Talking Animals

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau —a nationally-recognized speaker, author (of seven books) and podcaster whose milieu is espousing the virtues of vegan living—describes her earliest efforts as an advocate, the better part of three decades ago, when even then a driving passion was for communicating. Patrick-Goudreau traces her path from functioning as “lone advocate,” distributing handmade leaflets, to starting to teach cooking classes, to producing a DVD, to launching her “Food for Thought” podcast. In response to an observation that the cultural landscape is currently cluttered with podcasts, but when she started “Food for Thought” more than a decade ago, she was ahead of the curve, Patrick-Goudreau allows that she barely knew what a podcast was then, but because her husband is a musician, they had the equipment on hand to give it a go. Referring not just to “Food for Thought,” she notes that much of her work over the years has been aimed at assisting people who recognized they wanted to make a change in their lives (typically, to embrace veganism), but didn’t know how. Earlier this year, Patrick-Goudreau began producing a second podcast, “Animalogy,” exploring animal-related words and expressions, their history, and their implications; she offers a sampling of the two episodes that explored the etymology of colors (taupe, merlot, buff, etc.) Patrick-Goudreau briefly addresses the seven books she’s written, saying—when pressed—that the ones that seem to have had the most profound impact are “The Joy of Vegan Baking” and “The 30-Day Vegan Challenge.” (www.colleenpatrickgoudreau.com, www.joyfulvegan.com)

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Gracie Grieshop of Pet Pal Animal Shelter in St. Petersburg about their 15th Annual Puppy Love Benefit, taking place May 13 at the Historic Coliseum. (www.petpalanimalshelter.com)

 

 

 

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

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

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Ronny Elliott’s version of “See You Later, Alligator”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/TAApril26-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

What is happening to the bee population? CBS's Mark Strassmann finds out. Plus -- Sam Litzinger learns more about a parrot from New Zealand that can mimic emotions.

Should animals be allowed in the workplace? Plus -- New York City has hired some four legged employees to clean up the city streets. CBS News Correspondent Sam Litzinger reports.

Ginger Kathrens —wild-horse advocate, filmmaker, and executive director of The Cloud Foundation—discusses the mustang, Cloud, who is the focus of three of her films, and the namesake of the Foundation she founded, whose stated mission is dedication “to the preservation of wild horses and burros on public lands, with a special focus on Cloud’s herd in the Pryor Mountains of Montana.” Kathrens recalls that when she was asked to make a film about wild horses, she didn’t know much about any kind of horses, but learned through research and pre-production—and, in the course of shooting, one day she spotted a striking all-white foal, whom she named Cloud. In response to my observation that I believe a lot of people have trouble sorting out what exactly are the salient issues when The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) says that wild horses do not belong on public lands—and, in some cases, starts rounding up those horses, Kathrens outlines the financial, political and other forces that have shaped, and re-shaped, BLM policy—let’s just say that cattle ranchers, and their needs (and resources and influence) figure prominently into the ever-evolving saga. She wryly observes that she was somehow appointed to the national BLM advisory board, and for example, the board voted on whether the BLM should dispose of the horses they have accumulated; the vote was 8-1 in favor, Kathrens noting she cast the lone dissenting vote. She says that concerned horse lovers can contact their legislators to push for more mustang-friendly laws and policies, and much information and guidance toward that end can be found on The Cloud Foundation website. (www.thecloudfoundation.org)

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Dina Athanassie of the Animal Coalition of Tampa (ACT) about the organization’s 10th Annual Spay-ghetti Dinner and Silent Auction, set to take place April 29 at Yuengling Brewery Biergarten in Tampa. (http://actampa.org)

COMEDY CORNER: Jerry Seinfeld’s “Horses” (excerpt) (http://jerryseinfeld.com)

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

 NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/TAApril19-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

There's a reason dogs are considered man's best friend -- and that is because they help each other out. Sam Litzinger highlights a few organizations that provide services to humans and a second chance to disabled dogs.

In South Africa -- lions are being bred in captivity, just be killed by big game hunters. It's called canned hunting -- and it's under scrutiny. CBS's Debora Patta reports. Plus -- Sam Litzinger takes a look at the brains of bumble bees.

Kim Skrovanek—founder of The Humane Education Connection—recounts growing up as a passionate animal lover, tending to all the sick and injured animals that she spotted in her North Florida neighborhood. (“Yes, I was that kid.”). That passion, Skrovanek explains, extended into adulthood, though there was an extended detour pursuing an acting career in Southern California. A post-acting period, back in Florida, and working more directly again with animals and rescue organizations, planted the seedling for The Humane Education Connection: Seeing so many animals that had been neglected and abused, she decided to focus her attention on humans who might render that treatment—and nip it in the bud. Hence, the founding of The Humane Education Connection, and its program, Canines Helping Kids in Crisis, which employs rescue dogs—who themselves have experienced neglect and/or abuse—in residential settings housing homeless families, victim of domestic abuse. Skrovanek describes the curriculum that she and other Humane Education Connection instructors teach these children, ably assisted by these specially trained rescue dogs. (www.humaneeducationconnection.org)

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Amber Simpson about the 7th Annual Tampa Vegan Bake Sale, taking place April 22 at Mojo Books & Records, in Tampa. She explained how the funds raised at the Bake Sale will help homeless and feral cats, and the event takes place at Mojo while it celebrates Record Store Day and the store’s 10th anniversary. (www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=tampa%20vegan%20bake%20sale)

COMEDY CORNER: Ron White’s “Killer Whale” (https://tatersalad.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/2017/04/TAApril12.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are trying find alternatives to testing on animals. Sam Litzinger learns more. Plus -- dogs in South Africa are being trained to sniff out poachers. CBS's Debora Patta reports.

How does human noise change an animal's environment? Plus -- is your cat fat? Here's Sam Litzinger with tips on how to help your feline friend be less like Garfield.

Lori Shepler—an award-winning former Los Angeles Times photographer who now presides over CityTheKitty.com, among the most informative and influential websites dealing with feline declaw surgery–traces that unlikely path. Shepler recalls how the cat who later became known as City the Kitty entered her life, and how when she began photographing City, there was something unusual about the way he reacted to—embraced–the shoots. Not coincidentally, perhaps, Shepler explains when she started a Facebook page featuring those City photos, it generated tremendous response—the beginning of his becoming a social media sensation. That Facebook page, she notes, was indirectly responsible for triggering her interest in declaw. Shepler describes what the declaw procedure really involves—amputation—and the ill affects that cats experience afterwards, often for the rest of their lives. She outlines the pending legislation in four states—New York, New Jersey, West Virginia and Rhode Island—moving toward outlawing declaw, and noting some of the political machinations that have slowed progress…particularly the efforts of veterinary medical associations. Shepler points out why these entities are so fiercely opposed to such legislation (primarily, for many veterinarians, performing declaw surgery constitutes a lucrative facet of their practices.) She touches on City’s new book, entitled fittingly enough, “City The Kitty,” which features a foreword by veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Conrad, founder of The Paw Project. (www.citythekitty.com, www.facebook.com/citythekitty/)

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

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Neko Case’s “I’m An Animals,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: R.E.M’s “Wolves, Lower”

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/TAApril5.mp3 | Open Player in New Window