The Other Animals

A tour-de-force composition, Grammy-winning musician Jimmy Webb describes his collaboration with Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, The London Symphony, the Wimbledon King's College Choir, and a host of other notable musicians. It's a remarkable piece of music that tells the Christmas nativity story from the perspective of the various animals. The episode includes complete excerpts and Jimmy's insights. Don't miss Incredible Phat, the Innkeeper's Cat!

Sentient Media's Claire Hamlett discusses the nascent but growing phenomenon of crowdfunding to acquire land formerly used for grazing and animal agriculture. What happens to this land once acquired and what are the economic and environmental impacts? Do individual animals and species actually benefit? Plus, what's in a tennis ball? Veterinarian Dr. Tom Pickard has some timely warnings for toys to watch out for this time of year. And, some thoughts on the latest rat control gimmick getting attention in New York City.

Renowned author Sy Montgomery joins us for a fascinating look at one of Nature's miracles and her own transformative first-hand experience rescuing and rehabilitating two. Plus, Matt Zampa from Sentient Media gives us the lowdown on the less-than-thrilling results from the recently concluded COP26 conference.

This week Christopher Berry and Ariel Flint from the Animal Legal Defense Fund join us to discuss the historic ruling granting "interested person" status to former drug lord Pablo Escobar's hippos. How did they achieve this breakthrough, and what does it mean for the hippos... and for us? Plus, Sentient Media's Matt Zampa discusses the UK's "butcher shortage" and the COP26 Summit, and veterinarian Dr. Tom Pickard has a warning for the latest food marketing scheme that could poison your dog.

Listen to the insights of a former child survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto and Holocaust. Why has the promise of "Never Again!" been so difficult to honor? Can we respectfully apply the lessons of the Holocaust and genocide to other-than-human victims without somehow diminishing the horror of that event? Alex Hershaft, founder of the Farm Animal Rights Movement, provides truly unique perspective on why we must.

With the swirling controversy surrounding the Texas abortion law, we offer a conversation with Sherry Colb and Michael Dorf, authors of "Beating Hearts: Abortion and Animal Rights" (recorded in 2019). You'd think the Animal Rights and Pro-Life movements might be allies.. or not? Plus, some musings on what happens if individuals from an invasive species are cute! And veterinarian Tom Pickard looks at the bizarre historical intersection between human and nonhuman medical training. 

If there is any insect in the world we feel justified in squashing, it'd have to be flies and their kin, mosquitos. Author and ethologist Dr. Jonathan Balcombe argues that as occasionally annoying and repulsive as they are, they have a vital role to play in our very survival. In this wide-ranging discussion we look at the possibility of their sentience, their role both beneficial and harmful to us, and even their modern healing properties. Medical maggots, anyone? Plus, Dena Blumenthal from The Humane League updates us on cultured (lab-grown) "meat" for our dogs and cats.

In this our 100th episode we launch an exciting collaboration with Sentient Media, a non-profit journalism organization which tackles the complex issue of transparency in media. How do we get past the comfortable expressions and euphemisms that dominate animal coverage in the media and frame some of our most outrageous practices as normal and acceptable? Managing Editor Matt Zampa joins us to break down the issues. Plus, veterinarian Dr. Tom Pickard looks at tail docking and declawing - practices still being performed on our companion animals.

We welcome back Kevin Schneider of the Nonhuman Rights Project to give us the breaking developments in the case of Happy the Elephant and the complex ramifications, both for her, zoos, and perhaps countless other nonhumans. Plus Dena Blumenthal on the first scalable cultured meat venture and Dr. Tom Pickard on calming dogs and cats during thunderstorms.

"I promise I'll walk him every day!" What parent hasn't heard that promise before, only to have the reminders start a week later? Author Margrit Strohmaier tackles this problem in her her delightful children's book, "What to Know Before You Get Your Dog." We also look at the curious connection between Dostoevsky and Ingrid Newkirk, and veterinarian Dr. Tom Pickard explores the mangy problem of mange.