Melissa Zepeda--an attorney and accomplished animal rights advocate, with a notable breadth of interests and topics that have animated her activism—recalls growing up in family that revered animals, then being stopped in her tracks when a fellow high school...
Marion Gwizdala, CEO of Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc. (ASAP)—a Tampa-based national nonprofit dedicated to securing, protecting, and advancing the rights and responsibilities of service animal handlers and the businesses they patronize—recalls...
Cathryn Michon--the showbiz hyphenate who co-wrote with husband W. Bruce Cameron “A Dog’s Purpose,” the film adaptation of Cameron’s New York Times bestselling novel, considered the most popular live-action dog movie of all time—reflects on the dizzying number of...
Dr. Gregory Berns—author, neuroscientist, professor of psychology at Emory University (and an M.D.)—addresses the change he was seeking when he and his wife decided to buy a farm outside of Atlanta, a saga that’s among the experiences chronicled in Berns’ new book,...
Rebecca Reid--Director of Education at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a multifaceted operation (wildlife refuge, veterinary hospital, rehabilitation facility, education center) in Jupiter Farms, Florida—discusses the readily observable love for her job, and its probable...
Journalist Joshua Hammer--author of a captivating piece in the current issue of Smithsonian Magazine, entitled “Pablo Escobar’s Abandoned Hippos are Wreaking Havoc in the Columbian Jungle”—recalls how, having been casually aware of the Escobar/hippo situation, he...
Tracey Callahan Molnar--handler and chief human of Beacon, the therapy dog who’s become increasingly beloved across the U.S.A. Gymnastics world and beyond, emerging as a media sensation along the way—recounts her own career as a gymnast and coach, specializing in...
Dr. Mikel Delgado--a certified cat behavior consultant and author, most recently, of “Play With Your Cat! The Essential Guide to Interactive Play for a Happier, Healthier Feline”—traces the path that preceded her status as a cat expert with a PhD, including...
Dara Eckart--CEO of Friends of Strays, St. Petersburg’s oldest no-kill animal shelter, currently undergoing a significant transformation, including opening a cats-only adoption center, The Cat Box on July 1—outlines the shelter’s history, citing key milestones of...
This was a truly distinctive edition of “Talking Animals”: For starters, the show was part of WMNF’s full day of special programming devoted to celebrating Juneteenth. Second, my two (in-studio!) guests were both stellar, veteran WMNF programmers: Harrison Nash,...
