WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?

We are bringing on two gents who will discuss their journeys including how they successfully "went vegan", how they handle cravings, what to substitute for what and the overall benefits of veganism. I'm personally looking forward to some recipe ideas! It's a conversation us animal lovers all need to have and although we are not vegans, we certainly do love those who are.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Are you trying to "go vegan"? Are you "vegan curious"? Perhaps you've seen a movie or documentary such as "The Game Changers" or "Forks Over Knives" that has got you thinking that you would like to eliminate meats, dairy and/or processed foods? Or maybe you participate in "Meatless Mondays".

Regardless of where you are on your journey, one thing is certain - the world is consuming more plants and less meat. Some people are vegan due to health benefits, others have committed to a plant based diet as a commitment to not hurting animals and for others, it's both.

https://www.thelangelfirm.com

https://www.greenstreetfoodtruck.com

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The audience will have a better understanding of the Guide Dog Foundation’s mission, and the power that a single individual can have in terms of making a difference in their community and helping animals and people alike.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Leslie H. Tayne is an award-winning financial attorney and author of Life & Debt. She is the founder and managing director of the Tayne Law Group, P.C., a law firm headquartered in Melville dedicated to debt solutions and alternatives to bankruptcy for individuals and businesses. Leslie has over 20 years of experience in the consumer and business financial debt solutions arena, including negotiations with large international banks and credit agencies for loans, lines of credit, credit cards, and student loanson behalf of clients.

Website: https://attorney-newyork.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TayneLawGroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliehtayne/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslietayne/

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I'm hoping that the audience will get a commissioned pet portrait for themselves or as a gift. Whenever anyone orders a commissioned artwork I will donate a portion of the proceeds to whatever charitable cause the buyer requests.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

My name is Raquel Serafino, business professional and animal lover. For my bread and butter I sell health insurance for a great company called HealthPass New York. As a side hustle I am an artist, creating commissioned paintings and donating to charities.

 I was born in New York and live in New Jersey, where I recently entered into a sort of Brady Bunch situation with my boyfriend (except insteadof human children we are raising Pit Bulls and a Tabby cat). I've been a part of numerous art exhibitions, some of which I organized myself. 

Website: raquelserafino.com

Instagram: @raqstarart‍ 

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How one Hofstra student has been caring for the Hofstra cats and found out the hard way how the government impacts animal welfare. The silver lining is that an incredible “AdvoCat” has been born.

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Be ready to be amazed by the beautiful stories of rescue, the importance of socializing these wonderful sentient creatures and the sheer genius of combining coffee and cats! Networking meetup anyone?

EPISODE SUMMARY:

This week we welcome Ryan Shea! Owner of the Shabby Tabby and Long Island, NY's first kitty cat cafe! Ryan and her team are responsible for placing over 1,000 felines (saved from kill shelters) and spreading compassion throughout all of LI.

https://www.theshabbytabbyli.com

https://www.facebook.com/theshabbytabbyli/

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Listen to uplifting true stories of how Kota the comfort dog has helped hurting people during their toughest times. We will also discuss how Kota, who has helped so many families, was in fact slated to be killed at a shelter, how he was saved and how we can move toward a no-kill society. After all, we owe it to all the Kota's of the world! 

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Animals possess an indisputable healing power. Lots of comfort dogs are another shining example of what an incredible impact animals can have on us mentally, emotionally and yes, even physically. Even in our darkest hours, they can lift our spirits and even provide a sense that everything is going to be okay.

https://moloneyfh.com

EPISODE QUOTE: Fostering literally saves lives. 

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How to recognize domestic violence, how to reach out for help, and the services that are available. Please add your headshot.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

About Jennifer Capezza:

Jennifer has a diverse background beginning in live theatre production and special events. Transitioning from this to receiving her Master's of Public Administration from LIU Post to enter into the Non-Profit field to focus on special events in the fundraising departments. Along the way she founded and built All CAPZ Consulting. 

A social media marketing, management, and training firm dedicated to empowering you to take control of your digital footprint. At the beginning of 2022, she was appointed Associate Director of LIADV. In this role, she is able to work closely with esteemed Executive Director, Wendy Linsalata, and provide support to the amazing programming staff providing support for thousands of trauma survivors each year. 

About LIADV:

1 in 3 women in the US experiences some form of abuse. Of those instances, 60% of survivors state that they did not leave a violent situation because they would not leave their animal behind. This is because, in over 50% of cases, the animal is also the focus of the abuse. For over 15 years we worked with local shelters and foster organizations to ensure the safety of the family pet, however, our goal was to keep the entire family together. L.I. Against Domestic Violence provides a comprehensive, trauma-informed service plan, abest-practice, to survivors and their companion animals by providing for co-sheltering as opposed to the option of placing the animal in foster care which, interrupts the human/pet bond and exacerbates an already traumatic and stressful situation; therefore, increasing their safety and emotional well-being.

Website: www.liadv.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LIADVORG

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/suffolk-county-coalition-against-domestic-violence/about/ 

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Find out what current laws dictate, how to find out what your local laws are and get involved in making positive changes happen! Remember, the animals need you to be their voice. Guest: Donna Fiorelli

EPISODE SUMMARY:

There is no doubt that animal rescues need better regulation and enforcement. On this episode we will discuss the good, the bad and the ugly in the Wild, Wild West world of rescue. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-fiorelli-7b820b19/

EPISODE QUOTE: Support a rescue that is treating their animals really well. – Valerie Heffron 

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The experience of letting go has evolved. In this episode we will discuss different ways of memorializing your beloved, when to start thinking about it/planning for it and also some beautiful heartfelt thoughts on what to do for a friend or loved one who is grieving right now. Don't miss this out on this important and heartwarming episode every pet parent can learn from.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Every fur mom and dad dread the day we will inevitably have to let go of our beloved fur baby. It is a thought we often force out of our minds because the thought is simply too hard to bear.

Living without our most beloved family member and picturing a life without their unconditional love, how they look when they sleep, how they strut, how they play, snore, eat, bark, how they make you laugh and how much they make your life worth living...it is an image that can bring you to tears even before their time has arrived. 

But what if some good planning can help you through the process when their time comes to cross the rainbow bridge ? Mitchell Kassman who is a fierce dog lover will describe the amazing send off he provided for his best friend "Freckles" and what was important to him. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-j-kassman-4101511b/

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Learn about who they are, what they do and why we are honoring them. We will also cast a light on our awesome sponsors who are also animal lovers and want to be a part of this very special, unique event. 

Guests: Valerie Heffron & Tommy DiMisa

EPISODE SUMMARY:

We are honoring 3 heroes in the world of animal rescue and advocacy. These people spend their lives saving lives and fighting for improved animal welfare legislation. They are selfless, intelligent and incredibly dedicated to the animals. 

Learn about who they are, what they do and why we are honoring them. We will also cast a light on our awesome sponsors who are also animal lovers and want to be a part of this very special, unique event. 

www.pal-show.com

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How does she do it all? What can WE do to help? I have so, so many questions...let's dive in!

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Every Single Creature

Who would you call if you stumbled onto an injured swan in your pool or a deer which may have been struck by a car? What would you do if you found a wounded mouse or a raccoon with a limp? 

Well, our guest Lisa Jaeger is the one who gets those calls and responds to them too! Her unparalleled conviction and limitless dedication to the voiceless are no doubt also directly correlated to her mega success in real estate. She rescues wildlife and runs a rescue and in her spare time is the number one producer for Elliman on Long Island, NY.

How does she do it all? What can WE do to help? I have so, so many questions...let's dive in!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068030291517

https://www.instagram.com/jaegerteam01/

EPISODE QUOTE:

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What is dog food traditionally made of and what are the different types of food grades for canines? Let's also shine a light on what types of ailments dog owners can address by feeding their dogs a raw diet.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Have you noticed that more and more dogs seem to suffer from allergies? How about other chronic illnesses and/or ailments? No doubt that bad breeding has contributed to this epidemic but what about the food? 

How many of us actually read the labels and have a clear understanding of what goes into what we feed our best friends? If food is medicine, perhaps we all should have a better picture of what we are providing our beloved fur babies with on a daily basis.

Tune into this interesting conversation between host Val & her special guest, Robert Tucker, owner of The K9 Shop!

https://www.thek9shop.com

https://www.facebook.com/thek9shop

https://www.instagram.com/thek9shop/

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EPISODE SUMMARY: Do you love events (especially those involving pets and/or fundraisers)? We do too but the fact is the amount of planning and organizational skills required are tremendous. This episode features the experienced and professional event planner Dawn Strain. She has extensive knowledge regarding every detail required when it comes to pulling off successful, beautiful and seamless events. Dawn has curated some of the most memorable events including the 1st Doggy Wedding where, you guessed it, two dogs got married! She has been THE behind the scenes person for creating Long Island Elite's upscale gala's as well as countless special occasions that everyone raves about. She is also a big time animal lover and understands what it takes to make these events nothing short of spectacular. 

‍

South Hampton Animal Shelter has their upcoming annual fundraiser which Dawn is meticulously managing this July 16th. Their Executive Director, Patricia Deshong also joins us to discuss what makes South Hampton Animal Rescue so special (they rescue and care for more than just cats & dogs) and what you can expect to find at their 13th annual "Unconditional Love Gala".

‍

www.sasf.org

EPISODE QUOTE:

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Learn how this minority-owned business is taking the pet industry by storm! They just landed a huge deal with Buc-ee's in Texas, they're on Amazon and they're only a year and a half old! Of course, we want them to be MEGA-SUCCESSFUL as they support NY shelters and rescues with every sale. Let's go shopping!!! 

EPISODE SUMMARY:

This week's guest brings so much to the table. Not only did Joshua Caban experience the ultimate pivot, but he also combined his love for animals with his retail expertise and WALLAH! American Pet Place was born. The creativity behind their product selection is second to none. They even offer an entire line of Pride products. 

https://americanpetplace.com

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One of our favorite shows to watch in my household is The Profit with Marcus Lamonis. We are partial to entrepreneurship and so we watch that and Shark Tank...a lot! My favorite businesses are of course the ones that offer a pet product or service. So, when Heather's Heroes aired, I was especially locked in. 

As always, necessity is the mother of invention. As a pet professional and avid dog lover, Heather Beck knew all too well what happens to dogs who may have a tendency to be nervous, scared, reactive, and/or have a prey drive. It often does not do well for the dog and Heather wanted to help mitigate this problem so she invented a solution. 

https://heathersheroes.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/heathersheroespets

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Be ready for some heartwarming stories and some fun ones too. We can't wait to share some personal anecdotes that will surely bring a smile to your face because let's face it...animals RULE!

We all know that animals provide us with emotional benefits like unconditional love, tons of hysterical moments, and heart-melting memories. In fact, right now as I type, my little cat Phoebe is purring in my lap and head-butting my forearm as if to say "stop working and scratch my forehead already!" It's simply impossible not to oblige her, but I digress...

https://www.caringpeople.com/programs-services/pet-therapy/

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Let's dive into the historic LANDSLIDE victory and passage of NY's anti-puppy mill bill!!! In this episode, we welcome NY Assemblyman Ed Ra who has been a wonderful supporter of this bill, a phenomenal resource to advocates, and who is quite the animal advocate himself. We also welcome back JP Goodwin of HSUS who is leading the charge to END PUPPY MILLS across the country! 

https://www.humanesociety.org/all-our-fights/stopping-puppy-mills

https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Edward-P-Ra

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Believe me when I tell you the time to educate yourself about local pet laws is BEFORE YOU HAVE TO!!! 

In this episode, two brilliant legal beagles (EAGLES! I meant eagles!) will shed light on recent laws regarding pets and divorce as well as the importance of understanding what your rights are as a pet parent. 

If you have ever asked yourself "what happens legally if my dog bites/hurts another person's dog?" or "What if my dog bites/hurts a person? A child?" or worse..."What if someone's dog bites/hurts my beloved furbaby?" This show is an important must watch. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-fiorelli-7b820b19/

https://lawjaw.com/people/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-ramos-008b3281/

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Dogs go missing every single day. It is an unfortunate part of reality. Every dog owner secretly knows that this can happen to anyone and no one is immune from a split-second mistake (even if it's not yours) leading to the heartbreaking reality that your dog has run off and is not coming when you call their name. But now what???

https://www.facebook.com/lidogtrackers 

https://www.missinganimalresponse.com

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Advocacy is NOT hard, in fact, it's quite simple. It's often just a phone call or sending an email. Won't you take just a few minutes to step up and be a voice for the voiceless? We all know they would do it for us.

"If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make a change!" ~Man in the Mirror, M. Jackson 

Today we are focusing on advocacy and the importance of your voice. Yes...YOUR VOICE!!! So many people are animal lovers and we don't doubt that for a single moment. These people are our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family members. We know that they can't stand animal cruelty and neglect. We also know that only THEY have the power to make a difference and affect change. 

So what does it take to be a difference-maker? Well, let's start with this simple question: Do you know who your elected representatives are? This includes your local, State, and Federal legislators and this is where advocacy begins. 

www.humanesociety.org

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Our guest Charlie Sorrentino has decades of experience and her level of expertise is extensive. From puppies to therapy dogs and many other forms of training and behavior evaluation, this professional is going to help us navigate the unregulated industry as well as the importance of positive reinforcement.

Charli was also passed over by the Town of Hempstead, NY where she could have brought her incredible qualifications and hands-on experience to the homeless shelter animals who desperately needed (and still need) top notch experts to help them modify their behaviors and become more adoptable. Sadly, the Town opted to hire the least qualified person at TOP DOLLAR and yes, we will discuss this grave disservice to the animals as well as the taxpayers.

Also joining us is Melissa S.W.A.P. (Seniors With Animals Project) as we delve into all of the great work that they've been doing to help both senior animals and senior people flourish.

www.thedogchick.com

http://www.paws-li.org/adopt.html

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There is so much to learn from these two powerhouse experts. We'll be asking about "reading dogs", training, health & wellness and so much more. Tune in also to find out about our latest legislative call to action and news in the world of animal welfare.

https://rufflyspeakingdog.com

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Want to learn how to find a great rescue? Look at their programs. At Bobbi & The Strays, a rescue that has been around since 1998, they offer creative programs such as "Bobbi's Book Nook", "Sponsor a Cage" and "In Memoriam" just to name a few. 

Everything they and their volunteers do is for the animals. From humane education to honoring those who are no longer here with us, Bobbi & The Strays attracts incredible people dedicated to helping shelter animals find their perfect forever home. 

https://bobbiandthestrays.org

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The voiceless need your voice! We proudly welcome two animal-loving professionals who are actively advocating for legislative improvements for the animals.

Join us to discuss where to find your local laws which pertain to you and your pets. We will also discuss some tough to think of "What if's" relevant for all pet parents. 

Brian Hackett of the Animal Legal Defense Fund will be covering the current need for your voice in the war against puppy mills and inform us about what we can do TODAY! 

https://aldf.org

https://donnafiorelli.com

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They need our help to be a voice for these beautiful wild animals who need to be rewilded so that they don't live out their lives in a cruel containment pen. 

In this episode, we welcome the author, advocate, and founder of the CANA Foundations, Manda Kalimantan as well as Dr. Ross MacPhee who sits on the board of the Museum of Natural History. They will educate us on the government's perspective of why this is occurring, why it's wrong and how to help. 

www.canafoundation.org

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So many people love animals and now more than ever, more people have pets! According to American Pet Products, 70% of households have a pet. This equates to a 180 BILLION dollar pet market!!! There are now so many ways to earn a good living in the pet space. 

This week, we have the pleasure of discussing the career path of 3 amazing business owners. We have Joshua Caban of American Pet Place, Janice Costa of Canine Camp Getaway of NY, and Richie Schwartz of Pets Photography Studio of Long Island, NY. Animal lovers may be interested in starting a business or even switching their careers so that they can do something that feeds their passion for pets. Are you one of them?

www.petsphotography.com 

www.americanpetplace.com

www.caninecampgetaway.com

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Let’s face it, there are sooooooooo many not-for-profits out there and they all have one thing in common: they all need money! This week’s episode is an absolute MUST listen to for those of you involved with a charity. 

Our featured guest Michael Liebowitz is going to help you learn how to use NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) to raise more money and garner more support for your cause. I personally first learned about NLP through the great Tony Robbins and it is truly fascinating as well as effective. The goal here is to help animal-related rescues/not-for-profits succeed! 

Tune in to hear some additional strategies of our own, plus we will have a legislative update/call to action. 

https://www.mindmagnetizer.com/

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Segment 1

Tommy D starts by explaining what the show is all about, advocating, educating, and learning with a community of people who care about animals. Valerie then gives a legal update. She talks about being aware of the values and efforts of the companies she spends money on, specifically in regards to what they do for animals. She tells listeners that the first annual compassion awards are on October 11, 2022. She also mentions that March 30th is Manatee Appreciation Day and March is Seagrass Awareness Month. Valerie then tells listeners that New York State Senators Phil Boyle and Alessandra Biaggi are sponsoring a pending bill that would prohibit the sale of cosmetics that were tested on animals. She encourages everyone to go to Puppy Mill NY on Facebook to learn more about the bill and to get involved by making calls to get more sponsorships. Tommy then introduces the guest, Michael Liebowitz, who is the CEO of Magnetic Mind Studio where he uses Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)  to help business owners connect with their audience. He is passionate about understanding how the human mind works and using that knowledge to motivate others to save animals.

Segment 2

Michael gives the main principles to getting through to others. It is important to meet people where they’re at because people are more likely to support an animal-related charity when they’re in a frame of mind to feel good about animals, such as at a pet store. To figure out where to be successful, think about where people are likely to think about their family or home which are related to pets and compassion. Michael then introduces the idea of reducing friction. If people are already spending money they are more likely to donate which is why campaigns that ask people to round up their total when shopping are likely to be successful. The goal is to require the least amount of time and energy. 

Segment 3

Michael states that it is important to directly connect what you’re doing to a big outcome. People are more likely to take action if they feel connected to the outcome. This is effective because humans' brains are wired to want to understand the rationale for something. They connect this idea to garnering support for the Puppy Mill bill discussed earlier by giving people effective reasons to give when asking people to sponsor it. Jayne makes the point that animals and humans are interconnected and animals should not be seen as lower status. Valerie adds that by hurting animals, you are hurting everyone who cares about animals which is important for politicians to understand as they are up for reelection.

Segment 4

Michael gives more information on what his company, Magnetic Mind Studio, does. He helps businesses find and communicate their meaning to their audience because people are motivated by meaning. People are attracted to others who share the same beliefs and the people with the strongest beliefs have the power to bring people into their frame of understanding. Michael runs a workshop that explains how our neurology works to business owners and then helps them work on their messaging. Michael stresses the importance of using clear language to get your message across to others. Valerie gives tips to not-for-profits such as using Bonfire (bonfire.com), asking people to donate a percentage of their garage sale proceeds, asking pizza places to distribute flyers, or using AmazonSmile.

This week, All About Rabbits Rescue joins us with dedicated volunteer Karen Boris Johnson and founder Vivian Barna. Every year around Easter, there's a spike in rabbits being purchased and then subsequently surrendered or discarded. AARR is on a mission to educate people on what being a responsible rabbit owner looks like, why releasing rabbits outside is not humane and why you should never impulse purchase a cute little bunny. Yes, they're adorable, and yes they make great pets but they are also a commitment for a lifetime, not a season.

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D suggests a book by Blake Mycoskie, Start Something That Matters, for his listeners to check out. He introduces his co-host, Valerie. Tommy and Valerie exchange sweet words in appreciation of each other's advocacy for animals. Tommy and Valerie introduce their guest Wendy Thompson a partner at All About Rabbit Rescue. Wendy shares the challenges abandoned rabbits face and the difficulties in finding them a home. The director of All About Rabbit Rescue started this organization when she found a tiny abandoned rabbit named Monkey Joe. She struggled to find a home or a rescue to take him. That’s when she decided to her own organization where she has now surpassed 500 adoptions. Before the break, Wendy shares some possibilities as to why rabbits might get abandoned.

Segment 2

Valerie celebrated Jovi’s birthday recently just in time for National Puppy Day (even though he’s no longer a puppy). Tommy reads the mission of All About Rabbits Rescue located in the Queens area. Tommy and Valeria ask Wendy for signs to look out for an abandoned rabbit. Wendy says wild rabbits have a specific color and facial features to look out for. She also notes that wild rabbits would be more apprehensive to approach humans than domesticated rabbits. Tommy and Valerie discuss various inhumane acts that have been done to rabbits but also how we’ve evolved over the years. They introduce another guest Karen who is also a part of All About Rabbit Rescue. Karen shares what is offered to the family who adopts rabbits at their rescue. She informs the listeners that their organization supplies families with essential items as a way to better prepare their furry friends for their new home. Before the break, Wendy tells the listeners what happens to injured rabbits that are found and the process of their rehabilitation.

Segment 3

Wendy and Karen share what to expect when a family adopts a rabbit. Through compassion and love, you are sure to find a furry addition to your family. Wendy explains that rabbits are similar to dogs and cats in the way that they have different personalities and are their own individual. Wendy says that rabbits can have big personalities where they crave human interaction and some can be more shy and quiet and interact on their own time. Before the break, Tommy suggests helping All About Rabbit Rescue track down abandoned rabbits as a way to help since he’s not ready for a pet.

Segment 4

In the final segment, Valeria notifies the listeners of important legislations to look out for in the state of NY. Valerie and Tommy also discuss why you should get your pets spayed and neutered before adding to the population. Wendy tells the listeners about the All About Rabbits event this Sunday, March 27th, at Toms Pet Supplies in the city. You can look for more information on Instagram and Facebook. A casual way to meet All About Rabbit’s litter before committing to the adoption process. You can find Tommy and Valerie on social media and don’t forget to request one of their new business cards.

• Raising awareness about feral and stray cats

• Gain new ideas on what you can do to enrich the lives of your pets, cats, and dogs 

• How can you help animals in need

This week on PALS we have children's book author and amazing animal advocate Stasie Fishman from Long Island, NY. Stasie has written 3 books and what we love most about them is that they tell the story from the animal's perspective! This is simply brilliant and what a wonderful way to help spread kindness and compassion in children (as well as adults!)

Join us as we continue to raise awareness about feral and stray cats, learn more about the author's inspiring muses, gain new ideas about what more you can do to enrich the lives of your pets (dogs & cats), and how you can help animals in need.

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

This week, Tommy and Valerie start the show by saying they're here to amplify the message that the bond between animal lovers is incredibly strong. Valerie does a shout-out to Vivian Mcshane, a fan that she has never physically met but she knows Vivian through Facebook because she's a huge animal lover. Valerie mentions that Vivian would be a fantastic guest for the show. Tommy introduces Stasie Fishman, their new guest. Stasie mentions that she and Vivian have shared feral cats. She says that she has rescued two of the siblings of Vivian’s cats and she fixed the daddy and Vivian got the mama. Tommy adds that animals create relationships between people and it's good since you can support each other like the case of Stasie and Vivian. Stasie Fishman is a children's book author and animal advocate. Through her books and her speaking engagements help spread kindness and compassion in children to animals with a focus on the feral and stray cat Community. Stasie tells us that what she does is all education. She adds about the Trap Neuter Release program in which Tommy asks her to explain what it is. She mentions that it is a program by which feral cats are spayed or trapped, and then released into the environment.

Segment 2

Coming back from the break, Tommy asks Valerie and Stasie how many cats they have at their houses. Val says two and Stasie says four. Stasie and Valerie describe their cats and tell us what they do around their houses. Both of them start to show their cats to the audience. Stasie particularly shows her cat called Sammie and tells us the story behind him. This cat was shot, so from then on she felt responsible for making sure Sammie was happy. Stasie also mentions that after taking a bullet behind Sammie’s ear, Sammie is terrified of sticks to this day. Sammie still has a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder. She adds ‘I had to get her used to not hiding under it’. Due to these events, Stasie wants to inspire and promote the love for animals in her children's books to rescue and help those animals that have special needs.

Segment 3

In this third segment, Tommy mentions defending the Animal League. He believes there are currently laws against animal cruelty. He says that they are located in the New York Agriculture and Markets Law, in which he does not consider the appropriate place to have serious crimes against animals in New York. Tommy adds that it is one of 13 States where these cruelty laws are not governed by the criminal code. So what he means by this argument is that these laws must be transferred under the penal code. 

Valerie says that she wants the audience to see one of the things that Stasie had mentioned to her; what she found really cool is the fact that Stasie wrote these stories to be told through the lens of the animal, an animal story personified. Stasie answers her by saying that she wanted to tell this story from Sammie's eyes and point of view, so the children could feel sympathy for Sammie and the rest of the cats. Stasie tells us that when she goes to the schools and talks with the children she tries to educate them in a way in which they can help these types of animals either by volunteering, donating, etc. 

Valerie asks Stasie if she is a self publisher since she is a ‘new author’. Stasie answers that since she is not a famous celebrity yet, she cannot get a publisher since it’s really hard to find one. However, she mentions that she is self-published and she also works with a wonderful lady who helps her out with the publishing. Valerie asks Stasie about the illustration of her book, she answers that she wants to focus on her art and writing. So she decided not to go with illustrations. At first she made some of her own, but she found that she liked the real images and children particularly loved them.

Segment 4

In this last segment, Stasie mentions something more about the books. She says that in the back of them there is information for adults and animal lovers about education and what they can do to help this issue related to feral and stray cats. She adds that each book has a different theme. The one of ‘Sammie’s tail’ talks about a cat that has special needs. She says that ‘Sammie’s tail’ is an acronym for tolerance for animals that inspires love. Second one ‘Betinna’s tail’. She is a little girl cat. Bettinna is Sammie’s sister, who also has her own book and story of rescue. Bettinna was rescued from the street two years after Sammie as a six month old kitten. Stasie adds that Betinna teaches speech for children who might have problems. By speaking, they can repeat their expressions. Valerie adds that she finds this very interesting and is surprised by its method based on a specific vocabulary and sheet music. She loves it because it is a simpler and more enjoyable way to help. Finally, her third book is called 'Freddie's tail'. She describes him as a big and strong cat. However, he gets scared by everything and runs from anywhere. The main message that Stasie gives to the audience is to spread love, kindness and tolerance towards cats. Finally, Tommy wants to know how people can get in touch with Stasie if they want to help animals in need. She gives all the information: gmail accounts and social networks and you can also find her books on Amazon.

Children love animals. They love to look at them, pet them, hold them, they love stories about them, they love movies featuring animals, stuffed animals, animal crackers, they love jokes about them and they even love to imitate them! The lessons children derive from learning all about animals are both magical and beautiful. Imagine a world where children are taught at a very young age about compassion and how they can make a positive change in their community at any age. That world is today. In this episode, Jayne Vitale, Director of Education and Youth Programs at North Shore Animal League America, will discuss the programs offered to children wrapped with a social-emotional curriculum: “Mutt-i-grees”. They brilliantly utilize SEL and Humane Education through the lens of rescued shelter animals. Be ready to be moved emotionally as we delve into the power of empathy and emotional intelligence. After all, wouldn’t it be amazing if the whole world was more compassionate?

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy starts off the show asking Valerie how she feels. Valerie answers: ‘completely fantastic and I just had Bebe here and now she's vanished just like she knows when I want to introduce her so’. After, Tommy says what friends are today in the show: 

‘They have a lot of small furry little creatures with them too…’ Before starting the conversation with their guests, Tommy and Valerie mention the message of what their mission is with Professionals and Animal Lovers: ‘we believe the bond between animal lovers is incredibly strong’. They want to support each other in business and certainly in nonprofits in rescues and in support work that people are doing. Both believe that as they build this compassionate Network everyone wins. Tommy adds the topic of this week: Children love animals. They love to look at them, hold them, etc. Tommy and Val introduce their guests: Jane Vitale and Tommy Francina. Jane is the Director of North Shore Animal League America in which 1.1 million animals have been saved by this organization. Like Tommy says: ‘let's set that up 75 years with Jane and Tommy tell us the story about this organization’. Jane starts saying that since their Inception on they've grown to be one of the largest rescue and adoption organizations in the world and that has happened throughout their leadership in America thanks to carrying out their cutting-edge programs. Valerie adds all her support to this program ‘I tip my hat to your organization’. Jayne thanks Valerie and answers her by saying that they can’t do it without people like Valerie: ‘I mean being on this podcast and getting the word out through our donors. Our sponsors are private donors…so it's all because of you’. She adds that her mission is to rescue, nurture, adopt and most recently educate, ‘THAT’S US!

Valerie mentions that there is a key component of North Shore Animal League: ‘I really wanted to pay you guys another compliment…there's an opportunity, a button…is social media volunteering’, she agrees and loves so much they have this kind of digital content in a free way: ‘I loved you guys are like ahead of so many including myself I'm sure you've had this program for longer than what is philosophy as a social meeting I really wanted to pay’. Tommy Francina adds that social media has a very positive impact on those who get out of a negative connotation that it could do naturally to people with bad things. Before finishing the first part of the show, Jane says that social media is a powerful way to support animals and of course this kind of organization. These digital tools can help to educate children.

Segment 2

After the break, Valerie keeps talking about the use of social media in this type of organization. She says that there are a lot of advantages of using social media and then of course there's a lot of negatives. She thinks that what they are doing is encouraging young minds to really grasp the concept of empathy and compassion, not just to animals; which is phenomenal; but also to others. Jane keeps saying that the key is to educate so much. Thanks to the help of their senior VP they won’t let this go since it is how they are going to change the world. They use “Mutt-i-grees” Curriculum, an innovative social-emotional learning program (SEL) that aims to make a difference in students' emotional and social well being. They brilliantly utilize SEL and Humane Education through the lens of rescued shelter animals.

Valerie is curious to know how Jane and Tommy manage their program in order to educate children. Does this organization go to schools or do schools come to them at North Shore?

Tommy says that they have relationships with school. They currently go just to one because of the pandemic. This program is not just only to get children to go to the shelters but to show the opportunity they have of being a veterinarian or choosing other career related to care animals. Jane mentions that what they do is for the population. They work specially with children who have gone to the court system or are going there. They give opportunities with the Helen Keller Institute in Port Washington and these young adults students can connect with animals which offers lots of benefits for them. Tommy gives the audience an example of this particular case. Tommy asks Jane how young children can volunteer within their program? Jane says that they have to be 18 years old minimum. However, there are some internships that children can do in the Muttigreen program where they go behind the scenes and groom in the operating room in medical and social media as well as they can do internships in the ambassador's program. Jane says that an educator in that space will sponsor a student to raise awareness of community. Tommy mentions before leaving the second part of the show that he thinks the interaction of Jane’s program can get the professionals’ interest.

Segment 3

Tommy starts the third segment by saying that he by himself would recommend this type of program to many kids and even his son. Jane answers that they are in over five thousand libraries across the country. They develop a program in New York City in which they replace rescued pets in schools all day everyday. They have about over 60 dogs in New York City schools. In Arizona they have about 40 dogs. They developed this program to break the stereotype of therapy dogs in different states of the US. Tommy explains the process of living this experience by signing to their website, etc.

Segment 4

In the final segment, Jane talks about the experience of the things children did to the puppies/dogs. Some of them with any disability liked the idea of working together to make some activities like creating posters for instance. Valerie keeps the idea that animals are magical. Jane mentions that in their internship program, animals come inside and they work really well with children. She and Tommy show a tour in their center with the animals so you can watch them through the camera and finally, they talk about some events people can join and demonstrate how warm the ambience is. Tommy asks their guest where the audience can find them and know more about their organizations. Both mention their website details, etc.

Words are completely inadequate when it comes to describing how thrilled we are to have Nancy Hassel of American Pet Professionals for our guests this coming Wednesday (February 23rd, 2022)! 

As a woman in business, I look up to her for starting and running a successful Nationwide networking organization. As a pet parent and animal lover, I adore the fact that her business revolves around the success of other animal lovers and pet professionals. What can I say? I adore this "Pet-Working Queen"!

Get ready to learn a lot from this vivacious, established, fun, and intelligent young woman. We are going to talk about a little business, a little networking, and a lot of animals!!! My kinda show =)

Org: American Pet Professionals

Website: www.AmericanPetProfessionals.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanPetProfessionals

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanpetpros/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyhassel/

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

​​Tommy D. introduces the special guest; Nancy Hassel of American Pet Professionals because she has created a successful nationwide networking organization and Valerie, another collaborator of Professionals & Animal Lovers Show. Tommy starts telling them that he remembers himself watching the Mr.Foggy Show when he was a child, etc. After mentioning a bit of some memories related to Mr.Foggy Show, he states that Professionals & Animal Lovers show is all about creating community. This show wants to show the audience that Animal Lovers is incredibly strong. Valerie agrees with Tommy.

Valerie talks about the You Be the Dog Show in which her cousin supervises all the work. She explains that the purpose of this program is the one of creating a community of Animal & Pet Lovers and that the point is that they look for people who want to support other animal lovers in business and in life everywhere for everybody can benefit from this community group. She also talks about a probable new show called "The Rabbit" on the Facebook platform. Nancy Hassel pushes Valerie and Tommy about the idea! Valerie explains that there is a problem right now because the population treats rabbits as cats and that is why she is in contact with a Rabbit Rescue Group. She shows their last poster design which she loves very much, the slogan is "LIVE LOVE BARK". Before the first break of the show, Tommy introduces Nancy Hassel. She mentions that she will talk about the pet industry and what things they do in this kind of industry. Tommy mentions at the end that he has something to share, a surprise.

Segment 2: 

After the break, Tommy shows the surprise! He shows the content of a package! It is a plastic card from Boone. Valerie is very happy with this, and she explains that he is the American Hero Dog of the Year (2021) Valerie exposes how much she loves him!

Tommy introduces Nancy. She is a professional in the pet industry and her business is related to the success that animal lovers and pet professionals can get. Tommy tells us that Nancy has been working at her organization for 13 years now and he has just discovered at its WEB that there are even several different magazines. He is surprised that Nancy has hosted more than over a thousand pets in the past 10 years. Nancy says that they have incorporated 9 big professionals in the different fields concerning animals, rescuers, veterinarians, etc. at their organization.

Valerie asks her "How did you start it?" Nancy answers that in early November 2008 she talked with a veterinarian about the different businesses’ owners, and they realized that there wasn't an organization to cover them, so that 3 months later, in February 2009, they arranged a meeting in a restaurant with the purpose of working together. Nancy mentions that she prefers to work together instead of looking at each other as competition. Valerie agrees with her.

At the beginning she was a little bit frustrated because she realized that people were just subscribed to Pets Magazines, maybe for more than 20 years, but they were not organized as pet's parents so they managed to join 35 people to prepare an event with Long Island high professional from different states, New York City and all cross island and nowadays their house is in Hyde Park, very close to the Queen Palace (Elizabeth II), Tommy explains.

Tommy talks about the pandemic period and Nancy says that many people have been attending Zoom meetings during it. Valerie admires Nancy’s activity.

Segment 3

Tommy asks Nancy ‘What is happening?’. She talks about how she and her team host networking events and their Web. Valerie is surprised about their relevant presence in the media and Nancy tells her that she is very proud because there is a lot of information on them, and they use the member's email to organize lots of events.

Valerie asks her about the Tik-Tok platform and Nancy explains that she has a profile to share information and that she thinks it works well but the most important for her is their Web. Nancy states that with TikTok it is easy to grow your idea specially in her case with the pet industry.  Tommy gives his opinion about Tik-Tok and different videos on Netflix platform.

Segment 4

Tommy invites people to participate in the chat at P.A.L. Show. Valerie emphasizes that she likes this way of communicating. Nancy says that they have members from all over and people can watch on their chats lots of opinions and incredible things to answer many different questions and Valerie adds that for her the emails they sent are really good too.

Tommy asks Nancy about the different aspects of her business and Nancy explains that they have many different organizations such as rescuers, shelters, etc..At the end Tommy refers that he receives many comments related to how the show serves for rescue actions, to train, to save, etc. animals.

Valerie comments that they are working with 100 cats right now. Nancy is surprised about it and says that the meeting has been amazing. Tommy finally says: Protection by men from the cruelty of human kind. Valerie finishes the show saying goodbye to Nancy.

When a business is born with heart, passion, and purpose - it truly shows. This week we welcome Tiffani Eckhart, owner & operator of DogGone Candles, LLC. Not only has she created a successful candle business, but she has also done so with the highest of standards so that their product is safe & healthy. What's more? DogGone candles give back from their profits to animal rescues & not-for-profits (including our friends at Joey's Paw!) 

Get ready to learn about how this pet mom, wife, and entrepreneur got started, how they are making a difference, and also about the musician in her. Can't wait! 

Legislative updates will also be happening this week. Tune in to find out what you can do to help the voiceless. Hint: it's usually just a phone call or email! 

Website: www.doggonecandlesllc.com

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/doggonecandles

Instagram: https://instagram.com/doggonecandles?utm_medium=copy_link 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffani-eckhart-24a3566b

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Tommy and Valerie discuss their show's mission and why they stream every week. Tommy believes that the connection between people who care about animals is extremely strong. Valerie and Tommy want to use their professionalism to support other businesses and their love for animals to make sure everyone wins. Tommy tells a funny story about his seven year old son meditating in the middle of a Target with his Sonic the hedgehog stuffed animal. Valeria informs the audience that Long Island Rabbit Rescue is in desperate need of fosters. She tries her best to persuade Tommy into fostering a new rabbit every few months. Tommy, against the idea, leaves the power in the hands of the audience. Should Tommy’s house become a life saving home for rabbits? Before the first break, Tommy and Valerie introduce their guest, Tiffani Eckhart,owner & operator of DogGone Candles, LLC. Not only has she created a successful candle business, but she has also done so with the highest of standards so that their product is safe & healthy.

Segment 2

Coming back from the break, Tommy explains how his wife can’t seem to get enough candles. DogGone Candles are non toxic candles safe for your pets. Tiffani shares how she was inspired by her lab, Lily, who was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis. Tiffani had to cut out a lot of ingredients that would agitate Lily's breathing. In 2017, Tiffani came up with the idea and began to learn about different kinds of wax, gravitating to the most natural products. Tiffani says bee’s wax is the most natural and her most preferred even though she is terrified of bees. Tommy asks Tiffani where her fear of bees came from. Before the break, Tiffani tells the audience how to learn more about DogGone Candles on her website DogGonecandlesLLC.com. You can also find Tiffani on social media like facebook and instagram. 

Segment 3

 Tommy points out the clever names of Tiffani’s candles like Banana MuttBread and HoundCake. Valerie asks Tiffani what is her best seller? Tiffani raves about her non toxic room spray Stay that contains notes of maple and vanilla. Tommy asks how she promotes her business. Tiffani has a following on facebook and does better through word of mouth. Valerie asks about the rescue groups that Tiffani donates to with every purchase. Tiffani shares that she really wanted to make a difference after the death of her dogs. She was inspired to share her profits with different rescues to try and ensure future pets are taken care of. Before the break, Tiffani talks about raising over three hundred dollars for Abby’s Angels on Valentines Day. 

Segment 4

Coming back from the break, Tommy shares his screen to show the audience Every Swipe Benefit Charity’s web page. Tommy explains how Mick Collins’ work for Pay It Forward is involved with the foundation. Tiffani tells the audience about her singing background and how she sings for senior citizens. Valeria asked Tiffani about music for her feral cat parody. Before the end of the segment, Tommy asked Valerie and Tiffani what their favorite Karaoke songs are.

This week, we welcome attorney and animal advocate Jesse Langel of the Langel Firm, who is suing four gigantic companies in the Manhattan Supreme Court for false advertising. These companies will now have to defend their usage of the term "humanely raised".

His story was recently featured in the NY Post and we can't wait to delve into everything that has led up to these actions.

As consumers, more and more, we want to understand who and what we are supporting with our purchases. It is essential to our minds and our conscience to believe that we are making good and humane choices. Truth and honesty are the pinnacles of this concept and if we are in fact misled, it must be remedied.

Expect to learn a lot from this vibrant, compassionate, and brilliant young man. As someone who is making a concerted effort to reduce their meat intake and support humane companies (from make-up to food and everything in between), I cannot wait to hear all about "Humane Washing" and get into the nitty-gritty of this subject!

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

 Tommy and Val begin the show by sharing a message related to the bar between human beings and other species and both think that they are ‘incredibly important’ as well as the caring of the animals of our planet that’s why they created Professional and Animal Lovers. Tommy introduces their new guest Jesse Langel, who is a well-known attorney and prominent activist for the protection of consumers against misleading advertising. He emphasizes that Professional and Animal Lovers love other animal lovers and defends the animals support like rescues etc. Tommy mentions that we should read the Book of ‘why we love dogs, eat pigs and wear cows’ since this helps to understand what is going on. Before the break, Tommy evidenced that in some parts of the globe, some people kill dogs to eat.

Segment 2

After the break, Jesse mentions that he wants to be independent and defend consumers and welfare animals. Jesse thinks that science sometimes can be found as a big fraud for consumers. Tommy talks that it is necessary to educate people and be aware of the ecological aspect of the impact of the meat industry.

Segment 3

‘People don’t have a guarantee on animals’ conditions’ Jesse mentions. Here, the main topic is HumaneWashing: ‘Meat Industry don’t say the truth’; ‘Be a corporation, get lots of money from the State’. He defines HumaneWashing as an advertising designed to impress our minds and mentions that represents the opposite of what is true. There is something that all of them agree on and it is that most of the Animal production comes from factory farms. Valerie adds that we are told that animals are cage-free, but in fact they are, to get more room. To finish this part, Jesse shows the evidence that consumers are not well informed about the fact that in America there is no guarantee whatsoever related to welfare animals conditions.  

Segment 4

In this last segment of the episode, Jesse mentions that the wrong use of the concept of HumaneWashing is deeply studied at a legal level. He defends the protection of consumers against misleading advertising and the avarice of getting money in the livestock industry. Valerie affirms that it is important that people don’t be afraid of reporting any kind of false information related to their experiences about this topic.

On this episode of PALS, we have the pleasure of featuring Alex M. Wolff and his exciting Worldwide Photography that captures animals of all kinds both above and below sea level.  

Alex is a huge supporter of the environment and also donates some of his time and skills to help companion animals and rescues.  

You definitely will want to watch on Facebook so you can see all of the incredible images we will be sharing. By tuning in this week you will see how following your passion can lead you to your best life.

Tune in for this heartfelt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D starts today’s show reminding us about the goals of their show. Val mentions legislation. You can contact your legislator to support the bill hr263/s (Big cat public safety act). This will prohibit public contact and protection of big cats from being kept from the wild and prohibit animals like tigers from being kept as pets. Val explains that big cats like these deserve to be in their natural habitat. Tommy introduces Alex Wolff and Linda Herskowitz. Val also talks about her oldest dog who she has been giving him a bone broth which helps with his health to be able to continue to run up and down the stairs at her home. They switch gears to talking with Linda and Alex. Alex is a director and photographer for Concierge Photography. One of the things that Linda does is that she is a puppy raiser volunteer. She also works with Canine Companions.

Segment 2

Alex talks about some of his photography in a coral reef. He suggests that people learn about the business before actually doing the photography work if they are interested in getting into wildlife photography. Alex also suggests that people look into great photos out there for learning and inspiration. Alex says that when he started his career, he used to think that whatever photos he took in a day were either great or not so great. He mentions several people that have taught and inspired him. Alex also mentions his experience as a dive instructor. Val also talks with Alex about any dangerous encounters he might have taking photography of wildlife. They also discuss some of the animals like sharks and different whales that Alex takes photos of.

Segment 3

Val mentions that later in 2022 that P.A.L.S will have an event called possum awards in support of great advocates and passionate animal lovers. Linda talks about volunteering for Canine Companions. She raises puppies who are training to be service dogs. She keeps them from 17-19 months. These dogs train to help people who are deaf, have autism, and more. Linda says that it's a very emotional but very rewarding process because of the fact that you spend time with the dog but you then have to let them go. Alex talks about his experience being able to take photos at an event called Dog Fest that raises funds and awareness for Canine Companions.

Segment 4

Coming back from the final break, Val speaks about supporting animal welfare and the works from Alex and Linda. Val and her husband are starting their journey to reduce their meat intake and focus more on plant based food. Val and Tommy talk about the health reasons and the benefits if everyone can have at least one plant based or vegan food day during their week. Alex tells us that you can’t protect something that you don’t know about, which is one of the things Val and Tommy also do; to educate and advocate. Before closing the show, Linda reads us something very emotional from a volunteer at Canine Companion who was letting go of a dog who graduated and was ready for service. Val and Tommy thank Alex Wolff and Linda Herskowitz for joining them and would love to have them back!

This week we are going to tackle a very controversial but important issue: How to identify responsible & reputable breeders. 

There are many red flags when it comes to where puppies come from. Bare in mind, no one is going to tell you if they're a puppy mill or that they purchase from puppy mills. Irresponsible breeders are not going to tell you that they treat animals poorly. 

To help provide invaluable expertise this week, we have brought in the big guns. Sandy Weaver is our featured guest and not only has she bred occasional Siberian Huskies, but she is also an AKC judge and a true expert in this field. 

While we are huge supporters of adoption and rescue, we also recognize that some people will want to purchase, and therefore, we want to help educate so that they can make a humane and responsible decision. 

Tune in to learn about the red flags and also the standards that reputable breeders require and provide. 

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Opening today’s show, Tommy welcomes us, and mentions the calm feeling he gets when listening to their show’s intro music. Tommy, Val, and their guest Sandy Weaver get into talking about mindfulness and mental health. Val talks about the anti puppy mill, cat mill and rabbit mill that is affecting places like New York. They speak about the importance of knowing whether someone is a reputable breeder and treating their animals with compassion. Tommy switches gears to introduce Sandy. Sandy Weaver, is a dog-lover, dog-sports enthusiast and dog show judge as well. Sandy had always wanted a Siberian husky since she was a child. Val speaks about how she met Sandy through networking and looking for a new guest for the show. Because they also happen to not live far from each other as well, Sandy invited Val to a dog show.

Segment 2

Coming back from the break, Val reads a couple of advice Sandy gave her of what you should look for in reputable breeder. Some points are that a reputable breed will only breed mature animals, pass all of the genetic screening tests recommended for that breed, and will have a written contract outlining mutual expectations like if the purchaser has to give up the dog for any reason, the dog must go back to the breeder. Sandy says that most people that she has spoken to about what they believe is the best feature of a reputable breeder are back to the point that the breeder must have a written contract which makes them responsible and for whatever reason, a dog that was given away can be bought back for whatever reason. Sandy also talks with Val and Tommy about genetic tests done with different breeds and what it means for responsible breeders. Responsible breeders, Sandy says, would keep certain dogs as “show dogs” and others as “pet dogs”.

Segment 3

Val mentions a book called “Designer Dogs” which she recommends for those looking to bring a furry friend in their homes. She reads us an excerpt from the book. Sandy says that one should look for a reputable breeder even when they are looking for a mixed breed dog. She divides breeders into three categories; one is responsible breeders who will feel like they need to give as much advice and to make sure that buyers will be comfortable with a certain breed with their own lifestyle. Second is a backyard breeder who are only looking to sell puppies and don’t exactly know what they are doing and try to breed animals for the sake of getting money.

Segment 4

On this segment, Sandy talks about high volume, mass produced puppy mills which she says is the third kind of breeder. Sandy also explains how because a breeder has a high volume of puppies doesn’t mean that they are bad. She explains the differences. If you're looking at a website with animals with only one name, has no connection to the parents or information about it’s breed, and you have to meet the breeder in isolated locations, then they are most likely an irresponsible breeder. They also discuss how some people see animals as a commodity instead of a family member. Sandy says that responsible breeders don’t have to advertise or breed a ton of litters in a year. She also talks about how she helps within the community of pet owners and shows people how there are many things to do with dogs and have fun with them. As the show closes, Val thanks everyone for tuning in and invites Sandy Weaver to come back as there is so much more insight to listen and talk about!

This week, we welcome a difference maker and world changer E Garcia of Ridgewood Rescue. E recognized a problem in their hometown and did not turn a blind eye to it. Instead, they took the reins and gathered a few of their animal loving friends to become part of the solution. Ridgewood Rescue was born just a few months ago in the fall of 2021. This team has serious goals to raise awareness about the community cats problem, to TNR (trap, neuter, return) the feral/non-adoptable cats and to get the friendly stray cats/kittens adopted. 

E is a true thought leader and also came out as non-binary years ago, well before society truly recognized what it meant to do so. We are honored and excited to have them on our show as both the first feline rescue 501c3 and the first non-binary guest.

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D opens up today’s show. He talks about learning about animal advocacy and how even someone like him is always learning more about this topic and being compassionate for animals. Today’s guest is E Garcia. E works with Ridgewood Rescue. This non profit organization is dedicated to raising awareness about the community cats problem; to reduce the population of cats by fixing ferals and finding homes for sociable stray cats and kittens in the Ridgewood neighborhood of Queens, NY through community education as well as adoption. They also have a program called TNR (trap, neuter, return). Val talks a little about different types of traps like the different sizes to be able to catch stray kittens and cats or even drop traps as Val and E explain more about. The way E started the idea of Ridewood Rescue was when E and their wife found kittens in their backyard. Their local vet helped them find the kittens a safe place where they are out of the cold and bad conditions. Since then, she started learning about TNR and met more amazing people along the way. They then decided that there should be more resources like dealing with the experience that they had helping these kittens.

Segment 2

Coming back from the break, E talks more about helping the kittens they found. The vet they went to talked to them about how to take them in safely. The real issue was when they called different rescues that weren’t able to help the feral who was the mother of those kittens. Unfortunately most rescues that E called were overwhelmed. E says that they got their TNR certification through a group called Neighborhood Cats. They are very informative on safely trapping cats and you can learn more at neighborhoodcats.org. E and Val also talk about using affordable sources around you like styrofoam coolers to keep cats warm. Val also mentions that for all rescues in New York, there is grant money available by filling out an application through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Segment 3

Tommy shows us Ridgewood Rescue’s website through the Facebook Livestream. Val speaks about the idea of trappers networking and working with each other. E shares some similar information like Neighborhood Cats lending out traps. They also said that Ridgewood Rescue is also trying to do a local TNR get together where they can connect with other certified individuals and share advice and talk about any issues as well as share some of their ongoing projects. E also shares that there are local vets and other organizations offering spay neuters at a low cost which Ridgewood Rescue have also been working with. Costs range between $86-$130. The majority of donations, E says, goes to these kinds of costs. Val says that she feels what we need most is awareness because if more people knew about these resources helping stray cats and kittens , there would probably be more donations and more people wanting to be trappers. E says that the least one can do with a cat they rescued is to spay and neuter their cat. They also discuss how the winter season is important for TNR’s to help as many cats and kittens as a cat can have as much litter and kittens can get pregnant as early as 4-6 months.

Segment 4

Coming back from the final break, Val points out that E is the first non binary guest to come on the show. Val says that it shows how connected we all are, coming from all walks of life to advocate for animals and to show love for all animals. E shares their story about discovering who they are and how when they were in kindergarten, their parents wouldn’t let them get a mohawk and so they decided to shave their hair off and have a buzz cut. Unfortunately, E was bullied a lot so they thought being feminine would make things easier. It wan until around 2013 that they heard the term gender-queer. E says that they didn’t really know there were other options than being male or female and so they started to learn more and gender. It was like a lightbulb hit and they understood it so well. They still don’t always feel safe bringing it up and talking to people about it. Val and E share that the first person that you should remember to care for is yourself and that it’s okay to explore and allow yourself to have the freedom to understand and know what makes you happy. If you are local in the Ridgewood area or elsewhere nearby, E says that you may be able to foster. You can follow Ridgewood Rescue on social media as well. If you visit their website at ridgewoodrescue.com, you can also sign up to volunteer and of course donate searching them up through Venmo. Tommy and Val thank E very much for joining them! Next week, their guest is Sandy Weaver, an AKC judge, who has also been involved in dog sports and Siberian huskies.

But how many of us are prepared for an attack from above?

This week, we have the privilege of having Michael Caruso, owner and inventor of Raptor Shield as our guest. His treasured yorkie was picked up and carried away by a red tailed hawk and she was one of the fortunate ones because she escaped and survived the attack. 

Learn about how these scenarios are not as uncommon as you would think and how to protect your most precious family members from falling victim to these exquisite predators

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D and Val open up today’s episode talking about how grateful they are for the success so far with this show which is because of you, everyone tuning in! They also talk about dog shows, and about the movie Best in Show. Val jokes about how there’s a character in the movie that reminded her of Tommy. Tommy and Val introduce their guest, Michael Caruso, from Raptor Shield, which provides protection jackets for small dogs protecting them from predators. Michael’s yorkie, Daisy, was victim to being carried away by a red tailed hawk and fortunately survived the attack. Val tells us that these scenarios happen more often than people think. Michael and his brother designed and came up with the idea to find protection for small dogs after this incident. They found that the material used in these jackets, which is also used for making bullet proof glass, can sustain even bites from coyotes.

Segment 2

Tommy shows us on the Facebook Livestream Raptor Shield through their Amazon page. Michael says that Raptor Shield is designed based on the common weights of dogs as well because birds like hawks are able to pick up dogs as much as 20 lbs. Michael says that other kinds of birds of prey are owls, eagles and falcons. Raptor Shield is very lightweight, comfortable, adjustable, made of 20 gauge polycarbonate and saves lives. Val talks about people she knows who’s dogs have been in similar situations to Michael’s yorkie. Michael makes a point that birds of prey are more aggressive than ever today.

Segment 3

Coming back from the break, Tommy asks a curious question about customizing a raptor shield and whether he can put a team’s logo on it. Unfortunately, right now that’s not possible but an interesting idea! Michael talks about going through different phases in the design process for the shield. They came up with putting a lining on the inside, fully cushioned, making other improvements, and got a great amount of support from many pet owners. Raptor Shield can be found on Amazon in the U.S as well as Canada. When speaking about protecting dogs other than using the jacket, Raptor Shield has also created a Raptor collar to protect the neck area. Michael, Tommy, and Val get more into the topic of eagles and how brutal they can be. Michael mentions terrible moments of eagles picking up animals like goats. We are proud to say that Michael’s Raptor Shield has saved dogs from moments like these. Although dog owners may worry about the shield not covering their dog's head for example, based on statistics, birds of prey are more likely to attack the back of their prey.

Segment 4

Tommy asks Val and Michael how many animals live with them. Val has 4 pets with her and Michael has had some dogs but now due to traveling a lot, he decided to not have any pets right now. Michael, noticing that Val has cats, mentions that the shield can also help cats. It will be effective…that's if they want to wear it. Val switches gears and talks more about what's happening today in terms of animal advocacy. She also is encouraging pet lovers and animal lovers who live in the state of New York to reach out to their assembly person and ask them for their support on the Anti Puppy Mill Bill. Michael briefly talks about the success of Raptor Shield and gives some advice on protecting your dog. Tommy and Val thank Michael very much for joining today’s show. There are many people who might not be aware of this protective shield, even Tommy didn’t know before this episode. You can find Michael Caruso on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Linkedin by searching for Raptor Shield. To learn more about the product you can also visit raptorshield.com.

Supply and demand will always drive any market and right now the demand is incredibly strong for pet-friendly homes. It's not just about schools and taxes, it's now about where Jovi (or Fido) will be happiest!

Whether you're a landlord, a tenant, a 1st time home buyer or a real estate investor, this episode is for you. And if you're a pet owner, well… all of our episodes are for you! Join us with our special guest, Jacqueline Dworkin.

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D introduces himself and Valerie and wishes everyone a Happy New Year. Tommy reiterates the goal of their show which is to advocate and educate others about animals, pets, and the bond between pets and owners and vice versa. Val asks listeners to look up their local assembly leader if you are someone who is against the poor treatment of animals and wants to support a bill that would prohibit the retail sale of animals from mills such as puppy mills. Puppy mills are dog breeding facilities that continue to make more puppies for profit, disregarding the cruel conditions. You can look up your assembly leader at nyassembly.gov and the bill number is A4283; this is the Anti Puppy Mill Bill. Tommy D also introduces their special guest, Jackie. Jackie is Val’s close friend, who she met through networking. Jackie is a realtor who works with the company Homes by Mara Realty and is of course, an animal lover! Pre-pandemic, Home by Mara used to host adoption events where many puppies and dogs would get adopted.

Segment 2

Val introduces the topic of today's show. Val talks about how realtors may deal with pets when doing their jobs with their partners or clients. Jackie talks about how one of her sellers had five dogs and she had to move them all to the back of the house and to the front depending on where the visitors were going to look. Val, Tommy and Jackie speak about what makes a dog an emotional support dog, or whether all dogs should be seen as emotional support dogs. Jackie makes a point that ever since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been an uptick of pet adoptions. There are also many locations that are becoming more pet friendly, like hotels. When it comes to real estate, Val asks Jackie about whether the younger generation, who tend to gravitate towards supporting many social causes, look for homes that are close to dog parks. Jackie says that it all depends on where they are in their life. She says that if a couple is having children, sometimes it’s more likely that they’ll have cats.

Segment 3

Coming back from the break, Tommy D moves more into the topic of real estate and asks Jackie about the real estate market and furthering the movement on advocacy for animals through Home by Mara. She says that they would host events such as pet adoptions and they would get a lot of news coverage and meet a lot of great people. Jackie talks about how strong the competition is with home buyers and sellers as the costs of homes continue to grow. She also says that the rental market has also been big as there are people who may look to rent as they're unsure or unable to own a house, especially due to issues caused by the pandemic. The cost for rent has gone up to even $4,500. Val says that when interviewing real estate agents, to make sure that they are pet friendly or even passionate about animals. They also mention about making sure that those who work in moving companies are mindful about this too. Val gave an example of how her dog was stepped on by a mover .

Segment 4

Coming back from the final break, Tommy asks Jackie about people that she knows in different industries who are also passionate about animal advocacy. She mentions an inspector who in general is very kind, especially when going into homes where there are pets. Tommy also mentions the late Betty White, who Jackie says was a big animal lover. Fans around the world have joined to donate to shelters and rescues in honor of Betty White. Tommy and Val thank Jackie for coming on the show today. Next week, P.A.L.S will have a special guest from Raptor Shield which provides protective vests for dogs to help limit their exposure to animal threats such as hawks, coyotes and other predators.

As a Clinical Pet Nutritionist, Devereaux has been invited to speak at veterinary hospitals to speak about the benefits of proper nutrition for dogs and cats. Devereaux has also been a repeat presenter at Potters League University, teaching children and adults the benefits of feeding pets in a species-appropriate way. Devereaux’s writings can be found in Animal Print magazine, Rhode Island’s Family Guide and the 2019 Health and Wellness Guide for Southern New England.

Devereaux has been featured as a Trailblazer in the pet industry by Pets+ Magazine and her store, Fetch RI, has been awarded “Best of Rhode Island” by Editor’s Pick and Reader’s Choice. Fetch RI has also been awarded “Top Dog” by Animal Print magazine. Devereaux has completed a BFA from New York University and the Clinical Pet Nutritionist program from the Academy of Natural Health Sciences.

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Starting off today’s show, we have special guest Johnna Devereaux on P.A.L.S joining Tommy and Val for the last show of the year! Tommy talks about how this show is about connecting with people, especially in business, who look out for animals and have a deep love and connections with animals. Jonna is a clinical pet nutritionist and founder of Fetch RI, a holistic pet boutique and supply retail store. As a Clinical Pet Nutritionist, Devereaux is invited to speak at events about the importance of proper nutrition for dogs and cats. Johnna unfortunately lost one of her closest friends, her pet dog, Diego. Johnna emotionally speaks about Diego, whom she adopted when he was 8 weeks old. Diego was a K9 dog constantly going to the vet having problems with his nutrition and things like ear infections. As someone who knows a lot about herbs and is a herbalist, Johnna wanted to learn more about nutrition for K9 dogs. She found that by making Diego homemade food, his problems got much better. Val talks about her dog who she did not know was allergic to certain foods that she was giving them. It's a great thing that pet nutritionists are more common today.

Segment 2

Johnna says that one of the things she finds great and important about her relationship with her customers is that she would not sell foods and bring anything into her store that she wouldn’t feed her own dog. She wants to make sure that she does her research as Tommy shows us on the Facebook Livestream, showing viewers her website. When it comes to the health and well being of cats and dogs, Johnna as a herbalist is also familiar with Eastern medicine and she researches different herbs that one can blend. Tommy asks Johnna how one can know what their pet has in terms of allergies. Johnna says that there are certain blood tests that they go through. She says that it’s more about the quality about the ingredients rather than the ingredients themselves that might be affecting an animal. It’s about analyzing the symptoms and signs and then eliminating whatever is causing problems. Johnna also says that seeing better results in your pet or even ourselves takes time.

Segment 3

Coming back from the break, Val reminds us that anyone is invited to come on the show, as long as you love animals of course! Val asks Johnna about becoming a pet nutritionist. Johnna recommends doing research about taking a class. She explains that some schools may not be teaching things about dogs for example that is completely factual. Val and Johnna talk about how dogs consume different foods and how it affects them. Johnna says that it’s important to try to maintain the nutritional value of foods, hence why she says that depending on the vegetable, she feeds it raw to her dog. But she confirms that dogs are carnivores, they will always gravitate towards proteins. Johnna talks about how K9 dogs are dogs that have bodies that will naturally digest raw foods, something that she fully supports when choosing what to feed them. If someone is unsure about preparing their pets meals, she says that there are brands that have raw or lightly prepared meals that they can look into.

Segment 4

Coming back from the final break, Val and Johnna talk more about nutrition for dogs. It’s better to invest in your dog's food and well being than to invest in their sickness. Johnna says that one should never ever give dogs a cooked bone. Their bodies won’t break it down the same way. The bones that dogs should consume are ones like raw chicken or beef. Val brings up that during times like the holidays, some families may decide to bring in a furry friend to the family. Johnna mentions that after adopting a dog, one should give it about 2 weeks for them to settle in, so don’t change their diet drastically. After they've settled down, then they should take them to a pet nutritionist or vet. Val and Johnna talk about the options dog owners have when taking care of their pet’s nutrition depending on what they can afford and do. You can find more about Johnna Devereaux at Fetchri.com. You can also find out about her work with Bow Wow Labs, who strive to keep dogs safer, healthier, and happier. On behalf of P.A.L.S, Val wished everyone a happy holiday and thanked Johnna for coming on the last show of the year!

When COVID struck, John along with millions of others in the hospitality field had to face unparalleled struggles. He started to paint just for a welcomed distraction and a creative outlet. Little did he know that destiny was hard at work bringing the gift of unconditional love via his rescue dog “Bronson” as well as the gift of meaning & inspiration!

Now John has created a legitimate business painting pet portraits and he has combined all of his loves into a venture that feeds his soul while giving back to rescues. Aren’t animals amazing?!!

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

As always, Val and Tommy start off the show with a goofy introduction of PALS mission--to create a network of compassionate individuals who care about animals and animal welfare. Tommy mentions how Val has had a major impact on him, specifically when he noticed when he was asking dog-owners where they had gotten their canines. Val adds that their number one choice is always to adopt. She adds, if there is a specific breed you're looking for and have not had any luck finding them, there are many other breed-specific dog rescues that exist. Petfinder is a great resource to consult first. And the ultimate last choice is to consult reputable breeders.

Segment 2

Today's guest is John R. Dingley, an artist who focuses on pet portraits. He came to Manhattan from Dublin, Ireland, and started off his career working as a bartender. Fortunately, John's fiancee motivated him to get back into art once the pandemic started and everyone needed to stay home and physically isolate. It was through John's renewed hobby that his pet portrait small business took off.

Segment 3

The way that John is able to work with clients is that at the moment he is only offering four sizes people can choose from; 8x6 ($70), 8½x11 (≈$200), etc. 

John says that along with his services he donates %15 of his profits to a charity of the client's choice. Look out, because he is working on building his own website but for the moment he can be reached through Facebook.

Segment 4

John said he is willing to tackle big projects such as murals. You can find John's Facebook page by typing in Pet Portraits By Johnner or his Instagram at @johnnerdraws.

We are so excited to help Santa Paws out with truly unique holiday gifts that everyone will love! Pickle pizza anyone?

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D, the nonprofit sector connector, starts off the show as always! Today we have a great crowd, with familiar faces such as Val Heffron, Linda Brower, and Daniella Scala Nathan! Joining us for the first time is John R. Dingley. 

Jumping straight to it, we are talking about holiday tips for animal lovers. Val says, candles are especially popular around the holidays, so make sure you watch out for your furry friends. As we are amid Hanukkah and lighting menorahs is part of the tradition, we need to watch out that any pets or animals we have around are not left unattended with candles. Animals can either knock down candles or burn themselves, so make sure you keep an eye on your candles!

Another critical thing to remember is to know where your fire extinguishers are located. "Every second counts in a fire," wise words from ours truly, Val. 

Bringing us back to the focus of today's episode, tips, and advice for the holidays, Val points out that investing in shatter-proof ornaments is worth it! Cats will not resist their urge to play with ornaments. Val adds that tinsel is toxic to pets. 

Another important safety tip that Val teaches us about pertains to our Christmas trees. The water used for the Christmas tree to soak up becomes turpentine, a toxic mixture that comes from coniferous trees (such as our Christmas pine trees). On the botanical subject, a couple of favorite decorations to stray away from are: poinsettias, hollies, and mistletoes. 

Moving to the holiday drink subject, make sure to keep your pet sober, as advised by Val. She says that animals are drawn to scents and smells, and alcoholic drinks can lure your pets in. Remember that another potentially lethal substance to have around your pets is alcohol. Also, don't smoke any sort of substance in your pet's face-- it's not funny.

Segment 2

Moving onto our guests, Daniella mentions that Paw It Forward Pantry has a couple of shirts and jackets to sell; this would make a good holiday gift. Linda mentions that she recently got recertified through the American Red Cross; the American Red Cross offers a class on Pet First Aid. The American Red Cross also offers tips to assemble a pet safety kit, which is fantastic to have, especially during the holidays.

Talking about foods that are not good for your pet, Tommy mentions how he didn't know that avocados are not suitable for dogs. John R. Dingley adds that onions, as well, are not good. Remember, chocolate is also not good. 

Another essential tip Linda gives us is to watch out for wires. She says that you never know when a dog will want to play with a wire, and they can electrocute themselves. 

Val chimes in by reminding the audience that we should adopt, not shop. According to Val, there is proposed legislation to make financing a dog illegal because pet shops will allow you to finance a dog. Pet shops, Val adds, will sell you a dog regardless of what type of home you have for the animal. Pet stores will not vet the people trying to buy a dog or run background checks. 

A fantastic thing that John mentions is that he does not fathom how people who are after the "designer dogs" can eventually get rid of the dog. For John, a dog is part of the family. He also points out that when people have the mentality of getting designer dogs, you must question what type of lifestyle the dog will have--since it will be serving the human as an accessory.

Segment 3

We finally get to hear more from John--he will be on next week's episode--and his dog story. The dog he currently has was adopted from Ruff House Rescue NYC; he mentions that he was trying to adopt Bronson, the doggo, before the pandemic. John shares that before Bronson, they had gone through a disheartening wait for a dog. Luckily, Ruff House Rescue kept his info on file, and they called John and his fiancee with news that they had just received a litter of puppies that needed a home. Since in John's application with the Rescue, they saw he wanted a dog two years, and up, Ruff House wondered if he was willing to take in a puppy. John and his fiancee were absolutely thrilled, and they, of course, took the puppy in.

John shares that back home in Ireland, when he was growing up, all the dogs his family always had were strays. The youngest dog John ever had, by the name of Sheeba, must have been around one year old. Tommy chimed in, saying that John never dealt with a puppy. John admits that he was apprehensive about taking in the puppy Ruff House Rescue was offering because of his lack of puppy exposure. 

When John and his fiancee visited the foster mom who had taken in the puppies' mother from a kill shelter in Texas, they were surprised to find out that the foster mother knew that the canine mom was pregnant during the rescue process. What was more respectable was that the foster mother reached out to Ruff House Rescue to find a home for the pups because the canine mama had seven puppies. 

Val interrupts John by saying that she would like him to save his wonderful story for when they have more time with him next week on the show. She instead would like John to focus on his artwork which is about dogs. 

John says that he would not take a commission for the portraits for the longest time because he would make them as a product of art therapy. He is currently in the process of building a website. People can send him emails with a picture of their canine, which is how they can reach out to him. John has also been posting flyers and posters around his neighborhood of Sunnyside. Fortunately, Sunnyside has a massive dog community, and they have been very supportive. John and his partner take Bronson down to the dog park where SUDS, Sunnyside United Dog Society have helped through word of mouth to get John's work out.

More on John's artwork, Val asks what the turnaround time is for a commissioned work right now. John says that it takes about 4-5 weeks because it is all hand-drawn. 

After having received a text message from Tanya Diable, Tommy mentions--on Tanya's behalf--that a good tip when traveling with your dog is to buckle them up with a doggy safety belt.

Segment 4

Highlighting this year's line-up guests, we will give you a list of feature businesses to support. Animal advocates run these businesses and if you're going to be putting your money somewhere, help support these businesses who all do good in the animal advocacy community.

-Joanne's Gourmet Pizza run by Rino DiMaria (he's a colossal animal lover; met Val at an anti-puppy mill protest). They offer gourmet pizza in Roslyn, NY. Joanne's caters and delivers!

-Camp Happy Tails Dog Rescue NYC is run out of Regina Mendoza's home. They have swag and merch--perfect for the holidays! 

-Catnip Nation is a documentary film by Tina Truster that shows how local politics affect animals and animal welfare. She was also a guest on PALS. 

-E.P.P.G Law of St. John is Heather Maltby's law firm in St. Augustine, Florida. Her firm focuses on estate planning, probate, and guardianship; her services include pet trusts. She was a guest on PALS who informed us about pet trusts and the tools people can use to ensure their pets are left in good hands. A portion of the firm's profits goes towards local cat nonprofits in her area. 

-Gallop NYC is an organization in NYC that offers "both horseback riding and therapeutic horsemanship programs to New Yorkers"-Gallop NYC website They also offer swag on their website.

-Alley Cat Allies is an "advocacy organization for all cats"-Alley Cat Allies website

-S.A.F.E (Save Animals From Euthanasia) is an organization that the owner of Kamp K-9 supports.

SAFE "is a foster-based animal rescue"-SAFE website, and Kamp K-9 is a small business that seeks to teach dog owners how to best communicate with their canine friends. 

-LION (Long Island Orchestrating for Nature) is run by president John Di Leonardo. LION helps all sorts of animals, and more information can be found on their website, Just Google LION with John Di Leonardo, and you'll be set.

-Joey's PAW is run by Tanya Diable and her husband. They try to help disabled animals get the prosthetics and wheelchairs they may need to get adopted. Tanya is also an award-winning author of Bow Tie Boone, a story about Boone, a disabled dog.

-The Shabby Tabby Cat Cafe is a cafe where potential adopters can meet and interact with possible cat adoptees.

Pet Rescue Coffee is a drop-shop family-run business whose mission is to help provide and distribute funds to organizations involved in animal welfare through customers' purchase of coffee.

-Tito's Vodka also donates some of its profits to help animal organizations.

We end today's great episode with plenty of shoutouts and with a quick goodbye tip from Linda; always have a current photo of your pets in case they go missing, and you need a point of reference. Also, make sure to have your entryways and gateways closed and blocked off. Daniella quickly mentions that her pet pantry needs cat food, so any donations are welcomed! John finally adds, "if anyone is interested in getting portraits of their fur babies," contact him. A portion of his profits goes towards Ruff House Rescue. Daniella says that she's offering defensive driving classes in December and that a portion of her profits will go towards the organization Bobbi & the Strays.

No one fits this description better than this week’s guest, Daniella Scala Nathan. She and her husband started “Paw it Forward Pet Pantry” a few years ago and in spite of her own personal tragedies including the loss of her husband to COVID and the loss of her mother, Daniella has dedicated herself to the needs of the animals and the pantry continues to help countless people who need assistance in caring for and feeding their furbabies.

Looking forward to hearing more from this local legend. What an amazing human!

Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

On today's show, we welcome Daniella Scala Nathan and Linda Brower. Val jumps in, saying that she recently spoke to the PALS accountant, the inspiration for the show. As always before jumping into today's topic, Val and Tommy reiterate the purpose of the PALS; to amplify the network of professionals who love animals and raise awareness around animal advocacy. 

Now jumping into today's topic, Val introduces the two guests as being prime examples of what two people can do and how their efforts go a long way in the animal advocacy world. Side note, Val mentions that PALS will have a guest round-up in a couple of weeks, where, hopefully, all of 2021's guest speakers will come together! 

Turning to our guests and finally their introduction, we learn that Daniella is the co-founder of Paw it Forward, and Linda is one of the organization's volunteers. Linda says that the organization is absolutely amazing!

Segment 2

We begin this segment with Tommy asking Daniella how Paw it Forward came to be. In 2016 when the hurricanes in the South hit, she partnered up with rescues in Long Island, and they gathered food to send to the South. After someone donated their garage, she says that they decided that the food was also highly needed in Long Island. Paw it Forward decided to then disperse the food amongst those who needed it on the island. 

Daniella says that they have been running everything from her house since 2016, and everything stays in Long Island. Sadly, after her husband passed away due to COVID-19, Paw it Forward received a check from Long Island Cares for $2,600. The money was helpful to provide more storage for the animal food. Instead of it just being stored at Daniella's house, they were able to get a shed. 

Daniella says that Paw it Forward helps pet owners who cannot afford their pets' food so that they do not surrender their pets to the shelter. Paw it Forward helps with all supplies, not just food. They have cages, medications, and whatever they can give out. 

Val and Tommy send Daniella their condolences and applaud her continuous effort to go on with the mission of Paw it Forward. Daniella admits that Paw it Forward would not be successful if it weren't for the volunteers that help Daniella out. Tommy chimes in, saying that Daniella, through Paw it Forward, is solving an ongoing problem. 

Long Island Cares also has a pet pantry called Baxter's Pet Pantry; that is how Paw it Forward received funding. 

Tommy asks Daniella to share how people approach her with their pet needs. Daniella is a bookkeeper and her husband Rob was the one who suggested they start their service of a phone call away. Through word of mouth and social media, people get in contact with Daniella. 

Val asks if there are "regulars" because she points out that when people fall into a financial crisis their issues are not fixed immediately and that it takes time to get back up. Daniella says that yes, they have had people receiving dog food for almost two years now. They deliver supplies twice a month, and when they send owners off with their pets, they provide them with food that will last for a couple of months.

Segment 3

Jumping back in, Val mentions how she noticed that Paw it Forward's Facebook page announced their needed donations for more pet supplies; more so cat food and cat litter. Tommy asks, how does this all work? Do people donate money or supplies? Daniella says that people mainly donate supplies, like food. Tommy makes the joke by saying that Daniella serves as a distribution center for the pet supplies. 

Val asks Linda, one of the volunteers, what she does for Paw it Forward. Linda says that she does a little bit of everything, from transportation to any other need. Linda says that she was one of the people that had a financial struggle and relied on Daniella's work to help her out. Linda says that it meant so much to her, and to do that for someone else brings her so much joy. 

Linda mentions that she has noticed more dog food and dog supplies donations, not so much for cat stuff. Linda says that they need canned cat food, treats, litter, toys, etc. 

Val then adds that they see a lot more cats because the town of Hempstead shut down their TNR (Trap Neuter Return program) during COVID-19; this is what is adding to the massive growth in feral cats.

Segment 4

Tommy asks what Daniella and Linda need people to do to help out? Daniella says that Paw it Forward's hours are from Monday-Saturday, 10 AM-6 PM. People are welcome to drop off the supplies at Daniella's house, where the pantry is being run out of, but there are also various drop-off locations. Daniella says that Nassau county, Paw it Forward is the only Pet Pantry. In Suffolk, there are four pet pantries. 

Tommy also chimes in, asking why transportation is a problem? People are already in need, and they might not afford to pick up the supplies somewhere far away. Linda interjects, saying that volunteers are willing to go far, as far as may be needed. 

Val points out that she wants to focus on Daniella and Linda's services so viewers may choose to direct their money towards animal advocates: Daniella has the defensive driving classes, and bookkeeping & Linda offers dog training on a sliding scale. Daniella has the profits from her defensive driving classes go back towards the pet rescues such as Camp Happy Tails and then Bobbi and the Strays.

Have you ever considered selling a product online but never taking on the responsibility of a brick & mortar location?

I know I have!

This Wednesday, we are excited to have Sonny Nardone as our guest who owns “Pet Rescue Coffee”.

He is going to teach us about his business which supports animals with every purchase and get into the business details that allow him to this on auto-pilot. Zane is also a unique artist as well as a comedic hypnotist! Wow!

I can’t wait to dive into this one! Join us live this Wednesday at 2pm on the Professional & Animal Lovers Show!

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy begins today's show by getting Val to remind us what the PALS is all about; creating a compassionate network of animal-loving individuals. Sonny Nardone is today's guest. He is a comedy stage hypnotist, skull-carving artist, author, and his family business focuses on helping homeless dogs. The family's coffee business is called Pet Rescue Coffee.

Sonny Nardone says he started the pet rescue portion of his life when he was a kid. They lived on about 5 acres, and Sonny says he was able to take in homeless animals. He says that anything that would wander in and be friendly would end up staying in the family's home garage; it's how they got cats and dogs. When they moved to their house in Virginia, their current home, they started seeing a lot of feral cats. 

One cat, in particular, they took in because he was a black cat, and Halloween was nearing by. Val asks Sonny to elaborate on why he was worried for a black cat closer to Halloween. There is a high number of abuse and harm that is done towards black cats around Halloween time. The cat they were trying to rescue was amiable, but he was scared the closer Sonny and his wife would try to make any moves. Luckily they were able to adopt the cat.

Sonny mentions that along with the feral cats, they would help rehabilitate raccoons and opossums.

Segment 2

As we come back from break, Tommy mentions how he saw something horrible the day before; he says that before, he wouldn't have thought it was horrible, but now he does--a mouse in a mousetrap. Val then chimes in, saying that she had to travel to another school to play a game when she was playing volleyball in high school. At the edge of the gymnasium, she saw a live mouse stuck in a glue mouse trap. She was in tears as she tried to help the mouse out of the mousetrap. Val says that the poor thing had chewed up a good portion of its leg and that she tried getting it out by unsticking its leg out of the trap with a pen. Val said that she couldn't believe she had done that because, at that moment, she didn't care if she would've gotten in trouble. Val later found out that a coach had put the traps there because she was afraid of mice. She also says she went at the coach and did not care because it was cruel to put the mouse through that. Val reminds us that there are humane ways to not have mice around; feral cats will help. 

Jumping to another topic, Val mentions Sonny's cat breeding. Sonny says that just like people have preferences for dog breeds, there are cat owners who, too, have preferences for cat breeds. His breeding was focused on the Sphinx cats. Sadly, Sonny saw how one of their breeding cats got sick and knew he didn't want to be involved with potentially sick kittens. He said it was challenging to witness the sick cat slowly die, and he didn't want to go through that again. 

It just so happened that they started having more feral cats come around at that time. 

Working with an organization called SAD-SAC, Sonny and his wife were able to trap seven or nine cats and get them fixed. 

Then Val pauses Sonny for a bit, telling him how it's great that he and his wife were able to trap and fix those cats. According to Val and some information she came across, a cat can have about two to three litters each year. If each litter has about four cats, that then accumulates a lot of cats. And cats can start having kittens between the ages of four to six months. 

Val also tells Sonny and Tommy that she has always been confused with the word feral because, in one sense, the word feral can imply that a cat will never get close to a human. Still, she doesn't understand how peoples' online success stories of converting feral cats into home cats can come to be. 

Sonny then says that there are a couple of problems with the mentality surrounding feral cats. He says that when people talk to rescue agencies or vets, they only focus on quick turn around; how quickly can they find that cat a home; he says they really only want kittens. Then he also says there is the "Instagram-effect" where there are only stories that highlight rare instances, not stories that highlight real scenarios where people have tried to get closer to a cat but just can't get them to live indoors. He also says that it is probable to get cats domesticated, but it takes time, and it should be done on a one-on-one basis. 

Tommy asks if Val and Sonny know of any organizations with plenty of space to house feral cats that want to roam around and have an indoor-outdoor space. Val says that spaces like these do exist, but they are better known as sanctuaries.

Segment 3

Val jumps back into the feral cat sanctuary conversation; to house a feral cat is a highly stressful situation for the cat. This is why the Trap Neuter Release program is usually the best option. She says that sanctuaries vary, and usually, drop-off costs start at $3,000 because it's a lifetime commitment. She also says that there are sanctuaries that do not ask for that much money. Still, she questions them because she doesn't see how a couple of hundred dollars can cover veterinary costs.

Val jumps back to Sonny, saying that she loves what he is doing because he has mixed his creativity to come up with a way to help animals. Sonny has created a coffee business that deals with roasters on the West Coast and in Illinois. Sonny's business is a drop-ship business, and a percentage of proceeds go to several organizations. The best thing about his business is that he does not have to do shopping fulfillments. The website is Pet Rescue Coffee, and 10% of their funds go to help funding organizations like SAD-SAC.

Segment 4

We jump to Sonny's career as an author as well! He was head of internal investigations at Macy's down in Virginia, finding employees stealing. Then he became a stage hypnotist; he's a great reader of body language. Then he started working for the government as an analyst. In the beginning, he was embedded as a human observer in high target areas for people indicative of doing violence, basically counter-terrorism unit. Then he wrote a book on reading body language, the Sway Maker series.

She has held both sides accountable and does not succumb to party loyalty or pressure. Diane has done everything and anything in her power to help the animals. She has rescued hundreds of dogs, fostered countless dogs & cats, she has helped create and write legislation, she has brought major issues to light, exposed mismanagement, run for political office and she has invested countless hours of her time into other people.

Diane has personally taught me the importance of FOIL, what to expect at legislative meetings, how to be an impactful speaker and she has inspired me to learn more, do more and empower others too. If you want to learn how to advocate, if you want to help change laws such as passing the anti-puppy mill bill and/or toughening penalties against animal abuse, then this is a can’t miss episode!

We want nothing more for the need of animal advocates to disappear forever, but until then us pet avengers aren’t going anywhere.

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D begins today’s show reminding us about PALS’ commitment to establishing a compassionate network within the animal lovers community! Val and Tommy also pitch in their own projects, WorkBdone and Philanthropy in Focus. Vsky Solutions is also one of the sponsors for the PALS podcast! 

Diane Madden is this week’s guest! An active member of her Hempstead community (America’s largest township) in Long Island, NY, as well as an “advocate for the voiceless,” as Val described her. The reason there is a volunteer program at the Hempstead animal shelter is because of Diane. Hempstead introduced temperature laws regarding how long pets could be held in particular environments due to Diane! And Val added that there are a lot more examples of ways Diane has changed Val’s life and many others around her. 

Diane jumps into today’s topic by stating that the management of Hempstead’s animal shelter is horrible! The shelter director has engaged in nepotism by giving his Republican supporters jobs that they are unqualified for. 

Before moving on, Val wants to make sure they are covering necessary information “bases.” Every municipality has its own shelter, which the residents’ tax dollars pay for. Val emphasizes that she gets infuriated with how the Hempstead shelter is run because they receive a very sizeable budget; most of which goes towards wages. The higher-earning individuals are currently being chosen based on their political connections, not their qualifications or merits. 

Tommy jumps in, asking whether the more important “piece” [to getting the correct candidates] is to have political diversity within the organization or if there should be job qualifications for those leading the organizations? Answers will come after the break.

Segment 2

Since 2000 Diane has been an advocate for animals! 

Jumping to another question, Tommy asks what drew Diane to animals, what got her started? She begins by saying that she walked into the Hempstead animal shelter not knowing it had existed, and she went in to adopt a pet. Diane saw that by walking around and witnessing the animals’ treatment from some people still there, the animals were unhappy and getting nothing. At first, when she began becoming more involved in animal welfare, she would reach out to outside organizations and fosters to put the shelter animals in better homes instead of living years at the shelter or being euthanized. 

Returning to the question we had jumped to before the break, Diane agrees with Tommy, saying that he is right about requiring qualifications for the leadership positions. Diane adds that, unfortunately, the elected officials overlooking qualifications are doing so because they are just looking for someone to do their dirty work; she says that the shelter is currently like a Republican club with some animals inside. The director of the Hempstead Animal shelter is only there to take orders. Diane says that he is not there to help the animals. Val points out to Tommy that the destructive nepotism continues through campaign donations and continuous party support. The people in charge continue to secure the jobs of unqualified personnel through dirty donations and checks. 

Diane and Val agree that the Republican party is currently riding a wave because they are not content with the national policy. Diane says that animal welfare is all political, so people must know the politics of their local governments.

Segment 3

We start off the third episode with a picture of Kate Murray and a custom made mobile TNR (trap-neuter-return) unit. Val says that the reason the unit was purchased was so that it could go out to low-income communities and offer low-cost spay and neuter services. She adds that unfortunately that program was up and running six years ago but the unit currently finds itself sitting in the back [of the shelter, presumably]. Diane mentions that the van came as a settlement agreement to go into the lower-income communities where there was a cat population problem. DIane says that the van has done none of that and she adds that she doesn’t understand how the elected officials cannot do their job. Both ladies point out that the van has less than 2,000 miles on it, indicating that it was hardly used. 

Given the state of their township’s leadership, Val takes the time to once again mention that people should get involved in their towns’ government; go to a board meeting, it doesn’t require you to wear a suit and tie. She also mentions that in the town of Hempstead there are 770,000 people that could have voted in the recent election, but they did not, only 20% of the population voted. Val reminds us that being able to vote, especially when it comes to issues about animal welfare, is a privilege, many people would want the opportunity to be active in their local government. 

Jumping to the last topic of this third segment, Val asks Diane to give the audience a bit more detail about the FOIL she has been waiting on since August. FOIL stands for Freedom Of Information Law; it is also referred to as the Freedom Of Information Act and it can be used to access all sorts of information. To begin the access process Val says that a town’s resident needs to begin with a request for which they are given a receipt. Then the government has twenty business days to send you the information you requested or communicate whether or not that information exists and if they need an extension. Which brings us back to Diane’s case in which she has been waiting since August 15th to receive any sort of information.

Segment 4

We begin our last segment with a picture of Brock, a beautiful pitbull who lived too long in the Hempstead shelter. Brock ended up biting a volunteer at the shelter because he was being trained inappropriately. And soon after Brock bit the volunteer they killed him. Val adds that two days before Brock was killed, there was a rescue who was doing everything possible to take in Brock. Val also says that it does not seem coincidental that after the township meeting Brock was killed. She says that the government’s actions were a retaliation against the animal advocates. Which is why when Val says animal welfare is 100% political she means it; Brock’s story is one to prove that. 

Val moves on to address the Hempstead election on Tuesday; she thanks all those who ran and all those who dedicated their time. Diane chimes in by saying that the silver lining of having the sweep of republican officials come into office is that they now have a duty to serve the public. A very important message that Diane delivers to the elected officials is that if they want nothing to do with animal welfare, then they should at least turn it over to people who care and know about animal welfare. 

Tommy then asks if a non-profit, like the Humane Society, can come in and take over the Hempstead Animal Shelter. To which Diane replies by saying that the shelter can be privatized. The problem is that certain roles, including the director’s, would remain, and with that hierarchy nothing can truly change. 

Tommy also asks how people can get involved, if they’re local. Connect with Diane through Facebook and through Valerie’s group Voters for Voiceless. Val’s group is easily accessible. 

And as always, Tommy ends with a quote from Ghandi. 

One of the recipients is a miracle dog named "Boone" who also lost two legs because of an abuser and who is now a celebrity therapy dog (our first celebrity on the show!) Boone was just named "American Humane Therapy Dog" at the 11th annual "Hero Dog Awards" and continues to win over the hearts of countless animal lovers.

Join us as we speak with Tanya Diable. If you love dogs, you don't want to miss this show!!!

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Ensure your pets are secured for Halloween and make sure chocolate is not within reach of the canines. Tanya and Charlie Diable are today's guests! Tanya describes how she and Charlie came to own Joey. Joey had his rear legs intentionally cut off, and he was left on the side of the road at six weeks old. Joey's P.A.W is the organization that the Diable's started. Joey's P.A.W. stands for prosthetics and wheels for dogs, and now they have given cats, guinea pigs, pigs, a turkey, a cow, a donkey, an iguana, etc., the help as well. Although they have branched out to other animals, their focus is on dogs in rescues and shelters so that they may get adopted. They have found that by providing these adoptable dogs with prosthetics and wheelchairs, they get adopted. It lifts the financial burden off of the person wanting to adopt the dog. 

They raise the money for each animal; they have general fundraisers, but it is all individualized. They try to raise the exact amount of money they may need, and if they raise more, those funds go to the next dog. 

Today marks the day that they have helped 1,000 dogs! They received their first donation on August 26th, 2017, from a guy named David, who gave them $50. 

The average cost for a wheelchair is $300-400 depending and the prosthetic can be $900 for one device. 

They can do the castings themselves, but Tanya recommends that people go to the vet; sometimes, the dog may need drugs to relax them. For a prosthetic, what happens is they begin with a request, then Tanya sends pictures to their prosthetic maker (Petstetics in Florida), then the maker will say yes or no if he can make a prosthetic. If the maker says yes, then the following process is to fundraise for the product. Then the client and the maker work together to get the molding, and finally, the prosthetic.   

Segment 2

Val starts the segment by highlighting the ripple effect that animal lovers have amongst each other and strangers. Specifically, Val refers to the Diable's getting Joey from Regina (PALS first guest) and then starting the initiative to create Joey's P.A.W. Boone; their other dog has won best therapy dog by the American Hero Award! 

The Boone dog book is available via Amazon, and 100% of the proceeds go to Joey's P.A.W. Boone works at the airport, the only place that he can work right now because of CoVid-19, and he lights up all peoples' faces. 

Charlie says that the only difference between "disabled dogs" and regular dogs is time management. He believes that all people have to do is shift how they do things and give the disabled dog a lot of love. 

Segment 3

The Diable's will be hosting a fundraiser, their first one since CoVid started. They are going to have about 100 people, and all the money will go towards dogs. With every fundraiser, they can usually help 16 dogs.  

A couple of dogs are waiting for their prosthetics, they have about 13 people on a list right now, and they also have a loaner program. Generally, they just need people to share and donate. Val mentions that she has heard that other charities have had success in fundraising by reaching out to local businesses. Joey's P.A.W. has a brewery tour in which they go to a lot of dog-friendly microbreweries around the Pittsburgh region. Funny enough, they also have a kissing booth to help fundraise. 

Many places they try to work with are tricky because they are not a shelter, or a rescue, so they don't quite fit into the "box" that many grants are geared tow, or 

Segment 4

A typical grant can be a challenge because they don't fit the typical organization description. 

Tommy has a roundtable that helps non-profit organizations with many complexities; strategic planning and growth planning. 

Tanya is an author, and she has self-published her work. Opening up her publishing company stemmed from the need to make sure that the proceeds she collected would go towards Joey's P.A.W. Publishing would get them pennies to the dollar, but with self-publishing, they would get about $5 a book--which for their cause is what they need. She said it was challenging to get into Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and local bookstores because they don't really want self-published authors. Val compliments Tanya because she said that Tanya really does see her ideas through, for example, the Bow Tie Boone and Bow Tie Boone Coloring Book. Both books are available on Amazon.

As if that’s not enough to keep him busy, he is also a candidate for the 4th Councilmanic district in the Town of Hempstead. improving the conditions at the highly mismanaged, ill-reputed animal shelter is one of his top priorities and core values.

Today, we will get to know Aaron Eitan Meyer, Partner of Ostringer, LLP, father of three adorable kids, devoted husband and loving furdaddy to his beloved cat “Blakeny”.

Let’s learn about his experiences with helping the animals, what else people can do to help and also his vision/ideas for the voiceless should he win this November 2nd.

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy starts the show by giving us a recap of what PALS is about. Valerie also mentions that there is a new sponsor, their web developer! Aaron Eitan Meyer is today's guest! He is an animal lover, and he is also running for town council in Long Island! Aaron says that he hated politics. He never thought he would go into politics. 

Aaron brings up a good point, saying that many people think that owning a pet is enough education on animals. But Aaron says that is not the case. There is a difference between owning an animal and wanting to actively go out and help animals. 

Valerie says that animal welfare is 100% a political issue. Drawing us back to Aaron's run for office. Aaron says that a lot of the problem is that we don't see political empathy. We see a lot of political capital but not political empathy

Segment 2

Valerie mentions that every township/municipality has to have a shelter. All the municipality shelters are government-funded. Many of the jobs are often given to people based on their connection, not their merit. For example, in Hempstead, the shelter needed an animal evaluator. The person they chose, In Valerie's opinion, was the least qualified. Aaron brings up the point that it is not just the shelters but in all government sectors. Unfortunately, nepotism is way too common. 

Tommy asks what can be done to divert nepotism. Valerie chimes in, saying that they should review the history and resume of all the persons applying.  

Valerie says it is complicated and a lot more complex to hire candidates now because the shelter has a lawsuit against it. The taxpayers have to pay for that mistake. 

Aaron says that it comes down to the priorities. The animal shelter has a budget of $5.5 million, and most of that goes to salaries. Aaron comments that he can't accept that things can't be done because of staffing issues because there are no excuses for that. He insists that when you have to allocate resources, one needs to do it and do it properly. For Aaron, as a lawyer, telling people that things are fine when they are not is irresponsible. The animals are the victims of poorly made decisions. Like the horrific video, "Kill the Kitty," that came out of Hempstead.

Segment 3

"Transparency, accountability, and representation. Without those three things, elected officials do not merit their positions. We have an uncaring and inhumane local government, and that is something that I cannot abide by"-Aaron Eitan Meyer.

Tommy starts the segment with the quote above and transitions into what those three words represent for Aaron. 

Before getting into that, though, Tommy asks Aaron to share the story about the dog that shows up in the picture with Aaron. 

Aaron begins by saying that Cosmo was his wife's dog. She rescued him when he was a puppy, years before she and Aaron met. He was a "Katrina dog" who had made his way up to Michigan, where his wife lived. Aaron mentions that when he and his wife met, their date was interrupted three times because she had to go home and check that Cosmo was okay. Aaron says that he was the best dog; the kids loved him, and the cat loved him. Aaron says that Cosmo was why his kids keep asking for a dog now; unfortunately, Aaron is still a little bit allergic to dogs, but he says they will eventually get one.

Aaron says that people don't care because they don't have to care. It is easier to say nothing or speak in generalities or say, "thank you, we'll get back to you." This sort of behavior is a function of having a unified board. For example, when things keep getting voted on 7-0, Aaron says that is not open government. 

Valerie details an account of a woman from Oceanside who would go to the town board meetings and was then treated with a cold shoulder when she asked for something to be done about her missing cat. After much insistence, there was a meeting held with the shelter staff and director. What came out of the meeting was the following: it is not in the shelter's policy to show you every animal that is there if you lost your pet.

Valerie says that a year after the woman's cat was missing, she found out that she was not shown every cat every time she went to the shelter looking for her pet. And it's heartbreaking stories like the one above that Valerie thinks the local government does not want transparency. 

Since most people ignore their local government, the government can get away with omitting information. 

Valerie adds by saying that the story, like the one above, is not the first occurrence. There was a couple's dog that went missing and was on the shelter's premises. But because of the ridiculous policy, the owners didn't find their pet sooner. 

The importance of FOIL is tremendous, and it is available to every single taxpayer. FOIL, Freedom Of Information Law, is a vital part of how the government is supposed to work. Valerie says that there can be no accountability if people lie and do not abide by FOIL.

Segment 4

Tommy starts this last segment by saying that people can find today's guest on the Facebook page "Aaron Eitan Meyer for Homestead Town Council-4th District."

Valerie said that there was a hoarding house that the town, Hempstead, refused to help for years, there were almost a hundred cats in that house, and the town of Hempstead ignored all the neighbors' complaints. The neighbors went ignored for about 4-5 years, and the town finally got involved when the house was condemned. And the cats in that house went to the shelter. Valerie then asks why can't the Hempstead shelter help a kitten that is need when they have boasted on their Facebook page that they have gotten almost all of the cats that were hoarded adopted. Valerie emphasized that this sort of thing happens all the time when the shelter does not get involved. 

This is why, when she met Aaron earlier this year, and he helped get the TNR program reinstated in Hempstead, Valerie was amazed that a politician did something for the animal-loving community. Aaron says that he does not need political capital, nor does he want it. He just wants to see the right thing get done. Aaron finishes by saying that representation is about being accountable, being accountable to the people, and working with the people because you are working for them. And he says that is what they don't have, and that is what he wants to bring. 

Greg DiFranza owns and operates Kamp K-9 Jax Bch (Founder/President/Lead Instructor) and his clients have included professional sports figures, Grammy award-winning artists, dot-com millionaires, nationwide rescue groups, and dog lovers galore.

He has trained with Cesar Millan – the Dog Whisperer – and returns to Cesar’s ranch to assist in training sessions. Since 2013, he has helped more than 5000 dog owners with everything from human and dog aggression to puppies and senior dogs and brings the training to you at your house

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

John DiLeonardo is an anthrozoologist and president of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature. He has successfully led campaigns to stop a slaughter house from being built in Islip, an aquarium from being built in Massapequa, and ended numerous animal circuses, rodeos, and exotic animal acts from New York City to the North Fork as well as stopped the slaughter of thousands of Long Island’s wildlife.

Formerly, John managed day programs on Long Island for people with developmental disabilities and drove the Horseless eCarriage, a humane alternative to New York City’s cruel horse-drawn carriage industry.

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

We will be talking about how circuses have evolved, and some have disappeared altogether. Once again, Val reiterates that there is a compassionate network that comes along with the PALS community.

Val and John met at a circus protest. 

John studied psychology for his bachelor's and worked with people with special needs, "a group who was exploited in the circus long before the animals."

When he graduated, he pursued a master's degree in anthrozoology, is certified by the state of NY in wildlife rehabilitation, is certified as a trapper (NWCO), and is currently in school for ornithology. 

"How does one go about getting the NWCO designation?"-Val

"It's just a state test, open book, usually the license that pest control workers have to exterminate mammals and birds."-John

What is the mission, and what is LION?

They are the leading advocacy organization in Long Island, and they are the biggest farm animal rescue. Rescue a lot of chickens; they treat, foster, and rehabilitate domesticable animals. And there are a lot of abandoned animals and/or neglected.     

Tommy needed clarification as to what composed the chicken family, a hen is a female chicken, and the rooster is the male chicken. 

There aren't a lot of homes for animals such as chickens, ducks, rabbits; the animal sanctuaries are "filled to the brim," as John mentions. 

LION is foremost an animal advocacy organization. They want to stop people from getting "these animals" (chicks, bunnies, ducks) to be used only for props for the holidays.

Segment 2

What happens to the baby chicks after they are born in the classroom (for school lessons)? 

"There aren't great endings for the ducklings or chicks that come out of the hatching projects. They can get sent back home with a student or go back to the hatchery. And when they go back to the hatchery, they are often macerated to reduce the risk of contagion."-John.

We need to teach children more humane education; that animals don't belong in the classroom. "There are so many virtual resources to learn about the hatching process, or they can go on field trips to the animal sanctuaries." 

"Another outcome for the animals is an abandonment to the wild. There was a huge influx of birds abandoned into the wild last year because people did a lot of home-hatching projects. In Baldwin Harbor, alone, they had to rescue more than 100 ducks and chickens."

They rescued a goose who had been injured with a crossbow, and it took them three days to catch him and his partner. The poor animal had the arrow go through his esophagus, going from the back to the front. But they were eventually able to catch him in someone's backyard with a net gun. They got him and were able to let him go three weeks later, after rehabilitation.

If people want to volunteer, can they expect to jump in the water as you did with the goose?-Val

John says absolutely. Waterfowl is mainly John's thing, so Tommy asks, what should people do if they have waterfowl in their front or backyards? Who should they call? Animal control? 

First, determining the type of animal the creature is, is important. Then contact LION. It's best to stay with an injured or lost duck until help arrives. LION tries to respond very quickly. Val can attest that their response time is impressive. 

Wild animals belong in the wild, and we will then talk about circuses after the break

Segment 3

John says that if you really want to save bulls, you can go vegan. Doing so nearly saves 200 animals; meat, dairy, eggs. All the animals we consume in our society are babies, like chickens, 6-8 weeks. The dairy industry and egg industry are some of the worst. In the egg industry, the roosters don't have much meat on them. The facts are bothersome, but you can contact LION to get help getting started. 

There are bodybuilders, NFL players that go vegan. The movie Game Changers represents ripped, athletic guys that are extremely buff without eating meat.

Segment 4

The Cole-Brothers Circus have officially closed off for business. Val and her friend JoAnn assisted an anti-circus protest in Oceanside when Val was living there. Finding common ground with people is the best way to get a message across.

What happens in circuses? What is the pain?

The animals participating in the circus are beaten; they're shocked, the bullhook is used to beat the elephants into submission. The bullhook is there to remind the elephant of the pain behind the scenes. Baby elephants are ripped away from their mothers. They can see them, but they can't touch them, and then as they grow older their bound with heavy metals, chains, and ropes. The abuse starts when the elephants are babies. 

The simple message is that the wildlife should remain in the wild. As long as activists are speaking up, the horrible contracts will be revoked. 

How do we help John?

Supporting them monetarily is the biggest support they can receive right now. For more information visit LION‍

Humane Society

They work to:

• End the cruelest practices toward all animals.
• Care for animals in crisis.
• Build a stronger animal protection movement.

‍Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

SHOW NOTES

SEGMENT 1

How to become an animal advocate?

1.) It begins with your love for animals; volunteer

Passing the bill on the ban of puppy mills on a federal level, in JoAnn's opinion, will improve the lives of many animals.

SEGMENT 2

"People that own the pet stores will flat out lie"-Val

Pet store owners will say that they don't buy from puppy mills but it's not true.

Tommy-"JoAnn what got you into the legislative side?"

JoAnn-The humane lobby day taught her a lot about animal agriculture and puppy mills; the maltreatment of animals that are grown for food really stuck with her and motivated her to speak up.

"Any little change in the consumption of animal products is great! Adopting Meatless Mondays, choosing organic, going vegan, any little change is great!"-JoAnn

There are plenty of documentaries that show what animal abuse is like in the different industries.

(The 3 R's) Reducing consumption of animal products, refining your diet (look for the certain buzz words) (cage free, free ranging, organic eggs, for example) (chickens are the most badly treated animals in the industry and they are the ones that get slaughtered the most) (it's true that you are what you eat), replace, there are a lot of different alternatives to animal products nowadays (Veganism, lots of products at grocery stores like Trader Joe's).

Every year JoAnn has hosted a vegan barbecue.

SEGMENT 3

There are a lot of people in the slaughterhouses that are traumatized. The factory farm reality is harsh like the male chicks that get thrown into the meat grinder and become animal byproducts for products such as dog food.

How can people get involved in legislative action?

Go on the Humane Society website and the ASPCA website and go on the take action section. Usually an email and form where you're filling out your basic information.

There are a lot of local senators in NY to reach out to. 

Animal advocacy is a bipartisan issue, it doesn't matter what you identify with but at the end of the day it is supposed to be non-partisan. 

People have to get involved to make changes because there are hundreds and hundreds of bills that need attention. If elected officials get a lot of phone calls or emails about a certain topic they will listen because at the end of the day these officials want to get elected.

SEGMENT 4

We need to make sure that we are registered to vote! October 8th is the last day to update voter registration. Don't forget to look up who your Congress person is. Bark and Brunch, the refuge restaurant, allows for dogs in their patio area, as well as Tito's Vodka is open to dogs on their premises. Legislative advocacy is how you get places to be dog-friendly!

Abigail Welhouse is a riding instructor at GallopNYC. She is an experienced horsewoman and seasoned therapeutic riding instructor.

James Wilson joined GallopNYC as a volunteer in 2011, before making a career change to join GallopNYC fulltime in the newly created role of Director of Operations in January 2014. James has an extensive background in retail; both buying and planning, full-line department store and off-price. His love horses and horsemanship goes back to his hometown in Texas, where he first learned as a young adult how powerful horses can be.

GallopNYC uses the proven benefits of therapeutic horsemanship to provide measurable benefits for people with developmental, emotional, social, and physical disabilities. Through weekly riding sessions with PATH-Int’l.

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Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

SHOW NOTES

SEGMENT 1

James Wilson and Abigail Welhouse joined us today! Gallup NYC uses the proven benefits of therapeutic horsemanship to provide measurable benefits for people with developmental, emotional, social, and physical disabilities. Through weekly riding sessions with PATH-Int’l. Path International is their governing body. Professional Association of Horsemanship. The certification process was very similar to applying for a driver's license.

When GallupNYC first started, they were not certified, but they were determined to do more and earned the certification. This has allowed them to work with hundreds of riders every week. They always need therapeutic riding instructors!

James started off as a volunteer in 2011, and now he is the director of GallupNYC. They bought the Forest Hills location in 2017. Abigail started volunteering in 2009. They both say that volunteers become enamored with the community.

SEGMENT 2

"What is therapeutic horseback riding?"

It covers a broad range of things; the main goal is getting students to learn how to ride a horse; learn social skills, strengthen muscles, improve attention span; all those things can be worked on by learning how to ride a horse. They are not just horse riding skills. We (James) partner with the horses to help improve people's life skills; improve patience, improve talking to people, increase verbal ability (ex: teach verbal queues, there is so much that riders understand that instructors may not know they understand). Their motto is Believe in Ability, and they support a culture of yes!

"Do you hear about approvement?" (Tony to both guests)

Yes, because riding requires you to be present and get off your phone. Teachers would say that the students would be able to pay attention more after riding in the morning.

Abigail said, "it is awesome to see how riders come in w/ big dreams." Learning how to achieve those dreams comes with learning how to manageably break down the steps needed to get to those dreams. "Small steps to achieve big goals."

Are there other Gallups?

They are primarily focused on NYC. They were founded for riders with disabilities in NYC. 12 different districts ride with them, mainly district 75.

SEGMENT 3

Their mission is to be inclusive and have horses for everyone! Horseback riding has a stigma.

Originally it was founded so that anyone with disabilities in NYC could ride a horse if they wanted to and learn about horses to first get involved with them. If someone doesn't understand what is going on in the barn, GallupNYC wants to teach the students anything they question. They believe riders should have their lives changed by riding horses. 

During COVID, they weren't offering lessons, but the barn was still open. The people around the horses every day felt better during the pandemic. One of the things amazing about volunteering is that you can be riding horses for a discounted price! 

What can volunteers do?

They have 4 locations:

Open for volunteers! Covid protocol! 

Support riders, help in the barn, help with special projects, serve on the board of directors at all levels. 2 miniature horses, basically pets. You don't need to have horse experience! Ducks, chickens, and geese roam around the barn.

SEGMENT 4

The horses are the key to the organization, they are what make it possible. The dedicated horses the organization receives they attain through different ways. James said the horses have a job at the org. Horses don't like to just stand out and be bored. A lot of horses that were competitive, hunter jumper, etc., are therapeutic riding horses.

Many horses come from donations. They are horses that don't have any more jobs; for example, hunter-jumper horses; at least at the organization, the horses get to walk and trot quietly. The key is finding horses that have the right temperament for the job. GallupNYC takes really good care of the horses' aches and pains. There is a dignity to be able to work. And the organization is simultaneously creating job training for people w/ disabilities.

She provides her clients with an easy and relaxed experience that provides them with the best results for their individual needs. Since becoming a member of the FL Bar, Heather has focused her practice solely on estate planning, guardianship and probate law. Heather provides legal counsel for individuals, families, and business owners in the creation of trusts, wills, financial and health care powers of attorney, guardianships and she assists families going through the probate process.

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Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.‍

SHOW NOTES

SEGMENT 1

Tommy DiMisa starts off the third episode of the show by emphasizing the purpose and mission of PALS- "professionals servicing communities!" He goes on by describing that the "bond between animal lovers is incredibly strong," which is why PALS mission is to build a community for these fur-baby lovers. Tommy further went on to say that PALS will try to promote the show by hosting more service and philanthropic events, as well as inviting more non-profits as future guests.

Val then chimed in, saying that being able to go back into podcasting has been one of her favorite things! She gave a little more info explaining how she came about forming PALS; she was working as a social networking events coordinator and found that amongst all the events she coordinated, the niche ones were always the best! Including, that the events generated a lot of business. Val noted "that there is a ripple effect in the communities" and how that could first-handily be seen as Tommy talked about taking his son to a service event.

Towards the end of the segment, they introduced and detailed the guest, Heather Maltby. Heather is a lawyer who specializes in estate planning, probate, and guardianship law. She is a part of the Florida Bar and practices virtually and in-person in St. John's County, Florida. Unfortunately, when she was 29, her mother passed away, and Heather's experience with the lawyer handling her case was terrible. Given the stressful experience, Heather wanted to ensure that other people would not have to struggle with the same treatment. She includes pet trusts as a service because "what happens if you die; what happens to your pet?" As someone who constantly fosters animals, Heather knows the importance of planning for a pet if something terrible were to happen to its owners.

SEGMENT 2

After Tommy, "the non-profit sector connector," came back from the pause, we were able to hear a bit more of what Heather does. She said that most of her work is done remotely as only 15% of her clientele meets with her in person while the other 85% are virtual clients. Although she is a fantastic lawyer, she can only represent people in Florida, not just St. Johns County but from all over the state.

After the basic information was out of the way, Heather spoke more about the pet trust process. If an owner has designated a person to take care of their pet, the pet trust can help the pet caretaker cover essential expenses such as food and veterinary bills. That way, the "burden" doesn't fall on them. She did add that the pet caretaker could be a completely different person from the person who has access to the funds because it could be that the caretaker is great with the pet/s but may not be as savvy with money.

Heather explained a situation in which an owner does not have a designated person to care for their pet. In cases like these, owners can assign their money to an organization that will shelter their pet/s while they are in the adoption process. That way, the organization benefits from the donation while also ensuring that the person's pet goes into good hands.

After Heather shared this information, Val commented that "this" reminded her of the death of one of her neighbors. What essentially happened was that the owner did not have a pet trust established and was not prepared to die. His dogs were traumatized because they had witnessed their owner pass away and no one in his family wanted to take ownership of the pets. Val said stories like those are reasons to plan for your "fur-babies" properly.

SEGMENT 3

Luna's Legacy is a non-profit organization run by a woman named Shiloh. This organization fosters cats while searching for their future homes. The organization, whose name inspiration came from a cat named Luna, who has now passed, covers medical expenses, living expenses, and all other materials the cats may need. Val explained what fostering a cat entails because she did not know until she began fostering. Both Val and Heather emphasized how the cat's socialization is vital; after all, it helps make a cat find a home or go back into the wild. Val mentioned that people do not necessarily need to be fostering a cat to do this they can go to shelters or kitty cafes to help cats socialize.Tommy, lastly, added that there is a great need for fostering and adopting cats because there are as many feral cats as there are in-door cats.

SEGMENT 4

As we came back to the last segment of today's show, we made sure to answer some critical questions. One of them is, "what does a power of attorney do in a pet trust?"

Heather mentioned that a power of attorney usually applies to writing people's checks to pay bills and other essentials, but for a pet, that looks a little different. In a pet's case, a power of attorney allows the pet to get veterinary care if the pet needs so after their owner has passed away. Since a veterinarian will not perform any medical procedures if the person bringing it in does not have any say in the pet's medical matters.  

Heather's firm donates 3% of its monthly earnings to help organizations like Luna's Legacy care for animals. If someone adopts a pet from Luna's Legacy, Heather's firm offers discounts to form a pet trust.

Tommy asked Heather what it takes to foster a cat. She said that it does not take a lot of space, they don't require too much attention, so they can be happy even if you play with them for just an hour, their food, litter, and all other essentials are covered by the organization. They just require a lot of pictures to be taken so that they can be adopted!

Catnip Nation, is a documentary that sheds light on the crisis of feral cats, TNR as one solution to deal with the issue, and the plights of individuals who devote themselves to these creatures but have to get to do their work in the political and legal arenas.

Tune in for this heartfelt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

SHOW NOTES

SEGMENT 1

The show opens up with Tommy introducing himself and what the show is all about, animal advocacy. Valerie comes in by also introducing herself, Tina’s documentary, Catnip Nation, and reiterates the purpose of the PALS. Tommy then introduces Tina Traster and she comes in and clarifies what she wanted to discuss in today’s show: feral cats, Catnip Nation, and TNR. Tina offers some data about stray cats and the cause of how “colonies,” or groups of stray cats, are made. She then defines what TNR is, Trap-Neuter-Return, and how it can help these colonies of cats. They finish off the segment by touching upon a landfill in Oceanside, New York and red kayaks.

SEGMENT 2

After the ad break, they come back to Tommy reading out Facebook Live comments and reintroducing the show. They return to the original topic of the situation in Oceanside where Valerie was first introduced to animal rights and caught the attention of Tina who was in the middle of making her documentary. Tina explains that her documentary is about the people who take care of the stray cats, how the feral cats crisis is hidden to the public eyes since feral cats are reclusive, and how there is no one leading the legal and political war against the government. Tommy interjects before the ad break to clarify the objective of Tina’s and Valerie’s point of view and discusses what he wants to talk about in the next segment, statistics.

SEGMENT 3

Tommy comes back to ask Tina to describe a photo of a protest in Hempstead. Tina depicts the situation of armed protesters, police cars, and towing trucks. Tommy then asks both Valerie and Tina to describe to him what makes this feral cat crisis a political war. Valerie and Tina explain that it is about the money. Valerie talks about how good activism is when you frame it as a fiscal issue. She expounds with a rhetorical question, “What is the best way to use tax dollars?” Politicians realize that they don’t want to just euthanize the colonies, and they don’t realize that it would be efficient to invest in TNR since it would be the town supporting the shelter instead of the other way around. Tina talks about how politicians give shelter jobs to their political “cronies” instead of actual qualified animal professionals and they use the animal rights to gain votes.

SEGMENT 4

To start off the final segment, Valerie talks about the stories of people who helped with feral cats and the statistics of cat reproduction. She then describes how it is very difficult to bring the crisis into the topic of national news because younger generations are disconnected from the problem; they don’t see it and therefore it doesn’t exist to them. We need a celebrity to bring this to the masses and raise awareness. They close out this week’s episode by shouting out some organizations that are dedicated to helping feral cats through TNR.

Camp Happy Tails NYC Rescue is NYS recognized 501c3 non profit dog rescue organization. At CampHappy Tails NYC Rescue, we work tirelessly to provide a safe haven for rescued puppies and adult dogs, some requiring extra love, healing and care.

Rino DiMaria - The rescue I help out is Camp Happy Tails NYC. It is the most amazingly run rescue I've ever seen

Joannes Gourmet Pizza: We get asked all the time, "Who's Joanne?" The simplest answer is that she's our mother. She was and always will be the inspiration behind our success as the matriarch of la famiglia.

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Tune in for this heartfelt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

SHOW NOTES

SEGMENT 1

In the premiere episode of Professionals & Animal Lovers Show one of the co-hosts Tommy D, explains what the show is about, and how the focus will be on the advocacy of animals and the non-profits and professionals that work with them. The other co-host, Valerie Heffron, continues the discussion of the themes behind the show as well, and thanks the sponsors of the podcast. Valerie explains the journey through working with animals, and how she was raised as an animal lover, and gives the example of as a child, her father renting records of bird recordings so she would be able to tell the different bird songs apart. She continues to explain how animals and animal advocacy has been such a large part of her life, and she has met many of her closest friends through protests and many other events. Valerie continues to explain that animal lovers are a huge community, and that animal lovers love to help each other help animals. She then introduces one of the guests of the episode, Rino DiMario. Rino volunteers at the Camp Happy Tails NYC animal rescue, and had met Valerie at a protest against a puppy mill. Rino tells his story about how he got assaulted by the “puppy mill thugs” as he was recording the puppy mill vans in an attempt to expose the company that was operating the puppy mill, as well as what about the vans tipped him off that they were puppy mill vans. Regina Mendoza, the other guest of today’s episode explains what puppy mills are for anyone who is unaware, as well as puppy mill statistics for the United States.

SEGMENT 2

Rino continues retelling his story of when he was assaulted trying to expose a puppy mill, and how the employers and owner of the pet store that was making use of the puppy mill was encouraging Rino’s attackers to continue to assault him. Rino continues to explain how the pet store was shut down shortly after his assault, and explains that he would do it all again if it would shut down another store that makes use of puppy mills. Valerie discusses the anti-puppy mill bill that has been progressing through the government, as it made it to committee on the assembly floor in New York and everyone is waiting for the next session to see if the bill goes through. She continues to explain that the anti-puppy mill bill is not a party issue, it's a right or wrong issue and everyone from across all parties and political beliefs need to come together to get this bill to go through and ban puppy mills in New York. Rino discusses his personal experiences with rescue animals and how he often utilizes Facebook to post adoptions, and continues saying that Facebook has done so much for the animal rescue community. Rino details the different types of Facebook groups people can go to learn about animal rescue and animal advocacy. Rino introduces Regina and how the two of them met.

SEGMENT 3

The four discuss Camp Happy Tails NYC, the animal rescue that Regina operates, with Valerie bringing up how difficult it is to run a rescue complimenting Regina on how well she operates Camp Happy Tails NYC. Regina discusses the issue of euthanization among shelter animals, as well as animals in homelesses, and abused animals. Regina retells a story she reaw on Facebook that got her into animal advocacy. The story was about a pregnant dog that was euthanized in an incredibly cruel way, which is a common way of euthanization among rescue shelters. Regina then continues to explain her journey through animal advocacy, and how she got into fostering animals. Valerie discusses fostering animals, and how fostering an animal works, specifically foster based rescues. Regina gives a quick overview of her rescue operations and gives a tour of her grounds. Regina also explains how many dogs she is able to foster in her rescue at a time, saying she can hold about twenty at a time.

SEGMENT 4

Regina gives a detailed history of several of the dogs present in her rescue, as well as how she came across each of the dogs. Valerie discusses how important it is to adopt animals through rescues, and how this is one of the messages she wants to get out through this show. She explains how when someone buys an animal from a pet store they are supporting a horrendous industry, and are actually supporting people who genuinely care about animals when adopting through a rescue. The four discuss Rino’s restaurant, and Rino gives an anecdote about how he was challenged to create a pickle pizza. The four end the episode with giving their messages to the listeners that they want them to take away from the show.