What happens when two arachnophobic podcast hosts interview one of the internet’s most loved spider moms? Well it was better than we expected! Madison is the creator of @jumping.spooders, an Instagram/TikTok/YouTube account that celebrates jumping spiders. Jumping spiders are the largest family of spiders at 13% of all species, and Madison’s posts show us what makes them unique – not just among spiders but all critters. We chat with her about how she became a spider mom, best practices for taking care of her “spoodies,” Halloween, and why spiders deserve the same love and respect that we give our pets. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did, and be sure to check out Madison’s YouTube page here!

The spooky season is upon us! And to kick it off, we’re welcoming Jennifer Stott, the founder of the Massachusetts Black Cat Rescue, to the show! Jennifer was inspired to start the rescue based on her personal love for black cats as well as the unique challenges that black cats face when it comes to adoption. To date, her rescue has helped over 500 black cats find homes that celebrate them for who they are, proving that there’s nothing unlucky about these dark furred felines. This also happens to be Julia’s first solo interview – and don’t worry, Anya is back for the others! – and join her and Jennifer as they chat about the myths behind black cats, what it means to start a rescue, and why Halloween is so important for their work. To learn more about the Black Cat rescue and how to support them, check out http://blackcatrescue.com/ 

We know that Fall has arrived when the NYC squirrels are a little more nuts than usual, which brings us to our first guest in our series of Autumn Animals – Peanut the Squirrel! Peanut was a baby when his mom was hit by a car and he was picked up by animal lover Mark Longo. Mark cared for Peanut at his home in CT and then tried to release him back into the wild. But after getting attacked on his first day by himself, Peanut decided that he was done with the wilderness and was moving back in with Mark. Today, they’re an inseparable pair who spend their days making breakfast, taking naps, and delighting the internet with their adventures. Join us as we sit down with Mark to hear about Peanut’s story, the rollercoaster ride of living with a squirrel, and the tremendous impact that Peanut has had on Mark’s journey with mental health.

Smokey the Bear, watch out! Because Penny the Fire Pig is taking over as the new face of fire safety! Penny is a mini pig who spends most days hanging out with her dad and other firefighters at Engine Co. 239 in Brooklyn, NY. When she’s not delighting her neighbors with her cuteness, she’s painting pictures at the firehouse with her snout. This pig’s talents have not been overlooked and Penny has recently embarked on a slew of creative projects including a children’s book and some soon-to-be-announced Hollywood appearances. Join us as we oink it up with Darren and Penny. FYI her appearance rider includes Cheerios and her own seat on the plane. 

Pavlov is a spunky Pembroke Welsh Corgi who lives his best life in Los Angeles with his parents Anthony and Tram, and his fur brother Maslow. It’s fitting for Pavlov that his homebase is also the home of Hollywood, because Pavlov was one of the original Instagram dogs whose photos first captured people’s hearts in the early teen aughts. And while he gets some credit for his rise to fame on Instagram and Twitter, credit is also due to Anthony and Tram who worked tirelessly at creating quality, funny, and authentic content for Pavlov’s fans. On this show, we talk with Anthony about why it’s harder now than ever to grow a dog’s social account, the impact that Pavlov’s content had on Anthony and Tram’s relationship, and who has the best wigglebutt, Corgis or Aussies! 

It's Fashion Week in NYC, and what better way to celebrate than with a dog stylist who herself strutted the catwalk on Queer Eye! That's right, we're sitting down with doggy entrepreneur and groomer Rahanna Gray, whose life forever changed when the Fab Five visited her at her home in Philly to give her and her mobile dog grooming business -- Stylish Pooch -- a makeover. Join us as we talk about her infamous grooming van, doggy cuts gone wrong, and what it was like to be on one of the most loved TV shows. (And catch her episode on Queer Eye S5 Ep.2) 

Meet journalist and social media strategist Sophie Vershbow! Sophie and her rescue pup Upper West Simon have delighted New Yorkers and beyond with their daily adventures and Simon’s adorable – and somewhat unusual – presence. In addition to running social strategy for some major companies, Sophie is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Esquire, Vogue, Newsweek and more. And while for years she wrote about mental health and other topics top of mind for Millennials, Sophie has turned her attention to something else near and dear to her: dog life. Just recently, Sophie teamed up with DAME Magazine to launch The Companion Chronicles newsletter, which features interviews with writers, actors, activists, politicians, and beloved internet personalities about their canine companions. Join us as we talk all things New York dog mom and more with Sophie!

What a joy it was to sit down with Hollywood producer Michael Levitt to hear about how his life and career went to the dogs – literally! – after he adopted his first rescue pup. One rescue pittie later, Michael took his talent for producing live TV shows and created Cause For Paws: An All Star Dog Spectacular, a prime-time event that promoted awareness for dog-related issues and shelter rescue. He then produced the American Dog Rescue Show, a two-hour special in which rescued dogs from all across the country competed in categories including Best In Underbite, Best In Snoring, Best In Belly Rubs and more. Join us as Michael takes us on his journey through Hollywood and his insights into what it means to rescue a dog and some amazing tips for doing so. 

It’s Shark Week over here at Furfluencers HQ, and we’re excited to welcome Great White conservationist and storyteller Monique Fallows to the show! Monique is the co-founder of Apex Predator Tours in South Africa, a children’s book author, and has been a longtime contributor to the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week series. In this episode, Monique takes us through her very personal encounters with Great White Sharks (especially with her three favorite Great Whites), why people are not on a shark’s menu, and the impact that storytelling can have for sharks and marine life around the world. We also hear about her upcoming book – Sandi and the Salty Dogs – inspired by her pets’ real life experiences with dolphins, sharks, seals, and more.   

The 2018 documentary Catwalk: Tales From the Cat Show Circuit follows a competitive season in the lives of two top cat fanciers, Shirley and Kim, and their prize-winning felines: Oh La La - the regal Red Persian, and Bobby, the rambunctious white Turkish Angora. In this episode, we sit down with one of the directors, Aaron Hancox, to get the scoop on the origins of the film, what happened behind the camera, and their sequel film Catwalk 2: The Comeback Cats (releasing Aug. 12th in the U.S.)!