Talking Animals

Matt Hamilton–writer-director of “Raptors: A Fistful of Daggers,” an unusual two-part edition of the PBS series, “Nature,” which premiered April 10, while the second episode debuts on April 17—recalls the impetus for creating this double-shot of cinematic raptor mania. Part of his explanation involved not having seen a documentary that delved deeply into the realm […] The post Matt Hamilton–writer-director of “Raptors: A Fistful of Daggers” first appeared on Talking Animals.

Deborah Howard—founder-president of the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), self-described, you may recall, as “the only national nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy/kitten mills”—returns for a conversational sequel to our January interview, because we didn’t have time to discuss the ways CAPS has broadened its mission […] The post Deborah Howard, President of Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) first appeared on Talking Animals.

Ed Stewart, co-founder, president and CEO of the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)—which blazed a trail in animal rescue, welfare, education, and legislation, and this year, marks its 40th anniversary—recalls what she and co-founder Pat Derby were doing in the earliest days of PAWS. Stewart notes that Derby, his longtime partner who died in 2013–and […] The post Ed Stewart, co-founder, president and CEO of the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) first appeared on Talking Animals.

In what might be called The Sequel, this represents the second portion of the interview I conducted on Feb. 12 with Temple Grandin, onstage at the Paramount Theatre in Austin. We covered a wide range of topics last week, though that discussion featured a preponderance of autism talk, hardly surprising given Grandin’s expertise, personal experience […] The post Temple Grandin, autistic animal scientist and author–The Sequel first appeared on Talking Animals.

Temple Grandin–sometimes referred to as the world’s most famous autistic person, amidst several ways to describe her, including expert on animal behavior, prolific author, longtime professor of animal science at Colorado State University, fervent activist for autistic people, and tireless lecturer—sat with me onstage at the Paramount Theatre in Austin for what became a truly […] The post Temple Grandin, autistic animal scientist and author first appeared on Talking Animals.

Josh Fox–founder of the Brady Hunter Foundation, a Miami-based nonprofit whose mission reflects a commitment to helping end animal cruelty, protecting wildlife, and making a positive impact in the lives of children—observes his love of animals is truly lifelong, citing a photo of Fox as an infant in his crib being happily licked by the […] The post Josh Fox, founder of The Brady Hunter Foundation first appeared on Talking Animals.

Deborah Howard, founder of the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS)–self-described as “the only national nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy/kitten mills”—recalls how, in 1989, her disgust upon visiting an Atlanta pet store, and her ensuing examination of the deplorable conditions, led to launching CAPS. Howard recounts […] The post Deborah Howard, founder of the Companion Animal Protection Society first appeared on Talking Animals.

Dr. Daniel Promislow–a biogerontologist, professor at the University of Washington, and principal investigator of The Dog Aging Project, a long-term study of health and longevity in dogs—recounts the genesis of the Project. **NOTE: There is static on the line during the first portion of the interview; it does clear up. He explains that it was […] The post Dr. Daniel Promislow, principal investigator of The Dog Aging Project first appeared on Talking Animals.

Jessica Kelly—who, along with Sue Rountree, runs Cat Trap Fever, a nonprofit focused on improving the lives of feral cats, chiefly in Pinellas County—recounts the “hodgepodge” of jobs she held before devoting herself to long days of TNVR:  Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return. Kelly’s jobs included teenage waitress, traveling with the carnival, and ballet instructor. But […] The post Jessica Kelly, co-leader of Cat Trap Fever first appeared on Talking Animals.

As we’ve done eight times prior—spanning the better part of three years–today’s program involved setting aside the usual “Talking Animals” format in order to present the show-length feature, “Ask The Trainer.” Listeners are invited to call or email questions about their dogs or cats, particularly involving behavioral issues or training concerns. The Trainer these listeners have an […] The post Glen Hatchell: dog trainer, behaviorist–“Ask The Trainer” 9th Edition first appeared on Talking Animals.

I once again set aside the customary “Talking Animals” format to deliver the Annual Holiday Animal Song special—that is, a show almost entirely devoted to Holiday-oriented animal tunes. As has been required in the past, and as I acknowledged while over-explaining this program’s premise (over-explaining the premise has become its own tradition—one of this show’s […] The post The Annual Holiday Animal Song special first appeared on Talking Animals.

Jason Schramm–a web developer and founder of Veg Groups, where he creates websites intended to help people go vegan, stay vegan, or become informed on vegan-oriented events, or films, on his VegMovies site—notes that he got deeply into computers as a seventh grader. While he was drawn as a youngster to exploring some aspects of […] The post Jason Schramm, founder of VegMovies first appeared on Talking Animals.

Mark E. Hauber—professor, ornithologist, and author of “Bird Day: A Story of 24 Hours and 24 Avian Lives”—recalls becoming seriously interested in birds at age four or five. This was in his native Hungary, where, as that little boy, he dragged his mother to view the Spring Migration. His passion for birds was precocious and […] The post Mark E. Hauber, ornithologist & author of “Bird Day: A Story of 24 Hours and 24 Avian Lives” first appeared on Talking Animals.

Jill Horstmann–founder of Squirrelly AF Rescue, a squirrel-focused rescue and rehabilitation operation she runs at her St. Petersburg home—recalls growing up in Wisconsin, where she was that neighborhood kid who tended to injured or ill critters. But it’s hardly been a straight line from Jill Horstmann, Kid Animal Rescuer to Jill Horstmann, Adult Animal Rescuer—though […] The post Jill Horstmann, founder of Squirrelly AF Rescue first appeared on Talking Animals.