Marco Adda—part of a team of researchers who conducted a recently-published study of so-called “free-ranging dogs” and pet dogs in Bali, Indonesia—recalls his early years, including being born in Milan, and growing up in Naples, where there were packs of stray...
Cameron O’Steen—a photographer who created the Yoga Animalia Project, which involves traveling to farm animal sanctuaries across the country, and shooting portraits of the animal residents there—recalls his earliest experiences with farmed animals, as a kid growing...
Dr. Kerry Kriger—the founder of Save The Frogs!, which describes itself as the world’s leading amphibian conservation organization—reconstructs the distinctive path he traveled academically and geographically (including a mechanical engineering undergraduate degree...
Dr. Bryna Donnelly—the co-founder of Rescue Rebuild, an animal shelter renovation program that travels nationally (sometimes, internationally), remodeling and renovating shelters in need—discusses her academic life that preceded going full-time rehabbing shelters....
Brigid Wasson—the president of Mission Reunite, a nonprofit organization that aims to assist pet owners whose animals are missing—describes her personal and professional involvement with animals, including growing up with cats (but not dogs), and her two stints...
Barbara Trask Lovett—the president of Save Nosey Now! (SNN), an organization that helped a high-profile, long-suffering circus elephant (Nosey) win freedom from the neglectful, exploitative treatment of her owner…and seeks to educate the public about the plight of...
Samantha Szesciorka—a Reno-based former U.S. Army journalist whose passion for horses, particularly mustangs, is manifested in some distinctive ways—recalls that she was indeed one of those little girls who loved horses, but didn’t really have access to them until...
Matt & Phil Letten—siblings known as The Vegan Bros, and co-authors of “VODKA IS VEGAN: A Manifesto for Better Living and Not Being An Ahole”—recall their formative years, growing up “on the wrong side of the tracks” in Michigan, noting their family was far...
Ashley Bell—the actress perhaps best known for her acclaimed work in such top horror films as “The Last Exorcism” and “Psychopath”—discusses the elements and interests that led her to directing “Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story,” a documentary chronicling the...
On this program, we marked the 15th anniversary of “Talking Animals”—almost to the day! I launched the show on June 16, 2003 at KUCI, the campus-community radio station at the University of California at Irvine. At the tail end of 2005, “Talking Animals” found a...
