Why Do Pets Matter? Hosted by Debra Hamilton, Esq.

Carolyn Shadle, the CEO and resident guru of Interpersonl Communication Services, Inc., returns to "Why Do Pets Matter?" to discuss how veterinarians are communicating with their clients post-COVID and what might be helpful in improving those interactions. We also touched on telemedicine, the human-animal bond, how shelters are shifting to help people keep their animals while returning to work and...

Why do pets matter to Chris Roy, Founder of Doobert.com? "Each pet has an individual personality and is uniquely different from other animals showing just how sentient they are. They matter to me because of this consciousness, awareness, and ability to love, grieve and experience joy and sorrow just like humans. They communicate to us in their own ways, and we embrace their love and grieve their l...

My dear friend Valarie Adams returns to this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" to continue a wonderful chat about grief and mourning the loss of our beloved pets, addressing grief and listening deeply to others who are grieving, and the role good communication plays during emotionally charged end-of-life conversations between vets and owners.  About Valarie Adams: Valarie Adams is a CVT with over 4...

During this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" Professor Delcianna Winders speaks with us about the incredible work she is doing in the world of animal advocacy and animal law.    Pets matter because they are sentient beings — and other animals, including billions of animals suffering on factory farms with inadequate legal protections, matter for the same reason.  Human, animal, and environmental in...

Better Dog Behavior Now -- “We help dogs by training people.” Doug Poynter from BetterDogBehaviorNow.com joins us for a conversation about the things you can do with your dog to raise consciousness for both of you. This helps both of you have a much better relationship with one another. Plus we're discussing the things you are (inadvertently) doing that are creating your dog's behavior issues. Abo...

During this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" I'm speaking with my dear friend, Valarie Adams. Such a wonderful chat about grief and mourning the loss of our beloved pets -- how to address grief and how to listen to others who are grieving without giving your opinions about grief. We also had a deeply heartfelt conversation about palliative care and hospice.  Links Mentioned During The Show:  Eliza...

Barbara Gislason is a true pioneer in the area of pet law. She is the one who put it on the books as a practice area first in Minnesota and then has gone on to create international awareness and programs advocating for animals and their welfare. Barbara joins us again during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" to discuss international and local animal law, divorcing with pets, "dangerous" dog de...

Chris Roy joins us during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter" to talk to us about some possible collaborative, rather than judgemental, solutions to help people avoid permanently surrendering their pets while they search for pet-friendly housing and other pet care solutions amidst the increase in "pandemic puppies" being surrendered to shelters since the eviction moratorium has been lifted, job l...

Bestselling author of "Excellence Beyond Compliance" James Gesualdi is speaking with us again, this time we're taking a deeper dive into his "Principles of Constructive Engagement" and the "Enlightened Caregivers Creed." You can listen to his first interview right here: https://whydopetsmatter.podbean.com/e/introducing-the-show-why-do-pets-matter-podcast-100/ Animals matter, they are living beings...

Dr. Kathleen Cooney joins us for a powerful conversation about end-of-life care for your beloved companion animals during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" She talks about how to communicate with your veterinarian -- what to expect and explore when it comes to hospice care, treatment options, and the different types of euthanasia options available. She also discusses why talking about and pre-...

Melissa Supernor, Founder of EDAVT (Educational Advocates for the Veterinary Team) and good friend of "Why Do Pets Matter?" joins us again to discuss how journaling helps her gain a deeper understanding of what's going on and how listening for understanding and accepting that people have different perspectives and perceptions has helped her do her work in the veterinary industry.   More About Meli...

Melissa Supernor, Founder of EDAVT (Educational Advocates for the Veterinary Team) and good friend of "Why Do Pets Matter?" joins us again for an indepth conversation about how veterinarians and their teams have survived the pandemic while providing client services.   More About Melissa Supernor   Melissa J. Supernor is founder and president of Educational Advocate for the Veterinary Team (EdAVT)....

Dr. Chris Blazina and I had a fascinating conversation about the psychological role companion animals play in our lives -- especially men's lives -- during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?"  Through his work, Chris has found that our pets take on the role of "unwavering friend and constant companion" during our lives. And, this is particularly true for men -- especially later in life -- as the...

Kent Kruse, DVM joins us for a "don't miss" episode of "Why Do Pets Matter". Kent is a retired small animal veterinarian, management software creator for the veterinary industry, and an authority on pet insurance. We're talking about the human-animal bond and why pet insurance is so important for your pet and you.  Kent explains the different kinds of pet insurance, how to shop for the best pet in...

Jeremy Cohen, Esq. from Boston Dog Lawyers, returns to "Why Do Pets Matter?" with a powerful conversation about breeder contracts, the questions potential owners must ask before they sign a breeder contract and what breeders should put in their contracts to protect themselves while fostering communication, transparency, and collaboration.   About Jeremy Cohen, Esq.  A lawyer for nearly 20 years, J...

Tom Van Winkle, CEO and Executive Director of the Hinsdale Humane Society in Chicagoland, IL joins us during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?". He's chatting with us about how pets and their potential people are screened for adoption, the language you need to use when you're screening, how to help people foster animals, and helping our deploying servicemen and women find a home for their pets...

My good friend, colleague and fellow Irish Setter breeder, Karolynne McAteer, joins us during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" to share her 40 years of expertise and experience about purebred dogs and what everyone needs to know about choosing the right dog bred from them.  She very generously shares information about how dogs are bred, what's important to breeders - especially preservationis...

Gary Friedman, one of my dearest mentors and co-director of The Center of Understanding in Conflict joins us for this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" We're talking about pets and how mediation can be exceptionally beneficial when people are in conflict over a pet, what it takes to have a successful experience with mediation, and how mediation can help people move from a right or wrong, high confl...

Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, JD, joins us during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" She's a fantastic veterinarian, repro-vet, attorney, and breeder. During the height of the pandemic, she wrote "Your Pandemic Puppy" -- a book covering your puppy's physical and mental well-being, as well as training and veterinary care. And, she also started a drive-thru vet practice called "Checkout Veterinary."  She...

My good friend and colleague, Karis Nafte, returns to "Why Do Pets Matter?" this week. She is a certified dog behavior consultant and a mediator. Karis is the BEST pet custody specialist you could ever hope to work with if you have pets and are getting divorced.   We work very closely together because we both understand that divorcing with pets is an emotional experience that often needs assistanc...

While COVID cooped up many people in their homes, veterinary professionals have been in the hospitals, clinics, and field caring for animals. For veterinary professionals, the "COVID 20" means something different -- it's the extra 20 animals they squeezed in for an exam on any given day!   Working in a highly demanding and giving profession comes with a high cost for many vets -- the time for thei...

Kelly Baltzell, founder of Beyond Indigo, a marketing agency that helps progressive pet service providers get the word out about their businesses "to get more tails through the door" is joining us during this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" Beyond our never-ending passion for pets and the unconditional love they have for their people, we are both passionate about human communication. The kind of...

We're in for a real treat today! Ana Melara from Grace Dog Training and Behavior joins us today with some amazing nuggets that will help us take a step back, evaluate where we and our dogs are at in training, how to get the most out of the training and how we can create an even better relationship with our dogs. About Ana Melara, CPDT-KA: Ana Melara has been working with dogs and their families fo...

This week the fabulous Cathy Madson returns to "Why Do Pets Matter?" to speak with us about transitioning back to work with a Pandemic Puppy, how training your dog becomes far more doable when you break it into bite-sized steps, consulting with behaviorists and vets when your dog has behavior issues, and virtual support communities to connect with -- including the resources at PreventiveVet.com ....

During this episode of “Why Do Pets Matter?” we’re speaking with Krista Karpowich, owner and podcaster at Wag Out Loud, a podcast that is focused on canine health, nutrition, and well-being.   About Krista Karpowich Krista Karpowich owns Wag Out Loud, LLC and is the host of the weekly Wag Out Loud pawdcast, a show focusing on canine health, nutrition and overall well-being. After receiving her cer...