Animal Radio® Show #465 November 1, 2008

Uncaging the Truth
Wayne Pacelle, HSUS
Wayne Pacelle has been campaigning for the last several months urging voters to VOTE YES on California Proposition 2.

The proposition is the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, an initiative that will appear on California's November 2008 ballot. It is cruel and inhumane to confine animals in cages so small they can't turn around or stretch their limbs. All animals deserve humane treatment, including those raised for food. Vote YES on Prop #2 to protect animals from unacceptable abuse.

Voting YES! on Prop 2:

Prevents cruelty to animals.
It's simply wrong to confine veal calves, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens in tiny cages barely larger than their bodies. Calves are tethered by the neck and can barely move, pigs in severe confinement bite the metal bars of their crates, and hens get trapped and even impaled in their wire cages. We wouldn't force our pets to live in filthy, cramped cages for their whole lives, and we shouldn't force farm animals to endure such misery. All animals, including those raised for food, deserve humane treatment.

Improves our health and food safety.
We all witnessed the cruel treatment of sick and crippled cows exposed by a Southern California slaughter plant investigation this year, prompting authorities to pull meat off school menus and initiate a nationwide recall. Factory farms put our health at risk-cramming tens of thousands of animals into tiny cages, fostering the spread of diseases that may affect people. YES! on Prop 2 is better for animals-and for us.

Supports family farmers.
California family farmers support YES! on Prop 2 because they know that better farming practices enhance food quality and safety. Increasingly, they're supplying major retailers like Safeway and Burger King. Factory farms cut corners and drive family farmers out of business when they put profits ahead of animal welfare and our health.

Protects air and water and safeguards the environment.
The American Public Health Association has called for a moratorium on new factory farms because of the devastating effects these operations can have on surrounding communities, spreading untreated waste on the ground and contaminating our waterways, lakes, groundwater, soil, and air. Prop 2 helps stop some of the worst abuses and protects our precious natural resources. That's why California Clean Water Action and Sierra Club-California support YES! on Prop 2.

Is a reasonable and common sense reform.
Prop 2 provides ample time-until 2015-for factory farms using these severe confinement methods to shift to more humane practices. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Oregon have passed similar laws. The Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA, hundreds of California veterinarians, including the California Veterinary Medical Association; California family farmers; the Center for Food Safety, the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the United Farm Workers, and the Cesar Chavez Foundation; Republican and Democratic elected officials; California religious leaders; and many others.

So you California voters ­ get out there and VOTE on PROP 2!



Pet Comedy Theatre
Gregory Popovich
Dogs were Gregory Popovich's first baby sitters, his first friends. Born into a circus family - his parents were jugglers and dog trainers - Popovich learned early on that the bond between people and animals is strong. So after years of performing as a juggler with the Moscow and Ringling Brothers circuses, Popovich said it only seemed natural to get the four-legged members of his family in on the act.

For the past 10 years, The World Famous Popovich Comedy Pet Theater has delighted audiences with physical comedy, juggling and the antics of Popovich's trained dogs and "cooperative" house cats.

"You can't 'train' a cat to do anything it doesn't want to do," "I try to build on the animal's natural habits," he said. "I want to make (performing) fun for them," joked Popovich.

All of the animals from the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater, which includes 16 cats, 12 dogs, six white rats, six white doves and "five well-trained Russians" are adopted from animal shelters, he added.

The tricks the animals perform aren't dangerous or extreme, Popovich said. Their part in the show is more about funny skits than jumping through flaming hoops. In choosing his performers, Popovich looks for "personality" above all else.

While it saddens Popovich to think about any animal as being unwanted, he said it's important to support organizations that focus on preventing pet overpopulation and work to find every animal a good home.

"My pets all got a second chance," Popovich said. "Other animals should have that, too."

You can see Gregory Popovich and the Comedy Pet Theater at the Miracle Mile Mall at Planet Hollywood Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Thursdays through Mondays.
http://www.comedypet.com




Vladae, The "World Famous" Russian Dog Wizard

Two Family Dogs Are Fighting
One is an older, relaxed dog, but the younger dog is still very excitable, and it seems that they are both trying to get their guardian's attention at the same time. But that's not all; they also fight over their toys. This is not about the dogs fighting but about the relationship the guardian has with each of the dogs. In this case, the guardian needs to be the alpha female. Listen in as Vladae explains how to achieve peace in this family.

Dog Has Separation Anxiety Over Other Family Member
This guardian's father is in the hospital, and while the dog doesn't live with him, he spends a lot of time at his house and misses him. Now, the dog is suffering from separation anxiety and has started chewing on himself. This dog might need some light medication to get through this period of time. But first, check to make sure there are no medical reasons for his chewing. You can also try pheromones and some behavior modifications to take his mind off things, like physical work and mental stimulation.



Vinnie Penn, Animal Radio's Resident Party Animal

Why Do Goldfish Die When You Go On Vacation?
Why is it that your goldfish always die when you go on vacation? You know what I'm talking about! You've taken care of them all year, you're six, and you've managed to keep them alive for the past year. And yet you go away for a week, and either (a) come back to the sob story of the year from some relative you never see or a friend of your mother's who was given the job of feeding the fish or (b) to a fish that doesn't look remotely like Pokeman, the fish that you left the week before.

If you are going to care for your friend or family member's child's fish, take a look at him. If you are going to choose to starve him for a week and figure on replacing him because you are a cold callous person, and mom has overlooked that fact during the hiring process, you should still take a look at him so you know what you are replacing him with. Nothing worse than a six-year-old to come back and find his goldfish that has been replaced with a piranha.

So, if you are going to murder the goldfish, replace it with a goldfish! Isn't that a crazy concept? But, I don't know what it is. Every time the fish die, we think Grammy overfed him. Well, I can believe that, as Grammy overfeeds me every time I stay with her. But, I didn't know you could really die from that. That's always the excuse - that your goldfish was overfed.

Now this comes from a real place. When I was six or seven years old, I had two goldfish, Cheech & Chong. When I came back, there was just one big fat fish in the tank. Not two, one ­ big fat fish, clearly different fish, in which my brother of course, in a continuing effort to torment me, informed me that Cheech had eaten Chong. But I still didn't buy it, since it wasn't even the same color. It took me years to unravel the mystery.

All of us have that long-standing pet incident from our youths that have taken years to uncover what really happened. It took years for my mother's best friend Linny to say, "Look, the fish died and I didn't know what to do. I had missed a day and I just went and bought you a new fish. Wasn't that nice of me?" The classic, "What about me?" "You know, I felt terrible." "Here you were my best friend's son and I killed your fish, what about me?" And, you're sitting there like, uh, but what about Cheech & Chong?

Animal Communicators
Admittedly, I don't know much about animal communicators nor do I understand it. The dog whisperer, all of this whispering. I wish there was more whispering going on in my house. But to tell you the truth, when I do hear whispering in my house, I do get very suspicious, and not that a surprise party is going to be thrown for me!

These animal communicators, I don't necessarily understand how they study this or how they become an expert in this. I remember one time on my old radio show a female listener calling in, saying she had a new boyfriend whom her cat seemed to attack every time in the middle of the night. My, of course, immediate suggestion was that maybe he shouldn't be sleeping over so quickly. Come to think of it, she never called into the show again after that. Her belief was that the cat didn't like the boyfriend and she wanted to find out why, so she brought in an animal communicator who said that the cat was feeling envious, that he was infringing upon its turf, all of these things that anyone would have known out of the gate. She, of course, had to pay a communicator to come in to help her figure that stuff out. I say, how do you know this guy wasn't one of those guys who thinks its funny to douse beer on the cat every time you leave the room? Guys are stupid like that, especially when they're dating. They think that kind of stuff is hysterical.

Furthermore, in the animal communicating thing when they find a cat or a dog calling one particular place in the house "their place" and staring blankly at a picture on the wall and they have something akin to a séance where they're like "they're looking at that photo, they're in touch with that person, maybe they've been reincarnated?" No ­ maybe you have mice, bugs, or they saw something go in there behind the picture and they're waiting to see it reemerge.

In any event, I don't want to kill an entire line of work, but an animal communicator to me doesn't seem all that different from that lady that you used to call on the phone, what was her name? You know, that Jamaican woman who was like, "Hello woman, you're going to find love in your life." Unless you're my sister, anyone is going to.

To bring someone in for $250 an hour to tell you, "Oh, your cat is marking their territory, that's why they keep going to the bathroom in that area." You can get that on Animal Planet, you can even Google that!



Homemade Kitty Litter
Allie Larkin, Allie's Answers
In these hard economic times everyone is looking to save a little money. And those with cats now have an alternative, which can save them about $120 a year.

I know it sounds a little wild, but, you can make your own kitty litter. And it only takes about a half-hour to do. I'm not suggesting that all Americans who own a cat should make their own kitty litter. But it shows that anything you want to make you can find the instructions online.

To make the kitty litter, you shred newspaper and then wash it in soapy water. You stir it up until it's the consistency of oatmeal; then you take all of that and rinse it out and strain it in a colander.

Add baking soda and knead it in. Break it up so it looks like pebbles. Then put it on a screen to dry. Let it dry overnight and it will be ready the next day. It doesn't have the fancy clumping capabilities of expensive kitty litter. But it does the trick, and the baking soda does a great job killing the odor, and it can save you $120 a year.

1. Shred newspaper in a paper shredder. I collect the shredded paper in an unused litter box.
2. Soak the paper in warm water mixed with a few squirts gentle, biodegradable dish soap. The shredded paper takes on a cooked oatmeal consistency. The paper won't come completely clean, but the water will turn grey.
3. Drain the water (an old colander works wonders) and repeat the soaking process minus the soap.
4. Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the wet paper. Knead it in to the mixture (you might want to wear gloves to avoid getting ink on your hands).
5. Squeeze the remaining moisture out until it's as dry as you can get it.
6. Crumble over a screen and leave to dry (it takes a few days).
Once it's dry, I put about an inch and a half to two inches of the paper crumbles in the litter box, scoop solids daily and change it once a week. It takes about a half an hour to 45 minutes to make a 2-3 week supply of litter, and it's kind of fun, in an elementary school art project way!
http://alliesanswers.com




Talk With Your Animals with Joy Turner
Bocephus the Bassett Hound likes to chew everything, which includes things he shouldn't. It turns out Bocephus needs something to chew on and instead of chewing on the wrong items (like the truck's gearshift knob) he should be provided with hard toys to chew on.
http://www.talkwithyouranimals.com

http://www.joyturner.com



Animal Radio® News with Bobbie Hill

Ratchet, The Iraqi Puppy
A rescued Iraqi puppy is making its way into the hearts of thousands of people all over the world." That's because the U.S. Defense Department prohibits military personnel from adopting pets (although exceptions have been made). The Army also prohibits soldiers from bringing any adopted pet home. The SPCA stepped in as it has in the past helping more than 50 four-legged companions head home to the States since last September. At last count, almost 45,000 people signed an online petition asking that Ratchet, a rescued pup, be able to accompany Sergeant Gwen Beberg, when she returns home to the Twin Cities from Iraq later this year. Ratchet is currently in military custody in Iraq at an undisclosed location. Northwest Airlines has offered to fly Ratchet from Kuwait to Minneapolis and Rep. Keith Ellison, Beberg's Congressman, asked the Army last week to review the case.

Farm Animal Cruelty Act ­ or CA Prop 2
California voters are being asked to consider an addition to the state's health and safety code prohibiting certain types of confinement for farm animals. Known as the Farm Animal Cruelty act, if passed, farming operations would have until the first of 2015 to meet the new space requirements for calves raised for veal, egg laying hens and pigs. Those in favor of the bill passing say it's a matter of preventing cruelty to animals. Those opposed say it drives up consumer prices and threatens food safety. The voters will have the final say at the polls Tuesday November 4th.

Cancer Treatment for Animals
A new cancer treatment facility for animals opened at Cambridge University in Britain. The schools branch of veterinary medicine dedicated an extension which houses a linear accelerator identical to those used in human cancer treatment centers. The facility at Cambridge is one of only three centers in England offering radiotherapy to animals and the only one in Europe able to treat large animals.

Animals End Up in Shelters During Economic Crisis
Albuquerque New Mexico is trying to prevent more animals from ending up in shelters due to the country's financial crisis. The city's Storehouse organization that helps low income families is distributing food donated by Petco Animal Supplies. Petco foundation is giving 2 tons of pet food each month to the organization, which is working at no cost to the taxpayers. Albuquerque's animal shelter houses 27-thousand animals each year and the charity arm of Petco stepped in this summer to assist. The national program is providing 5-thousand dollars in grants to shelters to care for and find new homes for pet abandoned during the foreclosure crisis. Petco's program also supplies food to disadvantaged homeowners who want to keep their pets.

Past Presidents Have All Been Animal Lovers
The Nantucket Independent has taken a unique look at the presidential race. Columnist Jan Jaeger points out that successful presidents have all been animal lovers. Presidential pets have run the gamut from George Washington's 36 dogs and 12 horses to James Buchanan's elephants - a gift from the King of Siam. The White House has been home to a menagerie of exotic pets - Zebulon Pike sent President Thomas Jefferson two bear cubs, John Quincy Adams got an alligator in the bathtub of the East Room from the Marquis de Lafayette. Coolidge had a zoo - literally that included lion cubs, a pygmy hippo, lion cubs and a wallaby.

NEWS UPDATE Brought To You By Simple Solution Natural Line Of Products



Animal Minute With Britt Savage

Woman Tells Daughters to Steal Dog
A woman was arrested on charges of grand theft and contributing to a minor when she told her two daughters, aged 7 and 9, to steal a dog.

Witnesses described how they saw two young girls jump out of a SUV to grab the dog, while the woman in the vehicle yelled at them to hurry.

A librarian at the school where the girls attended, noticed that after a flyer had been placed about the missing dog, one of the girls seems to react a little strangely.

The woman, Nora Vasquez, latter admitted that she did ask her girls to steal the 1-year-old Chihuahua-Pekinese mix named Guppi, but only because she thought the dog would be attacked by another dog.

Miracle Dog ­ Lab Survives With Arrow in His Body
When the Cornelisse family adopted Remington, a 2-year-old Chocolate Labrador Retriever, little did they know he had an arrow stuck in his chest.

The Cornelisse family had Remington for about 6 months when they noticed he wasn't acting like his normal self. He wasn't interested in playing, nor did he seem to even want to move.

When Scott Cornelisse picked Remington up, he felt a lump in his chest, which he thought might be a broken rib. X-rays later showed that the lump was actually an arrow, which had entered Remington's body under his armpit, just missing his heart. The arrow had also been there for sometime.

The Cornelisse family was not in a position to pay for the necessary operation, but a local veterinarian volunteered to remove the arrow at no charge. "There are still Good Samaritans out there who are willing to go the extra mile," the dog's owner said.

Remington is now in recovery and doing just fine.



International Animal News with Kaye Browne

Ratchet Comes Home
It took a petition of 45 thousand signatures and the cutting of a lot of red tape ­ but a 6-month-old Iraqi puppy rescued by an American soldier in Baghdad is about to start a new life on US soil. Army Specialist Sergeant Gwen Beberg and another soldier rescued the little black dog from a burning rubbish pile May. Beberg named the pup Ratchet and claims the pup's support helped her survive her deployment. However plans for the pair to stay together hit a brick wall ­ a military policy wall which prohibits troops bringing animals home. However, with the help of an international online support campaign and the SPCAI, Ratchet will be waiting when Beberg returns home to Minnesota in a few weeks.

Silly Filly Gets Head Stuck in Tree
It's not just cats and dogs that get into strange places ­ a silly filly had to be rescued after getting her head stuck in a hole in a tree. Luckily a neighbor heard her loud whinnying across the fields in Pullman, West Virginia, and came to her rescue, using a chain saw to cut the young horse free. The filly, whose name is Gracie escaped with a few cuts and scrapes and a "hoarse" throat.

Wild Dogs Strip SUV
They say wild dogs in Australia's far north are a tough breed ­now there's proof. A landscape gardener thought he was being targetted by vandals when parts of his SUV started disappearing, but then he noticed teeth marks on the chassis. Clayton Dwyer says the pack of wild dogs ripped the front bumper off and chewed it to bits, they'd even tried to munch on the front panels but his worst fear is that he won't be able to get replacement parts because his insurance company won't believe him.

Fashion Contestant Taken Out by Snake
Fashion contests are notoriously bitchy but noone attending the small country town race meeting in Australia's south expected the leading contender to be taken out by a deadly tiger snake. Megan McDonough won the best-dressed fashion contest, but before she could collect her prize suddenly shrieked when the venomous snake latched onto her foot. But before you blame her fellow contestants, or think she was part of some weird reality TV show, I should point out that Australia is home to the world's top ten deadliest snakes, and tiger snakes are common in the warmer months down here. So common that no one panicked and Megan was taken to hospital, given anti-venom and is now recovering well.

British Tourist Dives with Sharks
That's not the only scary down under tale this week. British tourist Steve Cloke has a better story to tell than most about his adventure - diving with sharks. A sudden power surge blacked out the lights in the Sydney aquarium shark tank, which apparently spooked one of the 3 metre sharks so much that it spun around and accidentally sliced Steve's head with one of its razor sharp teeth. While you or I might have panicked. Cloke says he was more concerned about looking cool so that his wife, who was watching through the glass window wouldn't panic when she saw the blood pouring from what he's calling the "ultimate love-bite."

80-Year-Old Woman Face Legal Action Feeding Blue Tits
The Brits do have some unusual rules of their own. An 80-year-old woman has been told she could face legal action if she doesn't leave the local blue tits alone. No, it's not what you're thinking June Coton has been putting bird food out for the blue tits, starlings and sparrows in her garden for more than 20 years, but after a complaint from a neighbor, she's been told by her local council in Coventry that they'll sue if she doesn't stop feeding what they call "feral" birds. Poor little blue tits.
Listen to Current World News




Your Vet Questions Answered with Dr. Debbie

Cat Has Started Eating Carpet, Rugs And Curtains
This cat has eaten everything from Oriental rugs to curtains. The rugs have now been removed and the curtains have been replaced with blinds. But, this has not ended his chewing. He has now resorted to chewing on shoelaces and anything else he can find. This is very dangerous because these items are soft and pliable, which you would think move through his system, but what is actually does is act like a cheese grader and slices into the intestinal wall. This cat has an obsessive-compulsive disorder and a behavior problem, which needs to be corrected. You can do this with environmental enrichment. Listen in as Dr. Debbie tells this guardian how to help this kitty.

Dog Has Sensitive Skin And Itches And Scratches
This dog is basically attacking himself by scratching. And while the guardian doesn't see the dog licking himself as well, a sign of evidence to look for is hair that has turned a reddish-brown color. The number one thing to look for is fleas. All it takes is one bite from a flea that can cause itching for many, many weeks. There is also the possibility of a skin infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics or medicated shampoo. This dog needs to be seen by a vet to check what is actually going on and to get relief!

Scottie Piddles When Excited
The biggest trigger to this is when the dog meets new people. While this is a very common problem in puppies, they usually grow out of it. Some dogs piddle when they get excited (called excitement urinators) while other do it as a sign of submission. This dog appears to be the first, an excitement urinator. Some tips for this type of dog is to tame down the greetings which you or someone else enters the home. The dog needs to be ignored, which means not talking to the dog or making eye contact, for about 5 minutes when someone first enters the home.

Dog Guards Everything From New Puppy
The older dog is guarding food, toys, blankets and even the cats from this new puppy! It turns out, the older dog is not spayed, which can play a role and those extra hormones can throw a little extra mix into things. The guardian needs to show the older dog that they are accepted as the boss and not to coddle the puppy in front of her. They should also reward the older dog when the puppy is around. But for now, feeding should only be done under supervision so it doesn't turn into a biting situation.

Pups The Traveling Labrador
Paula Kidney
Pups started his journey about 4 years ago, after Paula, Pups owner, came up with the idea when she purchased Pups at a small boutique. "Pups was just so adorable and I have never seen a Labrador this cute." So she decided that Pups should travel the world and let people see adventures through Pups eyes!

Pups started out his journey to New York, Ireland, Florida, Disney World, Jamaica, Carnival Cruises, Cozumel, Antigua, Barbados, Canada, Australia, Germany, Wisconsin, Iowa, Dominica, Ohio, Japan, Switzerland, Kansas, Atlantic City, Seattle, Harvard Law School, North Carolina, Texas, Pennsylvania, Boston, Colorado, Too many places to list them all!!

Each person that takes Pups usually has him about a week. That person takes Pups around their State or City to famous places and Pups poses for pictures and tells his little story of his adventure through his website. Pups has a manuscript right now and is in the process of his own book called "Pups the Traveling Labrador." Pups has grown so much that he has a whole schedule of places to visit and will be booked for the next months with all of his travels. Everywhere people take Pups, people want to know what is going on and they really get into taking pups and posing in the pictures!!

Pups is back in the United States and will be visiting the Animal Radio studios in a couple of weeks. Keep an eye out for him at our website!
http://www.pupsthetravelinglabrador.org



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