The Animal House | WAMU 88.5

The Animal House is a weekly discussion that explores the latest in animal science, pet behavior, and wildlife conservation.

The Animal House is a weekly discussion that explores the latest in animal science, pet behavior, and wildlife conservation.

Dr. Gary Weitzman of the San Diego Humane Society aids a Virginia man who is helping two terriers he rescued from a terrible hoarding situation. In San Diego, a dog's eyes were irritated by pesticide and his caretaker is concerned.

Recently a large number of jellyfish inhabiting a cooling tank caused the emergency shutdown of a power plant in Sweden. The incident is just one of many troubling interactions between the marine creature and humans as of late; some say a dramatic rise in jellyfish blooms around the world is to blame. We asked expert Dr. Kelly Robinson of the University of Southern Mississippi Department of Marine Sciences for her assessment of what’s being called a global jellyfish invasion. Beverly Amsler of Virginia Public Radio tells the story of a poodle with a keen sense for fashion, a perfect fit for this time of year.

The Animal House is a weekly discussion that explores the latest in animal science, pet behavior, and wildlife conservation.

The Animal House is a weekly discussion that explores the latest in animal science, pet behavior, and wildlife conservation.

A Virginia woman wants to know if there are any health risks to her dog's unusual show of friendliness. In Maryland, a woman seeks advice before switching her 7 year old Lab mix and 4 year old cat to a raw meat diet.

In 1977, Bill Berloni was a young theatrical apprentice when a producer offered him a chance to act professionally and gain his Equity Card. In return, all Bill had to do was find and train a dog to play Sandy in the original Broadway production of "Annie." Bill visited a local animal shelter and found Sandy, who was scheduled to be euthanized the next day. Instead the canine became “the longest running dog on Broadway,” never missing a performance in more than seven years. Since then, Bill has have provided rescued animals of all species and sizes, for Broadway, off-Broadway, New York City Ballet and numerous motion pictures, television shows and commercials. He also trained a new Sandy and her understudy in the recent revival of Annie. He recently published Broadway Tails, a memoir of his experience with animals in the limelight. We speak to Bill about his training methods and commitment to rescuing animals. The global relationship between crime and animal cruelty gained higher profile recently, when it was discovered that the terrorist organization behind the deadly shopping mall attack in Kenya has strong ties to illegal wildlife poaching. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, calls this escalating problem the "cruelty connection."

A Washington, D.C., man decided to euthanize his 14-year-old cat. The other cat in the house has become very anxious and appears to be struggling with the loss. Dr. Gary Weitzman of The San Diego Humane Society offers his advice. In San Diego, a recently adopted Jack Russell “inexplicably” bit the visiting friend of his caretaker, who is seeking direction on ways to keep the canine from biting again.

Obesity is an important medical issue for people -- and their pets. Practitioners of veterinary medicine have designated October as National Pet Obesity Month in an attempt to bring attention to a significant rise in the number overweight companion animals. We speak with veterinary journalist and Washington, D.C., TV host Dr. Katy Nelson about maintaining a healthy lifestyle for our cats and dogs.

In Virginia, a puppy is eating non-food items whenever and wherever she can get them, and her caretaker seeks a way to redress the situation. Music: “Kei’s Song” by David Benoit; “So Long and Thanks For All The Fish” (from the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” Original Soundtrack). Special Thanks to Natalie Yuravlivker

The Eastern Cottontail is one of the most common rabbits in the New World, ranging from Canada to Venezuela. The species, by most anecdotal accounts, is thriving in and around the nation’s capital, and residents are saying they haven't seen this many cottontails hopping around in many years. We speak with Washington Post gardening columnist Adrian Higgins and Peter Jayne of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to find out if there is an actual population increase and if so, why? Music: “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” by Gene Autry A recent study of an agricultural village outside of Mumbai, India, found the highest concentration ever of large carnivores living alongside people without incident. The juxtaposition can be tense and occasionally deadly, but a researcher has found that one species has largely adapted to sharing its habitat. Lakshimi Neyron of PRI's The World visited the area and found humans and leopards in an unusual example of coexistence.

Dr. Gary Weitzman of The San Diego Humane Society helps a Maryland woman find ways to intellectually stimulate her aquatic pet. Music: “Kei’s Song” by David Benoit. Special Thanks to Natalie Yuravlivker

FIP: three letters with fatal implications for cats that contract the incurable virus (pictured). Why? We asked the world’s foremost authority on FIP, Dr. Niels Pedersen, director of the veterinary genetics laboratory and center for companion animal health at the University of California at Davis. We also asked shelter pet expert Dr. Ruth MacPete of Pet Health Network to compile a checklist of tests to perform to before you bring a new pet home.

A woman in Virginia has an English Cocker Spaniel with hip problem, but she can't afford x-rays; a cat in New York is attacking its companion, who is desperate for a solution. Music: “Kei’s Song” by David Benoit; “Rescue Me” by Hans Zimmer. Special Thanks to Natalie Yuravlivker