Actress Sylva Kelegian not only guests this week, but she is also our Hero Person. Changing focus from acting to animals, she’s on a mission to reduce the homeless population in LA. She wrote a book about her journey. Also, there is not much out there to make taking college finals fun, but Iowa State University found a way to make them a bit less stressful. Pet therapy.  ISU set up a room at the library where stressed out students could come in and spend some time playing and petting a group of dogs. Also, Fat Pets - Fat Pet Parents. Chances are your New Years resolution has something to do with weight-loss. We should also be thinking about our pets too. They become very sedentary during the winter and putting on the pounds is not uncommon. Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker has a plan for you and your poochy-pet. Also, the Barths, were moving from Virginia to Hawaii. Just before they were ready to go their cat “Mee Mowe” disappeared. They postponed their move for three days hoping that she would show up. They finally had to go. They got to Hawaii and 36 days later their belongings arrived. They heard a very faint meow coming from one of the boxes.  Yup, there was Mee Mowe. And finally, Britt Savage has tips on naming and teaching your dog their name. Many dogs think their name is “Max get out of the trash” because we don’t use it properly.

1253. Study Says: Fat Pets = Fat Pet Parents

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Most of us wonder what our dog does when we leave the house. Most imagine that they’ll curl up and sleep until we return. Mike the Intern put a GoPro Video Camera on his dog, “Guinness.” What he saw when he reviewed the video went viral on YouTube. He’s our guest and he’ll explain the inspiration behind his experiment. Also, this week’s Hero Person rescues large breed dogs. These are often the last at the shelter and have nowhere to go. Candace Bright devotes a lot of time and her paycheck from waitressing to make sure these big dogs are taken care of. Also, Company of Animals’ Dr. Roger Mugford joins us from “across the pond” to explain why Europeans embrace the muzzle more than U.S. pet owners. Perhaps it’s time to change the way we think about these tools. Also, did you know your dog’s stinky breath could be because of dental disease? And did you know dental disease could affect your pet’s organs and be fatal? Find out why your friend’s breath makes you tear. Also, it’s a more common question than you might think. Can our pets get car-sickness? Just like us, our dogs can get dizzy and throw-up. But determining whether it’s a genuine sickness or just a phobia of traveling can be difficult. Dr. Debbie has answers.

1274. What Our Dogs Do When We're Gone

Our Hero Person segment features the heartwarming story about a kitten that was abandoned on a highway and rescued by Keri Lamar. She was driving when all of a sudden a kitten flew by hear windshield. Keri tells the rest of the story. Also, every dog owner should have several basic training tools. Founder of the Animal Behavior Centre and inventor of the Halti, Dr. Roger Mugford will be explaining what you need to train your dog to sit, stay and come. Also, Australian Anthony Amos has loaded his large family in an RV. He’s towing a giant fiberglass blue dog. Inside the eye-catching vehicle is a shampoo and grooming facility. He’s setting course to cross the U.S. washing 25,000 dogs with 100% of the proceeds going to local shelters. Also, as an animal lover you’ve probably spent hours contemplating the fabric of your next sofa. Consider how their hair shows up on the upholstery as well as whether it will embed itself in the weave and be difficult to clean. Consider how the fabric will react to their nails, and, you’ll want to make sure you choose a fabric that is fairly easy to clean off the drool marks and paw prints. Also, Lady Gaga showed us her talents clearly go beyond music and outlandish outfits. Animal Radio hears she is working on a line of pet products inspired by her dog Asia. Gaga will be the artistic director for the canine collection, which will feature pet clothing and accessories, toys and food bowls. Perhaps she’ll create an outfit of meat that will double as a treat? Probably not.

1273. This Week's Hero Person Stops Highway Traffic To Save Kitten

Chicago Realtor Jason Feldman specializes in selling homes to and for pet-owners. If you’re trying to sell your home after many years of “pet-life,” he’ll have tips for making it more appealing to the buyer. He says sometimes pet-owners become immune to the smell, so it’s advisable to bring in a third party to assess the situation. Also, Joey Villani (The Dogfather) reviews the last grooming trade show and the strange accessories including fake eyelashes for your dog, fingernail polish and wigs. Some might think this is for the hardened pet lover who may be just a little nutty for their pet. And they’re probably right. Also, have you ever known an animal that didn’t want to sleep in the bed with you? Neither do we. So how lucky are this couple’s five cats and two dogs? They made a gigantic 11-foot wide bed that takes up most of their bedroom, but is big enough to share with all of their pets! Also, Camden County, New Jersey has voted unanimously to prohibit pet stores from selling animals from puppy mills. The representatives say they are standing up for animals of their county and want to ensure no one is profiting off the inhumane treatment of puppy mills. Several other counties and towns have inquired about the legislation and enacting it in their areas. Also, a study has found that, infants who share a home with furry pets were found to share some of the animals’ gut bacteria - which might possibly explain why exposing children to animals early in life may protect kids against some allergies.

1272. Selling And Buying Pet Friendly Homes

Every time you enter the pet food aisle, manufacturers are vying for your patronage and their share of the 21 BILLION dollar pet-food sector. They will do just about anything to get your business, except make a truly human edible food. No wonder, only four companies account for 67% of the marketplace. Susan Thixton will tell you the lies the pet-food companies want you to believe. Also, harnessing the power of the Internet for good, Maresa Fanelli pioneered the pet lost and found database for Columbus, Ohio in 1998. Today she’s the driving force behind Pets Found By Internet, reuniting lost animals all across America. She explains how it works and families she’s reunited. Also, Blue Cross pet charity conducted a survey of pet owners and found that they tend to earn nearly $5,000 a year more than those without an animal and are more likely to work full time. They are also happier in general, spend more time with their families and have jobs they enjoy. Lori Brooks reports on this new research and has some illuminating results. Also, Moosie a 2-year-old gray tabby cat has been reunited with his family after he miraculously survived a two-month journey trapped inside a mattress when his owners moved from Texas to Alaska. A moving company left with the military families belongings while the family stayed behind and spent three more days in Texas searching for Moosie. Turns out, Moosie was already en route to Alaska— inside a futon mattress.

1271. Pet Food Companies Are Feeding You Lies - The Pet FBI Visits Animal Radio

Legendary first baseman Steve Garvey is back for his third time to explain his relationship with his 140 pound Rottweiler, among other things. Steve is now working closely to help the Lucy Pet Foundation score a home run. He won't be talking politics! Also, everybody loves cat videos. Rachel Gitlin figures that her creation, Cats vs. Cancer, will use the power of cat videos to raise money, through advertising, to help assist in the fight against human cancer. She’ll explain the model and tell you how you can help too. Also, attorney Debra Hamilton gave up practicing litigation law to focus on the animals. As a mediator, she negotiates peaceful resolutions to pet-related discourse. Besides the obvious, divorce and pet-custody issues, she also deals with bad breeders and pet trusts. Also, looking for a link to help explain mental illness, new research shows that growing up with a family cat is a commonality among people who develop schizophrenia. Also, dogs are used in all kinds of ways to help humans feel better, emotionally. Funeral directors say dogs, especially trained therapy animals, can lighten the often awkward, tense atmosphere at a wake or funeral service and sometimes seem to know exactly who needs their help. Also, the German Cemetery Association is offering pets and people adjoining urn spaces. The cost is between $1,100-1,600. Although the ashes of pet owners and their animals will now have the chance to sit side by side, cremations are still legally required to be carried out separately.

1253. Study Says: Fat Pets = Fat Pet Parents

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