Talking Animals

Now that Summer is in full swing, it is important to remember not to leave animals locked in a hot car. Fortunately many states are now allowing citizens to take action - within reason. Sam Litzinger has the story.

Priscilla Feral—the president of Friends of Animals, an international animal advocacy organization founded in 1957—discusses FoA’s late founder, Alice Herrington, outlining the characteristics that helped account for her pioneering inroads. Feral also addresses her circumstances, as a young woman, that deposited her at the Friends of Animals offices in 1974 (when she commuted each day from Connecticut to New York and back), meaning she’s about to mark 43 years working there. After Herrington retired in 1986, she recalls, Feral was appointed president—much to her surprise—and describes she adjustments her elevation required for Feral and her colleagues as the organization moved forward in the post-Herrington era. Feral explains how she approached widening out the Friends of Animals portfolio of issues and campaigns, from various animal rights concerns, to veganism, to a Chimpanzee project in Gambia, and the calculus of deciding to adding ones that other organizations—including high-profile ones such as the Humane Society of The United States or PETA—have been working on. Feral surveys notable FoA successful campaign triumphs, domestically and internationally, and points with particular pride to the launching in 2013 of the Wildlife Law Program, in which a small squad of attorneys are using courtroom efforts to affect change and achieve improved lives for animals. As someone who’s worked in this field for more than four decades, Feral responds to questions about how she’s mitigated compassion burn-out (or general burn-out). She relates the story behind her surname, which carries more history and dimension than you might think. (www.friendsofanimals.org)

COMEDY CORNER: Joe Zimmerman’s “Crows ” (www.zimmermancomedy.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Shemekia Copeland’s version of “Black Crow,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TAJuly5.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Connecticut has become the first state to give a legal voice to abused animals. Plus -- there is now a site that matches you with a four-legged companion. Sam Litzinger learns more on this week's Talking Animals.

The cheetah population may not be fast enough to outrun extinction. Plus -- Puerto Rico is trying to manage the populations of wild horses. Sam Litzinger learns more on this week's Talking Animals.

Jessica Rubin—a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law who’s at the forefront of a new law in that state, allowing judges to appoint legal advocates for abused animals in criminal cases—recalls her strong kinship with animals growing up, including that her mother ran a small rescue out of their home. Rubin notes that she became an activist early on, working in college alongside such major figures as Peter Singer and Steven Wise, and decided to attend law school, in part, so as to be able to work more effectively on animals’ behalf. After a stint working for a law firm, she began teaching at the UConn law school, and boosting her animal-related pro bono efforts. Increasingly concerned that animal cruelty cases were often failing to result in convictions—and further inspired by the horrors of a case involving a dog named Desmond, who was starved, beaten and strangled to death by a vengeful boyfriend, yet under the state’s accelerated rehabilitation provision, the perpetrator’s criminal record was later wiped clean–she and Connecticut State Representative Diana Urban began fashioning the bill that eventually became this new law. Rubin explains how it works, including that she (well, actually the law school, so that she can “staff” it with her law students) occupies one of eight positions as selected volunteer advocates, who are able to interview witnesses and experts, write briefs, make recommendation to a judge, and speak in court. In the first case under the law, Rubin recounts, her student, Taylor Hansen (pictured standing next to Rubin,  speaking into the microphone) served as the advocate. This is the first such law in the country, Rubin knows it’s being closely watched by legal communities and animal activists in other states, and hopes others in the country will enact comparable laws of their own.

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Ted Koran, co-founder of The Critter Place, a 30-year-old sanctuary in Weeki Wachi, Florida, where he’s caring for nearly 70 animals, pretty much singlehandedly. He’s facing some formidable challenges, including a recent medical diagnosis, and would certainly welcome help of one kind or another—people heading out to the sanctuary to volunteer, making donations, adopting some of The Critter Place animals, etc. (www.facebook.com/TheCritterPlace, www.facebook.com/tedkoran)

 

COMEDY CORNER: Paul F. Tompkins’ “Alternative Pets ” (http://paulftompkins.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/2017/07/TAJune28.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Sam Litzinger learns more about Washington D.C's Lights Out Program - which was launched to keep birds from flying into windows. Plus -- it is never easy to put an animal down. Psychology Today's Adam Clark weighs in on when it is most appropriate to euthanize animals.

A shelter in England has developed a behavior room - as a way to help determine why animals are not being adopted. Plus -- Colorado's Dumb Friends League is putting feral cats to work -- in return -- they get a second chance at life. Sam Litzinger learns more on this week's Talking Animals.

Stacy LeBaron—a veteran animal welfare advocate (felines, in particular) who hosts The Community Cats Podcast—recalls her first memory of a cat…who happened to be named Duncan! Still, she allows that her powerful passion for cats was cultivated cumulatively; over the course of several kitties she’s known and loved. LeBaron explains what it is she finds so appealing about cats, what traits speak to her so strongly. She describes joining the then-nascent Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (MRFRS) in Newburyport Massachusetts, then ultimately leading the organization as the longtime president. She recounts some of the key accomplishments MRFRS reached under her tenure, including a feral cat colony near the waterfront that went from 300-plus residents winnowed down through their efforts over several years to the end of that colony. She points to other programs and innovations MRFRS implemented under her watch, including a mentoring-consulting operation, by which leaders of shelters and other advocates could seek LeBaron’s counsel on their own strategies and solutions for community cats, trap/neuter/return (TNR) programs, adoption promotions, and more. Owing to a confluence of factors—an elephantine waiting list for her mentoring services, nearly 20 years at MRFRS and time for a new challenge, LeBaron and her family relocating to Vermont—she left MRFRS and launched The Community Cats Podcast, exactly a year ago as of the day of our interview. During the first five or six months, LeBaron remembers, she produced five programs per week. She’s now settled into a thrice-weekly production schedule, but the fundamental premise is the same: She interviews an array of experts regarding the topics of cat overpopulation issue and various aspects of cat welfare—holding conversations not unlike what her mentoring consultations were like. Under The Community Cats Podcast umbrella, LeBaron also provides grants to organizations for free-roaming cat or spay/neuter programs of their own, periodically offers webinars featuring key cat experts. (www.communitycatspodcast.com)

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Gina Kaiser, the Tampa area representative for Paws With A Cause, the Michigan-based organization that provides assistance dogs across 30 states, customizing the canines’ training for the individual needs of a given client. Kaiser outlines the Paws With A Cause services, her duties as a local rep, and the benefit for the organization scheduled for June 30 at Palm Harbor Dance Studio in Palm Harbor, FL (www.pawswithacause.org, http://palmharbordancestudio.com)

COMEDY CORNER: Marc Maron’s “Masturbating Among The Animals ” (www.wtfpod.com)

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

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

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/TAJune21-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Sam Litzinger shares the story of a woman and her guide horse. Plus - CBS's Carter Evans learns more about the great white shark population -- off the coast of California.

Humans are not the only ones with the ability to make music. Plus -- meet LiLou -- San Francisco Airport's therapy PIG. Sam Litzinger has those stories on this week's Talking Animals.