DOG TALK® (and Kitties Too!) on
Semper FI, Semper K9 Assistance Dogs
#871A: Amanda Baity is co-founder of the non-profit Semper K9 Assistance Dogs, where she and her veteran husband train PTSD service dogs and place them with veterans at no cost. Amanda is also the co-founder of the Association of Service Dog Providers, the umbrella organization for many non profits like hers — all of which hope to submit short films for the 9th Annual NY Dog Film Festival in the new Purina® Dog Chow® Service Dog Salute category.
Best Treat for a Crocodile? Feral Pig on a Stick!
#870B: Savannah Boan — the Crocodilian Enrichment Coordinator at Gatorland in Orlando, and International Ambassador for Gatorland Global Conservation — talks about the rare newly hatched "white alligator" that joined their Gatorland family, along with suggestions about how to amuse, delight and interact with crocodilians.
What Has Four Thousand Paws?
#870A: Dr. Lee Morgan talks about his book “Four Thousand Paws: Caring for the Dogs of the Iditarod” and his fascinating experiences traveling from his home and veterinary practice in Washington, D.C., to the wilds of Alaska as one of the volunteer veterinarians looking out for the welfare of the sled dogs and their devoted owners.
Saving the Survivors of Dead Dog Beach
#869B: Harry Leff, the Chairperson of the Board of Animal Lighthouse Rescue in New York City, talks about the gratification of being able to bring dogs into eager adoptive homes (like his own!) in the New York area, straight from Puerto Rico, where many are left to die on the streets and beaches.
The Tame and the Wild — To Love or To Eat?
#869A: Historian and professor Marcy Norton talks about her new book “The Tame and the Wild: People and Animals After 1492,” that shows that our complicated, paradoxical relationship with animals is nothing new. Our ancestors from many cultures always managed to live alongside animals as both their companions and their dinner.
Cancer Treatments for Cats are the Gift of Time
#868C: Sally Williams talks about the “Marlin Nation” — people who supported her when her kitty Marlin got cancer. Now her lovely pussycat Mr. Jones has been diagnosed with cancer, too. He had surgery and chemotherapy, which gave her “the gift of time.”
Dogs Helping Kids Learn in the Classroom
#868B: Stephanie Zolo from Earth Animal discusses the company’s support of the non-profit “Pets in the Classroom” and the benefits these dogs are bringing to the learning experience.
Antibiotic Recklessness: Get Them ONLY From Your Vet
#868A: Dr. Doug Mader (author of “The Vet at Noah’s Ark”) discusses the importance of “antibiotic stewardship” and why the FDA sent warning letters to Chewy and other online pet suppliers. See your vet for any medical issues — don't try to diagnose yourself and use antibiotics recklessly and in ignorance.
Dog Prams Promenade the Vancouver Seawall
#867C: Rikhil Bahadur, a filmmaker originally from India, via London, now lives in Vancouver where he extols the dog culture permeating every aspect of life there, right down to baby carriages filled with dogs on Sunday strolls. He discusses the scripted film set in Vancouver that he submitted to the next NY Dog Film Festival, which is called “Homeless” starring a magnificent pooch named Rocco.
A New Drug for Diabetic Cats with a “Black Box” Warning
#867B: Feline specialist Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins is concerned with a brand new (very expensive) (only partially effective) drug for cats with diabetes that comes with an FDA “black box warning” about its dangers, like you see on a cigarette package. She discusses how diabetes is an avoidable disease in cats if you stop feeding “kitty crack” (any dry food), urging everyone to feed only wet food in a can with high quality protein.