Talking Animals

James Terry—Hernando County Animal Services Manager and one of the organizers of the Mega Pet Adoption Event, to be held May 17-19 at the Hernando County Fairgrounds, offering upwards of 700 dogs and cats—explains how the idea for the extravaganza came together:

a coalition of leaders of Florida county animal shelters, in which Scott Trebatoski, Director of Hillsborough County Pet Resources, noted that he had participated in a similarly towering adoption extravaganza in his previous job, running the Jacksonville shelter. So, Terry recounts, the directors from Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Citrus and Hernando counties pooled efforts and resources to organize the Mega Pet Adoption Event, at which all animals  available for adoption will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and micro chipped. Terry discusses a further enticement: Thanks to sponsorships from Best Friends Animal Society and Pet Resources Foundation, Inc., adoption fees will be waived at the Mega Pet Adoption Event. He goes on to describe the logistics of the day—two large buildings devoted to dogs (arranged by size, in crates), and another building earmarked for cats—attendees will be allowed to bring their own dogs, so as to gauge how the present dog(s) get along with the potential adopted dog, there will be free parking at the Fairgrounds, and more. (https://www.hernandocounty.us/departments/departments-a-e/animal-services, https://www.facebook.com/events/437302286814258/)

 

 

Laurie Wolf—a wildlife photographer who lives in the area I do: Jupiter Farms, FL—recalls how, and when, she started taking pictures. Wolf touches on her painting and other artwork, for which the photography served as source material, but in the last five years, she notes, has taken on a life of its own, and become its own primary pursuit. She relates how she approaches a shooting day, typically accompanied by her husband—including the perhaps most jarring detail: They go to bed at 6pm and get up at 2am, explaining that they often drive three to four hours to reach that day’s location, and the early mornings are crucial for capturing the critters amidst breaking daylight. Some days, though, they don’t have to travel any further than their backyard: They installed boxes there, which have spawned tenants of various kinds of fauna, from wood ducks to screech owls to squirrels. Indeed, one of these boxes was the site of a recent, now-famous photo—an eastern screech owl in her nest with a baby duck—Wolf narrates the tale of seeing this improbable sight (her husband saw it first), photographing it, posting it on Facebook, where it quickly went viral, prompting the National Geographic to run the photo, alongside a story about the shot and Wolf. She also offers us iPhone-wielding amateur photographers a few tips for shooting better picture of animals and birds. (http://wildworksgallery.com/index.html) [Photo at top & other wildlife photos: Laurie Wolf]

COMEDY CORNER: Sean Donnelly’s “I Love My Bulldog” (http://seandonnellycomedy.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme, instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On The Wire”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/TAMay1.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Renee King-Sonnen—the founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, the former beef cattle ranch that under her direction (insistence, really, after going vegan) became a farm sanctuary—reflects on being an inveterate animal lover, to the extent that she recalls, as a kid, holding funeral ceremonies for dirt daubers. In response to the observation that she appears to have had more careers than most people could cram into two lifetimes, she outlines the evolution of her earlier life as a professional singer and recording artist (the beginning of which involved telling a “white lie” to bookers and promoters about her band, which didn’t yet exist), going on to produce other artists and a musical, “Jezebel.” She also notes other employment over the years, including stints as a realtor and owner of a wellness spa; King-Sonnen has practiced—and taught—yoga for decades.  In a sense, all these experiences constituted a prelude to moving to Angleton, Texas with her new-again husband, Tommy, (the couple had married, divorced, and remarried), after he had retired from Dow Chemical and bought the 96-acre cattle ranch. His plan was to use the profits from the operation to supplement his retirement income—she “begrudgingly” moved there with him, she says, not crazy about giving up her realtor gig or moving to the ranch. She came around, albeit in a difficult way, she remembers, after seeing calves loaded in trucks after being sold for slaughter—and hearing their moms cry for days afterward—an upsetting episode that played out repeatedly, pushing her toward the conversion to veganism, and ultimately, the transformation of the ranch to Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. She describes the business plan that supplanted the cattle ranch enterprise, explains the Rancher Advocacy Program, reveals that Rowdy Girl Sanctuary is relocating to a 147-acre spread about an hour or so outside of Austin, and more. (https://rowdygirlsanctuary.org,  https://www.facebook.com/VeganJournalOfARanchersWife/)

 

ALSO: I played back the interview I’d recorded the previous day with 10-year-old animal advocate Nolan Martinez, who had spoken at the recent hearing held by Florida’s Fish & Wildlife Commission to express his views—very much against—elephant rides. He discussed how he became concerned about animals and their welfare, protests he’s participated in (Ringling Bros., SeaWorld), how his friends don’t share these concerns, but they do share his other interests, including sports (football is Nolan’s favorite).

 

COMEDY CORNER:  Tom Papa’s “Pet People” (http://tompapa.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme, instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Adam & The Ants’—“Antmusic”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TAApril17.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Steve Mornelli—the founder and CEO of Waggle, a crowdfunding website dedicated to helping animals in need of veterinary care whose families cannot afford their bills—recalls being an animal lover since he was a kid, living with pets at all phases of his life, including while he was in college and grad school. Still, he notes, he didn’t imagine doing anything professionally  tied to his passion for pets, until he experienced a “transformative moment,” which ultimately led to the launch of Waggle. Acknowledging that it hasn’t been uncommon over the years to see crowdfunding campaigns for sick or injured pet, Mornelli outlines some key differences in the way Waggle operates, including removing the possibility of fraud or abuse by ensuring that monies raised go directly to the veterinarian or animal hospital that is associated with that Waggle campaign. In addition to devising a system with those protections in place, Waggle has further distinguished itself, Mornelli explains, by aligning itself with sponsors such as Maddie’s Fund and Greater Good, and assembling a board of advisors. Mornelli walks us through the mechanics of how someone would seek Waggle’s help, noting that currently there is a $2000 cap on the organization’s assistance for a given campaign, and he recounts his favorite case thus far of helping defray the cost of a vet bill. (https://waggle.org, https://wagglefoundation.org)

COMEDY CORNER:  Daniel Sloss’ “Gay Penguins” (https://danielsloss.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme, instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play Name That Animal Tune today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TAApril10.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Dr. Frans de Waal—the primatologist, ethologist, and prolific author, most recently of “Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves”—cites some stories from the new book, in response to a question about a hypothetical person who’s heard about “Mama’s Last Hug,” and remains deeply skeptical about its core premise: that animals experience an array of emotions, just as human animals do. He addresses that sort of skepticism, including the taboos for many years in the scientific community regarding studying—or even acknowledging—animal emotions. He discusses Mama, the book’s titular chimpanzee, recounting the powerful, poignant scene he paints to open the book: Mama, a major, matriarchal figure of a large chimp colony at the Royal Burgers’ Zoo in Holland, was elderly, frail, on her deathbed…and when her old friend, biologist Jan Van Hooff enters, Mama smiled broadly, screamed out happily, reached for Van Hooff’s head, patting him, stroking his hair, appearing to comfort him. Given that the animals mentioned in the book—and the stories that underscore the range of emotions they express—are predominantly captive, he speculates, by way of a question posed to him, about the differences that may exist in emotional responses when the animals are in the wild. De Waal addresses the concept of reconciliation, which drew his interest decades ago, when he was a young student…the phenomenon of (and reasons behind) the disproportionate attention paid to chimpanzees over bonobos from scientists, researchers, writers, and others…and the ongoing question of whether, when dog owners return home to a mess (or worse), and their resident canine might look guilty—is that animal actually feeling guilty? (http://www.emory.edu/LIVING_LINKS/people/dewaal.shtml)

ALSO: I spoke with Amber Simpson, one of the organizers of the 9th Annual Tampa Vegan Bake Sale, slated to be held April 13 at Mojo Books & Records, once again setting up a multifaceted Record Store Day. Simpson explains that all proceeds from the Bake Sale are directed to the care of homeless and feral cats. (https://www.facebook.com/events/252553382288250/)

 

COMEDY CORNER:  Julio Torres’ “I Am Vegan” (http://spaceprincejulio.tumblr.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme, instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play Name That Animal Tune today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TAApril3.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Bruce Friedrich—the co-founder and executive director of The Good Food Institute (GFI), which promotes plant-based dairy, eggs, and so-called clean meat, as alternatives to those items as produced by animal agriculture (factory farming)—outlines how, starting at age 12, he toiled on behalf of the homeless, inspired by an influential pastor and his faith. In response to an observation that he apparently really prized education, and really excelled at it—Phi Beta Kappa (and triple major) undergrad, Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins University, J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center—Friedrich addresses his great passion for learning, for reading new material and discussing or writing about it, noting he’s also quite competitive. He describes how he first came to know about PETA, hit it off in his first meeting with co-founder/president Ingrid Newkirk (saying they’re both “Type A, hard workers”), was, in fact, hired in that meeting, beginning a 13-year stint at the organization, 1996 to 2009. Friedrich assesses what he would point to as his biggest triumphs—the biggest successes that happened at PETA under his purview. Moving into the present, he provides an overview of what The Good Food Institute is and its multifaceted mission, including responding to my hypothetical scenario that I’ve developed a plant-based sushi that’s delicious and, I believe, is ready to scale—walking me through the steps GFI would undertake to help my fictional start up, and the obligations along the way that I would need to fulfill. Friedrich also observes that Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger represent game changers in this realm, and touches on the growth that GFI itself anticipates, including internationally. (https://www.gfi.org)

ALSO: I spoke with Arin Greenwood, the journalist and author, whose latest novel, “Your Robot Dog Will Die,” had just been released in paperback. Greenwood provided a basic synopsis of the book, a coming-of-age tale set against a backdrop of animal welfare issues—a world she knows well, and cares deeply about, from years of writing about it for The Huffington Post, The Today Showwebsite, The Washington Post, among others. Her current job, as Senior Writer for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, precludes her from continuing to write those sorts of articles.  (https://www.aringreenwood.com https://www.facebook.com/aringreenwood)

COMEDY CORNER:  Joe Zimmerman’s “Bigfoot Enthusiast” (http://www.zimmermancomedy.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme, instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play Name That Animal Tune today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/TAMarch27-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

It’s all too rare for “Talking Animals” guests to join me in studio–I typically interview them by phone or, occasionally, via Skype. So it was an uncommon treat to stand across from Nancy Murrah—the CEO of The Raptor Center of Tampa Bay—while we chatted on-air, and even more uncommon that during this conversation, Murrah was holding a red-tailed hawk named Matilda. At the outset, Murrah explained exactly what a raptor is, what the key traits are, and what these birds’ prey typically is. She also touches on the raptors that would be involved in falconry. Murrah recounted how she got interested in raptors, tracing her path of joining the Audubon Society, to becoming exposed to—and enchanted by—the birds she’s become so devoted to rescuing and rehabbing, to how she ended up as the honcho of the Raptor Center (all under the watchful eye of Matilda). She addressed the number of raptors (and other wildlife) treated byThe Raptor Center in a given year, the circumstances that lead to a raptor needing rehab, the most common injuries—and the monumental logistical challenges of nursing these birds back to health sans an actual rehabilitation facility, which means Raptor Center volunteers have to drive great distances each week to other Florida facilities outfitted with flight cages and other equipment. She went on to elaborate on the need for the Raptor Center to have its own fully-equipped facility, and outlined the three-stage plan to create one. To help underwrite this plan, there are various fundraising measures on the horizon, including the inaugural Wonders of Wildlife Festival, taking place March 23 at E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin, and Murrah described some of the educational programs, animal shows, and exhibits that will be offered at the Festival. She also noted that the Raptor Center welcomes new volunteers with all sorts of backgrounds, interests, and skills. (http://www.raptorcenteroftampa.org, https://www.facebook.com/events/240626406831559/)

The interview with Nancy Murrah (& Matilda) streamed on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/duncan.strauss/videos/10157583703234218/

ALSO: I spoke with Susana Arneson, director of development at The Humane Society of the Nature Coast. She discussed how the 50-year-old organization has essentially run out of space to accommodate all the animals they want to help, have a campaign underway to expand their facilities, and have various fundraising efforts in place to finance that campaign—including a golf event on March 28. (https://humanerescue.org, https://www.facebook.com/events/986304241493318/)

COMEDY CORNER:  Andy Ritchie’s  “Balthazar”

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme, instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Little Feat’s “Dixie Chicken”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/TAMarch13-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

In this edition of “Talking Animals,” I continued playing back the conversation with Dr. Temple Grandin that I began airing on last week’s show. To review, this was an interview with Dr. Temple Grandin I conducted at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, TX on Feb. 1. Again, the format echoed the approach when I held a similar conversation with Grandin at the Paramount four years ago: I mostly asked my own questions, and periodically incorporated questions I selected from those submitted through the Paramount website. Today’s portion includes the remainder of that interview, then presents what turned out to be a longer than expected audience Q&A segment. I should note that there are parts of the Q&A that involve a few less-than-stellar audio moments, including the beginning, where the two microphones placed in the theater for audience members, were not turned on initially. And there weren’t any microphones positioned in the balcony of the theater, so a few people there–who wanted to pose questions to Grandin–shouted them to her. But, overall, it worked well, and sounded fine. And there were a number of good questions asked, including  by folks on the spectrum. I moderated this Q&A session. Or tried to.   (https://www.templegrandin.com)

 

ALSO: I spoke with Brad Myers, organizer of the inaugural Plant Headz Farmer’s Market, slated for March 10, 10am to 4pm, at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center. A musician and vegan chef, Myers has described Plant Headz as a “plant-based market—like the combination of a mini Veg Fest and a Farmer’s Market.” The event will include hot, made-to-order food, prepared foods and desserts, organic lemonade & popcorn, jewelry, cooking demonstration, lots of live music, and more.   (https://www.facebook.com/events/556099711574585/)

 

COMEDY CORNER:  Chris Porter’s  “Vegan Date” (portion) (http://chrisporterisfunny.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme, instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play “Name That Animal Tune” today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/TAMarch6.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

This unusual edition of “Talking Animals” featured the first portion of an interview with Dr. Temple Grandin I conducted Feb. 1 in front of 1200 people at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, TX.

Grandin is the professor of animal science at Colorado State University, consultant, prolific author and speaker, subject of the Emmy-winning HBO film, and renowned expert on autism who, of course, is herself autistic. Echoing the format when I held a similar conversation at the Paramount four years ago, I asked Grandin questions of my own devising, and periodically incorporated queries that were submitted for her through the Paramount’s website. So, the discussion, particularly in this portion, dealt chiefly with autism—from what to do when someone on the spectrum is (or isn’t) diagnosed, to what to seek at schools, to what sorts of jobs and skills Grandin feels those on the spectrum should pursue, the importance of mentors, the HBO film about Grandin’s life (shot in Austin), and its accurate depiction of how she thinks in pictures, and much more. The interview was deftly recorded by Austin cinematographer, director, and editor Dustin Svehlak. (https://www.templegrandin.com)

 

 

COMEDY CORNER:  Matt Braunger’s  “Panda Butler” (portion) (https://www.mattbraunger.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” EELS’ “Flyswatter,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play “Name That Animal Tune” today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TAFeb27.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Chris Poole—a Tampa resident best known, as he describes it, being owned by feline phenoms Cole and Marmalade—remembers growing up in Nottingham, England and his family having an array of pets, including his first black cat, Sarah. Poole recalls landing an internship at Big Cat Rescue, in Tampa, which sounded appealing, as an animal-loving young Englishman: undertaking various tasks at the Florida sanctuary for abused, abandoned, and orphaned big cats. Sometime later, Pool says, he learned there was a job opening at Big Cat Rescue for a videographer, applied, was hired, and spent the next few years living in a trailer on the sanctuary grounds, shooting all sorts of video pieces. During this time, Poole explained, he heard about a tiny, skinny, flea-infested that a friend found on the side of the road in Pasco County. He adopted this frail black cat, and nursed him back to health. Poole notes that once he learned that black cats are typically the last ones to be adopted from shelters–and, likewise, are euthanized at higher rates than other cats–he made and posted a video, “10 Reasons To Adopt A Lucky Black Cat,” which elicited strong response and a huge number of views. (Though impossible to quantify precisely, the clip likely boosted the number of black-cat adoptions.) Then came Marmalade, among a litter of kittens that people living nearby were trying to get absorbed into a feral colony. Poole and his wife, Jessica, adopted the orange tabby, and the videographer shot a piece documenting the two cats’ introduction, “When Cole Met Marmalade…” which drew more than 2.4 million views! It was a whole new ballgame, and probably marks the beginning of the Cole and Marmalade phenomenon—at this point, across the cats’ Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube accounts, they have more than three million followers. Poole addresses some of the good works they seek to do through messaging—including the importance of adoption, spay/neuter, avoiding the declaw procedure, etc.–to that large following, as well as helping cats &/or their humans, who are facing a significant medical, financial or other challenge. (http://coleandmarmalade.com)

Here’s the Facebook Live stream of the interview with Chris Poole:

ALSO: I spoke with Ornella Varchi, Chief Development Officer of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, who provided an update on the organization’s progress and plans for the building of its new shelter—which will be more than twice the size of the current shelter, and equipped with new features and amenities, including air conditioning—as they enter the final fundraising phase. (https://humanesocietytampa.org/shelter-them/)

COMEDY CORNER:  Dana Gould “Snakes & Alligators” (portion) (http://danagould.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Los Lobos’ “Will The Wolf Survive?”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TAFeb20-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Neko Case—the acclaimed singer-songwriter-guardian who’s long incorporated nature and animal themes into her work—discusses Marty, the cat that owned her heart (Case is famously a dog nut) when we spoke on the show in 2015.

L

Sadly, it turns out Marty has passed, but Case observes that the way Marty lived—projecting an I’m-super-comfortable-with-myself joie de vivre—served as a powerful role model, and still resonates. She touches on the slow restoration progress at her Vermont farmhouse after being seriously damaged in a 2017 fire. As someone who has adopted several retired racing greyhounds over the years, Case enthused about Florida having passed the constitutional amendment that phases out greyhound racing in the state by 2020. She talks about how the current tour is going, and explains why her previous tours have so rarely included any Florida dates (the then-forthcoming stint included five shows in Florida). We address her Twitter feed, which is particularly rich, varied, and great—which  leads us to a pretty serious conversations about the multiple virtues of Twitter, especially when used the way Case does, as “a listening tool,” as a means to learn, as a way to hear and amplify important voices, etc. The Neko Case interview aired in the latter half of the show, while the first half was mostly devoted to “Callers As Guests,” a break from format that I pursue once every year or so, in which listeners are invited to call in and talk briefly about their animal organization, an adoption event or fundraiser, developments in animal news or welfare, etc. (https://nekocase.com)

COMEDY CORNER:  Jen Grant’s “Pet Chimp” (portion) (http://www.jengrant.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Neko Case’s “Last Lion Of Albion,”  Neko Case’s “People Got A Lotta Nerve,”  instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play “Name That Animal Tune” today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TAJan30.mp3 | Open Player in New Window