The Petcast

By Steve Friess and Emily RichmondSociety & Culture Kids & Family

The Petcast episodes

May 18, 2009 No. 203: Pets Who Want To Kill Themselves
There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t see an animal out in public wearing something silly or being carried in the purse of an airheaded celebrity heiress wannabe and hasn’t felt pity for the poor, tortured creature. Well, following in the great tradition of StuffOnMyCat.Com and CatsInSinks.Com, Duncan Birmingham of Los Angeles has created PetsWhoWantToKillThemselves.Com, a blog on which he posts photos of all sorts of probably-suicidal animals. Birmingham, a writer whose screenplay, Swingles, is about to become a movie starring Cameron Diaz, joins us to discuss the website.
Plus, a new CDC study shows that shows pets make people fall a lot.
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32 min
May 15, 2009 No. 202: Pusses In Books
Welcome back to the Petcast everyone. You might have heard of Dewey the library cat, the famous orange feline that became world famous just for living his life in a library in Spencer, Iowa. Well, Dewey’s life, which is now the subject of a best-selling memoir and may become a movie starring Meryl Streep – as the librarian, not the cat – is actually less unique than you might think. Our guest today, documentarian Gary Roma, traveled the nation for his 1997 award-winning film Puss in Books: Adventures of a Library Cat and found library cats all over the place. His website, IronFrog.Com, in fact, offers an interactive map that tells visitors what libraries in their states have resident felines. Gary Roma joins us from Chicago to discuss the topic.
Plus, Steve tells the tale of Renegade, the blind, obese, tumorous, heaving, shedding lost dog he found and helped.
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ThePetcast.Com
27 min
May 06, 2009 No. 200: A Dental Vet Opens Wide
One of the most expensive issues facing owners of even generally healthy pets is their dental care. Nothing sends a shiver up the spine like the vet telling you your animal needs a serious and costly teeth-cleaning. Emily, in fact, is still paying off the $700 bill from having five of Archie’s teeth pulled and she’s since switched to a special kind of treat to maintain his oral health. So what’s the truth behind this issue? How do dogs and cats differ in terms of their dental issues? Joining us to address all of this as well as a listener’s question is Dr. Tony Woodward, a past president of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association who practices in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Plus, guest host Molly steps in and discusses her pregnancy and the potential issues she may have with her cats and Emily calls in from DC to report on the Newseum's exhibit on presidential pets.
Web: ThePetcast.Com
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40 min
April 24, 2009 No. 197: The Greatness of Greyhounds
In 1987, today’s guest, Claudia Presto, met her very first greyhound, and her life would never be the same. A few years later she would give up a successful corporate career on the east coast, sell everything she owned and head west, where, it turned out, there was no shortage of greyhounds in need of her help. Today she is the leader of the Greyhound Gang in Southern Utah, which hosts an annual Greyhound Gathering for friends and fans of these sleekly charming dogs.
Plus, Steve goes to school on quail.
Web: ThePetcast.Com
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26 min
April 20, 2009 No. 196: A Presidential Dog Visit
The White House has a new First Dog, and it’s a breed that few Americans have even heard of, let alone seen. The Portuguese Water Dog came close to extinction in the 1970’s, saved by a few determined enthusiasts who cherished the breed for its temperament and talents. Joining us today is Dr. Jim Brannan, a Las Vegas dentist who has shared his home and hearth with porties for 15 years. He’s competed with them in agility and obedience trials, and has also been active in breed rescue. We invited him to join us today to talk about the this fascinating dog.
Plus: Emily and Archie triumph in agility!
Web: ThePetcast.Com
Email: [email protected]
35 min
March 30, 2009 No. 195: We're b-a-a-ck!
Our hiatus, caused by studio technical difficulties, is over! On this return episode, the Petcasters mull over the presidential dog, deaths at the Iditarod as well as at Oprah's house, an iPhone application called Shivering Kittens, the abandoned cocker spaniel in Emily's neighborhood and much more.
Web: ThePetcast.Com
Email: [email protected]
33 min
February 01, 2009 No. 194: Walking The Walk On Animal Welfare
If you need any more proof that there is no end to the ways you can contribute to the welfare of animals, look no farther than Steve's sister, Julie Friess, who walks dogs for the Humane Society of Sedona in Arizona, where she lives. Julie explains how she got into this and why it's so rewarding.
Plus, Amy of GritsToGlitz.Com uses ice as a treat, NPR halts Calling All Pets and Steve's dog gets all gooey.
Web: ThePetcast.Com
Email: [email protected]
32 min
January 30, 2009 No. 193: The Dog Fosterer
Owning a pet is a lifetime commitment, and not everyone’s ready for the challenge. A good way to test the waters is through foster care, providing a temporary loving care to an animal in need while it waits for a forever home. Joining the Petcasters is Kristin Anderson, a veteran dog foster mom, who is chronicling the journey online at caninefostering.com.
Plus, Emily has another dramatic tale of pet-related intrigue in her neighborhood and Steve is baffled that anyone would NOT think that animals can get jealous. (Steve is reacting to a study reported recently.) Also, the Petcasters went back again to the PETA-sea kitten!
Website: ThePetcast.com
Email: [email protected]
25 min
January 27, 2009 No. 192: Coping With Pet Allergies
For pet owners with allergies, nothing can be more frustrating than the sniffling, sneezing and red eyes that can come from being with the ones you love. Joining the Petcasters to shed -- har har -- some light on the issue is Dr. Bob Grubbe of Oxford, Ala., a board-certified allergist who divides his time between private practice and clinical research.
Plus, Emily discusses Archie’s improved teeth and Steve asks a trivia question and Emily knows the answer, of course!
Email: [email protected]
Site: ThePetcast.com
32 min
January 22, 2009 No. 191: BH Chihuahua Trainer Tells All!
How do those Hollywood animals do it? And what happens when they're done? Mike Alexander, a longtime trainer with the company Birds & Animals Unlimited, supervised a 60-person team for the more than 200 animals who appeared in Beverly Hills Chihuahua. He also was involved in Eight Below and trained squirrels - yes, squirrels - for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Plus, Emily provides tips for caring for pets in extreme cold and Steve mocks PETA's fish-are-sea-kittens campaign.
Email: [email protected].
Site: ThePetcast.com
36 min