Animals Today Radio

Risks of blue-green algae to dogs This season, there have been reports of dogs becoming sick and dying after exposure to ponds harboring the so-called blue-green algae. Especially frightening is that even clear ponds can sometimes have the blue-green algae growing in them and that exposure can cause rapidly progressive illness and sometimes death.  Veterinarian […]

Will cruel cyanide bombs be banished? Lori begins the show by welcoming Collette Adkins, Carnivore Conservation Director at the Center for Biological Diversity to talk about the animal killing devices known as “cyanide bombs”.  These have been used for decades with the stated purpose of controlling predatory wolves, foxes, coyotes and wild dogs, and the […]

Lori begins by welcoming Wendy Keefover, Senior Strategist, Carnivore Protection at the Humane Society of the United States to explain the newly announced rule changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by the Trump Administration. The ESA became law in 1973 and currently protects 1600 species in the US and its territories. Wendy explains that […]

Lori welcomes two special guests on this show: Inga Fricke, Director of Shelter Initiatives and Outreach for the Humane Society of the United States. Holly Sizemore, Chief Mission Officer, Best Friends Animal Society. Finding shelter and homes for ALL animals Over the past few decades, we have made great strides in reducing the number of […]

In defense of pit bulls Lori begins with an impassioned discussion In defense of pit bulls on behalf of her favorite type of dog, the pit bull. More than other dogs these days, pit bulls are often seen in a negative light. This has led towns and communities to enact ordinances against specific dog breeds, […]

Woman receives jail sentence for feeding cats News of an elderly Ohio woman being sentenced to jail for feeding outdoor cats has become the subject of great interest to animal lovers, the legal community and the general public. We begin today’s show asking legal expert Bob Ferber how this could happen, and if a jail […]

Almond milk vs: almond beverage. Lori begins speaking about deceptive advertising practices employed by the diary industry, and then moves on to the compelling health reasons for eliminating dairy from our diets. With the large variety of alternatives now available, it has never been easier to drop dairy from our diets. Giving up cheese can […]

We begin with hot news stories including Japan resumes commercial whaling, a juvenile black bear was shot by authorities after becoming habituated to people who left food for him, a report predicts most of meat consumed by 2040 will be grown in bioreactors and not from slaughtered animals, a 2 year old boy dies from […]

Why exotic animals should not be pets Private ownership of wild animals like big cats, monkeys and bears typically leads to a life of neglect and cruelty for the animals, as well as presenting risks to the owners and the community. Fortunately, the practice is decreasing, but there remains far too many bad situations around […]

The cruelty of horse racing Lori begins the show with an extended discussion about the cruelty of horse racing.  This season, California’s Santa Anita Park has attracted significant media attention and activity on social media, as the number of horses who have died there keeps growing.  Even Senator Diane Feinstein called for an immediate moratorium […]

National Pet Preparedness Month. Does your emergency plan include your pets? If a natural disaster strikes, like a flood or earthquake, or if you had to be evacuated from your home on short notice, do you have all the supplies your pets need, like their food, medicines, crates and carriers? Have you thought about where […]

What to do if you see a dog in a hot car As the summer temperatures rise, you may come across a situation where an animal, typically a dog, has been left alone in a car that is too warm for comfort or safety. Even though it’s no secret that leaving dogs in hot cars […]

Stopping puppy mills President Trump is the first White House occupant who has not had a dog, and Lori begins the show sharing Trumps’ comments about not having a first dog. Then, Lori describes how animal advocate Lara Trump, the President’s daughter-in-law, is working with Congressman Matt Gaetz and Congressman Brian Mast to strengthen the […]

Lori begins the show with a remembrance of Doris day, who died May 13, 2019 at the age of 97. A Hollywood legend, she was known for her talents as a singer, dancer and as a pioneering advocate for animals. She was an early opponent of animal testing, and persuaded Alfred Hitchcock to ensure humane […]

Why are so many animals endangered? Up to 1 million of the world’s 8 million plant and animal species now face extinction. We begin with Lori explaining the results of the UN sponsored report just issued by Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), titled The IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and […]

Another season of seal killing in Canada is here. Each spring, tens of thousands of baby seals in Canada are brutally killed for their pelts. Even though dozens of countries, including Russia and the members of the EU have banned the sale of seal products, and despite strong worldwide condemnation of the seal hunts, the […]

The Iditarod sled dog race must end The 2019 version of the Iditarod sled dog race has concluded. Billed as the “Last Great Race on Earth,” it is unfortunate that this race lives on, because the dogs endure tremendous amounts of physical stress during the event, and neglect and cruelty both before and after the […]

Do rabbits make good pets? To kick off this show, Lori welcomes Anne Martin, PhD., Executive Director of House Rabbit Society. Lori and Anne begin by talking about the many joys of living with one or more pet rabbits. They continue discussing some of the serious rabbit welfare issues including overpopulation (they are the third most […]

Hot Animal News We begin with animal news including Senator Feinstein takes an interest in horse deaths at Santa Anita Park racetrack, high pesticide residues present in common fruits and vegetables, Ohio’s state animal is now the shelter pet, the USDA ends a toxoplasmosis research program that killed thousands of kittens, and more. High blood […]

Visual identification of dog breeds We begin with Peter’s interview with Arizona State University Psychology Professor, Clive Wynne, who leads the Canine Science Collaboratory. Its main areas of inquiry are dog welfare at the animal shelter, behavioral problems in the home, human-dog interaction, dogs’ wild relatives, and cognitive aging in canines. Peter and Clive cover […]

Hot animal news We begin with top news stories including China is taking steps to drop animal testing requirements for cosmetics, continued trouble (horse deaths) at California’s Santa Anita Park racetrack, meals provided in NYC public schools will soon be vegetarian on Mondays, Florida takes up new anti-tethering bill to protect dogs and more. Why […]

Hot animal news! We begin with animal news including the use of service animals and emotional support animals on airline flights is being further restricted, falsely claiming an animal as a service animal is being criminalized, an animal-free attraction is being considered in the site of the recently shuttered Dolphinaris Arizona, a woman was severely […]

The illegal trade of African Grey Parrots We begin with Ben Williamson, Programs Director at World Animal Protection. Huge numbers of live wild animals are traded as pets and much of this trade is illegal and involves endangered and protected species.   Undercover investigations have shown Turkish Airlines and its cargo carrier Turkish Cargo as […]

Hot Animal News We begin with this weeks’ top news: Captive beluga whales will be released into a large seaside sanctuary in Iceland, Cuvier’s beaked whale was shown to be the deepest diving whale, Donald Trump, Jr. continues his big game hunting activities, overweight dogs can die 2.5 years earlier than ideal weight dogs, a […]

Hot animal news. We begin with animal news items from around the world, including the death of the fourth dolphin at Dolphinaris Arizona, salmonella risks posed by pet hedgehogs, new insights into the intelligence of dogs, sleeping with bed, the unremitting Norwegian whaling industry, and more. Suspicious activity at the Safari Club International Hunters’ convention […]