The Animal Guide for Curious Humans

Today we are focussing on one of most intelligent, socially complex, and inspiring animals on the planet; elephants.  While being indigenous to just two continents Africa and Asia, elephants are easily one of the most recognizable mammals on earth.  While mainly living in the wild, for millennia humans have captured elephants for use as labor, for war and most significantly in recent centuries, fo...

Today we will be exploring some interesting studies relating to the welfare of farmed animals.  As we have discussed before, billions of farmed animals around the world endure significant suffering and inhumane treatment to feed humans, largely in industrial farming. And yet, like other animals, cows, pigs and chickens, are sentient with clearly documented evidence of emotions, personality differe...

When you think about medicine and animals, what comes to mind?  For a lot of us, we first think of animal testing; clinical trials, lab mice, etc.  But we don’t tend to think so much about the ingredients in our medicines and what animals they come from.  Many common drugs and medicines like blood thinners, treatments for menopause and even vaccines contain pig, horse or chicken byproducts.  In so...

Happy July everyone!  Our guest today is Dr. Heather Bacon, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom.  Heather has worked internationally on veterinary education and animal welfare projects for over 15 years.  Her experience with and interest in animal welfare issues is so extensive it was difficult to decide on which topic to cover wi...

Today we are exploring the world of domestic cat behaviour. Chances are either you have a cat in your family or you know someone who does.  There are around 400 million cats in households around the globe.  We humans have long had a fascination with these beautiful creatures dating back to ancient Egypt.  It is estimated that cats have been domestic pets for 12,000 years.  And yet, in many respect...

Today, we are talking about the impact of non-native and invasive wildlife when they are introduced into an environment.  What effect can they have on native wildlife and the ecosystem on which they rely.  Today’s guest is Paul Evans, a Science Writer and Outreach Coordinator at Croc Docs, a University of Florida team of biologists, ecological modelers, and outreach specialists conducting research...

Today we are exploring the healing power of connecting with animals.  You have probably heard of programs in hospitals and nursing homes where animals, typically dogs, are brought in to interact with patients.  The human-animal engagement has been found to be highly beneficial for many people and can help combat depression, anxiety and loneliness.  Dogs are also employed at some airports to help r...

Today’s guest is Patti Ragan, founder and president of the Center for Great Apes in southcentral Florida.  The Center is a sanctuary for orangutans and chimpanzees, many of whom were in the entertainment industry.  Others were personal pets or research subjects.  It is currently home to 27 orangutans and 42 chimpanzees and is the only accredited sanctuary for orangutans in North America.  A couple...

We know a great deal about cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) thanks to the remarkable work of scientists all over the world.  They have been studied in their natural habitat as well as in captivity.  As a result, scientists have identified the significant adverse consequences cetaceans experience in captivity in aquariums and other facilities.  Their captivity is usually just for the purp...

How do we know when an animal is experiencing acute pain?  As it turns out, for at least some animals like felines, a good indicator of their experience of pain can be seen in their faces.  As we humans wince or grimace when we experience pain, so do cats.  Our guest today is Dr. Paulo Steagall.  Dr. Steagall and a team of researchers working at his laboratory at the Université de Montréal veterin...

How can we tell if an animal is truly well and has quality of life?  The five domains model of animal welfare is designed to help scientists, veterinarians, animal caregivers in zoos and others evaluate and monitor the welfare of animals.  But the model is also useful for us in our daily lives as we make decisions that affect the non-human animal kingdom.  It can assist with considering whether to...

Monkeys are smart, sophisticated autonomous beings born to be wild and live in communities with their own kind.  They aren’t meant to be pets or entertainers.  Yet there are so many among us far from their natural habitat mainly due to the exotic pet trade and unregulated zoos.  Others are acquired as subjects for scientific research and discarded after they have served their usefulness.  Thankful...

If you had to guess, how many mountain gorillas do you think remain in the wild today?  For context, there are 7.9 billion humans in the world.  How many mountain gorillas do you think there are?  The answer: just 1,063.  Until recently, there were a critically endangered species.  Thanks in large part to today’s guest and her organization, the population of mountain gorillas is growing. Dr Gladys...

It is estimated that around 65 billion broiler chickens are consumed by humans every year.  Yet, how much do we really know about them?  Today’s guest is doing fascinating and important research in animal behaviour, particularly chickens.  Dr. Oluwaseun Sera Iyasere is a specialist in Animal Behaviour and Welfare and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Physiology, at the Federal Universi...

On today’s episode, we are taking a look at wild cats who have found themselves in human hands.  Lions, tigers, lynx, servals, and other species of wild cats can be targets for profiteers running roadside petting zoos or who are filling a demand for exotic pets.  These extraordinary creatures might be bred for their cubs to create a photo opportunity at an unregulated zoo or they may be taken into...

Today’s episode is a brief one to touch base on some current news items and to tell you about some of the great episodes we have coming up.    We start with the recent heartbreaking story from Dallas, Texas where a little two year old boy was mauled by a coyote while on the front porch of his home.  My thoughts and prayers go out to this little boy and his family.  Several news stories have report...

Why is anyone still wearing fur despite the decades of protests against this practice? Unless you live in a remote community in which fur is used in the context of living responsibly off the land and as part of your culture, you don't need it for warmth.  If you're wearing fur, the reason is vanity. In this episode of The Animal Guide For Curious Humans, host Maureen Amrstrong talks to L...

More and more consumers are animal lovers, and their love of animals extends to what they buy. So more consumers are making purchasing decisions based on whether products are tested on animals.  Many manufacturers have embraced cruelty free as part of their corporate culture. Others just print phrases like “Against animal testing” on their products. But what exactly does this mean? Does it mean th...

What are animals exactly?  Are they just things?  Are they property?  Can they be persons even though they aren’t people?    We share background on an important legal case on the question of whether an elephant is, in legal terms, a person for the purpose of accessing certain legal rights.  This case raises so many important issues regarding the human/non-human animal relationship, the intelligenc...

In this episode of The Animal Guide we explore the systems used to put aquatic life on our plates, and how we can improve the lives of aquatic animals. Our guest is Catalina Lopez from the Aquatic Life Institute .  She is the Director of the Aquatic Animal Alliance (AAA), a coalition of organizations working around the globe to reduce the suffering of aquatic animals used for food. A vet from Colu...

In the newest episode of The Animal Guide podcast show, we discuss one of the world’s most popular pets - dogs.  Our guest is dog trainer Helen Prinold from the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers.  Helen has a Masters degree in Animal Behaviour, is CPDT-KA certified ( Certified Professional Dog Trainer -Knowledge Assessed), a CDBC ( Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant ), and a Certif...

Obtaining an accurate picture of animal welfare in China requires understanding of history, culture and politics in this large and complex country.   In this episode, Dr. Peter Li, a distinguished scholar and China animal policy expert, shares insights on animal welfare in China including wet markets and the role they played in the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic.   Dr. Li is Associate Professor...

In episode 007 of The Animal Guide , we continue our conversation with Meg Toom. Be sure to listen to episode 006, Encounters With Wildlife , to hear host Maureen Armstrong and Meg discuss managing wildlife and human conflict, and in particular the human impact on bear habitats. They also discussed cougars and coyotes.  Meg is principal of Serratus Wildlife Services in British Columbia, Canada, an...

No matter where we are in the world, we share the planet with wildlife.  You may only see squirrels or birds when you take the dog out or head to the office, but these creatures are still classed as wildlife. Some listeners will regularly encounter raccoons, coyotes, bears, snakes, monkeys, jackals, possums, and more.  In this episode of The Animal Guide for Curious Humans, host Maureen Armstrong...

The holiday season is a time to reflect on how fortunate we are, but also to acknowledge how much our lives are enriched by other species and to consider what we might do for them. If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to consider donating your time, money and expertise—whichever you can spare, as much as you can spare—to organizations that work on animals’ behalf. I hope you will consid...