Animal Instinct

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by researcher Dave Knieter to talk about trophy hunting. Having lived in multiple states and countries, Dave is a self-described "geographic mutt”. After serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa (2003-05) he settled down in Missouri for ten years, where he earned masters degrees in Education and Geography. It was the latter discipline that got him interested in the politics of conservation and the making of “wild” spaces. Dave is now a PhD student at West Virginia University where he studies trophy hunting, game farms, and conservation in relation to the political economy of South Africa and land reform initiatives. He currently lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, an emergency veterinarian, and their two special-needs cats, Nanook and Devlin.

On the season finale of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Denise Herman, founder and head trainer of The Empire of the Dog. Celia and Denise talk about high-tech pet toys and recap Celia's favorite Animal Instinct moments as Celia prepares to take a brief break from the show. Be sure to keep in touch and send in topic suggestions, questions, and messages!

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Jen Leemis, Vice President of Marketing at Paradise 4 Paws, a premier resort for cats and dogs located in Chicago, Denver, and Dallas. Jen talks about creating a safe and comfortable space for pets, featuring crate-free boarding and making everything to ensure pets are happy and healthy. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

Ada Nieves is back in the studio! On this week's episode of Animal Instinct Celia talks to Ada about the holiday pet show at Radio City & many more holiday events in the tri-state area! Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

This week on Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Miriam Chisholm, one of the founders of New York Farm Animal Save (NYFAS), an all-volunteer group whose mission is to promote the benefits of a vegan, compassionate lifestyle. NYFAS seeks to educate the public through bearing witness, community outreach and education where the main issues are human health, environmental well-being, and the suffering of “food” animals, such as chickens. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Christopher Gervais, founder and CEO of The Wildlife Conservation Film Festival. An award winning producer, Christopher founded the WCFF in 2010 using his life savings to get the organization off the ground and has maintained the operations since then. He is a philanthropic supporter of conservation organizations across the globe. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined in studio by Garrett Rosso, the creator of the annual Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade. In addition to his work as a dog trainer, Garrett was one of the founders of Friends of First Run -- the first official dog park in New York City. When not working with dogs, Garrett is an accomplished art director for TIME Magazine. As an animal advocate, he has appeared on ABC, CBS & NBC News, WPIX, Animal Planet and The Today Show. His writing on animal behavior and dog parks appear in "The Bark" magazine. Garrett is the owner and training director of Village Dogworks. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

What do manatees do during dangerous storms? Jenna Golden fills us in on what they do and how they did with the storms that have hit so far. We talk about climate change and its effects on the oceans and sealife. For more information visit: www.savethemanatee.org Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Michael Vecchione. Michael went to sea as a cabin boy on a three-masted schooner at the age of 16. He has been working on the biology, evolution, and life history of cephalopods (squids, octopods, and their relatives) since 1976. As a NOAA employee at National Museum of Natural History, Vecchione is Curator of Cephalopods and a Curator of the Sant Ocean Hall. He has participated in 40 offshore research expeditions, 13 of them as Chief Scientist, studying deep-sea biology. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined in the studio by Ada Nieves, a certified pet fashion designer by The Fashion Institute and Technology of NYC. Ada is also co-chair and creative director for the New York Pet Fashion Show, a standing member of the Pet Fashion Professionals Association, and an animal talent manager and pet stylist who has been featured on a number of TV programs. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Tony Eliseuson of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission is to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. ALDF accomplishes this mission by filing high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm, providing free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are punished for their crimes, supporting tough animal protection legislation and fighting legislation harmful to animals, and providing resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Ulara Nakagawa and Dr. Keith Lindsay of Elephants in Japan. In 2015, the story of a solitary, elderly Japanese elephant named Hanako went viral. Dubbed “the loneliest elephant in the world,” Hanako lived and died alone in a concrete jail within a Japanese zoo, having spent the vast majority of her life without a mate and without basic amenities like heating or shade. Now Ulara Nakagawa, the same person that brought to light the story of Hanako, has created an organization called Elephants in Japan. The organization is working with Dr. Keith Lindsay, a biologist best known for his long-term study of elephants, to research and develop a report that reveals the dire conditions of 14 additional solitary elephants in public and private zoos across Japan. Elephants in Japan is a humanitarian wildlife group dedicated to providing a better life for extremely lonely, socially-deprived elephants before they suffer the same fate as Hanako. Time is of the essence - since the report began, two of the 14 elephants observed have already died. Three of the remaining 14 elephants live in particularly cruel environments, including the case of Teru, who has been entirely alone since 2000 and is kept in extreme weather conditions. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

On the season finale of Animal Instinct, guest host Ada Nieves is joined in the studio by Todd Evans of Dawn Animal Agency and The Sanctuary for Animals, a non-profit charity that cares for old, abandoned, and abused animals on their large and scenic farm in Westtown, located in rural Orange County, New York. Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is on vacation, but filling in is special guest host, Ada Nieves! Joining Ada are Cristal Rojas of Let Your Bark Create Photography, and Mina Miyoko of Matilda's Annual Celebration & Cat Fashion Show! Animal Instinct is powered by Simplecast.

Denise Herman is the owner and lead trainer at Empire of the Dog in NYC. Empire of the Dog was founded in 2000. Denise has written for The Bark magazine, Modern Dog, and The Nest, and has been profiled in Dog Fancy magazine. She also apprentices and trains dog trainers through the Dog Training Internship Academy, and is on the advisory board for AFAR NYC, an organization that runs local pet programs including programs to provide support of pets of military veterans. She just started fostering a rat to train, named Splinter.

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by sculptor, installation artist, and painter Karrie Hovey. Karrie grew up in the Northeast Kingdom, a rural area in northern Vermont. There she developed an appreciation of the natural world and a respect for the environment. This is also where she learned many of the hand-craft and construction techniques that are present in her current installations and paintings. On today's show she talks about some of her installations and how animals inspire her to create her work.

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined by Ceyda Torun, the director and producer of Kedi, a new documentary film about the hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats that roam the metropolis of Istanbul. Far from being mere strays, these cats live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame, and have become an essential part of the communities that make the city of Istanbul so rich.

We talk with Julie Andersen about Plastic Oceans, her non-profit that helps to save the oceans by educating people about plastic and helping to get organizations to band together to save the oceans and the planet.

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Joanne Rittenhouse of Companions for Courage, an organization that brings therapy dogs into the courtroom to help kids deal with stress during trials. Joanne got involved in rescue work 25 years ago after a few years of witnessing abuse and neglect. She is an educator and advocate for adopting deaf and blind dogs.

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Susan Ewing. Nature and animals have played a key role in Susan’s work and in her life. She has been writing about natural history and the outdoors since the early 1990s, and has written books on the nature of Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and the Rocky Mountains. Her greatest joys and comforts have come from a string of very good dogs and the birds, frogs, foxes, and other animals she is lucky enough to encounter on her hikes and walks in the Montana mountains where she lives. She is the author of six books, most recently Resurrecting the Shark, and her articles, essays, and short stories have appeared in Salon, The Pacific Standard, Cowboys & Indians, Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, and numerous other publications and anthologies.

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined by Maribeth Decker, an intuitive animal communicator, and owner and founder of Sacred Grove. Maribeth uses her abilities to address animals’ issues that interfere with people being able to enjoy their animals.

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Dr. Taylor Truitt of Vet Set joins Celia to talk about dog behavior myths, crossbreeding, and more! Dr. Truitt knew since she was four years old that she wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up. She started working in veterinary practices when she was 18. Her lifelong passion and adoration of dogs and cats transitioned into her professional commitment to their physical and mental well-being when she graduated from veterinary school.

On the season premiere of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by PR specialist Nancy Hassel, founder and president of American Pet Professionals, an award winning business-networking and educational organization for the pet industry since 2009. Nancy works with pet companies in many aspects of PR, event planning, media relations and training for pet professionals. Nancy also runs the Re-tails & Sales Pet Expo with Dana Humphrey, a trade show featuring Made in the USA pet products. Nancy is also a speaker at various pet industry conferences, a writer for pet trade and consumer magazines, blogger and photographer, and was a TV producer and production coordinator for 10+ years. Nancy also created a Responsible Dog Ownership program and taught over 2,500 pet parents in a 5-year period. Nancy resides on Long Island, NY and is the proud pet parent of Cody, a rescued American Pit Bull Terrier.

On the season finale of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Pam Johnson-Bennett. Pam is a superstar in the world of cat behavior. She is the best-selling author of 10 books, including the brand new release, CatWise (Penguin Books, 2016). Pam’s best-selling book, Think Like a Cat (Penguin Books), changed the way cat owners view cat training and has been referred to as the “cat bible” by veterinarians, shelters, behavior professionals and cat owners world-wide. Her book, Cat vs. Cat (Penguin Books), was the first of its kind to address the unique needs of households with multiple cats. Pam hosted the Nat Geo Wild/Animal Planet show Psycho Kitty, which aired in the UK and Canada. With a career that spans over 30 years, she is considered a pioneer in the field of cat behavior consulting and her books have been used as texts for professional behavior and shelter training.

This week on Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by filmmaker Nancy Schiesari, director and producer of Canine Soldiers: The Militarization of Love. The film explores the intimate bond between military working dogs (MWDs) and their handlers -- combat soldiers who make life-and-death decisions based on the instincts of the dogs who lead their patrols.

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Alicia Prygoski to discuss Arkansas's recently passed Ag-Gag Bill. Alicia is a public policy coordinator for farm animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States. She holds a law degree from Western Michigan University and was previously a lobbyist for an environmental organization in Michigan. Alicia now lives in Washington DC with her rescue dog, Patches.

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Gil Webb, Cookie's dad, and Sara, Tumbleweed's mom. Cookie is an Eastern Gray Squirrel who was found at a day old. She required months of close attention and care to pull through. She now lives in Florida with her chihuahua, horse, cat and human. Tumbleweed is 19 months old and suffers from hydrocephalus. Most people know this as water on the brain. He isn't your typical squirrel and can't do most things squirrels do. We love him with all of our hearts and as long as he is fighting for his life, we will fight for him too

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, host Celia is joined in studio by Dr. James Brusseau, PhD in philosophy, and author of numerous books and articles in the history of philosophy and ethics. His most recent is the short narrative nonfiction Dignity, Pleasures, Vulgarity, which investigates animal rights reflecting between the nonhuman and human animal realms.

This week on Animal Instinct, Professor Frank Grasso is back to chat with Celia about monk parakeets. If you live in Brooklyn you've probably seen one of these small green birds. Nobody knows for sure, but Professor Grasso gives us a few possible explanations for why there are so many monk parakeets in this specific region of NYC.

This week on Animal Instinct, Celia is joined in studio by Frank Grasso. Frank is a Professor of Psychology at Brooklyn College the City University of New York. He directs the BioMimetic and Cognitive Robotics research laboratory there the aim of which is to understand how brains control and coordinate behavior in animals. His research with octopuses follows the lab philosophy that to understand brain function one must be able study the organism, build a brain model that captures the behavior and validate that model by comparing robot performance against animal performance on the same task. Octopuses represent an great challenge to this approach because they are so alien and so complex in brain and body.

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia is joined by marine biologist and underwater videographer Josh Stewart. Josh has studied and filmed mantas around the world and has spent several years studying coral recruitment on historic shipwrecks in the Dominican Republic. It was during one of these projects that he saw his first manta ray, and was instantly taken by the beauty and grace of these amazing animals. Josh has filmed for National Geographic and Animal Planet, as well as producing a number of independent documentaries and video shorts, one of which earned him the Australian Geographic Spirit of Adventure Award in 2010. He is currently a PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and is being supported by a National Science Foundation Fellowship for his research on manta rays.

Can spiders hear? Do they see color? What are their webs made of? Tune in and learn about the world of spiders as host Celia talks to researcher and spider specialist Dr. Todd Blackledge, Leuchtag Endowed Professor of Biology at The University of Akron. Dr. Blackledge has spent his life studying spiders and their webs to understand how spider silks evolved into a toolkit of diverse fibers that includes some of nature’s toughest and stretchiest materials.

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined in studio by Dr. Taylor Truitt founder of The Vet Set. Dr. Truitt brings veterinary care to homes, offices, or hotels to avoid the stress her patients might experience during a trip to the vet's office. The Vet Set also offers "Fear Free" hospital visits, where pets can receive surgery, dental care, x-rays, ultrasound and critical care.

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined by Sharon Nunez, president and co-founder of Animal Equality. Sharon talks about the release of iAnimal, an immersive virtual reality experience into the lives of farmed animals. iAnimal uses cutting-edge virtual reality technology to give viewers an immersive look at the life cycle of factory farmed animals from birth to death. This latest project features footage filmed by 13 investigators in six countries.

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia is joined by Lisa Luckenbach from WiggleLess, a company specialized in back braces for dogs. Lisa explains how to find the best back brace for your pet to protect it after surgery, injury or disease. Inspired by her own struggles with back pain, Lisa decided to start a business to ensure the well-being of our furry friends.

On the season premiere of Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined by Denise Herman, the founder and head trainer for Empire of the Dog. She is a Valedictorian Graduate of the Academy for Dog Trainers – widely considered the "Harvard of dog schools." After graduation, she was hired as a staff trainer at the San Francisco SPCA and opened Empire of the Dog in 2000. Tune in to hear them discuss why dog trainers are so important, even if you think you already know a lot about dogs!

On the season finale of Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined in the studio by Zeke Freeman of Bee Raw Honey. Working as an advisor to Beehive Bee Products, Inc., Freeman repackaged the company's honeys in clear, retro-inspired glass jars, earning recognition in Metropolitan Home’s Top 100. In 2005, Freeman acquired majority ownership of Beehive Bee Products, in partnership with Sam Yocum, a photographer and designer. Freeman and Yocum re-launched the company under its current name: Bee Raw Honey. Today, Freeman solely manages the company, and he has expanded Bee Raw’s distribution, making its single varietal honeys and honey flights available nationwide. He also actively promotes the importance of American family-owned apiaries and works to educate the public about beekeeping and its vital role in agriculture.

Today on Animal Instinct, actress, model, and animal lover Missy Hargraves calls in to tell us about her efforts rescuing creatures when catastrophe strikes. Hargraves' past work has included documenting the claustrophobic conditions suffered by dolphins in Japan's Taiji Whale Museum. The museum is in close proximity to the infamous cove denounced in the hit documentary The Cove.

Today on Animal Instinct, we talk to the talented Olivia Barash. In a past life, Barash played the female lead role of “Leila” in cult classic Repo Man. Continuing her career in Hollywood, she's gotten to work with the likes of Robert Downey, Jr. and Johnny Depp. But let's talk about animals! In the last year, Olivia has been hard at work on BarkvilleTV with her new production company, Original Pixel Cowboys. A YouTube channel, Barkville TV stars dogs rather than humans, and seeks to help them get adopted!

Today on Animal Instinct, we hear from Tod Enko, a conservationist who founded the first and only free, year-round animal hospital in the Galápagos Islands: Darwin Animal Doctors. Tod also created an international humane education program called "A Piggy's Tale," based on the life of his dog. He now endeavors to stop poaching in Sumatra's Leuser Ecosystem, a UN World Heritage Site.

Today on Animal Instinct, we hear from guest Val Nassetta – who cares after convalescent raccoons – about the benefits of keeping this animal around in society (hint: they eat ticks!).

Today on Animal Instinct, we're joined by documentary filmmaker Yeray Lopez Portillo, who's working on a film about hunting dog culture in Spain. Yo Galgo tells the story of the galgo, a greyhound breed treated like goods rather than creatures. Used for hunting down hare, a strong hunting dog has a short shelf life, such that thousands are abandoned or killed at the end of each hunting season. Yeray tells us about his journey sharing the plight of the galgo on camera.

This week on Animal Instinct, host Celia Kutcher is joined in the studio by Ada Nieves, a certified pet fashion designer by The Fashion Institute and Technology of NYC. Ada is also co-chair and creative director for the New York Pet Fashion Show, a standing member of the Pet Fashion Professionals Association, and an animal talent manager and pet stylist who has been featured on a number of TV programs. Also joining is Jennifer-Jo Moyer, troop leader for PupScouts.org. Tune in to hear them talk about all the fun events in October for New York pets and their families!

Today on Animal Instinct, we speak with Elizabeth M. Goudie-DeAngelis, an animal anesthesiologist trained in putting under creatures ranging from cats, dogs, boas, turtles, tigers and eels!

Forbes Ellis works in a hospice in Santa Cruz, California, where he's been working to bring dogs into a palliative care program at the facility. We'll be talking about the comfort brought by canines, even as we humans face our final moments.

Today on Animal Instinct, we're joined by oceans expert Matthias Elliot to talk all about global warming's "ugly step-sister:" ocean acidification. Man-made carbon emissions affect the pH level of the planet's oceans; listen in to learn all about what that does to their ecology and wildlife.

Today on Animal Instinct, we talk to nutritionist Cynthia Farris about introducing fermented foods in your dog's diet. The reputed benefits of probiotics might not stop at helping the human gut, but could extend to canines, too.

Today on Animal Instinct, Dana Humphrey joins us in the studio to tell us all about cannabidiol and how it can help your pet with chronic pain. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a hemp derivative – not a cannabis derivative – so it won't give your cat or dog the munchies.

Today on Animal Instinct, we have both an excellent guest host and an excellent guest! Julia Szabo is sitting in for Celia Kutcher, and she's joined by Laura Pople, the founder of a non-profit organization that helps people keep their pets in times of crisis. New Jersey's Seer Farms helps shelter “foreclosure pets” and other animals attached to families going through tough times.

We're placing a call to Spain on today's episode of Animal Instinct, to speak with Jose Antonio Fernandez Flores. eZOO seeks to bring an IMAX-like experience to zoos, giving them the opportunity to replace captive animals with big-screen visuals and augmented reality.

Cookie is an Eastern Gray Squirrel who was found at one day old. She required months of close attention and care to pull through after being abandoned in a storm. She now lives in Florida with her chihuahua, horse, cat, and human. That human is Gil Webb, the Florida resident who rescued Cookie, and our guest this week on Animal Instinct.