Animal Radio® Show #655 June 23, 2012         Josh Duhamel   Actor Josh Duhamel wasn’t originally interested in acting while he was studying at Minot State University in North Dakota, where he grew up. He had planned on going to dental school after getting his degree, but was short on credits. Josh then worked in the construction business when he was noticed by a scout from a modeling agency in San Francisco and offered a job. He did a lot of commercial work, even beating out fellow model Ashton Kutcher for a place as a top model. Modeling eventually gave way to acting, where he starred in the daytime soap opera All My Children. Next was a part in Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! And then he landed one of the starring roles alongside Oscar-nominated James Caan in the television series Las Vegas. Josh admitted that he bought his first dog Zoey, not knowing anything about rescuing. A co-worker on the show Las Vegas scolded him and said, “What are you doing, you rescue, you’ve got to rescue, do you know how many dogs are out there that need a home?” Josh didn’t realize that. So when he was searching for a new dog, he knew the only way to go was to rescue. In searching for an adopted dog, a rescue organization brought a dog to his home to see how they would get along with his current dog, Zoey. Josh was told that the dog was a great athlete, and as if on cue, the dog got stuck between the coffee table and the stairs. This was a dead giveaway that he wasn’t very athletic! Josh stated that, “He also didn’t have the best breath, but Meatloaf was so cute and turned out to be such an incredible little friend for the last 6 or 7 years.” When Josh adopted Meatloaf, his name was Dillon. While he said Dillon fit him, he was talking to his wife (Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas) and said that he looked like a meatloaf. He was a fat little thing and brown in color. Fergie said, “Oh My God, that’s his name!” Plus, Josh loves Meatloaf the singer. So the name stuck. Josh now tells anyone who is thinking about getting a cat or a dog that you have to think about adopting. Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because they are actually incredible pets. They are so appreciative. They know what the alternative is. They know what the shelters are like, and they are so appreciative and loving. When Meatloaf passed away on April 1st, Josh posted it on FaecBook, mentioning that Meatloaf was an adopted dog. PetSmart Charities then contacted him and asked him if he would team up with them to promote their campaign celebrating 5 million pet adoptions. PetSmart Charities and Josh are launching the “High-Five for Pet Adoption” campaign celebrating the 5 million pets’ lives that have been saved through PetSmart Charities’ Adoption Centers. The campaign aims to increase public awareness about the importance of pet adoption to save millions more pets that still need lifelong, loving homes. A 5-year-old rescued husky named Dodge found his forever home – and was the 5 millionth pet adopted from a PetSmart Charities Adoption Center at the PetSmart® store in Boynton Beach, Fla. George Little, a retired U.S. Marine and “Husky aficionado,” and his family immediately fell in love with Dodge and are enjoying their newest family member today. Everyone Can Make a Difference Today:  PetSmart Charities and its more than 2,000 animal rescue partners rely on the generosity of public donations to fund life-saving adoption programs. During the “High-Five for Pet Adoption” campaign, PetSmart Charities aims to raise $250,000, which will help save 10,000 homeless pets. Text PETS to 80888* or visit www.petsmartcharities.org/donate to give $5 to help save the lives of millions more homeless pets. PetSmart Charities also has a fun, online video contest, in which your viewers can submit their story of adopting a pet to the PetSmart Charities' "High Five for My Pet Adoption Video Contest," for a chance to win a donation to their local animal welfare organization of choice-plus other great prizes for pets and pet owners. For nearly 20 years, PetSmart Charities has inspired, supported and created programs and ideas that save the lives of homeless pets. Learn more about PetSmart Charities’ adoption programs by visiting www.petsmartcharities.org/adoption, and follow PetSmart Charities’ pet-saving endeavors through Facebook and Twitter.       Paw-Parazzi Pet Photo Contest Steve Pinetti, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants A lot of hotel companies will say they’re pet-friendly, but it’s really more like pet-tolerant and their policies vary from location to location - even within the same brand. At Kimpton Hotels, our pet-friendly credo is company-wide at all 50 hotels. We don’t charge any extra fees for pets and we don’t have any weight or size restrictions. Last year we thought we'd do a fun little contest for our guests to show off photos of their pets. We imagined we'd get a couple hundred entries, but to our surprise almost 2300 pets entered the contest - dogs, cats, chickens, bunnies, turtles, lizards, even a baby calf entered - it was amazing! So, we decided to do it again! The 2nd Annual Kimpton Paw-Parazzi Contest to find the cutest and most photogenic pet has been completed. The judges from Animal Radio selected Chloe from Davis, California as the Grand Prize Winner for the "Ultimate hosPETality Getaway" which includes: • A three night stay at a Kimpton Hotel of your choice • Two round trip tickets on JetBlue for human passengers • One $100 Kimpton Restaurant or in-room dining gift certificate • One in-room spa treatment for two • Quaker Pet Group & Republic of Paws Ultimate Legacy Pet Carrier • Pet amenities such as dog bed, bowls and treats during your getaway Chloe is an English Bull Terrier who looks like she is smiling in her photo. We talked to her guardian Angie, who said Chloe always has a smile on her face! When asked which Kimpton they were going to visit, they said maybe New York or Washington D.C. When Angie received the news that Chloe was the winner, she treated her to a nice steak dinner! http://www.kimptonhotels.com     Keep Your Dog Warm – or Cool! Gail Sanders, Kumfy Tailz   Animal Radio is located at the beach in Central California. It can get a little cool along the coast, and Animal Radio’s Stunt Dog Ladybug, who is small and doesn’t have much hair, gets a little chilly on her beach walks. We are always looking for new products to try and were excited when we came across Kumfy Tailz. Inspired by hot/cold therapy wraps for humans, Kumfy Tailz unique warming and cooling pet harnesses and coats incorporate patented gel pack technology to deliver heat or cooling where it’s needed most – the core of your dog! Dogs lose or gain most of their heat in the chest and abdominal region (the “core”), so covering their backs and sides doesn’t help them stay warm. Dogs also have a higher body temperature than we do (101°-103°F), so to help regulate body temperature they need more efficient, as well as more localized, heat protection in the winter than a coat or sweater can provide, and more concentrated cooling in the summer. The core is what needs the most protection, as that is where most of the major organs are located. This is also the place where the dog has the least amount of fur and protection from the elements. The Kumfy Tailz harness has a pouch on the chest and upper abdominal area. In cold weather you take the gel pack and heat it in the microwave, and then place the gel pack into the pouch. In warm weather, you place the pouch in the freezer. This will either keep your dog warm or cool for up to an hour. Kumfy Tailz comes in all sizes and has an adjustable collar/neck-strap to better fit all breeds of dogs, especially those with thicker/shorter necks. Its Double-buckle design on the belly strap makes Kumfy Tailz super easy to put on and take off your dog. Especially important for older dogs or those with hip or joint problems. The leash attachment on the bottom of the back strap distributes your dog’s leash-tugs evenly across the shoulders, reducing the possibility of choking. Especially valuable in dogs prone to breathing problems. Ladybug loves the Kumfy Tailz harness and no longer gets cold on her walks to the beach! http://www.kumfytailz.com     The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani Check Your Pet's Nails Weekly    Joey recently had a woman bring her dog into his grooming salon. Her dog’s nails were so long, they were curled under and were actually growing into the pads of his feet. Other than that, you could tell the dog was in good shape and well taken care of. The women felt that the lameness in her dog was due to age. Her Maltese is 9 years old. But when Joey clipped the nails, the dog immediately started running around and jumping, and was very happy and no longer in pain. So why do people ignore their dog’s nails? People don’t realize that they need to check their dog’s nails on a regular basis. If you have a lap dog that is carried most of the time, they need to have their nails checked almost weekly. These dogs don’t do much walking; therefore the pavement does not naturally file down their nails. When a dog’s nails are left unattended, they will grow under and can grow into the pads of their feet. When that happens, it can become infected, but worse than that, it can cripple your dog. You know when you can hear your dog’s nails clicking across a tile floor, that it is time they were cut. If you walk your dog regularly on sidewalks or pavement, basically any kind of hard surface, it is like a natural nail file and will automatically grind down the nails to exactly the right point. It is not a good idea to cut your own dog’s nails at home, unless you know how to do it properly. All dog’s nails have a vein which is called a “quick.” When you hit this quick, this can hurt your pet and will make a mess when it bleeds. You should check your dog’s nails weekly. Inspect them and make sure that they aren’t broken and not starting to curl under. Most groomers charge $5 to $10 clip a dog’s nails. If you can’t afford a professional grooming, make sure at least their nails get clipped.     Animal Radio® News with Stacey Cohen  Half Cat – Half Machine! A Dutch artist is honoring his departed feline friend by creating a "Half Cat, Half Machine." According to The Mirror, Bart Jansen turned the taxidermied remains of his pet Orville into a working radio-controlled helicopter. Jansen explains that Orville was named after iconic aviator Orville Wright, so taking him airborne seemed like a fitting tribute. The so-called "Orvillecopter" is currently being displayed at the Kunstrai Art Festival in Amsterdam, but it will soon be getting an upgrade. Jansen says Orville will be "Flying with the birds" once he gets larger propellers and more powerful engines on his birthday. First Recalls, Then Lawsuits Following an ever-increasing list of Salmonella-related recalls, Diamond Pet Foods faces what may be the first lawsuit filed in connection with the illness. Pritzker Olsen, a national law firm specializing in food safety, filed the suit last week against Diamond Pet Food Processors and Costco Wholesale Corp. in U.S. District Court in New Jersey. According to the firm’s website, the suit was filed on behalf of the father of an infant who was sickened by a rare strain of salmonella infantis and hospitalized for three days. The attorneys link the case to the recalled pet food because the bacteria cultured in the infant was found to be the same rare subtype discovered in samples of Diamond Pet Food dog food and in other people who have sickened from the outbreak. To see a complete list of specific brands of dry dog and cat food that have been voluntarily recalled by the company, visit the Diamond Pet Foods recall site. “Click It Or Ticket” Applies To Pets Too New Jersey is cracking down on pets in transit — and says “click it or ticket” now applies to cats and dogs, too. The SPCA and Motor Vehicle Commission teamed up at a public education event in the Garden State to talk about the dangers of transporting animals without proper restraint. New Jersey is the only state where driving with pets loose in the car is a violation of animal cruelty law. Drivers cited for failing to properly secure their pet, can face a ticket of between $250 and $1,000 and as much as six months in jail. Pets hanging out the window, riding in the back of a truck or curling up on the driver’s lap are among ticketable offenses under the law. Only a few other states are cracking down on pets in vehicles. Arizona, Connecticut and Maine can charge a driver for an unrestrained pet under distracted driving laws. Hawaii specifically prohibits driving with a pet in your lap. Surprise! Texas Hen Lays "Super Egg" Imagine walking out to a chicken coop and discovering one of the chickens had laid an egg twice the normal size. That's what happened to Cookie Smith in Abilene, Texas. After showing the egg to the local paper, Smith says things got even crazier. That's because she cracked the "super egg" open and discovered a yolk, along with another whole, regular-sized egg. Smith ended up tossing both eggs away, but not before taking plenty of pictures. The phenomenon is called a "double egg" and doesn't happen very often. The hen that produced the "super egg" is okay, but she spent several days resting after laying the big egg. “Busy” Cows Hold Up Traffic A pair of bovines caused problems for Pennsylvania police by getting busy in the middle of a road. According to the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette," officials said the bull and cow's "relations" happened in a Rayburn construction zone and created a "big mess." Members of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau were called in to help the animals cool down and get out of the way. Trooper John Corna says he's had to deal with cows being hit by cars before, but this encounter was a first in his career. It’s Raining Sheep Australian motorists are getting over the shock of seeing hundreds of sheep falling onto a roadway from an overpass. One person was hospitalized after the accident on a highway near Melbourne. A witness says a truck on the overpass carrying the 400 animals flipped onto its side before the sheep began falling onto cars below. Fewer than ten of the sheep are expected to survive. Bear Interrupts Graduation Ceremony A black bear is back in the wild after interrupting a graduation ceremony at an elementary school in Bakersfield, California. Kern County Animal Control officers were able to subdue the 200-pound bear with a taser gun after it wandered into Ramon Garza Elementary School. Thankfully no one was hurt. California Fish and Game released the bear yesterday afternoon in an undisclosed location. Officials say it's very rare to see a bear in a busy city like Bakersfield, but if you do you should stay calm and slowly walk away.     Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#655)

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