Talking Animals

Mark Emery—one of the cinematographers, and the narrator, on the new documentary “Wild Florida,” part of the PBS series, “Nature”—addresses the early part of his career as a wildlife filmmaker, and how he may have been singularly equipped for it, growing up in Ocala, Florida. Elaborating, he says his childhood cultivated an early love for exploring outdoors and observing assorted animals, and the resulting familiarity with various critters’ movements and behavior proved enormously helpful when it came time to efficiently film those animals. Emery notes that he still lives in Ocala, part of the year, spending the other part in Alaska—and has traveled to some 30-plus countries to work on films. He addresses how the “Wild Florida” filmmakers made some of the decisions about what to cover—and which conservationists and other experts to interview—in preparing the production. Emery also speaks to a couple animals featured in the film—alligators, Burmese pythons—that are almost constitutionally required in a documentary about Florida wildlife, yet in each case, information is provided that will likely be surprising to even lifelong Floridians.  Other topics featured in the film, and discussed in the interview, range from kites (and their 5000-mile migration to South America), to key deer, to the Coral Restoration Project, whose work includes the fascinating process of growing corals in a nursery setting before relocating them to reefs. “Wild Florida” is currently streaming on the “Nature” website.   (https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature, https://markemeryfilms.com)

ALSO: I spoke with Suzanne King, organizer of Gulfport’s Get Rescued, the annual rescue/adoption event—now in its 16th year—that spreads across four city blocks of Gulfport. King explains this year’s incarnation, which was to be held on Feb. 22, would present 49 rescue groups, each offering adoptable pets. Though that constitutes the event’s focus, King noted some of the day’s other activities, including various elements of the Weiner Dog Derby, as well as the Bark-B-Que Fun-Raiser and Pet Supply Drive,  among others. (http://gulfportsgetrescued.com, https://www.facebook.com/Getrescued/)

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

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” The Sun Society’s version of “Octopus’s Garden,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:  Sweet’s “Fox On The Run”

AUDIO ARCHIVE

Part One: Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TAFeb19-Part-One.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Part Two: Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TAFeb19-Part-Two.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Alana Miller—founder of the Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary, a North Carolina facility that, since 2005, has rescued and provided a forever home for blind cats—recounts her first experience with a blind cat, and how by thee time she’d adopted three more, she realized she needed to create an entity to serve this feline constituency. Miller elaborated, noting that it didn’t take long for her to recognize that resources for blind cats in shelters were scarce, so consequently, the typical outcome was they were euthanized. She notes that some 60 blind cats live at the sanctuary, and only a very tiny percentage were born that way. The vast majority lose their sight at some point, she explained, often due to conditions—upper respiratory ailments, for example, or high blood pressure—that with proper, speedy intervention at the veterinarian’s office, would not result in blindness. Miller observes how blind cats don’t know they’re blind, they think they’re normal cats, and play, eat, interact, use the litter box, etc, like any other cat—including successfully hunting lizards and birds. Miller outlines how, a few years after starting the sanctuary, she widened out the operation, to also provide forever homes to cats that leukemia positive (FELV+) and carry the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV+), providing some information about each condition and the implications. Miller fields some listener calls, and touches on other topics, including their powerful social media presence, especially on Facebook. (https://blindcatrescue.com/, https://www.facebook.com/BlindCatRescue/, https://www.instagram.com/blindcatrescue/)

 

ALSO: I spoke with Bob Gray, aka “The Commuter From Hell”—he hosts “The 60s Show,” Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. on WMNF–discusses the Schipperke, a breed of dog that’s little known, largely flying under the canine radar. But Gray is highly familiar, and has been for many years. He his wife currently live with one Schipperke, Xiao Xiong (left), or Little Bear, he recalls sharing his home with one before Little Bear, and that his mother had Schipperkes in her home, which is how he was initially introduced to them. He describes their temperament, which sounds like it leans toward the anal retentive side, while noting they’re loving, cuddly, and how much they enjoy playing games. (https://www.wmnf.org/events/the-sixties-show/  )

 

COMEDY CORNER: Nick Kroll’s “Cats vs. Dogs” (excerpt) (https://www.nickkroll.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/2020/02/TAFeb12.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Ingrid Newkirk—the co-founder and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and co-author (with Gene Stone) of “animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries about Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion”—recalls how she decided on the book’s format. Newkirk outlines some of the things she learned over the course of working on “animalkind. Noting the publishing of “animalkind” is tied to PETA’s 40th anniversary, and that anniversaries are often a time for reflection, I ask her to reflect on what she considers PETA’s three accomplishments of which Newkirk is most proud, and looking across the

organization’s 40-year timeline, what might be some things she wishes PETA had done differently amidst campaigns, policy positions, media statements. Pointing out that PETA has “stayed true” over its four decades, she responds to the observation that organizations, like people, evolve and grow–doing things or taking positions that in a later period they simply wouldn’t–acknowledging they’ve often done or said deliberately provocative things, in large part to generate media attention. Newkirk replies to a listener question about PETA’s perspective on pit bulls, which leads to her responding to my questions about the animal shelter that PETA operates, including some 2018 statistics for the facility (2019 stats have not yet been made available), which reflect that of 2,512 that entered the shelter, 1,798 were euthanized, among other figures. (https://www.peta.org/, https://www.ingridnewkirk.com/)

ALSO: I spoke with Carole Baskin, founder of Big Cat Rescue—the Tampa sanctuary housing more than 100 big cats—about the sentence handed down a week ago to her longtime rival: Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, the Oklahoma zoo keeper often referred to as “Joe Exotic.” Maldonado-Passage was convicted in the murder-for-hire plot he hatched to take out Baskin, and she recounted in this interview their history and how he had hired someone to kill her. When that arrangement failed, Baskin explained, Maldonado-Passage hired a second killer, who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent—and the 22 year sentence Maldonado-Passage received has provided considerable comfort to Baskin and her family. (https://bigcatrescue.org/)

COMEDY CORNER: John Mulaney’s “Horse In A Hospital” (http://www.johnmulaney.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/2020/01/TAJan29-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Craig Pittman—the veteran environmental reporter at The Tampa Bay Times, and author of multiple books, most recently, “Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save The Florida Panther”—explains why, having written a 2010 Tampa Bay Times series about the Florida panther, “Dead Cat Walking” (which serves as the core material for the new book) almost a decade passed before publishing “Cat Tale.” Pittman notes that the gap was chiefly owing to the fact that the book he might’ve written sooner would’ve lacked a satisfying ending, and therefore didn’t strike him as a fully appealing project—until the panther situation changed in a significant way, providing the ending he felt was missing. (No spoilers here!) He describes the traits that make this cat so elusive and reclusive, and how other factors (developments, other elements encroaching on their habitats and so on) had exacerbated these traits, such that in the mid-90s, Pittman says, it was thought there were fewer than 20 panthers left. He recounts some the efforts that aimed for that population to rebound, including captive breeding of sorts, albeit with a decided twist. As with many Florida wildlife-oriented sagas, “Cat Tale” is replete with colorful characters and downright eccentrics, and Pittman addresses some of those folks. Including, in response to my question, Dave Maehr, a biologist who’s a pivotal presence through much of the book and, Pittman indicates, was deemed to have fudged or omitted research from academic papers and sometimes, in the employ of developers, had their best interests at heart over those of the panthers. The night before this interview, there was a new Facebook post—that became a lengthy thread—criticizing Pittman’s portrayal of Maehr, and defending him, noting, among other details, that Maehr wrote “a definitive book, ‘The Florida Panther: Life & Death of a Vanishing Carnivore.’ “ As for the question of his next book, Pittman says he’s leaning toward writing about the pythons that have invaded south Florida. (http://www.craigpittman.com/, https://www.facebook.com/craigtimes, https://www.instagram.com/craigpittman78/

The interview with Pittman streamed on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/duncan.strauss/videos/10158559453969218/

ALSO: I spoke with Karen Ankerstar about the Retail Pet Sales Ordinance being considered for Hillsborough County (and that was to be discussed in a Commissioner’s meeting the next morning. Ankerstar, who some years ago helped get a similar law passed in Sarasota, explains that these ordinances are chiefly designed to prohibit pet stores from selling dogs that came from puppy mills and other nefarious breeders.

COMEDY CORNER: Matt Braunger’s “Panda Butler” (portion) (https://www.mattbraunger.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/2020/01/TAJan22-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Dr. Sue Ettinger—a veterinary cancer specialist, aka “Dr. Sue Cancer Vet”—recalls her road to becoming a vet, after briefly entertaining the idea of pursuing a career involving art history. She describes how she traveled a somewhat serendipitous path that deposited Ettinger at her professional focus on oncology. Underscoring her passionate belief in the importance of early cancer detection and diagnosis, Ettinger outlines some methods for checking out our pets, feeling their bodies in search for any “lumps and bumps”—initially, it might be as small as a pea—and then how to react (and not react!) if you feel something new or troubling. In addition to being a practicing veterinarian, Ettinger is also a speaker, author, podcaster, and YouTuber—she pondered and then responded to my observation that those things involve a lot of time and effort, and clearly offer a lot to pet owners, but I was interested to know what those things do for her. She also fielded a number of listener calls and emails, spanning an array of topics, including one about a Golden Retriever initially diagnosed with another ailment—not cancer—yet ended up being loaded with tumors…a question from Talking Animals’ greyhound correspondent, Don Goldstein, about the high incidence of bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in greyhounds and whether there’s truth to the rumor that a related vaccination is being developed (there is)…a string of questions tied to the caller’s dog having been diagnosed with anal cancer and other maladies. (https://drsuecancervet.com/, https://www.instagram.com/drsuecancervet/, https://www.facebook.com/DrSueCancerVet/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_dC6ku6Ye8YOqusLLmNM1A)

ALSO: I played back an interview I had recorded the previous night with Dr. Jennifer Conrad, founder of The Paw Project, about the recent announcement that the Banfield national chain of pet hospitals will no longer support performing declaw surgery. Conrad discussed what she believed motivated the decision—because of the growing public awareness of the often-horrific outcomes of declaw, many pet owners are now steering clear of operations that offer the procedure—so this move is better for the Banfield bottom line. She addresses the implications of this policy change. (https://www.banfield.com/pet-healthcare/additional-resources/article-library/veterinary-services/declaw-policy-statement, https://pawproject.org/)

COMEDY CORNER: Joe Zimmerman’s “Pet Snakes” (portion)(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/2020/01/TAJan15.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Tom Mustill—a British director who makes nature and wildlife movies; his latest film is “The Whale Detective” (the impetus: Mustill and a friend were kayaking in Monterey Bay when a humpback whale breached, and just missed landing on them)—recounts when his fascination with animals began, and his early forays into filmmaking.

Mustill spends some time addressing a pivotal professional experience, working on the documentary series “Inside Nature’s Giants” (called “Animal Autopsy” in the U.S.), which he says was highly acclaimed and very popular. Another important film in the development of his career, Mustill recalls, was “The Bat Man of Mexico,” a documentary—narrated by David Attenborough, no less–that profiles Rodrigo Medellin, who had dedicated his life to saving bats, a story that also had implications for tequila! But mainly, Mustill discusses “The Whale Deetective” (which was premiering the night of this interview on PBS, as part of the “Nature” series): after the humpback/kayaking incident, he kept wondering if the whale was trying to hurt him and his friend—or trying not to, and Mustill’s curiosity launched him on a path seeking to answer that question, and others. He notes the whale experts he interviews in the film, including those in the highly specialized realm of those who disentangle whales from lines and nets. In the final moments, Mustill speaks to a decidedly non-wildlife film he made: about Greta Thunberg, “Nature Now.” (https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/, http://www.grippingfilms.co.uk/, https://www.instagram.com/tommustill/)

COMEDY CORNER: Jake Johannsen’s “Whale Watching” (http://www.jakethis.com/)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Stephanie Seymour’s “House Sparrow,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: King Crimson’s “Elephant Talk”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/TAJan8-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

This morning, I once again set aside the customary “Talking Animals” format to deliver the Annual Christmas Animal Song special—that is, a show entirely devoted to Holiday-oriented animal tunes. As has been required in the previous years of this special, and as I unapologetically concede while explaining this program’s premise, the only way to effectively pull off this conceit is to fashion the special with a liberal   sprinkling of “Rudolph”-related songs. Which meant including the new, show-opening version of “Run Rudolph Run” by Foghat (!), Chris Isaak’s velvety-smooth yet rollicking take on “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and another rendition of “Run Rudolph Run,” this one a barn-burner by Keith Richards (who happened to be celebrating his birthday that day). More fun–or, at least, less obvious—selections (and possible future classics) included the Old 97’s gimlet-eyed original “Rudolph Was Blue” from the band’s collection last year, “Love The Holidays,” and Otis Gibbs’ also relatively new “Lloyd The Reindeer.” These numbers took their place alongside a longtime staple on this show, the quirky, if delightfully verbose “Dominick, The Italian Christmas Donkey” by the also delightfully-verbose Vinnie Bonofici And His Italian American Band. And while it’s been a signature song on this show for a few years, I actually got a request for it! To round out our playlist, a program of this nature is practically constitutionally obligated to spin “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas”—in this case, the version by Kacey Musgraves. We also worked in something by my beloved EELS, the propulsive fave, “Christmas Is Going To The Dogs.” We also played the Bobs’ lilting “Rasta Reindeer.”  I took a brief break from playing cool yule songs for the traditional reading of what I call the Dorothy Strauss Christmas message, as dictated by tradition, or at least the tradition of the Talking Animals Annual Christmas Animal Song special. That message, whose author had always been unknown to me and my family while I was growing up–my Mom hung a poster of it each Christmas season, as part of our home’s holiday decorations– appears to have been written by Howard W. Hunter. Kudos, Mr. Hunter. Kudos.

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TADec18-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Scott Blais—co-founder of the Global Sanctuary for Elephants, whose initial facility is the Elephant Sanctuary Brazil—begins the conversation aiming to answer my question about what makes elephants magical, what provokes such passionate response to them in so many people. Noting our last full-length interview was in 2013, at which point the Elephant Sanctuary Brazil was still taking shape, Blais discusses the efforts (and, sometimes, challenges) of making the sanctuary a reality, including procuring the 2800 acre parcel on which the facility sits, itself a complicated task—for example, nonprofits in Brazil aren’t able to secure loans. But well worth the effort, clearly, as things are rolling along, with two elephants having been relocated to the Sanctuary in the past several weeks, and efforts afoot to give home there to a third new resident. As a slight conversational detour—from addressing the elephant-ideal climate in Brazil, to how cold an area can be while still suitable for pachyderms—Blais (who co-founded The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee) speaks to the situation of Lucy, the elephant who lives alone in the Edmonton Valley Zoo, and longstanding efforts to move her to a sanctuary. He runs down the current elephant population at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, including recent arrivals, Ramba and Lady, and describes some the differences between Asian and African elephants—so far, the Sanctuary residents are all the former, but they’re hoping to provide a home for their first African, named Kenya. This will require additional fencing, which involves a fund-raising campaign, now underway, Blais explains, noting how the Sanctuary is funded (and the funds they don’t receive), as well as how many elephants could conceivably be accommodated there over time, with additional expansion and construction. (https://globalelephants.org/, https://www.instagram.com/sanctuary4elephants/, https://www.facebook.com/globalsanctuaryforelephants/)

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Kelsey Eberly, staff attorney with the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), about a lawsuit ALDF filed recently to assist in the effort to remove horses from the California Equine Retirement Foundation (CERF), which for three decades has taken in retired racehorses, cared for them, and provided them sanctuary for the rest of their lives. CERF enjoyed a sterling reputation for most of those 30-odd years, Eberly says. However, she says, that a few years ago, when a new executive director took over leadership, the operation shifted, as apparently did the care of the horses. Increasingly, the horses were allegedly neglected and seriously underfed, and in a period from late-May to mid-June, 44 horses were removed from the organization. For reasons that are unclear, Eberly says, CERF has refused to surrender the approximately 20 remaining horses, which prompted the ALDF lawsuit. (https://aldf.org/)

 COMEDY CORNER: Drew Hastings’ “Farming 101” (portion) (https://www.drewhastings.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/2019/12/TADec11.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Sterling Davis—also known as “Trap King,” reflecting his prowess with the humane traps used in the commission of Trap Neuter Return (TNR) of community cats, previously called feral cats—recounts his unlikely path into cat rescue and TNR, and the budding career he turned his back on to travel this path. Living in Atlanta then and now, Davis explains how that decision was partly propelled by recognizing that he could make a difference in a field where he was something of a double anomaly: a male in cat rescue is rare, cat rescuers who are black are rarer still—that his participation, and example, could help generate diversity. He recalls how his initial TNR forays into black neighborhoods were met with suspicion, with many thinking he was up to no good, and some even thinking he was participating in a diabolical government conspiracy. Undeterred, Davis just kept TNRing in those areas, so that people gradually let go of their impressions that he was up to no good, and some became intrigued—partly by design, he says, as he’d pull up to a location in his visually-striking “Trap Van,” music blaring, and generally make a big production of his TNR tasks, happy to answer questions or otherwise engage with intrigued bystanders. He discussed founding TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions, his Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to educating communities about various feral cat issues and, in many cases, performing TNR in those areas. Davis articulates various ways he hopes to spread the word about the virtues of TNR, while promoting greater diversity, placing a premium on reaching young people through various means, including overseeing the creation of a children’s book, “Marvin: Trap King for a Day,” hoping to persuade the Girl Scouts and/or Boy Scouts to introduce a TNR merit badge, and creating a national network of organizations loosely akin to fraternities/sororities for college (or post-college) age adults to explore and cultivate an interest in TNR. (https://trapkinghumane.org/, https://www.instagram.com/the_original_trapking/, https://www.facebook.com/trapkinghumane/, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1283642811)

COMEDY CORNER: Erin Foley’s “Three Cats” (https://erinkfoley.com/)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: The Rolling Stones’ “Monkey Man”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TADec4-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Cameron Moore—program manager of The Million Cat Challenge, a shelter-oriented campaign launched in 2014, aiming to save the lives of one million cats in North America over five years—recalls growing up loving animals, and about equally fond of dogs and cats (foreshadowing, perhaps that now, in 2019, as decidedly feline-centric as her work and her home are, there’s still room for six dogs there). She addresses that she spent years volunteering in shelters and rescue, but had an assortment of jobs in other fields—including commercial real estate—not imagining she could make a living through her longtime passion for animals. But she recounts how she was recruited by Rick DuCharme, founder of First Coast No More Homeless Pets—and a pivotal figure in this realm—while volunteering at an adoption event, launching Moore into her professional career in animal welfare. Given her many years in the shelter world, she offers a keen assessment of the prevailing attitudes that prompt cats and dogs to be viewed differently and, correspondingly, how programs or campaigns are designed differently for each. She describes the history and evolution of The Million Cat Challenge, including—spoiler alert!—that the campaign reached its initial goal before that five-year mark, and continues with a revised objective. She provides an overview of the five key initiatives that form the core of the Million Cat Challenge, and that a shelter doesn’t necessarily need to implement all five to improve its performance, that embracing one or more can be a boon. Noting that part of her job involves traveling the country doing “shelter consults,” she articulates what that means and how she works with the shelters on them. Moore offers a sneak preview of the two talks she will deliver at KittyCon Tampa 2019, to be held Nov. 30 & Dec. 1, at Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore. (https://millioncatchallenge.org/, https://www.facebook.com/MillionCatChallenge/, https://www.kittycontampabay.org/)

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Michelle LaFleur about the 13th Annual Tampa ThanksVegan, which takes place—fittingly enough—on Thanksgiving Day, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa. She explains a bit about the history of the event, and that it now draws about 300 attendees. It begins, LaFleur said, with a social period at 1:30pm. She outlined some of the details of bringing a dish/not bringing a dish and the ways those approaches affect the price one pays for their meal, and that there’s always plenty of food for everyone, even those whose turn comes in the final round of 300 diners. (https://www.floridavoicesforanimals.org/thanksvegan, https://www.facebook.com/ThanksVegan/)

 

COMEDY CORNER: Nate Bargatze’s “How To Get Bitten By A Snake” (http://www.natebargatze.com/)

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Ukulele cover of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/TANov20-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window