AnimalChat - An Alberta SPCA Podcast

Allergies can be as common in our pets as they are in humans. On this episode of AnimalChat, we speak with veterinarian, Dr. Vicki Janes, about the signs of pet allergies, which breeds are more susceptible, and options for treating our animals.

We talk to social worker Joey Leslie, who works at a veterinary clinic to help families deal with the flood of emotions that come when pet owners must make the difficult decision to euthanize their beloved animals.

Alberta SPCA Peace Officers enforce the Animal Protection Act (APA) which makes it an offence to permit an animal to be in distress. In this episode, Peace Officer Karen Stevenson explains what is distress under the APA and what she looks for at properties when investigating complaints of distress.

It can be difficult for older adults to find affordable housing that allows pets, as many landlords are wary of having animals in their buildings. However, research shows allowing seniors to have a pet helps to keep them healthy, feel less isolated, and can actually keep them from forming abusive relationships with other adults. 

Summer is here, and that increases the amount of trouble your pet can get into at home, in the yard or inside. We talked to a local small animal veterinarian about the most common health issues she sees at her clinic, and what you can do to keep your pet safe.

Reptiles are a popular pet for many people, but many owners choose to not seek veterinary care for their pets. On this episode we talk to a veterinarian who specializes in reptiles about some of the common health concerns with lizards and snakes and why it's important to seek proper health care for them.

Collectors are people who accumulate more animals than they can properly care for. Often referred to as hoarders, collectors often have a mental illness that leads to their predicament, and managing these situations so the collector does not re-accumulate animals is challenging. We talk to one of our Peace Officers about how she manages these investigations in order to ensure the animals are not in distress, and to ensure the owner receives help as well.

Bell Let's Talk Day is on January 26th. We see the impacts on animals from poor mental health, it's a part of most of our investigations where animals are in distress. Peace Officer Karen Stevenson joins us to talk about how Peace Officers ensure they are helping the people as well as the animals.

End of life decisions are never easy when it comes to our animals. However, it's important to have those conversations as the cold weather sets in to ensure our animals do not face unnecessary suffering.

 When people suffer, so do their animals. The Alberta SPCA's One Family Welfare department offers temporary care for pets so their owners can get the help they need to deal with crisis situations. The Director of our One Family Welfare Department joins us to explain the Violence Link and how we help pets and people in crisis. 

Our animals are exceptionally important to us but many people fail to plan for their pets should the animals outlive them. In this episode, we discuss why it's important to have your pets included in estate planning, and what decisions need to be a part of the will.

We talk to an Alberta egg farmer about what measures are in place to ensure hens live a happy and productive life. We also hear from the non-profit Egg Farmers of Alberta about how they ensure their members are meeting their high standards for animal welfare and care. 

There has been an increase in pet budgies being surrendered this summer. We talk to a vet who works with exotic birds about why budgies are being turned in and what prospective bird owners should understand about budgies before adding them to a family.

We talk to the Animal Control Officer from the Siksika Nation in southern Alberta about the First Nation's perspective on animals and how their culture and history guides them. 

Many people added pets to their family during the pandemic, and with people returning to the office, we're encouraging businesses to look at allowing pets in the work place. We discuss the benefits of having office dogs and cats, for the business, the staff and the animals.

The expectations of how owners care for their animals has changed considerably since the Animal Protection Act was first passed in Alberta. We're joined by Alberta SPCA President, and retired veterinarian, Dr. Duane Landals to discuss the evolution of Animal Welfare.

There are lots of misconceptions on how best to train your dog. We chat with Certified Professional Dog Trainer Kris Rooney about what works and what does not work when getting your canine family member to be a respectful, good listener in and out of your home.

One of the most stressful parts of a family vacation can be trying to find a trusted boarding facility.  We talk to a local owner/operator about what questions you should ask and what you should look for when choosing a home away from home for your pets.

Controversial Issue Alert! Cat traps are used by many to deal with unwanted wandering cats that come into their yard, but the person doing the trapping has legal responsibilities the moment the cat is trapped, and they could be charged if the cat becomes distressed. Peace Officer Stuart Dodds joins us to talk about the legalities of using cat traps.

May is Emergency Preparedness Month and every emergency kit needs to be put together with your pets in mind. The Fort McMurray fire in 2016, along with the southern Alberta floods and other disasters remind us how quickly residents may have to leave their home. In this episode, Executive Director Terra Johnston joins us to discuss her experience helping animals after Fort McMurray was evacuated, and what you should plan for when putting together an emergency plan for your home and your animals. Putting together an emergency kit is not as simply as grabbing food and toys.

During Be Kind to Animals Week, a City of Edmonton police officer invested 40 minutes to help guide a family of geese, including 4 goslings, across the High Level Bridge. This is a one way, two lane bridge that is about 800 meters long, and it's one of the most treacherous roads in the city, even for the drivers. Once you're on the road, there's no where to go but to continue driving (or in this case walking) to the other side. We caught up with the Sr, Constable Garth Snider to talk about his efforts to keep the geese safe. 

Often people will choose a cat for a pet under the assumption they're easier to care for, and while cats have less intense needs than a dog, they still need to express natural behaviours, they just do it in a much different way than dogs. In this episode our Director of Education, Melissa Logan, along with her cat Neville, stop by to talk about the importance of cat enrichment and how to meet your cat's instinctual needs.

Our Peace Officers help animals in distress all over Alberta (outside of Calgary and Edmonton), and sometimes that means a long trek to get to the animals in need. In this episode we talk to an Alberta SPCA Peace Officer about her 21-hour road trip to help two dogs in Alberta's far north, including a drive across a frozen river.

Welcome to our first episode of AnimalChat where our host, Dan Kobe, and our Executive Director, Terra Johnston, explain types of topics we plan to discuss in our episodes.