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 ....
Feb 28, 2024
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 ....
Feb 08, 2024
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 ...
Jan 31, 2024
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 ....
Jan 24, 2024
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 ....
Jan 17, 2024
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...
Jan 10, 2024
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 ....
Dec 20, 2023
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 ....
Dec 13, 2023
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 ....
Dec 06, 2023
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 ....
Nov 29, 2023
Dr. Justin Perrault–vice president of research at Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC), a nonprofit sea turtle research, rehabilitation, education, and conservation operation in Juno Beach, FL—recalls the early, pioneering work on sea turtles performed by Juno resident Eleanor Fletcher, establishing the beginnings of what became LMC. Perrault unspools what became an overlapping narrative of his academic […] The post Dr. Justin Perrault, VP of research, Loggerhead Marinelife Center first appeared o...
Nov 16, 2023
Carey Theil, executive director of GREY2K USA Worldwide, the largest greyhound protection organization in the world, and Rory Goree, who for many years ran the largest industry-funded greyhound adoption group, Greyhound Pets of America, explain how–as former enemies in the battle to end greyhound racing–they transformed into allies. Goree and Theil (co-author–with Christine Dorchak, GREY2K […] The post Carey Theil & Rory Goree, greyhound devotees first appeared on Talking Animals ....
Nov 08, 2023
Dr. Faraz Harsini–biomedical scientist and speaker at the 2023 Tampa Bay Veg Fest—remembers growing up in Iran, including a possible foreshadowing of his future activism, when participating in a student protest of the country’s leadership resulted in his being chased by someone wielding a machete. Harsini left the country at 22, recalling being mystified and […] The post Dr. Faraz Harsini, biomedical scientist and veganism advocate first appeared on Talking Animals ....
Nov 01, 2023
Oct 18, 2023
Ann Paul–an organizer of the Florida Birding and Nature Festival, a multifaceted, multi-day extravaganza, scheduled to take place Oct. 12-15, in and around Apollo Beach, Florida—revisits, at my request, the story of her first real foray into birding, and how arriving late at that outing proved fortuitous. She spotted a black and white warbler, and […] The post Ann Paul, an organizer of the 2023 Florida Birding and Nature Festival first appeared on Talking Animals ....
Oct 11, 2023
