Animal Radio®

Picking Up After Your Dog Becomes Law A company called Poo Prints claims Dallas and other cities can cash in on dog waste through DNA tracking. Dallas City Council members chuckled Wednesday when they heard about the plan, but the company is dead serious about the opportunity to find irresponsible dog owners by lab testing turds. Eric Mayer describes to listeners how his plan works to clean up your city. Listen Now Dogs Shot By Police on The Rise In response to an alleged increase in dog shootings by police officers, several people, including owners of murdered pets, are using Facebook as a tool to increase awareness of the problem and seek change to police policies toward dogs. Videos of dog shootings are all over the Internet, and it seems like there's a new one every week. Listen Now Underwater Dogs Award-winning photographer Seth Casteel, also known as "The Underwater Dog Guy," has been featured in National Geographic, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and now he's giving listeners his best-selling book on Animal Radio. Listen Now Millionaires Have Gone To The Dogs Dogs and Millionaires have a lot in common. They are relentless opportunists (especially when it comes to rewards). They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They defend their turf. And in general, they don't like cats. Perhaps that explains a new survey that shows that millionaires are far more dog-friendly than the rest of Americans. According to a Spectrem Group study, 58% of millionaire pet owners have a dog. Listen Now Rent-A-Puppy Business is booming for a Brigham Young University student who recently started a puppy rental service. Jenna Miller says she's had more than 100 rentals since August. The business has stirred some controversy, with the Utah Humane Society concerned about the dogs' health. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Best Dog Tricks On The Planet Babette Haggerty has trained Jack Nicklaus' Golden Retriever to bark the number of his major tournament wins on command, Curt Gowdy's Rottweiler to say, "Go Reds," and Jimmy Buffett's Maltese to dance on cue to "Margaritaville." Now, she's sharing her best on Animal Radio. Listen Now There's An App For That Steve Pelletier is a techie, a dog lover, and a fitness fanatic. Once an Economist at the Reagan White House, he's now focusing his attention on the pet obesity problem in the U.S. He's invented a smartphone app that can help your dog stay in shape. Listen Now Designer Breeds Darlene Arden busts the myths surrounding the Cava-Poo-Chon breed. This toy dog is supposed to look forever young and live to 20. These designer breeds are actually a waste of your hard-earned money and can be racked with health issues. Listen to what Darlene has to say before you run out and get the latest fad-dog. Listen Now Does My Dog Understand Time? How much does our dog know? Can they tell time? Alan Kabel schools us on separation anxiety and what is believed to be the canine perception of time. When you leave the pack, your dog may think you're never coming back. Listen Now Trained Dogs Prevent School Violence While some say school safety hinges on guns, cameras or alarms in classrooms, Mark Gomer and Kristi Schiller think specially trained dogs should take point in preventing violence in schools. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Jobs That Bite Jeremy Brandt has a strange and scary job. One minute, he'll be doing dental work on a lion. Next, he'll be tattooing a bear. It's all part of a day's work as a Nat Geo WILD television host. Listen Now Does Your Cat Have A Smart Phone? Yes, there's an "app" for that. Just released, the Human-to-Cat Translator. This intriguing app says it can translate human words into cat language. Speak a word or phrase into your phone, and the app plays back a collection of meows, supposedly translating your English into Catlish. When we tried a translation for "come here," our cat tester showed a little curiosity but not enough to actually get off the couch. Of course, even if the app does work accurately, there's a good chance your cat will ignore you, anyway. Listen Now St. Francis of Bloomberg Ex-Mayor Bloomberg's daughter makes a pretty decent living riding horses. Georgina Bloomberg continually wins big stakes in riding competitions. But now she's taking time off to have a baby with her boyfriend. She has more info on the big Tinsel & Tails event. Listen Now Medicines Safe For Humans May Not Be Safe For Pets When people feel pain, they often reach for common medicines such as aspirin or Motrin. However, NSAID use in pets carries risks as well as benefits. Pet owners must be informed about possible side effects, including those that could signal danger. Listen Now Ahhh, The Holidaze Are Here. It's time to endure another year with drunk old Uncle Ned. This year, Vinnie Penn defends the right of the family dog to have a sock hanging from the fireplace mantle. This doesn't end well. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

120 lb. Rodent as a Pet When Jackie Coleman Wren wanted a pet, she preferred something a little more exotic. That's why she got a Capybara. This strange animal looks like an oversized Guinea Pig or Gopher and apparently has an affinity for chewing everything. Listen Now Dogs and Their People Stacie Grissom started a subscription business that delivers a box full of toys and treats to your dog every month. The business morphed into a wildly successful celebration of dogs and a new book featuring charming stories about the connections with our furry friends. Listen Now Mutts Rock Pet World Insider Robert Semrow loves mutts! He's counting down the five reasons mutts make better pets. Did you know that a mixed-breed dog is healthier than a purebred? Listen Now Dark Personality Traits of Pet Owners A research team at Oakland University wanted to know how two traits, narcissism, and borderline personality characteristics, are related to levels of attachment to both traditional pets and unusual or exotic pets. The results did not turn out the way the researchers thought they would. Lori Brooks reports on the results. Listen Now Nice Kitty Kitty A 34-year-old Houston, Texas, woman who had a fully grown male tiger and three tiger cubs roaming free in her home was charged with child endangerment. Apparently, Trisha Meyer allowed the four tigers, a fox, a cougar, a skunk, and several monkeys to roam freely in her house around her home-schooled 14-year-old daughter. The landlord kicked the woman out of the home after police notified him of what was going on. He said she had only lived there for three weeks, but he had no clue that someone could do that amount of damage to a home in that short amount of time. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Eric Lost 140 lbs. Thanks to His Dog Are you one of the 50 million people who have seen the viral video of Eric O'Grey and his dog Peety? Eric used to weigh 320 lbs. But his doctor prescribed a dog that saved his life and helped him lose 140 lbs. Eric's on this week's show to tell his story. Listen Now Pig or Service Pig? A Winnipeg, Canada, woman's fight to keep her pot-bellied pig as a service animal isn't over yet. The City Council is holding off voting until early December on Emily Hydor's appeal to keep her pig named Podgy. The delay will allow the city more time to gauge whether the pig qualifies for an exemption to the responsible pet ownership bylaw as a service animal. Listen Now Unlikely Companions Dr. Laurie Hess is back. This time, she has some wacky stories about strange animals that people call pets. From monkeys to wallabies, you'll be thankful you chose a normal pet. Listen Now Finding the Right Petsitter More and more pet owners are taking their pets with them when they travel, but not every destination is pet-friendly, and your time away from home may require you to enlist the services of a professional pet sitter. If you have ever had to find a pet sitter, you know putting someone else in complete charge of your furry family members is not easy. Animal Radio News Director Lori Brooks has a checklist for finding the perfect caregiver. Listen Now Fear Free Vet Visits Steve Dale is back on Animal Radio to talk about creating painless and fun visits to the veterinarian. Follow his tips, and your pet will enjoy visiting the vet, and you won't dread it. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Every Dog Deserves A Second Chance Bestselling author Jon Katz is back on Animal Radio. A few years ago, he was on top of the world. Then came the end of his 35-year marriage, and he went broke. He needed a second chance. Along came Frieda, a Rottweiler-shepherd mix that also needed a second chance. Listen Now Suffering in Silence Often, when an animal is sick, it goes unnoticed. Some believe that's because they can't show weakness in the wild. Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker will tell you what signs to look for that indicate your furr-kid is sick. Listen Now Pot Plant Pesticides Killing Animals Half a million marijuana plants have been recovered on US Forest Service land so far this year. However, it's not what they're growing but how they're growing that's killing wildlife, tainting water supplies, and endangering hikers. NBC affiliate Elyce Kirchner reports. Listen Now Tinsel and Tails Celebrity Photographer Mike Ruiz is here to talk about the Celebrity Catwalk event and what some well-known "A-list" celebs are doing to help companion animals nationwide. Listen Now FDA To Regulate Pet Food The Food and Drug Administration proposed rules that would govern pet food production and farm animal feed for the first time. The proposal comes years after the biggest pet food recall in history. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

This Dog Knows A Thousand Words You may have heard about Chaser, the Border Collie that not only knows 1000 words but can understand sentences. John Pilley got Chaser when he was 72, and has chronicled this amazing story. Your dog may be just as brilliant! Listen Now What Does "Made In The USA" Really Mean? Meat or plant-based "jerky" pet treats have been tied to mysterious illnesses in thousands of dogs, according to the FDA. Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, said, "This is one of the most elusive and mysterious outbreaks we've encountered." Listen Now Unlikely Loves Jennifer Holland has released another book highlighting strange and unusual animal relationships. You'll hear about the unique pairing of an Elephant and a Sea Lion. But that's not the weirdest. You'll have to listen to believe it. Listen Now Jet Set Vets Dr. Cindy Bressler has a unique job. She's a vet for the other side of the tracks. This entrepreneur started the country's only private jet, ride-along-vet concierge pet service. For a small fortune, between $1,200 and $15,000 an hour, she and her team wild administer IVs, drips, and handle any other medical issues. Listen Now ...and the Animal Radio Dream Team will be answering questions about your pets. Read more about this week's show.

Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big? The very amusing Dena Harris joins us as she parodies all the self-help diet books with tips to reduce the fat in your cat. You'll hear purr-actical tips like, eat whatever you want, throw it up at 3am right in the middle of the bedroom floor. Listen Now What The Dog Knows Cat Warren trains cadaver dogs to look for dead bodies. How does she do it? And just how good is your dog's nose? So good they can sniff a corpse at the bottom of a lake for 100 years. Would "Ladybug" the Animal Radio Stunt Dog be good as a cadaver dog? She likes rolling in dead stuff. Listen Now Anal Glands It's all fun and games until someone gets squirted in the eye. Dogfather Joey Villani suggests you go to your veterinarian if your dog's glands need to be expressed. But just in case you want to do it on your own, he'll tell you what you need to know first. Listen Now Smelly Cat, It's Not Your Fault It's not just a Friends song. It's a real problem that can be solved using stuff you probably already have in your pantry. We'll have the reasons and the cures for your smelly cat. Listen Now Pet Insurance Now Offers Hereditary and Congenital Coverage Cats and dogs in nearly 30 states are now eligible for full hereditary and congenital coverage from several insurance carriers. Hereditary and congenital coverage is a relative newcomer to the insurance field. Listen Now Wine For Cats Wine drinkers in Japan can now share a glass with their feline friends. B&H Lifes is releasing a wine for cats. While the wine doesn't actually contain any alcohol, it is made from Cabernet grapes. It is also blended with vitamin C and catnip for a mixture that supposedly tastes similar to red wine. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Air Hollywood Actress and animal advocate Megan Blake is teaching dogs to fly on airplanes using a Hollywood studio set and aircraft simulator. For $300, you can desensitize your pup from all the noise and vibrations that happen on a real plane. Listen Now One Cool Black Cat As Halloween approaches, we examine all the strange superstitions, from Black Cats to Fat Rats. Self-proclaimed expert Kim Campbell Thornton shares the stories behind the myths and legends. Listen Now Condoms For Cats & Dogs A new website is supposedly offering an unusual way to control the pet population - condoms for cats and dogs. It claims to offer a special brand of protection dubbed Animal Instincts. But anyone trying to purchase a pack of the condoms will quickly realize they're out of luck. As soon as they click on one of the links, a message pops up telling potential customers: "C'mon, there's only one real fix, spay or neuter your pet." Listen Now Cat Competes For National Pet Insurance Award A Northern California family cat is in the running for a national pet insurance award. After racking up a $1,200 vet bill being squashed in a garage door incident, Ariel, the Carter family cat, is now in the running for the "Most Unusual Claim of the Year." Listen Now Skunk Haven An Ohio woman is trying to prove that skunks aren't the "smelly little creatures" people may think they are. Deborah Cipriani has converted her home into the country's only rescue center for domestic skunks. She has 50 skunks that have free reign of her five-bedroom house - dubbed Skunk Haven - and some of them even sleep in her bed. She also hosts an annual animal lovers event known as Skunk Fest. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Date Me, Date My Dog 70% of female respondents would marry their dog, according to comedian Leigh Anne Jasheway. Leigh Anne barks up all the major problem issues single women with dogs face when trying to mate and relate with a human male - and how to successfully have sex in front of the dog without causing dogus-interruptus. Listen Now More Ha Ha What's better than one animal-loving comedian? Two, of course. Joey Camen and his multiple personalities visit with Animal Radio. He shares an exciting, tail-wagging story about the relationship he had with Snoopy, his shelter dog. Listen Now Mice Sing To Protect Themselves We all know that birds sing, but did you know mice do as well? And the songs vary, so mice that live in the jungle of the Amazon may sound one way. Mice in Detroit have also been studied, and they sound another way. I'm not sure how mice in LA might sound. Listen Now Where Is Your Hard Earned Money Going? Vinnie Penn takes a look at the Watchdog Report. It details exactly how much money animal-related non-profits make and how they spend it. Once you hear the truth, you may think twice before making a donation to your favorite charity. Listen Now Cat Uses The Toilet A cat-lover has amazed animal experts by teaching his furr-ball "Salem" to use a human toilet. 29-year-old Luke Evans became fed up with the puss using a smelly litter tray in his second-floor flat. So he trained a nine-month-old cat to go to the toilet in his bathroom by offering cheese-flavored treats as a reward. Listen Now Cheap Guy Finishes First Joey Villani has been grooming dogs since he was a toddler (FDR was president…we think). He's sharing more secrets to grooming your pet with stuff you have around your house....like Downy fabric softener, Gold Bond medicated powder, Vinegar, Bounce dryer sheets, and corn starch. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Barking Blondes Anna Webb and Jo Good are perhaps the two funniest ladies you've ever heard. They have an affinity for our "fur-kids" - and they'll tell you how two bitches taught two bitches to survive without men. Listen Now Flea Fodder Once again, we are having a record year for fleas. And this has, quite by accident, become the thrust of today's show. Dr. Cristiano Von Simpson and "Dogfather" Joey Villani offer up great advice for ridding your pet of fleas once and for all. Can you use Listerine or Vinegar as effective protection? Dr. Debbie busts the myths. Listen Now Rent-The-Chicken.com Phil Thompkins and his wife Jenn are quite the entrepreneurs. They've successfully launched a chicken rental business just in time for a renewed interest in the feathered fowl. "Chickens are the new dogs," and many simply like having the egg supply. Listen Now Zero-Tolerance For People Wearing Animal Prints A wildlife park in the U.K. has started banning animal print clothing after zookeepers noticed the fashion choice was confusing the animals. The Chessington World of Adventures has even brought in "Animal Print Bouncers" to make sure visitors don't get in wearing anything patterned after zebras, giraffes, leopards, tigers, or other wild animals. Listen Now What's "Stud Tail?" Did you know it's pretty common for unaltered male dogs (and cats) to be missing hair on the base of their tail? It's just another one of the problems when you fail to neuter your dog. You can even avoid some cancers by snip-snip-snipping. Listen Now Purr Therapy A new cafe in Paris offers patrons a dose of stress relief with their coffee. The Cat Cafe has a dozen resident cats to provide "purr therapy." The manager there says a cat's purring has been shown to help relieve arthritis or rheumatism and to lower blood pressure and heart rate. It seems the whole concept is a hit. So many people showed up for the cafe's recent opening that about 300 had to be turned away. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

10 Pets That Inspired Great Songs From the Rolling Stones to Queen to Norah Jones, they all wrote or sang songs about the important animals in their lives. MNN.com's Laura Moss has the stories behind the music. Listen Now Fatal Canine Disease Spreads from Ohio Veterinarians across the country are stumped about a new disease, similar to Parvo, that seems to have originated from a service dog in Ohio. So far, 10 cases of Circovirus have been reported. Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker reports on the latest findings and how to prevent exposure. Listen Now Blind Man Washed Into Culvert, Dog Jumps In After Him A blind man was walking his dog along a Denver street when epic floodwaters surged and knocked him over. Ronnie Webb was washed into a deep culvert as his guide dog frantically paced the edge. As Webb called for help, his dog jumped in after him. Listen Now Are Monkeys Smarter Than College Students? Britt Savage reports a study showing our primate friends may be sharper than college students. Researchers tested Duke University students and monkeys. Guess who scored higher on the exams? Let's just say the results didn't boost morale at Duke. Listen Now Spend Eternity With Your Pet New regulations will allow New York animal lovers to spend eternity with their pets. Officials have finalized rules allowing pet cemeteries to accept the cremated remains of humans. The cemeteries can bury pet owners' ashes as long as they don't charge a fee for it and don't advertise human burial services. Listen Now Dog Shoots Owner Dogs are supposed to be man's best friend, but one pooch in Fort Worth, Texas, is being blamed for shooting its owner. The accident occurred when a 78-year-old woman was watching television. Apparently, her dog walked by a shotgun that was at her side, knocking it over. When it hit the floor, the gun discharged and struck the woman in her left foot. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Get Your Licks on Route 66 We're checking in with Susan Sims and actress Ashely Bell as they trek across America on the annual adoption tour. Ashley shares the stories behind her pets at home. Listen Now My Dog Eats Drywall We hear it all at Animal Radio. This week, we'll be helping a listener's dog to stop eating the sheetrock walls. And we'll uncover the reasons our dogs have chewing fetishes and give you solutions to stop this kind of bizarre behavior. Listen Now Dare to Look Ripley's Believe It Or Not is back and Edward Meyer shares the most unusual and unique animal oddities. From the skateboarding cats to the man who married a donkey, you'll hear the strange but true stories. Listen Now Bone Trick How did this dog get one of those bones stuck on its lower jaw? Animal Radio's Dr. Debbie had the pleasure of removing it. She'll explain what happened. Let this serve as a lesson about the safety of bones. Listen Now For $349 Your Dog Can Learn To Fly Security checks and bumpy air are all in a day's training at a Hollywood film studio to prepare your dog for a safe and calm flight. The Air Hollywood class is billed as the first in a real fuselage on a sound stage with a simulator that mimics takeoff, turbulence, and landing. Listen Now Can You Train a Cat? Mikkel Becker may be the daughter of Dr. Marty Becker, but she stands on her own, especially when it comes to Positive Reinforcement. Mikkel utilizes this technique to train dogs AND cats. She'll share ways we can use Positive Reinforcement with our pets and husbands. Listen Now Bogus Service Certificates & Vests A service dog is highly trained to perform a specific task for its disabled owner. For people wanting to take their pets wherever they go, a brisk business has developed in the sale of bogus service animal certificates and vests. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Dog To English Translator Leave it to the Swedes and Tomas Mazzetti, Project Manager of "No More Woof," a device that straps onto your dog's head and translates their thoughts into one of eight different voices. While Tomas admits the technology is far from perfect, he has been able to raise over $10,000 on a crowd-funding website. Listen Now Choosing Pets Over Kids It may come as a surprise, but young couples opt to have furry kids instead of human children. While the causes are still unknown, Ron Reich's research suggests income and social media may play a role. Listen Now A Vet's Home Life with a vet is never dull, according to Scott Reeder. His wife is like most veterinarians. She ends up bringing home animals that otherwise couldn't be adopted. If you walk into a veterinarian's house, you're likely to see animals that may be missing limbs, can't see, or can't walk. Listen Now Pampered Pets Get Private Club in Las Vegas VIP lounges and entrance fees are commonplace in Las Vegas, but now there is a social club downtown just for pampered pets and their owners. The view from the outside is what most of us are likely to see. You need a special key card to get inside the Hydrant Club private park. Listen Now My Dog Can't Sleep Yes, just like humans, dogs can also suffer from REM sleep disorders. Since they can't tell you, this disorder can go unnoticed, taking years off your pup's life. Dr. Debbie tackles one such case this week. And of course, the entire Dream Team is here to answer your pet questions. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Our Pets Can Get Dementia Dr. Jennifer Bolser confirms that our dogs and cats do indeed suffer from the same mental disabilities that humans do. From depression to OCD, some of the same medicines we use are also valid for our companion animals. Listen Now Connecting With Your Pet Technology changes the way we live, usually for the better. Dave Clark created a device that allows you to connect with your pet while you're away using a smartphone. This new gadget has raised nearly $80,000 on IndieGoGo, partly because of its ability to dispense treats to your dog with a press of a button on your phone. Listen Now Didn't See That Bite Coming A new dangerous Internet video fad is becoming more popular. The scenario is often a baby or child playing with a dangerous or aggressive dog. Dogtime's Nina Stively explains how the urge to create a viral video can put our children in harm's way. Listen Now Possible Jail Time for Stealing A Cat A New York woman is potentially facing jail time after refusing a plea deal for stealing a cat. Nancy Glassman admits to taking a cat named Cosmo from a bagel shop and driving it to a local animal shelter. She believed the resident cat was being abused because of sores on its ears and its scruffy-looking fur. She was later arrested and charged with burglary. Listen Now Recalled Treats Back On Shelves Dog treats linked to hundreds of animal deaths and thousands of illnesses are returning to store shelves soon. The treats will be sold again despite having no firm evidence of what caused the deaths and sicknesses. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Lost Cat Pet Detective How does someone become a certified cat detective? Kim Freeman became certified, and now she helps cat owners find their lost furr-balls. She's even authored "How to Find Your Lost Cat." Kim will share her story and even give us tips on finding the lost kitty. Listen Now What Are The Odds? Amram Shapiro spent the better half of a decade compiling "odds" for his book. He has a fascinating peek at the probabilities that govern every aspect of human and animal life. Odds are 5 to 1 you'll be hit by lightning before you're stung by a bee, wasp, or hornet. Listen Now Pets Create Stronger Relationships and Bonds to Communities A new study from a developmental psychologist at Tufts University found that young people caring for a pet tend to have stronger social relationships and bonds to their communities. Listen Now Many Ways To De-Stress Your Pets Pets get stressed out just like humans do. Whether your dog or cat suffers from separation anxiety, fear of going to the vet, or general stress due to a hectic home environment, calming your companion is integral to maintaining her health. Thankfully, there are many natural ways that you can help your pet unwind before the stress takes its toll. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Open Wide Dr. Peter Emily is a human dentist AND a wild animal dentist. One day, you'll find him putting a crown in a person's mouth; the next, he might do a root canal on a polar bear. What happens when the anesthesia wears off one of his four-legged patients? You'll have to tune in to find out. Listen Now Dogs Good For Our Hearts The American Heart Association (AHA) has declared that pets, especially dogs, are good for a person's heart. Dr. Glenn N. Levine, director of Baylor University's cardiac care unit, said, "pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with a decreased risk of heart disease." The AHA writes that owning a dog "may help reduce cardiovascular risk," perhaps due to regular walks and activity. Listen Now Strange Pets Occasionally, we run into listeners with bizarre pets. This week, Nancy King tells us about her life with an Octopus. That's right. Not as cuddly as a dog, but perhaps as smart. Why would anyone want an Octopus for a pet? You'll find out this week on Animal Radio. Listen Now Going Postal Dogs go postal in Los Angeles more than any other U.S. city. The U.S. Postal Service released rankings of the best and worst cities for dog attacks on mail carriers. Los Angeles recorded 69 incidents last year. San Antonio and Seattle round out the top three worst cities. Wichita, Kansas, is the safest city, with just 20 attacks. Almost 6000 postal workers were attacked by dogs last year. Listen Now ....and of course, the Animal Radio® Dream Team, Dr. Debbie, trainer Alan Kabel and groomer Joey Villani are answering your pet questions. Read more about this week's show.

Whose Poop? Advances in forensic science have created a worldwide effort to catch up with people who don't clean up after their dogs. Many apartment owners are now requiring in their leases that dogs of tenants submit to DNA testing. There's actually a company to do the dirty work. PooPrints offers special leak-proof containers and spatulas to make the job easier. A thumbnail-sized sample of the suspect poop is sent to the lab ... and that leads back to the dog and owner. Listen Now Setting A Fine Example What happens when a father/daughter trip to Chuck E. Cheese turns into a high-speed chase after dad steals a puppy? Britt Savage reports. Listen Now Pet Spending At All-Time High The American Pet Products Association reports we're shelling out nearly 60 billion bucks a year on our animals. Research shows empty-nesters are now spending more on their four-legged children. Listen Now That Chicken Bit Back Farmers in Georgia have found a chicken with teeth. Researchers say a recessed gene may be responsible. It is possible that this isn't the only case of toothed fowl. Listen Now Tapeworm Talk It's not a pretty topic, but it's a conversation we need to have. Tapeworms. It's not Dr. Debbie's favorite parasite (listen to find out what her favorite is), but a nuisance nonetheless. Dr. Joel Ehrenzweig tells you how to identify and treat tapeworms. Did you know you can get'em? Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Mother Nature Is Trying To Kill You Animal Planet's "Monsters Inside Me" host Dr. Dan Riskin is stirring up the airwaves with the truths about nature's ugly side. No wonder he is so entertaining. Maggot eggs got into his brain, and he lives to tell you why parasites really rule the world. Listen Now Animals In Vineyards Sara Bennett's family business, Navarro Vineyards, uses tiny sheep to keep the weeds under control. But that's not the only thing they do. Hal asks hard-hitting questions like, "What sound does a sheep make … and isn't that the same sound as a goat?" Listen Now No More Sniffles The second phase of clinical trials for a new vaccine is done, and the results are very promising. If it's successful, you'll take just four doses over 12 weeks to keep your cat allergies at bay for as long as two years. Listen Now Dogs Detect Cancer Before Medical Testing A dog's sense of smell is said to be 200,000 times better than humans. That's why dogs work detecting bombs and drugs, and now they're being trained to use those fantastic noses to detect certain health issues, like the moment a person with diabetes starts to have a hyperglycemic incident. Now, researchers at a UK charity, Medical Detection Dogs, are working on training dogs to detect the odor of cancer. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.

Hero People We kick off this week's Hero People series by showcasing humans going above and beyond the call of duty to improve our animals' lives. Greg Mahle spends much of his time on the road delivering death row animals to adoptable homes. Listen Now Performance Standards for Pet Travel Safety Products Nearly all of us drive with our dogs in the car. And now there are car seats to ensure safety in case of a sudden stop or an accident. The Center for Pet Studies has teamed up with Subaru of America to test car harnesses. They looked at seven harnesses using a specially designed crash test dog. Listen Now Who's the Smartest While Dr. Diana Reiss doesn't like to compare animal smarts; she is quick to explain just how intelligent dolphins and elephants are and their ability to recognize themselves in the mirror. Listen Now Carrot Dating Another genius idea or just a dud? The jury is still out on Carrot Dating. The premise is meeting singles online while bribing them with a cute little puppy. What if your date showed up holding a cuddly puppy instead of flowers? Listen Now They Get A Bad Rap Pit bulls get a bad rap. They're not necessarily vicious dogs unless trained to be… or simply untrained. Every decade has its poster dog. It used to be the German Shepherd and the Rottweiler. Let's break the myth today and save these dogs from their owners and bad press. Listen Now Separation Anxiety Alan Kabel has proven ways to treat and cure separation anxiety. It all starts with desensitizing your dog to the subtle cues you give them when you're about to leave the house. Listen Now Read more about this week's show.