Animal Instinct

You may have heard of the popular “Humans of New York” website, but have you heard of “Felines of New York?” This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher welcomes Jim Tews, comic and creator of the website Felines of New York to the studio. Chatting with Celia about why he thinks cats are so comical he shares how he picks up on each cat’s personality and works it into his write ups, plus, Jim takes each cat photo himself. Cats make for excellent subjects whether they cooperate or not and because of that Jim has seen his spoof blog skyrocket in followers across social media platforms. He also features cats that are up for adoption on Felines of New York and has perhaps helped kitties find forever homes. Tune in for a great episode! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

—Jim Tews on Animal Instinct

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This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is talking dog jobs and has Dale Picard of East Coast Assistance Dogs (ECAD) on the line. ECAD was founded by Dale Picard and his wife Lu. Dale shares that when his father in law suffered a stroke, he and his wife taught their family pet to help him rise from a chair and retrieve some items. They noticed that his father in law actually became more active and less depressed than when help came from a human. Celia chats more with Dale about the breeding and training process of the golden and labrador retrievers and how the presence of the K-9s truly helps those in need of medical attention. At ECAD, the training tailors each dog’s skills to the needs of clients, who have a variety of limitations in strength, balance, coordination, or mobility. Tune in for an inspiring episode! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“We try to critique our training to each client that comes in.”

—Dale Picard on Animal Instinct

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Welcome to Season 5 of Animal Instinct! Host Celia Kutcher ushers in the new season with special guest Patrick Martins, Heritage Foods USA and Heritage Radio Network founder, and author of “The Carnivore’s Manifesto: Eating Well, Eating Responsibly, and Eating Meat.” In his book, Patrick explains how to eat well, responsibly, and eat meat. A collection of edifying essays, further reenforcing our need to play an active role in the sustainable food movement, Patrick aims to assure a better (and more delicious) world in the future. Celia and Patrick engage in a thought-provoking conversation ranging from animal rights to Big Macs to commodity meats. After the break, Patrick shares a highlight from the book via the perspectives of a pig and goat! This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center.

“We fight for the endangered breeds of livestock knowing that the best way to save them is to keep them an active part of the marketplace – you gotta eat ’em to save ’em.” [14:45]

“This isn’t about meat. this is about pigs, cows, ducks, geese, chickens… this is about a majority of the world’s animals.” [26:50]

—Patrick Martins on Animal Instinct

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This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is finding out everything you wanted to know about alpacas but were afraid to ask! Welcoming guest Linda Lachanski of Alpaca911, an alpaca rescue and rehoming organization which began as a necessity when the alpaca breeding market started to decline. Linda shares great information regarding alpaca fiber and its marketability and also relays that unfortunately, for the most part, alpacas do not make great pets unless you have done your research! Territorial and aloof, it’s not uncommon for an unhappy alpaca to spit in retaliation or to get into a ‘neck wrestling’ match with one another. After the break, Linda shares more details about how she became involved in alpaca rescue and some highlights of her work. Tune in to learn all about this intriguing camelid! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“It’s best to learn about them before getting them rather than learning after!”

—Linda Lachanski on Animal Instinct

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This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is talking guinea pigs! Guest Laura Budean is a lover of all animals but explains that guinea pigs have always held a special place in her heart. An advocate for proper guinea pig care, she started volunteering and fostering guinea pigs for Helping All Little Things Guinea Pig Rescue and Have-a-Heart Guinea Pig Rescue in New Jersey, and fostered a vast knowledge of the piggies. Having owned guinea pigs for almost 20 years and dedicating time and resources to bettering the lives of piggies in her care, she shares with Celia important tips and tricks of having the happiest and healthiest guinea pig. What happens when a guinea pig “popcorns”? What should be in a guinea pig’s cage? How smart is the average guinea pig? Tune in for great answers and a ton more! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“The hours that they don’t sleep they tend to chew on hay and you can imagine what that produces – a lot of fiber!” [19:05]

—Laura Budean on Animal Instinct

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What do you call a happy rabbit? A hop-timist! On today’s Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher takes listeners through the ‘need to knows’ about rabbits before the Easter holiday hits! Welcoming guest Dayna DeCarlo to the show, she has been a rabbit owner for 22 years and has her own pet walking business that takes care of dogs, cats, and even bunnies. Starting off the interview with bunny basics, the conversation delves into details such as locating an appropriate exotic veterinarian, the importance of spaying and neutering, plus realizing that because rabbits are prey animals it can be difficult to detect illness. After the break, Dayna explains the concept of ‘bunny speed dating’ and the amazing life span of these furry friends. Tune in to find out more! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“They’re prey so they hide their sickness – they’ll sit the in corner, they won’t move, they won’t eat, they don’t know how to react to pain.” [8:35]

“Bunnies are as smart as cats – one of my bunnies I clicker trained.” [25:35]

—Dayna DeCarlo on Animal Instinct

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Raising a dog in the big apple is no easy feat! This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is sitting down with Robert Haussmann, founder of Dogboy Inc. based in New York City. As a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Canine Behavior Counselor, he chats with Celia about the best ways to raise dogs in urban areas and to help create harmony between humans and their four-legged friends. Working together with a network of veterinarians, groomers, sitters, day care centers, and pet stores, Robert and his team pride themselves in offering great advice for all your big city K-9 needs. After the break, Celia and Robert talk about the differences in training big breeds versus smaller breeds and how temperament ultimately rules. Tune in for some great stories, tips, and tricks to acclimate your pooch to the fast paced city life! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“Dogs are really the only species that have evolved in a cooperative way with us.” [27:50]

“It is our duty to teach this animal how to live here.” [30:50]

—Robert Haussmann on Animal Instinct

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What happens when pets die? Find out this week on Animal Instinct! Celia Kutcher is joined by Alicia Halloran. Alicia is an animal communicator who’s specialty is contacting pets after they’ve passed on. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

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Did you know that dogs in warfare have a long history dating to ancient times? This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is digging into this topic with guest Nancy Schiesari, a professor at The University of Texas at Austin as well as the producer/director of the documentary “Canine Soldiers.” Initially giving Celia the rundown of what a canine soldier is and what their duties include, Nancy shares a typical timeline of a chosen pup, and also states it’s possible for these dogs to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over a lifetime of work. Celia also gets the details behind “Canine Soldiers,” which is a first-hand and timely wartime narrative that focuses on military working dogs and their handlers’ quests to locate improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The film explores the intimate bond between the dogs and their handlers—combat soldiers who make life-and-death decisions based on the instincts and behavior of the dogs who lead their patrols, giving soldiers comfort, hope and protection. Tune in to hear much more about these remarkable animals and this great documentary! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“We’ve got some really great dog stories and the dog handlers are amazing people.”

—Nancy Schiesari on Animal Instinct

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No dogs or cats allowed! This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is on air with Lorelei Tibbetts, LVT, VTS, of The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine. The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine is the only exclusive avian and exotic veterinary hospital in New York City. Special pets deserve compassionate veterinarians who have dedicated their careers solely to exotic pet care. Lorelei jumps right in and discusses ways to ensure your exotic pet has a healthy winter, from reptiles to rodents, and comments on many other hazards to be aware of if you are an exotic pet owner or prospective owner. Unfortunately, The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine recently sustained a terrible flood on February 16th, 2015 the Center endured a horrendous tragedy. A hot water pipe burst in the building, and while all animals are now safe, there were some animals that did not survive. Words cannot begin to express the devastation felt, so the Center is has started a fundraising page to help efforts and have since been very touched by the outpouring of support. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“Birds cannot eat avocado – it’s toxic to them. Same way dogs can’t eat chocolate, avocado is dangerous for birds.” [9:30]

“One of things that’s been absolutely heartwarming and wonderful is people being so amazingly supportive; the phone calls, emails, Facebook posts, it’s been so uplifting when it could have gone either way.” [25:35]

—Lorelei Tibbetts on Animal Instinct

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