonstrations, professionals and stars of the pet business world packed into two days than you can shake a tail at. From the foot of the catwalk to the trade show floor, from industry professionals to the newest designers on the scene, this segment of Pets In The City will take you on a whirlwind tour through the 'styles in the aisles' of the most decadent pet products and services on the market today. But is it all a bit too much? Does a dog or cat really need a dress embellished with genuine Swarovski Crystal, a hand-carved marble food dish and a $300.00 GPS attached to their collar? We asked -- and got some candid opinions -- straight from the sources.

If you think you know all about Batman and Gotham City, think again.=2 0While there may be someone running around in a cape making blockbuster movies this summer, you haven’t seen (or heard) anything yet if you haven’t gone on a nighttime bat expedition in Central Park with the real Batman and Batgirl of Gotham City, Bradley Klein and Daniellle Gustafson, who, in conjunction with the American Museum of Natural History give annual Bat Tours each summer. Both Mr. Klein and his wife, Ms. Gustafson, are founding members of the New York Bat Group and strong supporters of Bat Conservation International. Hear the real sonic clicks and calls of bats in the night as we talk to Mr. Klein, Ms. Gustafson, and a special guest, author Marie Winn of "Central Park in the Dark"

"Groomer Has It" may have been a hair-raising reality show on Animal Planet this season, but this week on Pets In The City we’re the ones that have the groomer- Mr. David, to be e xact. Jonathan beat out all other contestants on the show to make it to first runner-up in this fierce coffier competition. But well before "Groomer Has It" Mr. David had it all- as a well-respected groomer to the likes of Mariah Carey, Ralph Lauren, Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates, Betty Buckley, Louise Lasser, John O’Hurley, Betsy Johnson and Ivana Trump, and many others. Listen in on a private consultation with Mr. David at Manhattan’s Prima Dog Cafe and learn how you can keep your dog cool and pretty during the summer in the city. You’ll also find out how you can get your hands on some of Mr. David’s fabulous, "human tested" products for dogs from his new product line, New York Canine Clean.

"Pets In The City" travels to the heart of Times Square and into Shubert Alley, where the annual adoption event "Broadway Barks" takes center stage for it’s tenth straight year. Founded by world-renowned Broadway actress and singer Bernadette Peters and "America’s Sweetheart" actress Mary Tyler Moore, this annual event brings out all of the Broadway stars and some of New York’s most adoptable cats and dogs. We’ll talk with trainer and author Bill Berloni, who has worked with to some of Broadway’s most beloved animal stars for over thirty years, and Bernadette Peters, whose name has been synonymous with Broadway for several decades with classics such as "Annie Get Your Gun", "Gypsy" and many others. Then, we’ll travel downtown to bohemian paradise Tompkins Square Park on the lower east side of Manhattan, just a few steps away from New York’s historic "First Run", the first official dog run in the city. We’ll be speaking with key members of the therapy dog community and listen to some of their heartfelt stories of people who give their time and "paws" to patients in the hospital. Does your dog have what it takes to be a therapy dog? Listen and find out.

Weekend getaway season is in full swing in the city, and the Hamptons has been a favorite among city folk for a long time. By train (Long Island Rail Road), by plane (if you’re uber-rich) or highway (rental cars or the Hampton Jitney motorcoach) New Yorkers from every walk of life flock to the sandy shores seeking a break on the breakers. But even here homeless animals abound, from huge feral cat colonies drawn by the scent of fresh fish on the bustling boat docks to “vacation pets” left behind when the summer share is over. We’ll talk with Michele Forrester, director of the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (http://www.arfhamptons.org) about this oft-hidden population of homeless pets in one of the richest resort areas of the country and how ARF and other organizations are trying to help. Then, Pets In The City has weekend brunch with The NYC East Side Small Dog People Group (http://smallbreeddogs.meetup.com/85/) at a great outdoor café and gets some cool tips for dining with dogs. Finally, we’re going to ask our listeners to help us in what we think may be the first-of-its-kind radio experiment. If you’re dreading your dog’s nervous breakdown when the fireworks go off on the 4th, this is a must-download episode.

Think the presidential race is getting tough now? Wait until you travel with us to the Upper East Side of Manhattan to witness the launch of a historical "paws-idential" campaign by a very unlikely candidate. Seems that comedian Richard Belzer ("Law and Order", "Last Comic Standing") has thrown his hat into this year's presidential election to issue all United States citizens who love pets a special challenge, endorsed wholeheartedly by three big players: the North Shore Animal League, the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, and Animal Care and Control of New York City. Then...ever wonder how you train a dog to, er, "be amorous" on demand? 'Gidget' Gormley, the frisky little Yorkshire Terrier who plays Samantha's furry friend, "Baby" in this summer's blockbuster hit 'Sex and the City,' can do this and other unique tricks thanks to her 'person', Mary Gormley. This week we speak with Ms. Gormley about Gidget and her unusal role in the 'SATC' movie plus some behind-the-scenes dish on co-star (and animal lover) Kim Cattrall, Gidget's own private health battle, and her favorite charity, Friends of Snuffy .)

It sounds like a bizarre urban legend, but unfortunately, it is not. An increasing number of dogs--and people--are being electrocuted by stray voltage from faulty streetlights or underground wiring throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The topic first gained national attention with the tragic death of a young college student named Jodie Lane, who in the winter of 2003 lost her life on a street in Greenwich Village while walking her dog. Since then, several other incidents have been reported. The most recent dog victim was a Husky named Sebastian in Long Island City, Queens. In this show we bring you to an emotional press conference where one grieving dog owner announced a lawsuit against Con Edison, the power company that supplies electricity to the city, for what she alleges was the wrongful death of her dog, Mushy. Then, in honor of National Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month, we speak with Kitty Kind, a member of New York City’s Mayor’s Alliance for New York City’s Animals, and the special challenges the city faces in finding homes for what seems to be an endless supply of cats coming from all areas of the city.

The Brooklyn Bridge. The Cyclone. Coney Island. Brooklyn is home to all of these, but not many know that soaring high in the skies above Flatbush, Sunset Park, and other neighborhoods in this iconic New York borough are wild green Quaker parrots from Argentina. Join “Parrot Man” Steve Baldwin of www.brooklynparrots.com on an urban safari in Brooklyn’s Greenwood Cemetery and discover the mystery of how these exotic birds came to the big city. Then, take a downtown train to Wall Street with Pets In The City host Diane West to attend a star-studded fundraiser for Farm Sanctuary (www.farmsanctuary.org) and eavesdrop on some surprising and insightful chats with music industry mogul Russell Simmons, actress Emily Deschanel of “Bones” and actress Lisa Edelstein of “House.”