WAMU 88.5 : The Animal House

Come Back Como

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Award-winning journalist and fiction writer Steven Winn describes the misadventures and mishaps in the journey of his relationship with his daughter's shelter rescued, man-hating terrier.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

An escapist Husky exercises independence, mice move into the house after last cat passes on, and what to do when cats cozy up to computers.

The Man Who Lives With Wolves

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Wolves are often considered vicious creatures but wolf expert Shaun Ellis, who has actually lived with wolves and now manages his own captive pack, tells a different story about these intelligent, social creatures and what we humans can learn.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

A four-year-old Rottweiler anxious about its pregnant owner; a traveling dog needs reassurance when left alone; and, Stinky the cat faces challenges integrating into a three-cat household.

Saving Cinnamon

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Mark Feffer was a Navy reservist serving in Afghanistan when he fell in love with a stray puppy named Cinnamon. He arranged to adopt the dog and have it sent to the United States -- only to find that the handler charged with transporting her had abandoned Cinnamon at an airport in Kyrgyzstan. We learn more about his story and the growing number of pets being adopted by service men and women overseas.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

A cat who meows when she's "caught" one of her toys. And, we'll hear about two tenacious pugs.

Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Scientists and conservationists have long warned about the dangers of transcribing human emotions and morality onto other animals. But some researchers now claim there's overwhelming evidence that animals have their own emotions and code of conduct. We'll discuss some of that evidence -- and what it says about our relationships with other animals.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Whether cats should go outside on leashes. Plus, a son moves back home and his parents' dog won't leave one of his dogs alone.

"The Bug Guy" -- Halloween Edition

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Tarantulas, millipedes and camel crickets would probably be critters that many of us would shy away from. But not Mike Raupp, the "bug guy" and professor of entomology at the University of Maryland. He brings several of these species into the studio for a Halloween-themed show-and-tell and a discussion about why certain animals scare us -- even if they're not dangerous.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

It's Halloween -- tips for taking dogs out for trick or treating, and do's and don't about pet costumes. Then, we'll have an update on a pet chicken that poops all over the house.

Saving the World's Coral Reefs

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Scientists say the world's coral reefs are dying at an alarming rate, imperiling the health of many of the world's marine species. Now, scientists are using human fertility techniques – including cryogenically-frozen coral sperm – to try to rescue the reefs. We learn more about this cutting-edge area of research and why coral is so important to the health of the oceans.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Whether there are any good treats for diabetic dogs -- and what to do about a parakeet that doesn't want to come out of the cage. Plus, information on canine flu.

The Hidden Life of Deer

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

We see them on the side of the road or nibbling on our neighbor's azaleas. But what do we know about how deer live when they're not in our presence? Author Elizabeth Marshall Thomas spent a winter studying the deer that grazed in her yard, and found their social structure is a lot more complex than we might think. She joins us with a look at the little-known world of one of our most ubiquitous species.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

A man talks about his Golden Retriever who has one kidney; two feral cats, adopted in Morocco, continue to prefer middle eastern food; and, the role of corn in a dog's diet.

Inside the Smithsonian's Feather Identification Lab

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

At the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, scientists have amassed a huge collection of 620,000 bird specimens. The specimens -- along with high-tech DNA technology -- are used to help researchers better understand how to prevent collisions between birds and airplanes. We learn more about this potentially life-saving research and how it's being used to investigate January's dramatic jet landing in the Hudson River.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

How to give cats their medicine; a chocolate lab loves to jump and lick; and, one cat insists on upsetting her water bowl regularly.

Dogs in the Workplace

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Many workers would love to have their pooch curled up at their feet as they work on a spreadsheet or meet with colleagues. But is it possible to create an office policy that works for both animal lovers and those who may not love four-legged co-workers? We go inside several companies that have created such policies and learn more about the benefits and obstacles to dogs in the workplace.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

We re-visit some of our favorite call-in questions: A father and son want to know if their chicken can be house trained. One woman’s gold retriever, named “Galactic Destroyer of Worlds”, is afraid of the water. And 12 year old Lexie learns about a reading program for dogs.

Conservationist and Explorer Jeff Corwin

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Jeff Corwin was a small boy when he met his first reptile: a garter snake at a relative's home in Massachusetts. Since then, he's gone on to encounter some of the most exotic and dangerous snakes in the world, along with a wide range of other unusual species. Corwin joins us to talk about his love of wildlife and his role lobbying for the preservation of endangered animals.

Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0400

Dr. Gary talks about working with hippos; one women worries that her dog might not like her; a dog's leg and hip problems are addressed; and, an English coon hound has some urinary troubles.