Maria's Mutts & Stuff

Maria chats with screenwriter and actor Marianne Leone about her memoir Five Dog Epiphany , a true story about the small joys she and her husband, actor Chris Cooper, were able to find from their bischons after their son Jesse passed away suddenly. Her story reminds us about the healing powers that animals bring to our lives. (And Maria read the book in a day!!) Marianne is doing a book tour (incl...

Maria chats with author Rosanne Parry about her latest book A Horse Named Sky. Sky is a young wild horse who gets captured for the Pony Express; his mission is to return back home to his family. Rosanne talks about the extensive research she did for this book. A Horse Named Sky is educational for all ages! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria chats with award-winning writer and journalist Wendy Lyons Sunshine about her book Tender Paws: How Science-Based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship With Dog s. The title says it all!  Patience and caring; positive reinforcement; making the dog feel safe--all the things you would do raising a child are applied to raising a pup!! Give a listen and learn. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

**Maria chats wit h Creature Comfort Pet Therapy's Executive Director Mary Beth Cooney and Board President/Volunteer Janice Tierney (who volunteers with her pup Mulligan!) about all that they do-- they visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabs, schools and more with a variety of pets: Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and even mini-horses!  Learn more at CCPETHERAPY.ORG **Please be patient l...

Last month I saw a piece on 60 Minutes about The Wild Animal Sanctuary in CO where the Executive Director Pat Craig and his wife Monica saved hundreds of animals from a zoo in Puerto Rico. I was fascinated and in awe and had to know more about them! Here's my chat with PR Director Austin Hill on this amazing sanctuary. They save animals from all over the world.  Please give a listen and learn more...

Maria chats with author Debra Westgate-Silva about her book Daisy's Near CATastrophe , a tale about the friendship between a cat and a dog...and based on a true story! When Daisy goes missing...we follow her as she searches for her dog sibling Bear. Although the book is written for children, adults will enjoy it as well--I did! I also learned about K9Pet Trackers--have you ever heard of them? Give...

Maria chats with Petco Love's President Susanne Kogut about all they do:  Working with local shelters; saving pets' lives; supporting organizations; and reuniting lost pets with their owners!  Petco Love Lost is the largest national lost-and-found pet database...and it's FREE!! Did you know nearly 10 million pets go missing each year?!! :( Learn more and Upload a photo of your pet!! petcolovelost....

Maria chats with award-winning filmmaker and returning guest Steven Latham about the new season of ShelterMe TV, 9 new episodes that celebrate the bond between us and our pets. Steven also has an upcoming documentary that will air on PBS The Mustangs: America's Wild Horses (Executive Producer Robert Redford with a Bruce Springsteen song too!) Give a listen and learn! Also checkout ShelterMe's Face...

Maria chats with Joanne Yohannan, North Shore Animal League America 's SVP of Shelter Operations. North Shore is the world's largest and longest running no-kill shelter! Celebrating 80 years of operation, they've saved more than 1.1 million animals! Joanne and Maria discuss many parts of their mission, including the Celebration of Rescue Gala this Friday June 14th in NYC that Maria is hosting. Lea...

Maria chats with author Jennifer S. Holland about her latest book DOGSMART:  Life Changing Lessons in Canine Intelligence. We all know how smart dogs are, but Jennifer digs into just how intelligent and instinctive they really are! From sniffing out an approaching seizure to sniffing out an orca's health through its poop (Yes you read correctly!!)  DOGSMART is a fascinating and informative read. S...

Maria chats with Operation K9 Beethoven's Co-Founder Brian Reyngoudt; he's a returning guest! Operation K9 Beethoven's mission is "helping veterans one paw at a time" as they rescue dogs and train them to become service dogs for veterans with PTSD. They also visit hospitals, nursing homes and schools with therapy dogs. Learn more operationk9beethoven.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Maria chats with Paws of War President and Co-Founder Robert Misseri about all they do! Not only does Paws of Wa r train rescue dogs to become service dogs for veterans (at no cost to the vet), they also bring home dogs and cats that soldiers friended overseas (I learned they do this on a weekly basis!) Click to learn about PAWS OF WAR and give a listen!! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Maria chats with writer, producer, Clio & Emmy Award winner Art Twain about his latest book The Lincoln Zoo Rebellion , written with his long-time friend Larry Belling (who sadly passed away before the book was completed) Art talks about his love of animals since he was young; his amazing career in advertising and marketing, and of course the book, which deals with animal rights and preservati...

Maria chats with Bear Brook Feather Friend Rescue and Sanctuary founder Pete Lillo about his sanctuary in Newton NJ. Pete takes care of about 60 ducks and geese, all on his own!! Most of us know about animal sanctuaries like horses or pigs, but this one is all about our feathered friends. Listen and Learn. You can follow Bear Brook Feather Friend Rescue and Sanctuary on social media!  See omnystud...

Maria chats with returning guest Sy Montgomery (who's been referred to as The Octopus Whisperer) about her new book SECRETS OF THE OCTOPUS ! Sy teaches us about octopus and their ways and why we are fascinated by them--they're shapeshifters!! The book also has gorgeous close-ups of them in their environment. Listen and Learn! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria chats with Dr. Phil Bushby, a veterinary professional at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Bushby iis a trailblazer in his fight against animal overpopulation. He shares his vast knowledge about spaying and neutering, especially feline fix by five which means not the standard spaying/neutering after six months. Listen and Learn! See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Maria chats with returning guest Pete Paxton about his latest undercover investigations; the upcoming puppy mill documentary Under Belly ; and a new book about greyhound racing. And Cailen LaBarge joins to talk about the fight for the Clean Water Act that SEED (Strategies for Ethical & Environmental Development: ethicalstrategies.org ) has been working on. Lotsa info and lots for you to learn...

Maria chats with Founder & CEO McCauley Williams about the new tequila Alma Del Jaguar ; an "exceptional tequila protecting jaguars" ! They keep it local, it's sustainable packaging and all for a good cause. As it says at almadeljaguar.com Jaguars are our mission. Not our mascot. Give a listen and learn!! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria chats with science writer and editor Jennifer Szymanski about Nat Geo Kids book Deadliest Animals On The Planet! With stunning photos and fascinating descriptions, you can learn about the fearsome and dangerous animals and insects on the planet. Educational for adults as well! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria chats with one of her favorites MUTTS Comic Strip creator Patrick McDonnell who returns to talk about the latest: If you follow MUTTS , Guard Dog (who's been tethered for years) was finally freed this week and ultimately adopted!! You can learn more at mutts.com/pages/guard-dog Patrick is a huge animal advocate and uses MUTTS to spread the word. You can also learn about Patrick and the books...

Birdwatching is one of the fastest growing hobbies. Maria chats with Natalie and John White, co-founders of Birda, the new birdwatching app! Become part of the community while appreciating nature by downloading the app! ***Due to technical difficulties beyond my control, this interview has clicks and drop-outs. I did my best to salvage it as I wanted to share Natale and John with you. I appreciate...

Maria chats with frequent guest veterinarian Dr. Amber Karwacki from Heart+Paw. They discuss potential hazards for your dogs and cats with Thanksgiving approaching, plus info on the new mystery disease that's affecting dogs across the country. You'll learn what to look for! Listen and Learn! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria chats with renowned cat behavior scientist Dr. Sarah Brown about her book The Hidden Language of Cats--How They Have Us at Meow. Learn about the signals your cat is giving you just by its body language! This book is delightful and full of info for the cat lover, new cat owner and anyone who wants to know more about our 4-legged pets! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria chats with Tricia Montgomery, founder of the non-profit Moose's March. The organization is in memory of Tricia's pup Moose whose life was cut short by cancer. Moose's March provides support and education for early detection; like offering a FREE webinar on Nov. 2nd. Click HERE for more information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria chats with Dr. Marty Goldstein, a pioneer in animal health and nutrition for many years! His new book The Spirit of Animal Healing: An Integrative Medicine Guide to a Higher State of Well-Being is discussed, among many topics! Dr. Marty was also the subject of The Dog Doc documentary, discussed on the podcast from March 13, 2020!! DrMartyPets.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...