 Animal Radio® Show #629 December 24, 2011
Furry Holiday Special
Grab your pets and join us for our special holiday weekend show including stories and music for pet lovers like us. ASPCA President Ed Sayres has the low-down on how dogs and cats came to be.
Michael Jackson's Zoo
Frank Cascio, My Friend Michael
 To Frank Cascio, Michael Jackson was many things—second father, big brother, boss, mentor, and teacher, but most of all he was a friend. Though Cascio was just a few years old when he first met Jackson in 1984, at the peak of the pop star’s career, Jackson was at the center of his life for the next 25 years, allowing Cascio to observe firsthand the greatest entertainer the world had ever seen. In that time, he became the ultimate Michael Jackson insider, yet remained publicly silent about his experiences. Until now.
Frank first met Michael when he was a child. Frank's father was the general manager of the Helmsley Palace Hotel in New York City. He was in charge of all of the V.I.P.'s who came into the hotel. Franks father and Michael became really good friends and Michael wanted to meet the rest of the family.
Franks' father told him one day that Frank was going to go to work with him so he could introduce him to a good friend of his. Frank was 4 years old at the time and had no idea who Michael Jackson was. He said that if his father had mentioned he was going to meet Popeye, he would have been more excited!
Frank and Michael remained good friends over the years, with Frank visiting Neverland many times. When Frank turned 18, he received a call from Michael asking him to become his personal assistant. The call came in when he was playing beer pong, so Frank stopped playing and had to ask his parents if he could go to Korea the next day to meet with Michael. (By the way- he won his game of beer pong!)
 In his book, My friend Michael, Frank talks about the animals in Michael's life. The first animal Michael had was the legendary chimpanzee, Bubbles. Frank tells us a funny story about when he was sleeping and Michael appeared at his house. Michael usually appeared at the Cascio family home in the middle of the night. But this time, he was not alone. Frank was awakened in the middle of the night with a chimp in his face. He started rubbing his eyes and watched as Bubbles then jumped onto his brother's bed. Frank wasn't sure what he was seeing, but then he saw Michael in the corner laughing hysterically! Frank then realized he wasn't dreaming!
Frank states that Bubbles was very smart and well mannered and that he observed a connection between Bubbles and Michael, with a deep respect between the two of them. Frank is an animal lover and Michaels' zoo was his most favorite place to go when he was at the Neverland Ranch. Frank states that the animals there were very spoiled and had so much love, attention and affection. They would be taken on walks through the ranch every day, as they were very good with people. Frank believes the animals are now all in a good place, going to either private farms or zoos.
In his book, My Friend Michael, Frank hopes he achieves his goal of showing the world a very unique, special man and the human element of who this man really was.
http://www.harpercollins.com
 Animal Presence – Our Present
Rae Ann Kumelos, Voice of the Animal
Animals gift us with the most marvelous of presents every single day. During this holiday season, listen in for a reminder of how to appreciate the presence of your animal friends as your present.
http://www.voiceoftheanimal.org
 The Origin of Cats and Dogs
Ed Sayres, ASPCA President
It is reported that the following edition of the Book of Genesis was discovered in the Dead Seal Scrolls. If authentic, it would shed light on the question, "Where do pets come from?"
And Adam said, "Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me everyday. Now I do not see you anymore. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me." And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will know I love you, even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish and childish and unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself."
And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and he wagged his tail. And Adam said, "But Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and all the good names are taken and I cannot think of a name for this new animal." And God said, "No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG."
And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.
After a while, it came to pass that Adam's guardian angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but no one has taught him humility." And the Lord said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is." The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not worthy of adoration."
And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he was not the Supreme Being. And Adam learned humility. And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved.
And Cat did not give a **** one way or the other.
http://www.ASPCA.org
 Laurel Canyon Animal Company
It’s That Time of the Year
Squeaky Christmas
http://www.PetCDS.com
Do You Want To Raise A Happy Dog?
Jolanta Benal, The Complete Dog Trainer's Guide To A Happy Well-Behaved Pet
 Jolanta Benal claims that the information in her new book, The Complete Dog Trainer's Guide To A Happy Well-Behaved Pet, is scientifically sound and that her methods are effective. However, she states that no one can guarantee anything, because behavior is not 100% completely predicable or controllable in our dogs.
Jolanta starts off her book with how to choose a dog. If you select a puppy, she talks about how to socialize it appropriately so that it is comfortable in the world. Next, she discusses how to teach your dog how to live with you comfortably and happy in your house, so that everyone enjoys themselves.
Jolanta believes that anyone who has studied the science of animal learning will come to the same conclusion, as science is pretty solid, that you do a lot better with any animal if you set him or her up to do the things you like and then you reward those things. You shouldn't just ignore the bad behaviors, but you should try to work on preventing them and not rewarding them.
 Jolanta and Vladae, The Russian Dog Wizard, discuss how they would each handle a case where a neighbor's dog barks at your dog every time you leave the house with them. Vladae believes that the guardian should be dominant. He doesn't think that dominance is a bad word, but that someone needs to be in the superior position. However, Jolanta doesn't think that science supports Vladae's position. She thinks that the whole idea that dominance has to be an important part of handling dogs comes out of some really poor observations of the behavior of captive wolves.
Jolanta Benal never had dogs until she was persuaded to adopt a stray 11 years ago. Now, Jolanta is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Learn more about Jolanta and her methods in her new book, The Complete Dog Trainer's Guide To A Happy Well-Behaved Pet.
http://us.macmillan.com
Life is Good!
Trixie Koontz, Dog
 Dad teaches me to type. Hold pencil in mouth and type. At first is fun. Then is not fun. He says to me, "Write, Trixie, write. Write essay for website." Being good dog, I write. Not fun, but I write. Expect treat for writing. Get no treat. Stop writing. Get treat. Carob biscuit. Good, good, good. Okay, so I write some more.
Dad promises website visitors my essay end of July. Must give up important ball chasing, important napping, important sniffing to write. Work hard. Writing hard. So many words. Stupid punctuation rules. Hate semicolons. Hate; hate; hate. Chew up many pencils in frustration.
Finish article. Give to Dad. Then I rip guts out of duck. Duck is not real, is Booda duck, stuffed toy. I am gentle dog. Cannot hurt real duck or even cat. But am hell on stuffed toys. Work off my tension. Rip, rip, rip. Feel pretty good. Cough up soggy wad of Booda-duck stuffing. Feel even better.
Dad gives editorial suggestions. Stupid suggestions. Stupid, stupid, stupid! He is not editor, is writer. Like me. I pretend to listen.
Am actually thinking about bacon. Bacon is good. Bacon is very good. I am good, too. People call me "good dog, good, very good." Bacon is very good. I am very good. But I am not bacon. Why not? Mysterious.
Then I think about cats. What is wrong with them? Who do they think they are? What do they want? Who invented them, anyway? Not God, for sure. Maybe Satan? So nervous writing about cats, I use too many italics. Then I hit hateful semicolon key; don't know why; but I do it again; and whimper.
Dogs are not born to write essays. Maybe fiction. Maybe poetry. Not essays. Maybe advertising copy.
Here is my advertising copy: BACON IS VERY GOOD. BUY BACON. BUY LOTS OF BACON. GIVE TO ME. THANK YOU.
Dad gives me editorial notes for study. Eight pages. I pee on them. He gets message.
Dad says he will give my essay to webmaster as is. Webmaster is nice person, nice. She will know good writing when she sees it.
Days pass. Weeks. Chase ball. Chase rabbits. Chase butterfly. Chase Frisbee. Begin to notice sameness in leisure-time activities. Pull tug-toy snake. Pull, pull, pull. Pull tug-toy bone. Pull tug-toy rope. Lick forepaw. Lick other forepaw. Lick a more private place. Still do not taste like bacon. Get belly rub from Mom. Get belly rub from Dad. Mom. Dad. Mom. Dad. Get belly rub from Linda, Dad and Mom's assistant. Get belly rub from Elaine, Dad and Mom's other assistant. Linda. Elaine. Linda. Elaine. Dad. Mom. Get belly rub from Elisa and Paula, housekeepers. Elisa. Paula. Elisa. Paula. Linda. Elaine. Mom. Dad. Belly rub, belly rub. Read Bleak House by Charles Dickens, study the brilliant characterizations, ponder the tragedy of the human condition. New tennis ball. Chase, chase, chase. Suddenly is September.
Webmaster asks where is Trixie essay. Where? Dad lost. Dad got busy working on new book, got busy and forgot Trixie essay, and lost it. My human ate my homework. Sort of.
All my hard work, my struggle, all those hateful semicolons-for what? All for nothing. Essay lost. All for nothing. Feel like character in Bleak House. Worse. Like character in Joseph Conrad book.
Think about getting attorney. Get agent instead. Writing fiction. Novel. Maybe knock Dad off best-seller list. Teach him lesson. Writing novel called My Bacon by Trixie Koontz, Dog. Already have invitation from Larry King, David Letterman, be on shows, do publicity, sell book, get belly rub from Dave. Maybe get limo for media tour. Ride around in limo, chasing cats. Life is good when you're a dog.
http://www.DeanKoontz.com
The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani
Building A Nice Coat
Typically the way to build a nice coat on your dog is by brushing, combing and keeping the coat clean and free of knots and tangles. But when this doesn't work, check your dog's nutrition and what you are feeding them. If you want a beautiful coat, you may have to change your dog's diet.
One of the best ingredients to feed your dog for their coat is green tripe, which is the lining of a cow's stomach. The green in the tripe is actually the vegetation that it contains. Most people think that dogs are carnivorous, but it is actually the cat that is a carnivore. Dogs are omnivores, which means that they need some sort of vegetation.
 Dogs actually have a short digestive tract so it is better to give them something that is a little pre-digested. This is why wolves in the wild usually go for their prey's stomach first, so they can get to the pre-digested vegetation.
If green tripe is hard to come by, there is an alternative. If you have a food processor, break down some broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach. Then take this broken down mixture and mix it into your dog's food. Because it is now broken down small, it is easier for them to digest.
Some people give their dogs carrots, which won't ham them, but their bodies are not going to be able to break it down to extract all of the nutrients.
By including green tripe in your dog's diet, you should end up with a beautiful, luxurious coat with just some brushing and combing and keeping it clean and tangle free.
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Animal Radio® News with Stacey Cohen
 Animals Still Being Mistreated In Labs
PETA released an image that it says shows a monkey with a surgically attached tube at a biomedical lab in Everett, Wash. Experimental chemicals were continuously infused into its veins through the tube, PETA said a whistleblower alleges. PETA urged the federal Animal Plant and Inspection Service to investigate the U.S. headquarters of Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, saying it was contacted by "a whistleblower who resigned her position in 2010 after working there for several years." Use of animals for testing of new drugs and other medical applications is allowed in the U.S. but must adhere to the health and safety provisions of the federal Animal Welfare act. PETA said the whistleblower had requested anonymity but quoted her as saying that when it came to drawing blood for tests "the monkeys wince, scream, tremble and shake, and try to defend themselves. Eventually, many of the monkeys stop fighting and reacting. It is like the life is gone from them."
Blame The Dog
Who hasn't dropped their cell phone in some kind of water before like the toilet, etc? But a Utah woman is blaming her dog, or at least her dog's water bowl, for leading police on an unnecessary search. According to "The Salt Lake Tribune," Suzanne Ribas and her 13-year-old son, who were on their way to Florida, were reported missing after their cell phone went dead. Over the weekend, police say they traced the Ribas' last call to Spanish Fork Canyon and began searching the area by both car and air. But then they got a call from Suzanne's daughter, who lives in Florida, explaining that her mother had just called to say she was 20 minutes away. Turns out she had dropped her phone in the dog's water bowl, and wasn't able to buy a new one until several days later.
200 Bears Killed
Wildlife officials estimate that 200 bears were killed on the first day of the New Jersey's black bear hunt. State officials have said the six-day hunt was needed to reduce the state's bruin population, now estimated at about 3,400. But critics say the state's bear management policy is flawed. More than 6,400 permits were issued, allowing hunters to patrol 1,000 square miles of northern New Jersey, which, according to officials, has one of the densest black bear populations in the nation. Opponents call it murder and a crime against nature. Susan Kehoe, says, "There is no need for a hunt. It is just a trophy hunt. They are not dangerous." The state says otherwise, calling it a "comprehensive, science fact-based response to the large black bear population and increase in public complaints about bears and human encounters."
 Oldest Living Dog Dies
The oldest living dog in Guinness World Records, died on Dec. 5, 2011 in Sakura, Japan. He reached the ripe old age of 26 years and 9 months. Pusuke was certified for the Guinness title last December. The previous record was held by a 28-year-old beagle from the U.S. who died in 2003.
Aflatoxin Behind Pet Food Recalls
High levels of a toxin are being blamed for a huge dog food recall. Agribusiness Company Cargill and Procter and Gamble say it's recalling a year's output of several food brands. The River Run and Marksman brands were made at a Cargill plant in Louisiana between December of 2010 and December of this year. Cargill says no illnesses have been reported that have been linked to the toxin. It's called aflatoxin and can cause liver failure or death. The toxin is sometimes a by-product of a corn fungus, which is often found in the southern U.S. More than 75 dog deaths in 2006 were blamed on food tainted by the toxin. A list of the recalled products is on the Cargill web site. Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy dry dog food with Use By or Expiration Dates of February 5 or February 6, 2013 For further information or a product replacement or refund contact P&G toll-free at 866-908-1569
 War Dogs Develop PTSD's
If anyone needed evidence of the frontline role played by dogs in war these days, here is the latest: the four-legged, wet-nosed troops used to sniff out mines, track down enemy fighters and clear buildings are struggling with the mental strains of combat nearly as much as their human counterparts. By some estimates, more than 5% of the approximately 650 military dogs deployed by American combat forces are developing Canine Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD). Of those, about half are likely to be retired from service. Treatment can be tricky. Since the patient cannot explain what is wrong, veterinarians and handlers must make educated guesses about the traumatizing events. Care can be as simple as taking a dog off patrol and giving it lots of exercise, playtime and gentle obedience training.
Dog Show Judge Is Hoarder
A Washington state woman accused of hoarding 100 dogs in unhealthy conditions is a dog show judge, a rescuer said. Police seized Chihuahuas, Pomeranians and Japanese Chin dogs last month from homes after receiving a video documenting the animals' living conditions. The video, given to animal rescuers by an anonymous source, showed dogs crammed into rusted and feces-infested cages with empty food and water bowls, KOMO-TV, Seattle, reported. The accused woman won an award in February at the Westminster Kennel Club Show, KOMO reported. The rescue group has asked that the woman face 14 counts of animal cruelty in the death of 14 dogs that had to be euthanized.
 NEWS UPDATE Brought To You By PetzLife.com. Use the code "RADIO" to receive 20% off!
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