Talking Animals

Amy Rowland, co-founder of Dogma Pet Rescue

Amy Rowland—co-founder and co-director of Dogma Pet Rescue, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization based in Riverview, FL—recalls traveling the path from growing up dog-less, to adopting her first dog, Frankie, and then shortly thereafter, launching Dogma with co-founder Ann-Marie Pearson.photo She also describes the formative stages of Dogma Pet preview.phpRescue and developing its guiding principles, placing a premium on rescuing abandoned, abused and displaced dogs who otherwise might be facing euthanasia if Dogma didn’t swoop in. Rowland explains how she evaluates and selects the dogs that will enter the Dogma system to be fostered and adopted out, noting that in the 10 years since starting the organization, they 2014_CALENDAR_COVERplaced about 850 dogs in homes. She recounts some dogs that constitute particularly memorable adoption success stories. Part of the reason Rowland was invited on the show was that she had made it clear through a couple of communiqués to me that she is opposed to No-Kill. So this interview also served as an opportunity to present her point of view, detailing how she reconciles the seeming dichotomy of working tirelessly to grab dogs from death’s door, while remaining a staunch foe of No-Kill. (www.dogmarescue.org, www.facebook.com/DogmaRescue)

ALSO: We spoke briefly with Kira Barrera, a leader of Junior Girl Scout troop 1858 in St. Petersburg, whom we spoke with in January about the decision by these Scouts to pursue its Bronze Award (the highest honor for a Junior Girl Scout) with a project about animal neglect and abuse. We invited her to return to report on the completed project, Stand Up For Animals!, which turned out to be impressive and multifaceted, including creating a brochure, tabling at animal events, starting a Facebook page, etc. (www.facebook.com/StandUpForAnimalsProject)

COMEDY CORNER: Bill Cosby’s “The Story Of The Chicken” (http://billcosby.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Mad Man Jones’ “Snake Charmer,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: EELS’ “I Like Birds”

AUDIO ARCHIVE: