In this final episode in the series, Donna recalls savored moments from nine years of life with her sibling pair of Old English Sheepdogs. In the first segment, we walk with her through the love-at-first-sight day of Mac and Molly’s adoption to M&M’s abysmal performances in puppy kindergarten. We hear about the dogs’ tug-of-warring with and trashing of furniture, toys and monogrammed dog beds at Gene and Donna’s country home in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Then we’re on to the adjustments t...
Aug 01, 2015•48 min
Gary 'Montana' Robert is a multi-award-winning stuntman and stunt coordinator who has worked on more than 700 TV shows and films from CHiPs and The Dukes of Hazzard to Forrest Gump, Platoon, Underworld, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Fast and Furious. In this episode, we’ll hear from Gary "Montana" Robert about life in stunt work and life with his dearly loved service wolf, Sage. Questions or Comments? Send them to: donna@petliferadio.com. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - T...
Apr 23, 2015•53 min
Mark Twain wisely noted that: "twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." In this episode, Donna will share some of what it can be like to answer the call of, what John Steinbeck referred to as, 'the call of bumdom.' More than four years ago, she and her husband, Gene, decided to throw off the bowlines, to sai...
Feb 16, 2015•25 min
Regarded as one of the rarest birds in the world, the California Condor is the largest land bird in North America with a wingspan of up to 9 ½ feet and a weight of up to 23 pounds. At one point, only 22 of these magnificent creatures remained in the world. Now, through Herculean efforts in reintroduction, there are more than 400 and more than 70 of these are flying over southern Utah and northern Arizona.The Mexican Spotted Owl is also an endangered bird with little more than 2,000 remaining in ...
Nov 02, 2014•32 min
There is no such thing as a typical day for a wildlife biologist especially for one whose 'office' is Grand Canyon National Park. A day’s agenda might find you discouraging a bobcat kitten from 'entertaining' hikers along Bright Angel Trail OR studying Mexican Spotted Owls deep in the Canyon OR helping native fish species reach recovery in the waters of the Colorado River OR leading volunteers in conducting a count of the elk population on the South Rim. In this episode of On the Road with Mac a...
Oct 06, 2014•49 min
Two-thirds of Americans and Europeans won’t ever live where they can see the Milky Way- their own galaxy, their own solar system- because two-thirds no longer experience real night- that is, real darkness- and nearly every person in the world lives in areas considered polluted by light. In this episode of On the Road with Mac and Molly, we hear from Paul Bogard, author of The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light. In his book and in this program, we travel wi...
Aug 13, 2014•42 min
The Adventures of Salt and Soap at Grand Canyon is the true story of two puppies who wandered into the Canyon and maneuvered their way into some great escapades--multiple rim-to-river hikes, a white-water rafting trip, and even a helicopter ride-all while ultimately snuggling their ways into park rangers’ hearts. The author of this charming book for children, interpretive ranger Lori Rome, adopted this pair of adventurers after meeting them at the bottom of the Canyon at Phantom Ranch, the histo...
Jul 25, 2014•41 min
Four kittens. A crumbling English cottage. One touching tale of life in the British countryside. In Paw Prints at Owl Cottage, the sequel by Denis O’Connor to Paw Prints in the Moonlight, the author tenderly and humorously charts the ups and downs of days shared with feline companions. In his first book, then bachelor Denis detailed his life with his much-loved hybrid Maine Coon cat, Toby Jug. In this episode, Donna chats with beloved best-selling author Denis O’Connor about Toby Jug; Carlos, th...
Jul 25, 2014•39 min
In this episode, Donna chats with Kathryn Bertok, Curator of Animals at Carolina Tiger Rescue. The 55-acre Pittsboro, North Carolina facility has more than 70 animals in its care including tigers, binturongs, lions, cougars, bobcats, caracals, kinkajous, ocelots and servals. The organization is working toward the day when wildcats are not owned by individuals as pets; wildcats are not used for entertainment purposes; no trade exists for wildcats or their parts; and all wildcats prosper in sustai...
Aug 19, 2013•41 min
Donna chats with Rebecca Cagle, life coach and author of Grieving the Loss of Your Pet and Grieving the Loss of Your Horse. In this program, they discuss grieving the loss of a pet through trauma or illness; through natural causes - old age; through euthanasia; through loss in the event of theft or a pet’s wandering away or when a pet has to be given away or sold. Questions or Comments? Send them to: donna@petliferadio.com. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Grieving the Loss of Your Pet...
Jun 27, 2013•41 min
In this episode of On the Road with Mac and Molly, Donna chats with Karen Johnson, Director of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center and longtime friend of the Schulz family. We hear about the Peanuts Gang, its creator and the museum. And then we center, most especially, on all things Snoopy from his doghouse decor (a pool table, Wyeths and a Van Gogh . . . ); to his impersonations (from a moose and a pelican to Mickey Mouse); his moments at the typewriter ("It was a dark and stormy n...
Jun 05, 2013•32 min
In this week's episode, the focus is on the Pawsitive Partners Prison Program, which is operated under the umbrella of Monty's Home, a North Carolina-based organization that was inspired into being by the love and generous spirit of Monty, a dearly loved therapy dog and canine star who brought sunshine into the lives of many. After Monty succumbed to cancer, his human companion, Barb Raab, created an organization in his memory and today, through Monty's Home, sunshine continues to be shed on dog...
Jun 05, 2013•39 min
After ministering to those shaken by the bombings along the route of the Boston Marathon, specially trained therapy dogs have been deployed to help those struggling to recover from the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. Donna speaks with Tim Hetzner, who is leading the team in West, Texas and who was also on the team deployed to Boston. Tim shares stories from the ministry in these cities and recounts how the dogs have been able to break through to help people move toward healing. Questi...
Apr 26, 2013•32 min
In this episode, Donna adds a third installment to her occasional series on Threats to Pets. In earlier episodes, we heard from veterinary toxicologist Sharon Gwaltney-Brant and San Antonio veterinarian Rae Dishinger about dangers associated with external and internal parasites; infectious diseases; insects, wildlife; plants; and toxins. Donna's guest today is Bill Converse, founder of Air Restore, Inc. and inventor of the Critter Zone Air Purifier. Bill's invention was recently awarded a first ...
Jan 24, 2013•44 min
In this episode, The Wild Life: Surprise Encounters, Donna, author of the forthcoming book, Rubber Hobos, shares stories from some of her adventures with wild animals. She takes you from a watering hole and savanna in Zimbabwe to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, from the pine flatwoods and forested wetlands of Florida to the middle of Death Valley. In this program are stories about warthogs and wildebeest, a band of beggin' burros, white-tailed deer at the post office, and prairie dogs with the ...
Aug 18, 2012•29 min
Of the 56,000 animals that came into city shelters in Los Angeles last year, 17,000 were killed. A newly-formed coalition, led by the Best Friends Animal Society wants to reduce that number - within the next five years - to zero. In this episode, Donna chats with Francis Battista, one of the founders of the Best Friends Animal Society. This highly regarded animal welfare organization is known around the world for its no-kill programs and partnerships that all work toward the day when there will ...
Jun 19, 2012•36 min
In this episode Donna visits with Kitty Terry, Executive Director of the internationally-known, Birmingham, Alabama-based animal-assisted therapy organization, Hand in Paw. HIP, founded in 1996, provides professionally trained animal-assisted therapy teams to help people heal physically and emotionally. These 120+ teams (which are made up entirely of volunteers) address abuse, disabilities, illiteracy, and chronic and terminal illness, through more than 50,000 visits a year in more than 50 facil...
May 14, 2012•45 min
In the second episode of a multi-part series on animals and art-making, Donna visits with Tifane Grayce, author of Fur in My Paint. Pictured and profiled in this full-color, hardcover, high-gloss coffee table book is the work of art-making creatures from scorpions to beaded lizards, from macaws to elephants, from rhinos to gorillas, from sea lions to white tigers. Donna explores with Tifane how the Fur in My Paint project came to fruition. The two also explore questions related to animal creativ...
Apr 17, 2012•45 min
In this episode, Donna launches into a new series on animals and art-making. Her first chat is with Ken Lytwyn, Curator of Marine Mammals at the Oregon Coast Aquarium Their focus: Lea, Max and Quill, the facility’s resident sea lion artists that paint on canvases using their flippers and mouth-held brushes. Ken describes each one's temperaments and talents and details what made these sea lions good candidates for art-making. We hear how they were trained and how they are rewarded for their effor...
Mar 22, 2012•43 min
In this episode Donna visits with Nevada Barr, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Anna Pigeon mystery series. The Rope, Nevada's 17th book featuring the crime-solving park ranger, Anna, has just been released. The New York Times has called the Pigeon series, "Thrilling!" USA Today has deemed Nevada's books, "Extraordinary!" And the Boston Globe raves: 'Nevada Barr is one of the best!' Each book in the series is set in one of the National Parks. The first of the 17, The Track of the Cat, wa...
Jan 29, 2012•36 min
In this episode, Donna visits with Catherine Powers, Animal Control Officer for Curry County on the southern coast of Oregon. From a heart filled with passion and compassion, Catherine tells us how she was drawn into this work. We hear about the wide range of responsibilities that rest on the shoulders of animal control officers. Catherine’s duties include responding to emergency calls; rescuing the endangered; attending to dog licensing; providing health-building food, clean shelter and loving ...
Oct 24, 2011•40 min
In this episode, Donna visits Gold Beach, Oregon to take a 104-mile jet boat trip on the rugged Rogue River. She learns that the company serving up the adventure -- Jerry’s Rogue Jets -- now Oregon’s only mail boat outfit, has come a long way since the days of pike poles and sails. Jerry’s shallow-draft, jet-propelled vessels can carry 38 to 65 passengers and are able to navigate in depths of as little as eight inches of water. From Nic McNair, who owns the company with his brother Scott, mother...
Sep 28, 2011•35 min
The North American Gray Wolf has been protected by the Endangered Species Act since shortly after the law was passed in 1973. But now, in an unprecedented move, Congress has delisted the Gray Wolf in Idaho, Montana and parts of three other states. The action is being challenged in court by environmental groups but, at this moment, wolf hunting seasons have been authorized for the fall and the plan is to reduce the population -- currently estimated at 1,700 -- to 150. In this episode of ON THE RO...
Aug 09, 2011•41 min
In this episode of On the Road with Mac and Molly, Donna chats with artist and full-time RVer Debra Goode. The two discuss what it’s like spending all your days on the road, what inspires the artwork, and what makes a good subject for an artistic rendering. Debbie explains why her focus is on pets and wildlife and details how she sees and how she conveys what she sees to her canvases. All that and more on the next On the Road with Mac and Molly. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Perfect...
Jul 24, 2011•31 min
Donna visits with San Antonio, Texas Veterinarian Rae Dishinger, of the Alamo Dog and Cat Hospital, who shares some of the "Threats to Pets" specific to the American Southwest. As Donna and her husband Gene have been moving about the country with Mac and Molly, they have had to be on guard against potential perils all along the way. In the West, they’ve been on the look out for rattlers and copperheads, coyotes and bobcats, feral hogs and even birds of prey. On occasion, they’ve been too late to...
Jul 11, 2011•35 min
Donna launches into a multi-part series entitled, "Threats to Pets." As she and her husband have been traveling about the country with their two Old English Sheepdogs Mac and Molly, they have encountered potential perils all along the way. Speaking just of wildlife: in Louisiana, they were warned to take care walking near a lake because the denizens therein " the alligators " had developed a special appreciation for "dog." In Colorado, the concerns were over bears and mountain lions. In South Da...
Jun 09, 2011•48 min
In this episode, Donna chats with John Erickson, author of the Hank the Cowdog series of humorous mystery books for children. More than 7.5 million copies of Erickson’s books have been sold since 1983. His 57th volume -- The Disappearance of Drover -- was just released as was the audio version of the book. (Hank holds the title for the "Longest-Running Children's Audiobook Series".) John speaks to us from his home in Perryton, Texas where, at the time of the interview, he was teaching a class on...
May 27, 2011•42 min
In this episode we'll be visiting Orlando, Florida and searching out some of what's on offer for pet accommodations. With the exception of service dogs, pets are not permitted in the area’s major theme parks so, if you're planning to bring your dog, cat, or pocket pet on vacation with you, they'll need a place to romp, revel and rest while you're doing the same at one of the area’s people-pleasing playgrounds. Best Friends Pet Care opened a facility recently at Walt Disney World and the center's...
May 10, 2011•28 min
This year marks the 60th birthday of Sparky the Fire Dog, the cartoon Dalmatian mascot of the National Fire Protection Association. Celebrations have been and will be held this year at sites all around the country. In the first half of our program, we’ll hear about some of these events and we’ll learn more about Sparky. Like many of the advertising icons that were introduced in the 1950s (from Tony the Tiger to Speedy Alka Seltzer) Sparky’s looks have changed considerably over the years. In rece...
Apr 25, 2011•39 min
In this episode, we’ll visit St. Cloud’s 4,700-acre eco-ranch and wildlife conservation area Forever Florida, home of Florida EcoSafaris, where -- in two and half hours and via seven ziplines and nine towers -- we’ll be ziplining and sky-bridging over Pine Flatwoods and forested wetlands. This site boasts nine distinct Florida eco-systems and is home to alligators, black bears, nearly two hundred species of birds, and the endangered Florida panther. Joining us in this episode will be Florida Eco...
Apr 09, 2011•31 min
