Talking Animals

Don Goldstein—veteran greyhound advocate and member of the Board of Directors of Greyhound Rescue Adoptions of Tampa Bay, Inc. (GREAT)—discusses his history with greyhounds, with he and his wife having adopted their first one more than 20 years ago. He goes on to explain that a number of other greyhounds have since been part of the Goldstein family (they live with three right now), and that he and his wife have fostered more than 20 dogs. Goldstein also describes what he finds special about greyhounds, why he’s enchanted by them. Mindful that the interview was pegged to National Adopt A Greyhound, Goldstein outlines important facets of living with a greyhound—the virtues of life with a greyhound and some of the aspects that can potentially prove to be challenges on a dog-by-dog basis. Goldstein also elaborates on the jarring news that surfaced earlier in the year, reporting that at Florida racetracks over the course of seven months, 74 greyhounds died—noting that the death toll has since risen to 100.  He provides some reporting and insights about the previous day’s Florida Senate Gaming Committee meeting, which Goldstein attended, in which the Committee voted to require tracks to report injuries for the first time; on the other hand, the measure proposing to allow tracks to operate their poker rooms and slot machines without offering racing—so-called “de-coupling”—was pulled by its sponsor, Senator Maria Sachs, when it became clear it had dim prospects for passing unless the language were tweaked. Goldstein expresses optimism that the amendment could be re-tooled, re-introduced—and perhaps be approved—before the current legislative session ends in three weeks.  (www.great-greyhound.org, www.facebook.com/GREAT.Inc?ref=mf) COMEDY CORNER: John Pinette’s “Free Willy” (portion)  R.I.P., John (www.johnpinette.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Was (Not Was)’s “What Up, Dog?,” Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Snake Farm,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/TAApril9-.mp3

Lily Tomlin, who’s collected a trunkful of major awards, including Emmys, Tonys, a Grammy and two Peabody Awards—and who has a similarly distinguished  record in the realm of animal welfare—recalls childhood experiences with animals, growing up in Michigan and spending summers in rural Kentucky. She also describes the current animal residents of the Tomlin-Wagner home:  Murphy, a 19-year-old cat who in the wake of glaucoma had one eye removed about a decade ago but is otherwise in good health; and Roddy (yes, after McDowall), a cat they’re fostering. There had been a dog, Princess, but after she died, Murphy hasn’t taken kindly to new animals (Roddy lives at Tomlin’s office), but Tomlin notes at various points in the conversation that she’s every bit as much a dog person. She’s an animal person. She touches on serving on the board of directors of Actors And Others For Animals, describes the organization’s current mission, and mostly laughs at a question about navigating the differing viewpoints held by board members—for example, Betty White being strongly pro-zoo while Tomlin herself is strongly anti-zoo. She traces the path of how she became an elephant advocate, which began when she was asked to write a letter to then-Los Angeles mayor Anthony Villaraigosa about the controversy regarding the elephants Ruby and Billy, at the L.A. Zoo…and eventually landed her as the executive producer and narrator of the acclaimed HBO documentary, “An Apology To Elephants” (she won an Emmy for that narration), and often involves her caring for “special needs” animals.  (www.lilytomlin.com, www.facebook.com/lilytomlin, www.hbo.com/documentaries/an-apology-to-elephants#/) ALSO: We spoke briefly with Ken Donofrio, of The Animal Coalition Of Tampa (ACT), about their then-forthcoming fundraising dinner, Spay-Ghetti & No Balls, slated April 5, and also addressed ACT  having recently reaching the milestone  of having performed 80,000 spay/neuter procedures. (www.actampa.org, www.facebook.com/actampa) COMEDY CORNER: Mitch Hedberg’s “Smackie The Frog” (portion)  (http://mitchhedberg.net) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Quilt’s “Arctic Shark,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  The B-52s’ “Rock Lobster” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/TAApril2.mp3

Janice Wolf—founder of The Rocky Ridge Refuge, a rescue sanctuary in Midway, AK that’s gained notoriety on Facebook and elsewhere online for its distinctive blend of animals: cats and dogs mix with a capybara, a zebra, a tortoise, a miniature horse, among other critters—recalls her history of tending to animals that extends back to caring for a pelican in Key West at age 3.She also explains how Rocky Ridge began some 20 years ago, and how she began taking in exotic animals early on, starting with a llama named Noogie. Wolf notes that she never felt plagued with any doubts about looking after exotics, feeling that there’s always information available about the care and feeding of fauna, plus she has extensive experience with animals, as a vet tech, pet therapist, etc. Along those lines, she talks about Barcode, Rocky Ridge’s resident zebra (and not their first), including how Barcode offers direct counterpoint to the often-heard observation about zebras being mean and nasty. Wolf also remembers Lurch, an African Watusi steer she took in as a calf, who became a local celebrity, then an internationally-known figure when he was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest known horn circumference, and describes how Cheesecake the capybara (given to her as a condolence gift after Lurch passed away) has proven to be a great foster mother for the litters of puppies that often arrive there. Wolf outlines some of her philosophy for operating Rocky Ridge, which places a premium on all the animals peacefully coexisting (she doesn’t put any in cages) and often involves her caring for “special needs” animals.  (http://rockyridgerefuge.com, www.facebook.com/rockyridgerefuge) ALSO: We spoke briefly with Sherry Silk, Executive Director of The Humane Society of Tampa, about their then-forthcoming event, Bark In The Park, the 27th annual iteration taking place at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park in Tampa. (http://humanesocietytampa.org, www.facebook.com/humanesocietytampa) COMEDY CORNER: Jeremy Hotz’s “Bronx Zoo” (edit) (www.jeremyhotz.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Cliff Richard’s “The Snake And The Bookworm,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Carl Perkins’ “Put Your Cat Clothes On” AUDIO  Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TAMarch26.mp3

Laura Fletcher-Taylor—co-founder of Loving Friends Transport, a Clearwater, FL-based nonprofit that transports animals from overcrowded shelters in one part of the country to shelters in another part, where they stand a much better chance of being adopted; they also transport animals from such crisis situations as hurricanes, hoarding cases and puppy mill raids—discusses her longstanding devotion to caring for animals, whether tending to injured ones as a little kid or, as a college student, looking after horses who were foaling. Into adulthood, she recalls continuing to help animals and volunteering at organizations. She details how a puppy mill dog they had adopted, a dachshund named Lily (who, sadly, died last year) served as key inspiration for creating Loving Friends Transport. Fletcher-Taylor describes how another pivotal experience foreshadowing the launching of Loving Friends Transport came in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when she and her husband, J.T., drove down in her mother’s RV to rescue animals; when they returned to Florida, they crammed the vehicle with more than 20 animals, including dogs, cats and an iguana. Subsequently, she explains, they designed and built a trailer expressly created to transport animals—and the flexibility to alter the configuration for different types and quantities of animals–which they tow behind a customized truck/RV. Fletcher-Taylor notes they currently average on transport per week, sometimes dropping off or picking up some animals en route, and their critter cargo tends to be dogs, sometimes cats, occasionally others, including some lions and tigers. She points out that as more organizations and shelters across the country become aware of Loving Friends Transport, she hopes more will avail themselves of their services.                                             (www.lovingfriendstransport.org, www.facebook.com/lovingfriendstransport) COMEDY CORNER: Jake Johannsen’s “Whale Watching” (part two)  (http://jakethis.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Asheba’s “No More Monkeys,” Brad Mehldau’s version of The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Baha Men’s “Who Let The Dogs Out” AUDIO  Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TAMarch19-.mp3

Francis Battista—a co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society, who helped form a coalition of 70 L.A. organizations in 2012, working with Los Angeles Animal Services, launching NKLA, or No-Kill Los Angeles—discusses the history of the city’s shelter landscape. He describes how Brenda Barnette’s arrival in 2010 as general manager of L.A. Department of Animal Services significantly altered that landscape (after such tumultuous turnover in that position that she was the seventh g.m. hired since 2000)  was the key catalyst for launching an effective No Kill initiative, following a series of what Battista called “false starts.” For one thing, Barnette’s resume included considerable No Kill experience and credibility. Battista explains how this not only accounted for a mutual admiration society with Best Friends, but a sense of acceptance from the array of otherwise gun-shy shelters and animal organizations as No-Kill Los Angeles was being forged. He also outlines that, nonetheless, the formative stages of NKLA were still marked by wariness and challenges aplenty, detailing some of the steps taken to overcome those things—including Best Friends occupying a new building and itself operating a shelter—and some of the financial incentives offered to coalition organizations. Addressing the tangible results of the initiative, Battista presents hard numbers that indicate, since NKLA was formed in 2012, that shelter deaths have decreased by just under 50%. He speaks to the singular situation regarding feral cats in L.A., given that there’s an injunction in place that prevents the city from implementing trap/neuter/return TNR (or even officially recommending the practice), but several coalition members are quite active in TNR. (http://bestfriends.org, http://nkla.org, www.facebook.com/NKLA.org) COMEDY CORNER: Jake Johannsen’s “Whale Watching” (portion)            (http://jakethis.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Laura Veirs’ “The Fox,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  We didn’t play “Name That Animal Tune” today. AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TAMarch12.mp3

Liz Marshall—an award-winning filmmaker whose latest project is directing the acclaimed documentary “The Ghosts In Our Machine,” which chiefly examines the work and life of photographer Jo-Anne McArthur—discusses the meaning behind the film’s titular ghosts. She also explains the rationale behind making a full-length documentary about McArthur as she photographs an array of abused and exploited (and happy!) animals, and the attendant issues raised, rather than simple shooting a doc focused directly on those animals and issues; Marshall notes the magnified cinematic power here in documenting the documenter, as it were, feeling this gambit would amplify McArthur’s work and the awareness it engenders. Marshall recounts how, before starting the project, she had limited familiarity with many of the animal welfare issues exposed and explored in “The Ghosts In Our Machine,” which likely accounts for the way the film projects a sense of discovery, of learning, as it unspools. She also addresses the three scenes in the movie during which McArthur is engaged in the happy work of photographing cows and other animals at Farm Sanctuary, an ongoing experience that’s clearly restorative for her. Marshall adds, at the end of the conversation, a brief anecdote about receiving Radiohead’s permission to use their song “Give Up The Ghost,” over which the film’s end credits roll. (www.theghostsinourmachine.com, www.facebook.com/TheGhostsInOurMachine www.lizmars.com) ALSO: I spoke briefly with Debra Starr of The Animal Network, a nonprofit organization in Manatee County, discussing their so-called “Love Posts”—an ongoing art project through which people can salute their pets, past and present, and support Animal Network’s efforts in the process. (www.animalnetworkinc.com, www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Network-Inc/210619118961629) COMEDY CORNER: Robert Schimmel’s “Swimming With A Dolphin” (portion) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” They Might Be Giants’ “CowTown,” Radiohead’s  “Give Up The Ghost,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  The Everly Brothers’  “Bird Dog” AUDIO ARCHIVE:  Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TAMarch5-.mp3

Gretchen Primack—an accomplished writer, poet and animal activist, who poured her passion, and compassion, for animals into one of her collections of poetry, Kind—recounts her earliest attraction to poetry, including winning an award for a poem she wrote at age eight (about “the night sky,” she remembers.) Despite that precocious, if not auspicious, start, Primack notes she didn’t wrote another poem, at least for others to read, until she was in her 20s. Following that gap, she certainly became keenly interested in poetry, going on to earn an M.F.A. in it, and having her work appear in such prestigious journals as The Paris Review and anthologies including Best New Poets 2006. Overlapping this period, Primack explains, she also became a vegetarian, then vegan and animal advocate. She posits the virtue of presenting information about factory farming and other animal welfare issues through an array of means—books, documentary films, pamphlets, art, poetry, etc.—and agrees that Kind represents a sweeping gesture of animal activism. In creating the poems for Kind, which address our relationships with animals, how we view them, how we treat them (and mistreat them), Primack describes how she sought to create something new, while concurring the work also observes the traditions of poetry as a means of protest and agent of change. During this conversation she reads two Kind poems, “Love This” and “Ringling”  (written from the point of view of a circus elephant), and points out why, as a writer and bookseller—she works at an independent bookstore, The Golden Notebook—her books are not available on Amazon, but can be purchased through her website. (www.gretchenprimack.com) ALSO: We spoke briefly with Betsy Smith, Executive Director of Voices For Children of Tampa Bay, about the organization’s plans to launch the first courthouse dog program in Florida, and a related fundraiser event to be held March 5. (www.vfcgal.org, www.facebook.com/VFCtampa) COMEDY CORNER: Hannibal Buress’ “Pigeons Get Murked”                  (http://hannibalburess.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Loudon Wainwright’s “Animal Song,” Bob Schneider’s  “40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet),” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Joan Jett’s version of  “I Wanna Be Your Dog” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/TAFeb26.mp3

Alisa Johnson—co-founder and president of Dogs on Deployment, an online network enabling military service members to connect with people living in their area who are willing to care for their pets while they are deployed—recounts the predicament she and her husband, Shawn Johnson, faced when they received overlapping military assignments and there was no one, initially, able to care for their dog, JD. She discusses how their own predicament served as a catalyst for launching Dogs on Deployment in 2011 and how, even from the get-go, they wanted the service to have national reach. Johnson estimates that there are now boarders—the DOD term for individuals or families who agree to look after the military members’ animals—at upwards of 100 bases. She outlines how the service works, drawing a loose comparison between the DOD network and online dating (including that, the name of the organization notwithstanding,  the pets involved may be cats, birds, lizards and others beyond dogs), detailing some of the criteria for would-be boarders and the obligations and responsibilities expected of both parties. Johnson explains that the average deployment during which the military members would need their animals cared for runs six to eight months, but can occasionally extend into two years, or even three years.  (http://dogsondeployment.org, www.facebook.com/DogsonDeployment)      ALSO: We spoke briefly with Claire Wray, of Friends Of Strays, about the St. Petersburg-based organization’s current efforts to adopt out a slew of cats, with a particular emphasis on the always hard-to-place black cats.     (www.friendsofstrays.com, www.facebook.com/FriendsOfStrayspinellascountyfl) COMEDY CORNER: Nick DiPaolo’s “Animal Activists” (portion) (www.nickdip.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Buck Owens’ “I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail,” Booker T’s version of  “Get Behind The Mule,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Norma Tanega’s  “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/TAFeb19DogsonDeployment.mp3

Jo-Anne McArthur—an award-winning photojournalist whose passion as an animal activist has informed her work in an ongoing project, “We Animals”—recounts her first forays into photography. She discusses her evolution as a photographer, deciding to specialize in animals at the urging of a mentor who recommended she follow her passion, as well as a light bulb moment courtesy of encountering (and photographing) a pickpocket macaque in Ecuador. McArthur talks a bit about “We Animals,” the ongoing project she conceived wherein she has spent more than a decade traveling the globe, documenting the lives of captive, abused, exploited and other animals in a wide array of settings. “We Animals,” also the title of her newly-published book that offers a hundred-image sampling of the thousands of photos McArthur has shot over the years. She explains the approach she used to winnow down this sprawling collection of pictures to the mere fraction presented in the book; she also addresses the gambit she typically employs while on shoots, and how she’s sometimes seeking to create different types of images for different categories of animal exploitation or abuse.  Using the “Blackfish” phenomenon as a jumping off point, McArthur also speaks to the influence and impact of images in raising awareness of animal welfare issues, particularly tied to her new book, and to “The Ghosts In Our Machine,” a new feature-length documentary film, directed by Liz Marshall, that centers around McArthur and her work. She mentions the hoped-for outcomes with the book, and comments on some specific images in the book, including one included below featuring a gorilla rescued from the bush meat trade in Cameroon, sitting on the lap of the caretaker at a sanctuary for such great apes—in the back seat of a car, hugging, both looking peaceful and happy (at least one, if not both, are smiling.) We animals, indeed. Photos by Jo-Anne McArthur. (www.joannemcarthur.com, www.weanimals.org, www.theghostsinourmachine.com  ) COMEDY CORNER: Eddie Izzard’s “Parrots” (portion) (www.eddieizzard.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble’s “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” Lauris Vidal’s version of “Queen Bee,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  The Beatles’  “I Am The Walrus” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/TAFeb5Jo-AnneMcArthur-.mp3

Sue Martino—executive director of The Pet Project for Pets, a Fort Lauderdale-based nonprofit that helps enable pet owners who are living with HIV/AIDS, have a terminal illness, are disabled or the elderly, to keep and continue to care for their animals—discusses the history and evolution of  the organization. Founded in 2002 to help those with HIV/AIDS—where the financial strain often meant relinquishing their pets—Martino recounts how The Pet Project For Pets widened out to serve a broader constituency. She also explains the scientific and other virtues to enabling people contending with an array of disabilities, often-terminal diseases and other conditions to continue to live with and care for their pets. Martino outlines the services The Pet Project offers—the organization is currently assisting 869 clients with 1001 pets– including a food bank providing monthly allotments of pet food, low-cost veterinary care, short-term foster care to pets when owners need to go into the hospital, etc. She recalls some specific examples of clients they’ve served whose situations Martino found particularly memorable for one reason or another. Martino acknowledges The Pet Project for Pets maintains a desire to extend the geographic scope of its operation– not only more broadly in Florida, but nationally as well—but lacks the funding at the moment to do so. (www.petprojectforpets.org, www.facebook.com/petprojectforpets) ALSO: We spoke briefly with Kira Barrera, a leader of a junior Girl Scout troop in St. Petersburg that has decided in pursuit of their Bronze Award (the highest honor a junior Girl Scout can achieve) to conduct a project dealing with animal neglect. The troop is seeking chances to volunteer at shelters and events and other learning opportunities by way of executing their project—and would welcome hearing about such opportunities, as well as other ideas & suggestions at: stopanimalneglect.troop61858@gmail.com COMEDY CORNER: Mike Birbiglia’s “Arctic Fox, It’s A Setup” (portion) (http://birbigs.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Pete Seeger’s “Old Grey Mule,” (RIP, Pete),  instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Genesis  “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TAJan29ThePetProjectForPets.mp3

In a broadcast emanating from KUCI in Irvine, CA, Richie Moretti—founder and director of the nationally-regarded Turtle Hospital in Marathon, FL—explains how a Volkswagen mechanic from New Jersey ended up launching a sea turtle hospital in the Keys in 1986. He describes traveling a steep learning curve in caring for the turtles, while also pointing out some of the virtues along the way of his not being a scientist or professionally-trained to look after the turtles, and how funding the operation himself rather than relying on government grants afforded Moretti greater independence and speed in discovering treatment methods.  He also spends a fair amount of time discussing Fibropapilloma, the scourge of the sea turtle world, a disease that results in tumors appearing on the turtle’s body, but often, there’s also a corresponding set of tumors internally—and the significant research about Fibropapilloma produced over the years by The Turtle Hospital in concert with the University of Florida. And while the Hospital’s goal is always to help the ill or injured turtles, then release them into the wild, Moretti discusses circumstances that would prevent them from being released, and where they go.  (www.turtlehospital.org, www.facebook.com/pages/The-Turtle-Hospital/94796606785) COMEDY CORNER: Richard Jeni’s “Fred Robster” (www.richardjeni.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Frank & Ann Thomas’ “Sea Turtle Song,” Josh Turner’s “Alligator Stroll,” Loose Fur’s “Hey Chicken,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  X’s  “Hungry Wolf” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TAJan22RichieMoretti.mp3

Dr. Hillary Hart—a Tampa Bay Area veterinarian who operates Vet With Hart Veterinary House Call Practice—describes how she raised a family and then,  when on the cusp of empty nest syndrome, decided to attend veterinary school, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Noting that vet school under those circumstances was both grueling and exhilarating, Hart explains how, as a newly-minted veterinarian, she decided she’d like to launch a mobile, “House Call” practice, enabling her to provide in-home services to an array of folks  and their animals. On a very related note, Hart addresses some of the specifics of offering animals hospice care as well as in-home euthanasia, which constitutes one third of her practice. She also touches on another aspect of her story that’s distinctive (in addition to becoming a veterinarian later in life): her commitment to serving as an animal welfare activist. During the course of the conversation, she also fields a handful of calls and e-mails from listeners with questions about the medical conditions—and medicines—of their pets.  (www.vetwithhart.com, www.facebook.com/VetWithHartVeterinaryHouseCallPracticeLlc) ALSO: We spoke briefly with Pat Hose about the then-forthcoming 5th Annual Parade of Rescues, to be held Jan. 18 in Pinellas Park, assembling 30+ rescues and animal welfare organizations, with the aim of adopting out as many animals as possible.  (www.facebook.com/events/1375406572717101/) COMEDY CORNER: Greg Fitzsimmons’ “Adopting A Dog” (snippet) (www.gregfitzsimmons.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” EELS’ “Little Bird,”  instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Wilco’s version of  “And Your Bird Can Sing” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TAJan15Dr.Hart_.mp3

Joey Camen—a veteran comedian and voiceover actor who has just published his first book, “My Life With Snoopy: How One Shelter Dog’s Love Changed A Man’s Life And Other Tails Of Adventure”—begins the interview doing the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He elaborates on his voiceover work, before describing his formative years growing up in Detroit, including a traumatic experience involving his childhood dog, also named Snoopy. That experience put him off having a dog for 30 years, until—prompted partly by spending a lot of time with friends who had rescued and adopted dogs—he decided to adopt a dog from the Burbank Animal Shelter. He wound up with a Sheltie-mix, the titular Snoopy.  Camen addresses what he found special about Snoopy, the transformative powers the dog had on him, his complex feelings about veterinarians, and how–still heartbroken about the loss of Snoopy, who died in 2010—he now considers it possible that he would bring another dog into his life  (www.mylifewithsnoopy.com) www.facebook.com/mylifewithsnoopy) ALSO: We spoke briefly with Karen Atwood, of Florida Parrot Rescue, tied to January being “Adopt A Rescued Bird Month.”  She offered some important information for those who might be considering adopting a bird, including touting the virtues of fostering a bird.  (http://floridaparrotrescue.com) COMEDY CORNER: Erin Foley’s “Dogs” (http://erinkfoley.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Dwight Yoakam’s “I’ve Got A Dog,” instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Steely Dan’s  “Monkey In Your Soul” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TAJan8JoeyCamen-.mp3

Cynthia Moss—the author and wildlife researcher who has spent more than 40 years studying the elephants of Amboseli National Park in Kenya (and speaking live from her tent in Amboseli!)—describes how she first became enchanted with elephants and decided to devote her life to studying them. In addressing how her feelings about elephants have shifted and evolved in the ensuing years, Moss notes that the priority at the moment is protecting them against the poaching epidemic that has surged dramatically as has the demand for ivory in China.  She also outlines some of the findings yielded by her Amboseli Elephant Research Project about the way elephant families form and function, and intersect with other families—Moss and her research associates have identified and recorded more than 1400 elephants belonging to 53 families. This rolled into a discussion of matriarchs, including the late, great Echo, whom Moss studied for over 30 years, has written about extensively, and has been spotlighted in documentary films and TV shows. (Echo died in 2009.)  Because the interview was—not coincidentally—conducted on the opening day of Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus’  Tampa engagement, she spends a few minutes pointing out the sharp contrasts between how elephants live in the wild and how they live in captivity.  She also shares some details of two colleagues’ fascinating study and attendant new paper on elephant cognition. (www.elephanttrust.org, www.facebook.com/AmboseliElephants) ALSO: We spoke briefly with Diane Koon, of Florida Voices For Animals, about the organization’s plans to protest—and educate—at each show of this week’s Tampa engagement of the Ringling Bros. circus, and what those protests seek to accomplish. (www.floridavoicesforanimals.org) COMEDY CORNER: Kevin Nealon’s “Cows On The Roof”      (http://kevinnealon.com) MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Tame Impala’s “Elephant,”  instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  King Crimson’s  “Elephant Talk” AUDIO ARCHIVE: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TAJan1CynthiaMoss-.mp3

We presented something a little different—a very special edition of “Talking Animals” you might say (we wouldn’t say that, but you might!) It didn’t make sense to devote Christmas morning to a regular edition of the program, particularly conducting a guest interview (much less two!) on that show. But, since animal songs constitute one of the key elements of “Talking Animals,” I decided to go all in. With Flee’s help–both suggestions of songs and selections from his vast music collection–I fashioned a collection of Christmas-oriented animal songs to play that morning. Sure—as you can see–to pull off this conceit, I needed to rely heavily on various versions of “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” but hopefully involving some interesting artists, as well as some less obviously yuletide critter tunes. Here’s what I played Christmas morning: Rebekah Pulley—The Talking Animals Theme ———————————————————– The Fab Four—Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Eels—Christmas Is Going To The Dogs Keith Richards—Run Rudolph Run Vinnie Bonofici And His Italian American Band—Dominick, The Italian Christmas Donkey   ———————————————————– Chris Isaak—Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer   The Barking Dogs—Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks—Run Run Rudolph Rodd Rogers—Maury, The Christmas Mouse Dirk Keysser– Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer ———————————————————– Jackson 5– Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer The Bobs—Rasta Reindeer 2:31   Los Lobos—Rudolph The Manic Reindeer   The Knife—Christmas Reindeer The Ventures– Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer   ———————————————————— Los Straitjackets– Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer   Aimee Mann—You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch A Rubber Band Christmas– Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Badly Drawn Boy—Donna & Blitzen ———————————————————————————- Here’s the audio archive: Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TAChristmasAnimalSongs.mp3