Animal Radio® Show #1074

Esther The Wonder Pig
What happens when you adopt a 'micro-pig' without telling your spouse? And what happens when that pig turns out to weigh 600 lbs? Well, you raise $450,000 on Indiegogo to buy a ranch, of course. That's Steve Jenkins story. He tells all this week on the BIG show.
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Robots That Clean Up After Your Pet
The makers of the Roomba robot vacuum have come up with a robot mop. It makes cleaning up after your messy pets easy as pressing a button. Melissa O'Dea from iRobot is here to explain. She's even going to give away a Braava Jet! Do you need one?
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Boy Caught Stealing Hugs From Dog
Did you hear about the little Louisiana boy went to great lengths to give some love to his neighbor's dog? Every day when he left for school he would ride over to his neighbor's house and put his bike down in the driveway. He would then run into the open garage to play with and give hugs to the dog that lives there. Funny that the dog's owner had a video camera in the garage and saw this going on. She wasn't upset at all and posted the video.
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Cat Whiskers
What happens if you cut, trim or groom your cat's whiskers? Please don't. Dogfather€¦ er, we mean Catman Joey Villani has more information than you probably need to know about whiskers. But you should listen anyway.
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Animal Radio® Show #1073

"Making Bank" Taking Selfies With Animals
Allan Dixon won the best job in the world. He gets paid to take pictures with animals. Allan has an uncanny ability to 'talk' animals into posing for a selfie with him. This might sound like the most privileged, millennial job in the world, but Dixon worked for this role. He'll explain to Animal Radio listeners.
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Breed Specific Legislation Isn't Working
There's a new study out by researchers in Denmark on the impact of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), which is often a city or even country's attempt to ban dog breeds it deems as vicious. The results showed that BSL there had no effect on hospitalizations for dog bites.
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People Cuddle More With Pet Than Significant Other
According to a new survey, nearly half of pet parents cuddle with their pooch more than their significant other. The report also found that 24% said they took more pictures with their dog than with friends or family members. 1 in 3 pet parents take their dog along on dates. Why? Respondents said it's because their dog is a good judge of character. More than half said they would consider ending a relationship if their partner didn't like dogs or was severely allergic.
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Tails From A Celebrity Pet-Sitter
Have you ever considered quitting your stupid job to become a pet-sitter? Laura Vorreyer shares stories about her bustling Los Angeles dog-walking business. She'll dole out advice for the aspiring pet-sitter.
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National Weather Service Issues 'Small Dog Warning'
The National Weather Service is typically pretty stoic with its forecasts and advice, but on one day earlier this month a satellite office of the weather service in Ohio issued an "unofficial Small Dog Warning" on Twitter due to strong winds gusting to 50 mph in parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Tweet said "Hold on to your pooch! Be sure to make sure both your trash can and your dog don't blow away!"
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Animal Radio® Show #1072

Instructions To Make Your Dog Laugh
Dr. Stanley Coren is back on Animal Radio to give us specific and detailed instructions on how to make our dog laugh. Don't be a skeptic until you've heard about the research. Some breeds are more likely to laugh than others. Dr. Coren will share the science behind dog laughter and other body signs.
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Hong Kong Tightens Animal Laws
Too much government oversight or good laws for pet welfare? Either way, new changes are coming to Hong Kong for pet owners and businesses that deal with animals. People there could soon be punished failing to take care of their animals if they don't walk their dogs, take sick pets to the vet or have them vaccinated, under a plan to tighten Hong Kong's animal protection laws.
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Making Happier and Healthier Pets
San Diego Humane Society's Top Dog Dr. Gary Weitzman helps animal lovers find the answers to common questions, curiosities, and perplexing puzzles. He'll focus on how veterinarians have changed the way they think about vaccines.
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Puppy Mill Pet Shops Under Fire
Animal Kingdom Pet Shop, which has a small chain of stores in Central California, is facing yet another lawsuit. This one is from a woman who bought a Golden-Doodle from one of the stores for $2,100. She claims that soon after she got her new pet, it started having major medical issues, including bilateral hip dysplasia. Her medical costs have totaled more than $17,000. The pet store has reimbursed her for only $2,900, so she is taking the owners to court, asking for $10,000 in damages. The pet store is also facing a lawsuit filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and another organization alleging involvement in a "puppy laundering scheme."
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Animal Radio® Show #1071

Does Your Dog Really Love You - Or Food? 
Are our dogs trained to show affection in order to get food and treats? Do they really unconditionally love you, or would they "kick you to the curb" for bacon? Animal Researcher Marc Bekoff answers these burning questions and more. He says we can 'unleash our dogs,' metaphorically speaking, by allowing them to roll in dead worms.
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Combining Passions For The Pets
You're lucky if you get to work with your pet. You're even luckier if you can combine your passions for the ideal job. Merebeth Veit has two passions - wanderlust and a love for animals. She dumped her real estate job for transporting pets nationwide. She's driven hundreds of animals to their destination while sightseeing the country. And yes, it pays the bills.
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Cracking Down On Emotional Support Animals
Many people claim their pet is an emotional support animal to get out paying certain deposits when moving into a new rental home.  In Florida, State Senator Manny Diaz has spearheaded a bill that aims to crack down on those falsely calling their pets emotional support animals. Those who break the law could be fined up to $500 and possible jail time.
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Swim Trunks For Your Dog
A company called Kove that specializes in recycled plastic garments has now created swimming trunks or shorts for dogs. Each pair of swim trunks is made out of eight plastic bottles. It also includes Spandex for some stretch, which is also a quick-drying material. The company also makes a men's swimsuit made of identical fabric.
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Animal Radio comes to you from the Red Barn Studios

Animal Radio® Show #1070

18-Year-Old Hero
Born with Muscular Dystrophy, Tabitha Bell was told she would need a wheel chair by the time she was 12. Instead, she got a balance & brace service dog. The human/dog partnership was so successful that she decided to start her own non-profit to help match service dogs with those that may not be able to afford the $10,000 entry level. Tabitha tells us that she's working on matching a 6-year old diabetic with a dog that can alert someone when blood sugar spikes.
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Cat Inherits Fashion Designer's Fortune
After the passing of fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, his cat Choupette, is expected to inherit at least some of the designer's fortune. Prior to his passing, the 85-yr-old Lagerfeld told a French magazine that his cat is an heiress. Lagerfeld had an estimated net worth of up to $300 million and his cat will likely inherit at least a portion of that.
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Rocky Kanaka Isn't Just A Cool Name 
Emmy Nominated TV host Rocky Kanaka is on a mission to find hard-to-adopt rescue dogs their forever home - all while creating a day of fun doggie activities most could only dream of. He chronicles his adventures in a You Tube series called 'Dog's Day Out.'
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Traveling With Pets Is Big Business
It's estimated 68% of U.S. households, or about 85 million families, have a pet. When those 85 million pet parents hit the road, they can either take their pet with them, or have someone else take care of the furry family member either in their home or a boarding facility.  That's where "pet resorts" or high-end kennels come in such as the D Pet Hotels in Los Angeles. They offer boarding, daycare, grooming and even chauffeur and boutique services. For boarding, your dog might enjoy the Uber suite, a 12' x 22' room with a queen bed and 42" TV.
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Home Grooming Kits
Animal Radio's Dogfather Joey Villani warns against casual use of the popular grooming kits available at your pet store. Joey says, improperly used, besides giving your dog a bad haircut, you can easily burn their skin. "Take your pets to the groomer instead." Is Joey trying to drum up business for professional groomers nationwide?
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Is smoking around pets harmful? (sponsored)

Pets are our family and it is crucial that we take care of them. Many of us are unaware about the harm that smoking around pets can bring. And that's no surprise. We can rarely hear or read about this issue. However, it is a topic all pet owners should be familiar with.

Smoking around pets is just as harmful for them as smoking around people. In fact, as a result of repeatedly inhaling second-hand smoke your pet can develop such problems as cancer, allergies, respiratory problems and other serious issues. Therefore, we would like to educate and remind all of you to be careful and not to smoke around pets.

Second-hand smoke is often undetectable. Around 80% of it is odorless and invisible. Therefore, you could be putting your pet in dangers way without even realizing it.

Be sure to keep a safe distance and never smoke inside your home. The residue from smoke can settle on various surfaces. And since your pets tend to spend lots of time on the carpets and other soft surfaces, it is likely that the residue will get in your pet's fur. When licking it, the harmful substances in the residue will get ingested and can cause serious health issues. So, make sure to keep your pets safe and away from second-hand smoke.

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