Talking Animals

Richard Couto— founder, chief executive director and lead investigator of the Animal Recovery Mission (ARM), the Miami-based organization that made international news recently by leading what’s been called “the largest tactical strike on extreme animal cruelty operations in U.S. history”—recounts what he views as a pivotal moment, a catalyst really, in making a full commitment to protect animals. He goes on to describe how, having gotten wind of his largely solo efforts early on to investigate and halt horse slaughter, Blackwater invited him to their facility, where they provided Couto Special Forces training. Couto elaborates on how his stint volunteering at the south Florida SPCA made him cognizant that when the organization’s investigations turned up illegal slaughterhouses and other nefarious operations, the enforcement was typically flimsy or nonexistent. He explains how this realization spurred him to create ARM. Focusing on ARM’s most recent and high-profile work, Couto outlines the planning, coordination,  and resources that went into the Oct. 13 raid at three animal slaughter farms and horse meat operations in Loxahatchee, Florida, noting that the official presence included 150 officers, 30-40 ARM members, as well as a number representing the USDA and other entities. Eight men were arrested and some 750 animals rescued, amid descriptions of sickening scenes at the farms, such as horses being carved up, pigs being boiled alive, animals being skinned alive, etc. Video footage shot by ARM documented many of these horrors. Couto expresses outrage over the news, only a few days old, that three of those arrested had been offered plea deals by the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s office, and only one of them was likely to serve any jail time. (After that hearing, Prosecutor Judy Arco was quoted in The Palm Beach Post saying “There’s absolutely not a single video, not any single piece of evidence, that horse slaughter occurred on any of these three farms.”) Couto also mentioned the new sanctuary ARM has opened, providing a facility for animals they rescue in their raids, how the organization is funded, and more. (www.animalrecoverymission.org)

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Gretchen Primack, a poet and animal advocate, whose poetry collection, “Kind,” focuses on animals, our relationships with them, as well as how we treat them and mistreat them. Primack was a past guest on “Talking Animals,” and we discussed “Kind” in some detail, but she has just published a revised edition of the book, featuring four new poems. At the end of our chat, she read one of those new poems, “Thanksgiving.” (www.gretchenprimack.com)

COMEDY CORNER: Eddie Izzard’s “Horse Whisperer”  (http://www.eddieizzard.com)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Elton John’s “Honky Cat”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TANov11.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Mark Reinfeld —the celebrated vegan chef and author who was slated to present a cooking demonstration a few days later at the Tampa Bay Veg Fest—discusses what he’s found, over the years, to be the biggest misconception about vegan eating. He addresses some of the largest challenges folks can face when first trying their hand at creating vegan meals (which, as a tangent, leads to Reinfeld noting that there are several exciting new advances in the realm of vegan cheeses). Reinfeld recounts some of his own challenges in the formative years of becoming a vegan chef—explaining that he began that journey after realizing law school wasn’t a good fit, and quitting, noting that his path toward vegetarianism and then vegan living dovetailed with the development of his culinary career. Reinfeld reveals his favorite 30-minute dish, and his favorite ingredients. He also offers a sneak preview of the cooking demonstration he would be presenting at the Tampa Bay Veg Fest on the forthcoming Saturday. He recalls the Blossoming Lotus, the late, great and highly acclaimed restaurant he launched in Kauai (it received an award naming it best restaurant on that Hawaiian island). And he provides an overview of newer ventures, such as the Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy in Miami, and the limited one-on-one Skype consulting he offers restaurateurs, aspiring cookbook authors, and others. (http://veganfusion.com)

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Dr. Melanie Butera, the veterinarian and adoptive “mom” to Dillie The Deer, the deer born blind, who lives with Butera and her husband. Dillie has her own room, from which there is a streaming online transmission via the DillieCam. Butera’s self-published book about Dillie was picked up by a major publishing house—she’s expanded and updated it, and it’s out now (www.dilliedeer.com)

 

COMEDY CORNER: Sebastian Maniscalco “Raccoons ” (part two)   (http://sebastianlive.com)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: The Beatles’ “Dig A Pony”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TANov4-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Once in a while, I set aside the chief element of the “Talking Animals” format—a long form interview with a single guest—to offer a debate or some other multi-guest panel discussion. As part of that effort, and a parallel desire to give voice to a broader array of animal organizations and leaders, as well as to listeners who also may have important animal-oriented information to announce or commentary on the news, etc.—I invite people to call into “Talking Animals” and, briefly, become the show’s guest. We placed 14 callers on the air, many of whom addressed, in one way or another, the recently-ended Florida bear. But this segment—in which I took the calls randomly and unscreened–also elicited a wonderful array of responses: From Eddie, who shared the cautionary tale, for animals and humans, of aluminum spraying (www.geoengineeringwatch.org)…to Marilyn, Executive Director of the League of Humane Voters in Florida, emphasizing the importance of being registered to vote and taking part in local issues and elections (www.lohv-fl.org)…to Jimmy, offering some information about cats who urinate on the bed or other soft materials (the cat may have a bladder infection) and the importance of regularly cleaning cats’ water bowls and re-supplying with fresh water (www.yogapets.com)…to Suzanne, of Florida Voices for Animals, describing the organization, some of the major events it produces (Tampa Bay Veg Fest, ThanksVegan) and mentioning that it’s seeking new members (www.floridavoicesforanimals.org)…to Bob, a puppy raiser with Canine Companions For Independence, announcing its big forthcoming family-friendly and dog-friendly local event, DogFest, to be held at USF Nov. 8, 11am-3pm. (www.cci.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1141718) There were other callers, as well as some emailers and texters—my thanks to all who participated.

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Jo-Anne McArthur, an award-winning photojournalist whose passion as an animal activist has informed her book, “We Animals,” and who is also the subject of an acclaimed documentary, “The Ghosts In Our Machine.” She provided a sneak preview of the presentation she will deliver at Tampa Bay Veg Fest, Nov. 7 at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park—also “The Ghosts In Our Machine” will be screened at Veg Fest. (http://weanimals.org, http://www.tampabayvegfest.org)

COMEDY CORNER: Joe Zimmerman’s “Pet Snakes” (part two) (http://www.zimmermancomedy.com)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: U2’s “An Cat Dubh” (Happy Halloween!)

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/TAOct28-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Bruce Cameron—the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including a string of canine-oriented novels, among them “A Dog’s Purpose,” which generated rapturous critical acclaim and sweeping commercial success—begins the conversation by describing his new publication, “The Dog Master: A Novel of the First Dog.” He explains the impetus for “The Dog Master,” recalling that he read that all dogs have wolf DNA in them, and struggled to reconcile that information with his sweet, 25-pound pooch, Tucker, “who’s afraid of plastic bags blowing in the wind.” This launched Cameron toward extensive research (“The Dog Master” carries a bibliography with 21 entries), he recalls, traveling back 30,000 years, and pondering—as the book later does—life amidst the Paleolithic period, imagining one primitive man’s singular kinship with a wolf; the titular first dog. He spends some time addressing that man, Mal, and the thinking behind conceiving the character, who is born with a birth defect, causing Mal to be ostracized, bullied, and ultimately—because he’s considered a curse to the tribe—banished. But, Cameron notes, these extraordinary circumstances enable Mal to domesticate and then train the wolf (that he calls Dog). He muses about what Mal represents to him, and to what extent “The Dog Master” functions as an allegory. Cameron talks a bit about the exciting developments surrounding “A Dog’s Purpose” being made into a feature film—he and his wife, screenwriter Cathryn Michon, wrote the screenplay, it’s being directed by Lasse Hallstrom (“Hachi: A Dog’s Tale,” “Chocolat,” “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”), the stars include Dennis Quaid and Peggy Lipton, with the voice of the dog provided by Bradley Cooper. Filming has begun, and in one of the first days, Hallstrom tweeted a photo from the set, showing one of the canine actors operating the camera. (www.brucecameron.com)

ALSO: I played back a brief interview I recorded two days earlier with Scott Blais, CEO of the Global Sanctuary for Elephants about its crowd funding campaign underway to build an Elephant Care Center in Brazil, part of its effort to provide sanctuary for elephants in South America. There was a matching challenge underway through Oct. 26, but the crowd funding campaign continues: www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-us-build-a-sanctuary-for-elephants#/ (www.globalelephants.org)

COMEDY CORNER: Sebastian Maniscalco’s “Possums.” (portion) (http://sebastianlive.com)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Dave Matthews Band’s “Ants Marching”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/TAOct21-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Neko Case—the singer-songwriter who has created a large, revered body of work, much of it laced with nature and animal themes—recalls how her lifelong kinship with animals began as a kid whose parents were infrequently present, so she spent a great deal of time with the household critters. And while Case might seem, fundamentally, like a dog person—she is often photographed with dogs, has advocated for and lived with retired racing greyhounds, she regularly touts the virtues of adopting shelter dogs, etc.—she clarifies that her heart currently belongs to an amazing-sounding cat named Marty. Case agrees that a couple of her best known animal songs—“The Tigers Have Spoken,” “People Got A Lotta Nerve”—that deal directly with animals in captivity are fueled by anger and contempt, dismissing the charade that such captive animal settings as marine theme parks and zoos offer educational value for children or otherwise yield conservation or scientific opportunities, when the habitats and settings are inherently artificial. Now living on a former dairy farm in Vermont, surrounded by dogs, Marty, chickens and a horse named Norman, she explains that she does not use a special method in writing songs about animals, approaching songs about them the way she undertakes creating them about humans. Case acknowledges that she realized her relentless touring schedule, in the wake of both her latest album, “The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You” and The New Pornographers’ newest record, “Brill Bruisers,” had become too relentless, and plans to pare back subsequent touring schedules. (Onstage, no matter how exhausted she may be, Case always seems good humored; sometimes, even a bit nutty: The last time I saw her perform, over this Labor Day weekend at Bumbershoot, she was wearing a safety vest…simply because it came with her new chain saw; my crummy phone photo, right) She describes “Truckdriver, Gladiator, Mule,” her eight-album, all-vinyl box set extravaganza, set to be released Nov. 13, but can be preordered now on her website, Amazon, etc—and she points out that download codes accompany the package, for those who want to go digital in lieu of, or in addition to, the vinyl. Additionally, Case addresses the many ways–in the midst of her own flourishing and immensely busy career–that recording and touring with The New Pornographers remain enormously important to her. (www.nekocase.com, www.facebook.com/nekocase)

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Ginger Boyd about her plans to open a cat café in St. Petersburg—cat cafes being eateries that first became popular in Asia, now found in metropolitan areas across the world, wherein patrons enjoy food and drink amidst a flock of felines. Boyd already has settled on the name for her café: Downtown Tabby. (www.facebook.com/downtowntabbystpete)

COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan’s “Fishing on T.V.” (http://brianregan.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Neko Case’s “The Tigers Have Spoken,” Neko Case’s “Maybe Sparrow,” Neko Case’s “People Got A Lotta Nerve,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Loudon Wainwright III’s “Dead Skunk”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/TAsept30-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Avalon Theisen—the 14-year-old Tampa environmentalist, animal advocate, and founder of Conserve It Forward—describes what Conserve It Forward is and does, and what prompted her to launch it 2010 (at age nine). She explains how the organization has evolved, including adding an element that reflects her growing interest in “a plant-based lifestyle,” noting that she’s working on developing an app that would help guide people through related information and choices. Theisen confirms that frogs, initially the core aspect of Conserve It Forward, remain a keen interest, explaining why they’re vitally important, including their status as an indicator species and recalling that through her affiliation with Dr. Kerry Kriger’s Save The Frogs national organization, she has for many years organized local Save The Frogs Day events. In response to the observation that Theisen appeared to have a very busy, very exciting summer of traveling and new adventures, she recounts some of those activities, including several days at Farm Sanctuary, attending the Youth Empowered Action Camp (where similarly bright, ambitious, change-minded teens dealt with such topics as bullying in schools, LGBTQ activism, interacting with the public, conservation and animal advocacy), and delivering a presentation about climate change at “Think eARTh: The Tampa Bay I Want To Inherit,” a multi-faceted children’s art initiative and educational program. She addresses a few of the many awards and honors she has received, and speculates where all her early work and accomplishments may be heading educationally and professionally.  (www.conserveitforward.org, www.facebook.com/ConserveItForwardWithAvalon?fref=ts)

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Julie Watkins, about a then-impending press conference and rally taking place in Orlando, addressing the Florida bear hunt, slated to begin Oct. 24, and statewide protests and other efforts designed to raise awareness about the hunt, and delay—if not halt—it. (http://stopflbearhunt.com, www.facebook.com/stopbearhunt)

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

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Bruce Springsteen’s version of “Froggie Went A Courtin’ ” (Happy Birthday, Bruce!)

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/TAsept23-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Catherine Doyle–Director of Science, Research and Advocacy for the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and a noted, veteran elephant advocate —explains what’s behind her longtime passion for working to improve the welfare of captive elephants, while noting, interestingly, that in her formative years in Chicago, she was a regular zoo visitor yet has no particular elephant recollection. Doyle addresses the work that falls under her sprawling job title, and outlines some of the research she’s conducted, including examining the long-term behavior of captive African elephants as well as keeper relationships with elephants. Given that this conversation was pegged to the fact that California appears poised to become the first state in the country to outlaw the bullhook (the fireplace poker-like rod that circus trainers and other use to “control” elephants)—and that Doyle worked tirelessly on, as did others—she discusses the particulars of this bill, Senate Bill 716, its implications, its likely influence on other states following suit, and more. She acknowledges consulting with other states to help them pass comparable bans, but opts not to reveal those states, so as not to derail those efforts. Doyle describes protective contact, the method for managing elephant behavior and care (without a bullhook, of course) used at PAWS, zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and other facilities—the key tenet of which is that elephant and keeper do not share the same space, that the keeper has contact with the elephant through a protective barrier. There is information on the PAWS website about how to urge California Governor Jerry Brown to sign Senate Bill 716–he has until early October to do so. (www.pawsweb.org/)

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Sean Manahan, head brewer at Flat 12 Bierwerks, an Indianapolis brewery that recently began producing beer for dogs—of course, this beer contains no alcohol, carbonation or hops. Manahan recalls how the idea for this brew came about—Flat 12 is a very dog-friendly operation—and how they unveiled the beer for dogs last month at a pet adoption event. (http://flat12.me)

COMEDY CORNER: Jim Gaffigan’s “I’m A Manatee” (portion) (www.jimgaffigan.com)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: The Beatles’ “Dig A Pony”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/TASept16-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Dr. Steven Tauber–Associate Professor and the Chair of the Department of Government & International Affairs at the University of South Florida, whose just-published book is “Navigating The Jungle: Law, Politics, and the Animal Advocacy Movement”—discusses how, because he experienced allergies and asthma as a child, he did not grow up with any animals. As an adult, Tauber began living with dogs, including his current best friend, Carmella, and over time, he explains, began to merge his growing interest in animals with his academic and research interests, which include judicial politics and behavior, race and politics, American government, and Constitutional law. He recalls how, upon contemplating that there was a notable hole in research at the intersection of some of these interests, he embarked on the path of writing “Navigating The Jungle,” which arrives as the first empirically-based analysis of how political forces shape animal law outcomes. Tauber addresses how, despite that some animal rights activists maintain that whoever is President doesn’t materially affect their triumphs or losses, some of the findings in his book demonstrate that it can make a tremendous difference if the President is Republican or Democratic. He also describes Steven Wise and Wise’s Nonhuman Rights Project (for which Tauber is a consultant) and that organization’s pioneering work, echoing a case study in the book in which the media coverage—and response on “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report”—of a NhRP suit is compared with that of a PETA suit. Tauber comments as well, through the prism of his book and its relevant findings, on the bear hunt scheduled to begin Oct. 24, and what legal steps could be taken to prevent it. (http://gia.usf.edu/faculty/stauber/)

COMEDY CORNER: Richard Jeni’s “Fred Robster” (www.richardjeni.com)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Jethro Tull’s “Mother Goose”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/TAsept9-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Cheri Thompson–founder of Healing Species, a South Carolina-based program that plucks rescue dogs from shelters and places them in a school program designed to reduce aggression and bullying, while increasing empathy in those classrooms—discusses her formative years as an animal lover and being that kid who tended to sick or injured animals that turned up in the neighborhood.Thompson recalls how, later, while in law school, a criminal law class noted that two common characteristics of violent criminal are that they were abused as children, and that they harmed animals then. This provoked the light bulb moment that launched Thompson on the path to, in 1999, create Healing Species—a preemptive strike against part of this pattern, by forging a positive relationship, if not bond, between animals and children (who are often at-risk children). Thompson explains the rationale behind not only focusing on rescue dogs for Healing Species, but ones that sometimes have a troubled past—and why they don’t provide these dogs obedience training. She outlines the lesson plan taught over the course of the 12-week curriculum, and observes the impact it commonly has on the students…including, in some cases, safely encouraging them to report abuse they’re experiencing. Thompson addresses an independent study that found, after a Healing Species 12-week course, classroom suspensions decreased 55%, acts of aggression decreased 62% and acts of empathy increased 42%. She notes that the Healing Species program has been implemented in a growing number of areas, including Austin, Texas, Madison, Wisconsin, San Diego, Buffalo County, Nebraska and Nelson, New Zealand. (www.healingspecies.com)

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Phil Fulton, who works for the Calgary Humane Society, which recently launched a campaign to spur adoption of older cats, with a tongue-in-check video, starring Fulton, likening those cats to used cars…calling them “pre-owned cats,” and so on. A very clever, very effective video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j29NGpo6rnA   (www.calgaryhumane.ca)

COMEDY CORNER: Kevin Nealon’s “Cows On The Roof” (http://kevinnealon.com)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/TAsept2-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Dr. Anne Lampru — a Tampa-based holistic veterinarian who has practiced for more than 30 years —discusses the formative stages of her career, including graduating from Auburn University Veterinary School, with an academic emphasis on treating zoo animals and a corresponding professional ambition, which is what first brought her to Tampa. Lampru (who, it should be noted in the spirit of full disclosure, is married to Ed Greene, longtime host of “The Freak Show” on WMNF) recalls how her career plans changed, at first working at a standard small animal office, and how a short time into working within the realm of a conventional veterinary practice, she became disenchanted with the long-term results of treating animals that way. After attending a conference in Austin for holistic veterinarians—and immediately thereafter, a conference on acupuncture—she plotted a different career course, becoming certified in veterinary acupuncture by way of launching a holistic-oriented practice, now called Animal Alternatives. Lampru speaks to the sorts of ailments most commonly treated by veterinary acupuncture, as well as ones that might seem surprising, such as some allergies. She also articulates her deep reservations about vaccinations. And in response to a specific question I posed, Lampru compares and contrasts how a holistic veterinarian would approach treating a cat with renal disease relative to how a conventional vet would do so. She responds to an array of listener questions about their animals’ ailments, treatments, etc. (www.animalalternativestampa.com/)

COMEDY CORNER: To give us more time for Dr. Lampru to field listener questions, I decided to forgo the Comedy Corner today.

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Cream’s version of “Cat’s Squirrel” (Happy 75th Birthday, Ginger Baker!)

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: http://www.talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/TAAug19-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window