Animal Instinct

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher speaks with Karrie Hovey and Charles Merrill about their involvement with Project Thorn. Project Thorn is an organization formed to find and fund tangible projects to help protect rhinos in South Africa. Hornucopia is one of Project Thorn’s initiatives to fund an anti-poaching horse patrol in South Africa’s iMfolozi Wildlife Reserve. Karrie Hovey is a visual artist and activist. Her installations and artworks are inspired by the symbiotic relationship between the human landscape and the natural environment. She became involved with rhino conservation after her first trip to South Africa in 2012. Karrie's work can be viewed on www.karriehovey.com Charles Merrill is a technologist, cyclist and wildlife advocate who lives in Northern California. He is a former professional sailor who has transited the mid-pacific multiple times since the 1980s seeing first hand the impact humans have on the ocean. Charles became involved with Project Thorn through his

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined in the studio by Lorelei Tibbetts to talk all about hedgehogs! Lorelei earned her first bachelor's degree (in broadcast journalism) from Boston University. Realizing that this would not fulfill her dream of working with animals, she earned her second degree in veterinary technology. Since then, she has worked in New York City, where she currently is the manager of The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine. She has worked exclusively with exotic pets since 2004, and is the chair of her veterinary technician specialty academy, The Academy for Veterinary Technicians in Clinical Practice, where she was a founding member of the Exotic Companion Animal specialty. She is passionate about exotic pet education, and enjoys lecturing at veterinary symposiums, as well as teaching students at her practice.

On this week’s episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Julia Szabo, a journalist, blogger, and author of seven books about animals. Szabo also produces the vegan style website Get Dressed Change The World, all about cruelty-free fashion and lifestyle, and soon to be a book. Follow the project on Instagram @getdressedchangetheworld. “More and more, pets find their way into these kind of more lifestyle-y apps.” [12:15] – Julia Szabo  

On this week’s episode of Animal Instinct, Celia welcomes Ian Urbina of The New York Times. Urbina was the winner of the Polk award for Foreign Reporting for “The Outlaw Ocean,” an ongoing series about lawlessness on the high seas. During the year and a half reporting the stories, Urbina traveled through Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, much of that time spent on fishing ships, chronicling a diversity of crimes offshore, including murder of stowaways, intentional dumping, illegal fishing, stealing of ships, stranding of crews, and murder with impunity. Talking his way onto fishing ships at considerable risk, he also related firsthand stories of the plight of indentured Cambodian boys, a deckhand shackled by the neck, and Filipinos living in squalor who endured beatings, lost fingers to infection, and were forced to swallow amphetamines to work longer hours. Urbina secured and investigated a video of four men shot to death at sea before dozens of witnesses, including some who then celebrated and pose

Patricia Johnson is certified in reptile monitoring by the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation and a New York State Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator. She specializes in native turtles, with a particular interest in Eastern Box Turtles. In 2015 she was selected to be the NEPARC Fellow – Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science PARC/SSAR workshop. Patricia produces Turtle Intensives, semi-annual meetings to spark conversations and the sharing of ideas among those working in turtle conservation.  She has co-authored five award-winning books with her husband ( www.MichaelsandJohnson.com) and lives in Yorktown Heights. They share their home with three parrots, four cats, and dozens of turtle patients at any given time.  If you would like to give a turtle a forever home, or if you would like to help wild turtles (or any animal for that matter) contact Patricia at TurtleAdvocate@gmail.com, and she’ll talk you through the licensing process (very easy and you only need to be 16). Feel free to write her if you’re

On today’s episode of Animal Instinct, guest Dr. Patricia C. Wright talks about her work studying wild lemurs in Madagascar. Dr. Wright is a Distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University, NY, and a founder of the Centre ValBio Research Station in Madagascar, a “green” sustainable hub of research, environmental arts, village community health, education and economics. She has discovered a new species of lemur, spearheaded a national park World Heritage Site, won three medals of honor from the Malagasy government, been awarded the Indianapolis Prize for Animal Conservation (“Nobel Prize” for conservation), received a MacArthur Genius Award. Her work is featured in the IMAX film “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar” and Anthony Bourdain’s CCN TV show Parts Unknown. Her most recent books are “High Moon Over the Amazon” and “For the Love of Lemurs: my life in the wilds of Madagascar. As the first animals to arrive in Madagascar, lemurs play an important role in dispersing seeds and pollinating flowers, making them ind

Tune in for a fascinating episode about everyone’s favorite bivalves!  Talking clams and oysters, Animal Instinct host Celia Kutcher welcomes the Oyster Baron von Clam Man himself, Nolan Meredith to the studio.  Between the typical lifespan, breeding patterns, environmental impact, and details on Nolan’s oyster farm, Celia gets to the bottom of how he got into the business plus his thoughts on oyster “merroir” and more!  Heritage Radio’s Patrick Martins and Alexes McLaughlin join in the fun too, taste some oysters, and learn all about the clam and oyster industry. “One oyster will filter 50 gallons of water a day.” [2:45] “The best hangover cure I know of is a clam!” [21:30] –Nolan Meredith on Animal Instinct  

This week on a brand new Animal Instinct , host Celia Kutcher is on the line with author and animal communicator Marta Williams and Veterinarian Sue Chan.  Discussing the hot topic of the California Veterinary Medical Board (CVMB) imposing increasingly strict regulations on how they define veterinary medicine and who can work on animals, several years ago, the board made it illegal for acupuncturists, chiropractors and equine dentists to work on animals without direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian.  Those that continue to provide services face fines into thousands of dollars and legal action.   Recently the CVMB proposed to do the same with animal massage and physical rehabilitation with the rationale that animal owners need to be protected from incompetent service providers who are not overseen by the CVMB.  However, even veterinarians will acknowledge that this is an attempt to eliminate competition for economic reasons.  Tune in for this important show and click here to learn more!

This week on Animal Instinct host Celia Kutcher is in studio with Danielle Hlatky, who recently returned from a month volunteering at the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece.  While there, she helped people from Syria, Iraq and elsewhere who are seeking safety in Europe via Turkey and also observed the various family cats and dogs making the journeys as well.  Tune in to hear more about this situation and learn how to help and contribute to an important Go Fund Me Account.

Celia Kutcher is in studio with Animal Instinct regular, Denise Herman, and is recapping the past year in animal news from Cecil the Lion to pizza rat. Tune in for thoughts on the most viral stories and perhaps ones you may have missed!

_ Animal Instinct _ is kicking off 2016 in style as host Celia Kutcher welcomes Delikate Rayne co-founders, sisters Meg and Komie. A cruelty-free women’s contemporary label that is shaking up the eco and vegan fashion scene, Delikate Rayne uses their upbringing alongside their adoration of animals to create green luxury – definitive and progressive designs with a purpose. Delikate Rayne’s pieces are ethically and consciously made in LA, 100 percent animal friendly plus utilizing sustainable leather to provide an array of guilt-free, seasonless garments which create a harmonious blend of compassion, opulence, and street style.  Tune in for a great episode! “There’s a direct correlation between veganism, vegan clothing, vegan food, vegan life to climate change and reducing your carbon footprint.” [18:15] –Delikate Rayne on Animal Instinct  

_ Animal Instinct _ is getting artsy this week as Celia welcomes Andrea Gianchiglia to the show. Andrea Gianchiglia is an animal portrait artist based in Califon, NJ. She is also an art instructor at the Visual Art Center of New Jersey, The Center for Contemporary Artists, and teaches online. Andrea holds memberships to various art groups such as the Society of Animal Artists, the Salmagundi Club, the Catherine Lorillard group and the Pastel Society of America. Painting animals is Andrea’s passion, “A portrait can keep a pet with us for a lifetime, because they aren’t just pets they are family.”  Tune in for a great discussion! “For me, it’s the eyes that really draw attention. I really like the emotion in the eyes.” [9:30] –Andrea Gianchiglia on Animal Instinct  

In the new documentary,  Racing Extinction, a team of artists and activists exposes the hidden world of extinction with never-before-seen images that will change the way we see the planet. This week on Animal Instinct , host Celia Kutcher is on the line with the project’s Academy Award Winning Director Louie Psihoyos, also director of The Cove, chatting about his experiences shooting Racing Extinction, the campaign #startwith1thing, and most importantly, how listeners can take action to make a difference.  Tune in for some staggering statistics, thoughts on conservation, as well as details surrounding the documentary’s airing on the Discovery Channel on December 2, 2015 at 9PM/ET. “They say you never really finish a documentary, you abandon it.” [6:00] “If somebody wants to change the world, save the planet, change your diet.” [8:00] –Louie Psihoyos on Animal Instinct    

This week on Animal Instinct , Celia Kutcher is joined by ** Melanie Butera, DVM** , a veterinarian with more than twenty years of emergency experience. She has owned the Elm Ridge Animal Hospital for the past ten years and the Stark County Veterinary Emergency Clinic before that. She has treated more than 100,000 emergency cases in her career and now enjoys the different challenges of private practice work. Dr. Butera and her husband, Steve Heathman, live in Canal Fulton, Ohio. She & her husband saved and raised Dillie, who is now part of the family.

Animal Instinct is getting artsy this week as host Celia Kutcher welcomes caricature artist James Woods to the show to talk about his pet portrait business.  He shares that his challenge with each painting is to try and establish a connection between the personality of the subject to the painting or drawing.  Working out of Jackson Square in New Orleans, James highlights his experiences painting pets from sphynx cats to English bulldogs.   “Each person has a story to tell about his pet whether they lost it or it was a childhood pet.” [22:30] –James Woods on Animal Instinct

Saddle up! This week on _ Animal Instinct _, host Celia Kutcher welcomes Beth McReynolds of GallopNYC to the studio.  GallopNYC brings the proven benefits of therapeutic horsemanship to children and adults with disabilities in New York City. Through weekly riding sessions with PATH-certified instructors, Beth shares that the organization helps riders walk, talk, connect, focus, behave, and learn, encouraging each student to live life as fully, productively, and independently as possible.  Tune in for an inspiring show!

_ Animal Instinct _ is on the catwalk this week as host Celia Kutcher welcomes pet fashion designer Ada Nieves to the show.  Ada is a renowned, certified NY FIT Pet Fashion Designer, a successful events-Pawty Planner, Co-Chair and Creative Director for The New York Pet Fashion Show, founder of Ada Nieves Chihuahua Nation and Friends which runs the largest Chihuahua group in the nation with global reach. Jennifer Jo-Moyer is also in studio contributing to conversation revolving around Ada’s craziest clients, details on the NYC dog parade, and more!

Your pet is diagnosed with cancer – what is the next step? Animal Instinct is taking on the tough topic of pet cancers with Veterinary Oncologist Brooke Britton.  What are the most common forms of cancer in dogs and cats? How do veterinarians view the option of euthanasia? Tune in for an enlightening show and to hear about the promising developments in treatment options! “Unfortunately, normal blood work does not mean that everything is always all clear.” [22:00] “Cancer progression in dogs and cats is accelerated.” [23:00] –Brooke Britton on Animal Instinct  

The Vet Set was founded by Dr. Taylor Truitt and Dr. Eva Radke to bring the best veterinary care to your home, office, or hotel in Manhattan and Brooklyn 7 days a week. This week they’re in studio for a brand new episode of Animal Instinct!  Understanding that stress interferes with pets’ health, they have effectively eliminated the anxiety of a hospital visit by making home visits their business.    Offering preventative medicine, vaccines, diagnostic testing, health certificates, acupuncture, and hospice care with an easy to use app plus telemedicine make it more convenient to stay in touch with your veterinarian.  Tune in as they share more information about the mobile practice as well as highlights from their time out in the field! “It’s hard to remember easy to forget that our pets are very programed to be pets and to live with us in a way that they mask a lot of their pain, and dental pain is included in that.” [23:30] –Dr. Eva Radke on Animal Instinct  

What do a car company and a conservation organization have in common? Plenty. This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is on the line with Dr. John Rowden of the New York City Audubon and Toyota Togethergreen talking conversation, birds, and more. After the break, John explains how TogetherGreen has trained more than 500 conservation leaders and has mobilized more than 460,000 people to reduce energy use, protect wildlife habitat, and improve water quality in every state in America. Tune in for an informative show! “Where birds thrive people do as well.” [2:00] “We encourage people to think creatively about solutions, and not every attempt works but we try to then take a step back and think how to forge ahead. That’s a trademark of the program was well.” [22:00] –Dr. John Rowden on Animal Instinct