Jobs That Bite
Jeremy Brandt, NAT GEO WILD

Jeremy Brandt has a strange and scary job. Its all part of a days work as a Nat Geo WILD television host.

According to a recent Gallup survey, 70% of workers are disengaged from their jobs. Luckily, Nat Geo WILD found a small sliver of Americans who actually love their jobs and they even bite!

Jeremy Brandt dives into the world of Americans who work with all creatures great and small, as he hosts Nat Geo WILD's new series Jobs That Bite! He goes across the country as he experiences a wide array of animal jobs, including bear tattooer, camel milker, lion dentist and mounted cop and the real Americans who keep these careers and traditions alive.

Jeremy tells us one in one episode they were up in Maine "tattooing" bears. This is a way to maintain the health and the population of bears. Jeremy doesn't know why they weren't tagging them, but perhaps these tags were falling off, and somewhere along the line they switched to tattoos. He said you do this with a regular tattoo gun, the same you would find at a tattoo parlor. You then tattoo the inside of their lip with a series of numbers. These bears are of course sedated, where they are then weighed, measured and their overall health is determined after the tattoo.

Another episode they filmed was Jeremy milking a camel. To give milk, a camel has to have her baby next to her for her milk to drop down. When her milk actually does drop down, you only have 90 seconds to milk her before the milk goes away. While it is not big business, they do turn this milk into soaps and lotions. The camels are 7 to 8 feet tall and weigh on an average 1,500 pounds. While Jeremy was told that the camels wouldn't spit on him, he was told they might kick. As if right on cue, when Jeremy was told this, a camel kicked him and spilled all of the milk.

While Jeremy hasn't been so terrified of these jobs that he thought he might die, he did go into a shark tank at the Long Island Aquarium in New York to clean it. He had just received his scuba certification two days prior and wasn't a diver prior to this. He was in a tank with about 10 different types of sharks, with 5 of them being the sand tiger shark, which is the most dangerous to humans. These sharks were eight to nine feet long and they have hundreds of teeth. You just see these teeth, as they are unable to shut their mouths. He had fed them about an hour before, and he saw how quickly they move. He was worried that if they thought he was food, he was going to be "toast!" He said there was a point when their cameraman was getting into the water and was at the surface putting his mask on, when a shark came up and jabbed him in the side. The shark didn't bite the cameraman, but he swam around him and hit him again. The dive master then ordered everyone out of the water. Jeremy wondered why they were risking all of this for a TV show!

Jeremy's favorite job was at Lion Country Safari, where he got to travel around with the curator. This allowed him to work with so many animals at one time. He worked with zebras, rhinos and even did a neo-natal exam on a 12-hour old giraffe, where he was the first one to touch her. She was already 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 170-pounds. The best part for him was then he did a dental exam on a 420-pound male lion. Jeremy always wanted to go on an African Safari, and this is the closest he may ever get, or even closer than he would get on an African Safari.

Jeremy tells us that he made sure he had good health and life insurance before he took these jobs on, to make sure his family was covered should anything happen to him!

Jeremy is a successful television and film actor who has appeared on all the major networks, playing a variety of roles in series such as "Criminal Minds," "NCIS," "Lincoln Heights," "Alias" and "The O.C."

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/jobs-that-bite

Tinsel & Tails
Georgina Bloomberg, Celebrity Catwalk

Ex-mayor Bloomberg's daughter makes a pretty decent living riding horses. Georgina Bloomberg continually wins big stakes in riding competitions. But now she's taking time off to have a baby with her boyfriend. She has more info on the big Tinsel & Tails event this December.

Georgina has been riding horses since she was four years old and competing since she was six. Georgina's mother rode horses as a child in England and encouraged both of her daughters to take up riding. Georgina rides horses professionally and has made it her career. She currently owns eight horses.

Georgina says a really great horse is one who has a perfect mixture of a brain and a heart. You don't want a horse that is so brave it tries to do stupid things, you want one that is smart enough to put on the brakes when needed. She says this is because sometimes riders make mistakes and the horse needs to refuse to do something when it knows it is wrong, but at the same time they want to try when things are going well. She says the way you create success in horse riding is forming a good relationship with your horse.

Georgina might not be able to make an appearance at this Celebrity Catwalk's 2nd Annual Tinsel & Tails, a Holiday Tastetacular, because she is eight months pregnant. Proceeds from Celebrity Catwalk go directly to non-profit organizations that work tirelessly to put a dent in those staggering statistics. With the help of today's hottest designers, stars from film and television participate as celebrity models in this highly anticipated fashion & lifestyle event.

Every year celebrities lend their time and talent by hitting the catwalk for charity, raising funds and awareness for National Animal Rescue. Jamie Foxx, Nicole Richie, Mya, Heather Mills and Melissa Rivers are a few of the luminaries who have hosted this fashion event which fuses the worlds of fashion and entertainment into one unforgettable evening.

Amateur and iconic chefs will be serving their signature dishes. Dogs and owners will enjoy Cocktails & Doggie Bags; Pup-parazzi Photos; and Holiday Themed Costume Contests. Animals available for adoption will also be in attendance.

The event will be held on December 7, 2013 from 1:00pm-4:00pm at Calumet Photo, located at 20 West 22nd Street (2nd Floor) between 5th & 6th Avenues in New York City.

http://www.celebritycatwalk.com




Maintaining A Stress-Free Feline Lifestyle
Swheat Scoop Minute With Doc Halligan

When cats get stressed out they show it in many ways, including aggression, urinary behavior problems, change in appetite, and even hair loss. Here are a few helpful suggestions to help you nip these conditions in the bud.

Keep A Consistent Schedule
Felines are creatures of habit. Try to establish a routine that accommodates both your family's and cat's daily needs and stick to it as much as possible.

Gradually Introduce New Family Members
Don't force interaction with a new baby, a visitor or houseguest if kitty isn't interested.

Tone Down The Festivities
With all the hustle and bustle, holiday times can be especially unnerving to cats. Be sure to leave kitty's favorite "home base" space minimally disturbed.

Brought to you by Swheat Scoop. Click for $3.00 off Coupon

The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

Can I Use Human Shampoo On My Pet?
The real clear answer to this question is yes, you can use human shampoo on your pet.

There are two major differences between pet and human shampoos that you need to be concerned with. These are the PH and acidity levels. You don't want a high or low PH, but a neutral PH level, because that is where your dog's skin is. Joey knows of only one shampoo available that is neutral, and that is Neutrogena.

If you really want to use your own shampoo, be aware that it is not much cheaper. While most pet shampoos appear to be more expensive, most of them can be broken down with water. When you break them down, they can cost less than $1 a gallon. But if you only wash your dog once or twice a year, it doesn't matter.

If you don't know what the PH level is on your own shampoo and you apply it to your pet, probably nothing will happen. But just like people, there is that rare occasion that a dog can have a skin reaction. As a rule, usually the lighter the color of the dog, the more sensitive their skin is.

So, if you have a light colored dog, don't risk it and use only dog shampoo on them.

Animal Radio® News with Stacey Cohen

Protestors Shut Down Dog Lab
A Brazilian lab that used dogs for drug tests says it's permanently shutting down three weeks after being targeted by protesters who freed nearly 180 beagles. The Instituto Royal in Brazil says it was the only lab of its kind in Brazil. It carried out pre-clinical trials for drugs to fight cancer, diabetes, epilepsy and other diseases. Now, Brazilian drug makers seeking approval for such medications must do testing outside of the country. Animal rights activists broke into the lab and freed the beagles. The city government temporarily suspended the lab's operating license, as police investigated allegations of animal abuse.

Medicines Safe For Humans May Not Be Safe For Pets
When people feel pain, they often reach for common medicines such as aspirin or Motrin. These types of drugs, known as NSAIDs, also are used to treat arthritis pain in dogs and to manage pain after surgery in dogs and cats. But NSAID use in pets carries risks as well as benefits. Pet owners need to be informed about possible side effects, including those that could signal danger. Some of the most common side effects of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) in animals reported to the FDA are vomiting, loss of appetite, reduced levels of activity and diarrhea. If you see any of these symptoms, call your veterinarian immediately, "Many people don't realize that a medicine that's safe for people may not be safe for dogs or cats, or that a dose that is safe for people may not be safe for their pets." Pet owners should never assume that a medicine that is safe for one animal is safe for another.

Does Your Cat Have A Smart Phone?
Well, here are some new apps for you to benefit your cat. Human-to-Cat Translator: This intriguing app says it can translate human words into cat language. Speak a word or phrase into your phone or tablet's microphone, and the app plays back a collection of meows that has supposedly translated your English into, well, Catlish. When we tried a translation for "come here," our cat tester showed a little curiosity but not enough to actually get off the couch. Of course, even if the app accurately does translate human speech into cat language, there's a good chance your cat will ignore you, anyway. Carbs Calculator for Cat Food: Like their human friends, cats are living longer, and they, too, are subject to diseases of old age and sedentary lifestyles. Diabetes has become a major problem for older cats, and this simple but useful app can help cat owners buy the right food. Type in the various percentages of ingredients in a can of wet cat food, and the app calculates whether it is suitable for diabetic cats.

Illegal Pet Deer Mauls And Partially Blinds Man
An Alabama man was charged with illegally keeping seven deer as pets, including a buck that mauled and partially blinded him, wildlife officials said. Julius Dunsmore entered a fenced pen on his property in Marshall County in the northern part of the state and was attacked by a nine-point buck. Dunsmore said the deer lifted him up on its antlers and carried him 30 feet. One antler punctured his face and severed the optic nerve to an eye. He also suffered puncture wounds in his rib cage, hips and legs. Dunsmore said he would never again keep deer as pets. His injuries will require several surgeries. "People need to know that these things are dangerous," he said. "You never know when they are going to turn." Bucks can become combative during breeding season, normally fighting with each other or even people when the deer are kept in captivity, said Kevin Dodd, the enforcement chief for Alabama's Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. Female deer, or does, can inflict serious injuries by kicking. State wildlife officials killed the deer on Dunsmore's property and are awaiting tests from a laboratory to determine if they were infected with any disease.

Colder Weather Means Adequate Shelter For Animals
It's starting to get cold and you want to make sure your pets are ok and have adequate shelter. "Adequate shelter" means sufficient space to allow each animal to easily stand, sit, lie, turn about, and make all other normal body movements in a comfortable, normal position for the animal and interact safely with other animals in the enclosure. "The shelter shall provide protection from the weather elements, specifically wind, rain, direct sun during times of excessive heat, extreme cold temperatures and will have clean dry flooring." There have been several instances recently where people have left puppies and adult dogs outside in this cold weather without any shelter. If you have inside dogs, they still need time outside, but keep that time limited. If you have an outside dog, you still need a warm, dry shelter for your dog to get in out of the weather. Doghouses that are plastic are not insulated, but they can help keep your pet out of the direct wind. You also need to add straw or a big blanket for warmth and check the inside of the doghouse to make sure it stays dry. Preferably, the opening to the doghouse should be more to one side than in the center. This will allow your dog a place to lie down out of the wind. You could also hang a rubber mat or piece of carpet over the doorway. And even if it's cold outside, your pets still need fresh water. If your dog is a shorthaired breed or getting on in years, keep it toasty in cold weather with a warm coat or sweater. Make sure it covers from the neck to the base of the tail, as well as the chest. You'll also want to wipe off any salt or other chemicals used to melt ice. These can hurt your dog if it ingests any particles while licking its paws. One of the problems when the temperature drops is a tendency for outdoor cats to sleep under the hoods of cars. It may be warmer, but a car's fan belt can kill or injure them when the motor is started. If there are outdoor cats in your neighborhood, bang loudly on the hood of your car and wait a few seconds before starting the engine. If you own a cat, it's better to keep it inside on cold days.

Woman Dies When Euthanizing Her Dog
A woman died after spending her last moments with her dog at an animal hospital in San Fernando, California, the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office said. Doris Mullek collapsed in a room at the Lillian Veterinary Hospital, where she had taken her dog to be euthanized, according a Sheriff's Office report. Mullek was pronounced dead after being rushed to the emergency room at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center. "It was determined that the female had a host of health issues," a Sheriff's Office report states. No one at Mullek's home would comment about her death. Staff at the clinic also would not comment. Only the dog was in the room with the Mullek at the time that she collapsed, Sheriff's Office Major Anthony Lowery said. "It's sad," Lowery said. "It had not been put down. I don't know if it has been put down since then or not." A veterinarian tried to revive Mullek after finding her on the floor in the room, according to the Sheriff's Office report.

NEWS UPDATE brought to you by Drs. Foster & Smith, affordable pet supplies. Low prices every day, so you save on every order.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#730)