Animal Radio®

Former Navy Seal Michael Ritland created a non-profit to help military dogs transition to civilian life. Just like our human soldiers, dogs need help acclimating back into a normal environment. Small noises can cause extreme emotional distress in our enlisted canines. Also, the Aloft Hotel is Asheville, North Carolina is helping the local shelter find homes for adoptable dogs with their unique program. So far they’ve found homes for almost two-dozen dog. Wait until you hear how they’re doing it. Also, most stores are no longer selling jerky pet treats made in China. The treats were connected to thousands of dogs getting sick and at more than one thousand deaths. But the FDA could never determine WHAT it was in the treats that were causing the issues. With the treats off the shelves, for the most part, the number of complaints to the FDA has gone down dramatically, but the agency says it still plans to continue its investigation. Also, a Florida Police Dog is being kicked off the for for biting a Dunkin’ Donuts worker in the calf. “Renzo” had been a police dog for about a year. This is his second bite incident.

Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker is back to help you keep your pets flea-less and tick-less. The good doctor has the ugly truth about how ticks infect you and your pet with a multitude of nasty viruses. And are fleas becoming resistant to spot-on preventatives? Also, the American Pet Products Association (APPA) released the yearly numbers of dollars spent within the pet industry. APPA says we spent 58 BILLION in last year on 397 million pets, including everything from freshwater fish and reptiles to cats and dogs. We spend over 20 billion on pet-food alone. No wonder the business is so cutthroat as many compete for our dollars. Also, our Hero Person this week lives in Johannesburg, South Africa and she’s 8-and-a-half years old. Alyssa Carter parlayed her love for Rhinos into fundraising to keep them from being poached. So far, she has been able to raise $23,000 by selling candy and trinkets to schoolmates and family. Also, Dr. Debbie teaches us all about the Titer test. The test determines the amount of antibodies in your pet, and ultimately if it is really necessary to vaccinate. She’ll tell you why you should vaccinate and what types of animals should avoid vaccination altogether. Also, Amtrak is one step closer to becoming pet friendly. The House of Representatives has approved 8 billion in funding for a pilot program for people traveling with pets. At least one car per train would allow pets in kennels as long as they meet size requirements. The bill now goes to the Senate and then to the White House, where it reportedly is being supported.

If you’ve ever thought of quitting your job to work in the pet industry, you’ll should hear this week’s guest. Jamie Migdal created a website to match you with the perfect pet-related job. From Dog-walking to Marketing, the jobs pay quite well. Also, this week’s Hero Person definitely goes above and beyond for animals. His latest rescue was a small Chihuahua dumped into a sewer. Dusty Showers probably needed a few showers after crawling through raw sewage to find this pup that everyone else had given up on. This isn’t his first heroic stunt. Besides the long list of animals he has rescued, Dusty also rode his bike across the country to raise funds for Cancer research.Also, Catherine Pipon was diagnosed with a condition known as heart block. Doctors inserted a pacemaker. Recently, her five-year-old Cairn Terrier Molly was diagnosed with the same condition. Catherine spent over $5,000 to get a pacemaker for the dog. The pacemakers are nearly identical and their conditions are so similar that Catherine and Molly share the same doctor Jersey General Hospital. Molly goes in after hours, so other patients don’t get upset that a dog is being seen at a people hospital.

Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker is back with the scoop on pheromones. Can the synthetically produced smell be helpful in calming cats and dogs, or is it a waste of money? Also, it’s long been thought that mutts are much healthier, both mentally and physically, than those pure bred for pedigree. While there may be some truth to this, it is not always the case. Author Michael Brandow describes how the quest for status has harmed man’s best friend. Also, Richard Brower’s German Shepherd, Dozer, was stolen 18 months ago. He looked everywhere. After a year-a-half, Richard decided to share his home with a new dog. He did an online search for ‘German Shepherds for sale,’ which led him to the local animal rescue and right there was Dozer on the front page. Also, former Ohio National Guardsman Darin Welker uses ducks to treat his PTSD. The town council says he hasn’t presented enough evidence that the ducks serve a medical need and that he would face imminent harm without them. Also, last week, we had the story of Bart the cat that was hit by a car and buried but was actually still alive. Bart dug his way out and made it to his neighbors yard. Bart is now officially, and fondly known, as the Zombie Cat. If you think his story couldn’t get stranger, think again.

Actress Tippi Hedren (The Birds) is back to talk about the big cats at her sanctuary and legislation to stop the breeding of lions and tigers. She comes clean about her daughter’s (actress Melanie Griffith) relationship with “Neil” the lion. Also, if you foster an animal, you can deduct some of the associated costs. Things like vet bills, food, grooming; they qualify as charitable donations, which are deductible up to 50% of your adjusted gross income. But once, you officially adopt the animal, that animal is no longer considered a foster, so you will lose the deductions. Also, this week’s Hero Person is rescuing elephants from circuses and zoos. Often mistreated, the gentle giants are exploited for our entertainment. Scott Blais, co-founder of an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee, Skypes with us from Brazil, where he is currently rescuing 50 elephants. Also, it will soon be a crime throughout New York State to pierce or tattoo a companion animal. There is an exception for markings one under a veterinarian’s supervision. The laws were prompted by people showing off what they did to their animals on the Internet, including a woman who was piercing kittens and selling them as ‘gothic.’ Also, the Maryland Court of Appeals has ruled that a jury can award damages to pet owners for the emotional distress they suffer following the injury or death of a beloved animal due to gross negligence. The Court let stand a $200,000 award to Roger and Sandra Jenkins. Their Labrador retriever was shot and killed by a Frederick County sheriff’s deputy.

Actress Kim Sill is back to tell us about her latest project. She’s putting adoption stores inside malls. Kim is saving hundreds of death row cats, dogs and bunnies by changing their adoption venue to the more appealing atmosphere. Also, while you may not associate Valentine’s Day with pet dangers, Doc Halligan from the Lucy Pet Foundation thinks you should be extra cautious. She see more animals the day after Valentines (only third after Christmas and Halloween), usually because pets swallow something they shouldn’t have. Also, author Arlene Weintraub explains how vital the roles of dogs are in the search for a cure for cancer. Veterinarians and Oncologists are working together to discover new treatments for Cancer. Also, have you ever searched for a home or apartment to rent that allowed you to have pets? Yes, it’s nearly impossible to find in Los Angeles where 62% of the rental units do not accept pets. Now, the LA City Council has voted to make some changes in hopes of making landlords more open to accepting pets at their properties. Also, a small, 15-year-old, three-legged dog might not seem like much of a threat, but this dog took a bullet for his family in Wisconsin and saved them from a man who had broken into their home and attempted to rob them. A bullet grazed the top of the dog’s head and became lodged in his neck.

This week’s Hero Person is 9-year-old Orly Sedransk. After a visit to her local shelter, she was moved to do something to make a difference. Through a 50/50 raffle, she was able to raise enough money to help the municipal shelter purchase cages to hold cats. Also, next time you go to the Dog Park, you’re likely going to hear someone calling for Max or Bella. Those are the top two names bestowed on puppies in 2023. Vetstreet.com says other popular names for boy dogs after Max were Charlie, Rocky, Buddy and Cooper. Rover.com says there was a 37% increase in food-themed names like Coconut, Ginger, Kale, Peanut, Guinness, Vino, Mochi and Whiskey. Also, Pamela Paquin is an “ethical designer.” She collects road-kill to turn into “Petite Mort,” or stoles, collars and coats. The average price is $1000 for one of her creations. Many of her clients are upscale and affluent. Pamela says this is a tribute to the animals. also, when Pet Food Stamps, Inc. was formed, it got attention from all over, including being featured on CNN, CBS, ABC and Animal Radio. Founder Marc Okon raised $65,000, enough to handle the nearly 200,000 people who’d asked for help. He resigned last April, saying he was overwhelmed with applications and closed the program. Also, Petco has kept it promise and removed all dog and cat threats made in China from the shelves of it stores nationwide. Last May, the chain became the first national pet retailer to say it would stop selling the treats after reports began showing up Chinese-made treats were making animals sick, and worse. The move includes pet treats made for the Petco Brand ‘unleashed’ and those sold online.

Often confused, there is a major difference between Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals. Lori Brooks has the lowdown on what this means for you and your Emotional Support Tarantula. Yes, he’ll be able to get on a plane, but he may be legally turned away from your favorite restaurant. Also, stolen pets are on the rise. It doesn’t matter what breed you have. An estimated two million pets were stolen last year in the United States. That’s up 32% according to the American Kennel Club. And the number of actual dogs stolen could be potentially much greater. You need to be extra careful with your furry-family or they might end up in the ugly under-belly of human nature. Also, many experts say “keep the pets out of the bed.” But a recent study from the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona could change some minds. Researchers surveyed 150 sleep center patients and found that more than half of pet owners allowed their pets to sleep in the bedroom. One out of five described their pets as disruptive, but 41% said their pets were quiet and even beneficial to their nightly sleep. And finally, the big question this week is about the Zika Virus - and if our pets can be affected. While there is no evidence yet that they can carry it or transmit it, the relevant question is if they can be sickened by it.

Dr. Nicholas Dodman (Program Director for the Animal Behavior Department at Tufts) researched several alleged cases of pet suicide to see if it’s possible. He’s here to report on his findings and to answer the provocative question. Also, while many states mandate that pets are not allowed to be kept outdoors in extreme weather for extended periods of time without insulated housing, others barely consider hypothermia deaths to be animal cruelty. Fortunately, some states and local governments are now enforcing harsher punishments for people who allow their pets to perish in weather extremes like the recent blizzard on the east coast. Also, do you think the back of your cat’s heads smells wonderful? A Japanese company has researched that scent, recreated it, and is now bottling it. The head of Yamamoto Perfumery spent four months doing research, sniffing many cat’s heads to replicate the smell. The result? Fluffy Brow Scented Fabric Water. It can be sprayed on fabrics or anything to give them a lovely cat-head smell. A bottle sells for 1,200 yen or about $10 each. Also, Doc Halligan and Dogfather Joey Villani have incredible tips for helping your furry-friends through the winter. Everything from their coat to their diet change when the weather gets frigid. Also, a woman in California has 1,000 cats. But she’s no hoarder. Lattanzi runs Cat House on the Kings, the largest cat sanctuary in the country. It all started when she volunteered to bottle feed kittens for a rescue back 25 years ago. Today Cat House on the Kings has 45 paid personnel who help to care for the cats and maintain the property including a veterinarian and seven vet techs are also part of the team.

The “Dog Food Dude,” Rick Woodford is back. He says you should share your food with your dog. But doesn’t that go against everything we’ve been taught about proper nutrition? No, not if you’re doing it right. Also, if Linda Rosenthal has her way; New York will be the first state to make it illegal to declaw a cat. The Manhattan assemblywoman has introduced a bill to ban the controversial procedure sometimes called de-knuckling because it’s actually the entire knuckle, which is the last bone in the cat’s toe that is removed. Declawing of cats is already banned in many countries, including Australia, India, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as seven cities in California, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Also, ask most pet owners and they’ll tell you their dog sleeps in bed with them. The days of the doghouse seem to have all but disappeared. But Larry Hobbs has a booming business making high-end Eco-friendly doghouses. He’ll explain why. Also, all dogs in England, Scotland & Wales will have to be microchipped with their owners’ details registered and kept up to date in huge database to encourage “responsible pet ownership.” To help people get it done, Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, is offering free microchipping. It’s hoped that “Compulsory microchipping will help reduce the number of lost and abandoned dogs and it will allow authorities to directly identify dog owners and hold them accountable for their dogs’ behavior and welfare. Also, at the beginning of a new year, everyone makes a resolution to lose weight. Well, Buddy the dog has a jump on all of us after losing more than 100 pounds. Buddy the 180-pound, 6-year-old, morbidly obese Australian Shepherd spent the last 9 months dieting and now weighs 71 lbs. He lost so much weight that he underwent skin removal surgery.

Nicole Humphries runs a blood bank for companion animals. She’ll answer the itching question, is dog’s blood different than cat’s, or is a German Shepard’s blood different than a Pug’s? And where does all this blood come from? You never see a pet blood-mobile in the neighborhood. Also, a mischievous cat escaped its carrier on board a Delta flight last week and to the horror of a cat fearing flight attendant, the cat roamed free in the cabin. Of course, someone caught the incident on video and it had some comical moments. The poor cat’s owner fell asleep with headphones on and somehow it managed to get out of the carrier. Also, for owners of dogs and cats stricken with cancer, expensive treatments only adds to the emotional difficulties. Just the initial cancer diagnosis can cost $2,000. A standard course of chemotherapy costs between $3,000 and $5,000. A bone marrow transplant costs between $16,000 and $25,000 and the cure rate is only about 33%. These aren’t just wealthy people. Some used their life savings, and even refinanced their houses to pay for the treatments. And finally, some really strict new laws there now make it a crime to insult the Thailand monarchy and now a factory worker could go to jail for 37 years for making disparaging posts on Facebook about the king’s dog. Turns out that the man was charged after making a “sarcastic” Facebook post about the dog. The 88-year-old ailing King rescued Copper from an alley and in 2002 he wrote a best selling book about her. She is so revered there that the media must address the dog as ma’am.

Donna Jenkins is pioneering a movement to allow visitation of patient’s personal pets during long-term treatment. She formed Zachary’s Paw For Healing after her son passed from a terminal disease. During his final hours he requested a visit from the family pet but didn’t want to sneak the dog into the cancer treatment facility.Also, did you get a pet for the holiday? Dr. Marty Becker is back with tips that every new puppy or kitten owner should know. These tips could save you a lot of grief. Also, former NFL quarterback Michael Vick got the celebrity treatment as he visited the Pennsylvania state Capitol last week to lobby for a bill to help protect cats and dogs from being left in unattended vehicles. Vick was a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons when he plead guilty to federal conspiracy charges in 2007 for his role in a dog fighting ring and served nearly two years in prison. He claims to have been reformed and spoke on behalf of animals saying, “The bottom line is that all animals thrive (on) kindness and respect. They depend on us like our children depend on us.” Also, two years ago, in a first of its kind crash test, the leading pet harnesses, which were trusted by owners, failed again and again. Now, the Center for Pet Safety is testing pet travel seats. So are there any safe pet seats? Really, the answer is No. The Director at the Center for Pet Safety says they “do not recommend pet seats at this time for pet owners” to use for their pets in cars.

Accomplished dog trainer Victoria Stilwell returns to Animal Radio airwaves to help us decode our dog’s behavior. She’ll tell us what some common dog gestures mean. New studies show our dogs are much smarter than we give them credit for. Do dogs feel guilt? They sure look guilty when you catch them doing something bad. Also, Pet World Insider Robert Semrow has his list of the Top 5 Holiday Traditions That Can Land Your Pet on the Naughty List. Make sure you listen carefully so that you won’t end up at the Vet Clinic. Also, Edward Meyers is back for his yearly visit. He collects oddities for Ripley’s and he’ll be sharing his strange picks for animals that are a bit out of the ordinary, like the cat with BIG eyes and the dog that ate a round of gun ammunition. Also, Mo Golden and Ross Cowman created a business of making motivational posters for cats. At first it was a novelty idea, but it turned into something truly beneficial for both cats and humans explains Ross.

Mario Chiozza is this week’s Hero Person. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw a dog tossed out of the car in front of him on Interstate 40. Despite the 55 mph. rush-hour traffic, he managed to capture the dog and save her. “Savior” is the catalyst for Mario’s mission. Also, Animal Radio’s very own Joey “Dogfather” Villani is behind legislation to protect your pet while they’re at the groomer. Currently, anyone with a scissors can groom your pet. This bill would mandate certification and a license, just like your barber. Also, Dr. Kathy Hillestad is here to help make your holiday safe and fun for your pets. She has the details about good and bad foods and plants. This year, as Lithium batteries become more prevalent in devices, more animals are swallowing them. Also, research presented at the Sleep conference showed that 54% of pet guardians sleep with their pets and that 30% of those said they wake up at least once a night because of them. 63% said they have poor sleep quality. Some people though say they sleep better WITH their pets. Also, an autistic 7-year-old girl and her service dog waited in line to see Santa at a SoCal Mall. Santa’s elf told them they would not be allowed near Santa because the jolly man was afraid of Pit Bulls. The family complained and Santa was sent packing.

Actress Sylva Kelegian not only guests this week, but she is also our Hero Person. Changing focus from acting to animals, she’s on a mission to reduce the homeless population in LA. She wrote a book about her journey. Also, there is not much out there to make taking college finals fun, but Iowa State University found a way to make them a bit less stressful. Pet therapy. ISU set up a room at the library where stressed out students could come in and spend some time playing and petting a group of dogs. Also, Fat Pets - Fat Pet Parents. Chances are your New Years resolution has something to do with weight-loss. We should also be thinking about our pets too. They become very sedentary during the winter and putting on the pounds is not uncommon. Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker has a plan for you and your poochy-pet. Also, the Barths, were moving from Virginia to Hawaii. Just before they were ready to go their cat “Mee Mowe” disappeared. They postponed their move for three days hoping that she would show up. They finally had to go. They got to Hawaii and 36 days later their belongings arrived. They heard a very faint meow coming from one of the boxes. Yup, there was Mee Mowe. And finally, Britt Savage has tips on naming and teaching your dog their name. Many dogs think their name is “Max get out of the trash” because we don’t use it properly.