The Animal Guide for Curious Humans

Today we will be exploring some interesting studies relating to the welfare of farmed animals.  As we have discussed before, billions of farmed animals around the world endure significant suffering and inhumane treatment to feed humans, largely in industrial farming. And yet, like other animals, cows, pigs and chickens, are sentient with clearly documented evidence of emotions, personality differences, kinship with others, etc.  Fo...

When you think about medicine and animals, what comes to mind?  For a lot of us, we first think of animal testing; clinical trials, lab mice, etc.  But we don’t tend to think so much about the ingredients in our medicines and what animals they come from.  Many common drugs and medicines like blood thinners, treatments for menopause and even vaccines contain pig, horse or chicken byproducts.  In some countries such as several in Asi...

Happy July everyone!  Our guest today is Dr. Heather Bacon, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom.  Heather has worked internationally on veterinary education and animal welfare projects for over 15 years.  Her experience with and interest in animal welfare issues is so extensive it was difficult to decide on which topic to cover with her today.  In the end, we decid...

Today we are exploring the world of domestic cat behaviour. Chances are either you have a cat in your family or you know someone who does.  There are around 400 million cats in households around the globe.  We humans have long had a fascination with these beautiful creatures dating back to ancient Egypt.  It is estimated that cats have been domestic pets for 12,000 years.  And yet, in many respects, they remain a mystery to us.

 Our...

Today, we are talking about the impact of non-native and invasive wildlife when they are introduced into an environment.  What effect can they have on native wildlife and the ecosystem on which they rely.  Today’s guest is Paul Evans, a Science Writer and Outreach Coordinator at Croc Docs, a University of Florida team of biologists, ecological modelers, and outreach specialists conducting research in south Florida and the Caribbean...

Today we are exploring the healing power of connecting with animals.  You have probably heard of programs in hospitals and nursing homes where animals, typically dogs, are brought in to interact with patients.  The human-animal engagement has been found to be highly beneficial for many people and can help combat depression, anxiety and loneliness.  Dogs are also employed at some airports to help reduce anxiety in passengers who are...

Today’s guest is Patti Ragan, founder and president of the Center for Great Apes in southcentral Florida.  The Center is a sanctuary for orangutans and chimpanzees, many of whom were in the entertainment industry.  Others were personal pets or research subjects.  It is currently home to 27 orangutans and 42 chimpanzees and is the only accredited sanctuary for orangutans in North America.  A couple of the most well-known residents a...

We know a great deal about cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) thanks to the remarkable work of scientists all over the world.  They have been studied in their natural habitat as well as in captivity.  As a result, scientists have identified the significant adverse consequences cetaceans experience in captivity in aquariums and other facilities.  Their captivity is usually just for the purpose of entertaining us humans and t...

How do we know when an animal is experiencing acute pain?  As it turns out, for at least some animals like felines, a good indicator of their experience of pain can be seen in their faces.  As we humans wince or grimace when we experience pain, so do cats.  Our guest today is Dr. Paulo Steagall.  Dr. Steagall and a team of researchers working at his laboratory at the Université de Montréal veterinary teaching hospital developed the...

How can we tell if an animal is truly well and has quality of life?  The five domains model of animal welfare is designed to help scientists, veterinarians, animal caregivers in zoos and others evaluate and monitor the welfare of animals.  But the model is also useful for us in our daily lives as we make decisions that affect the non-human animal kingdom.  It can assist with considering whether to partake in animal-based activities...

Monkeys are smart, sophisticated autonomous beings born to be wild and live in communities with their own kind.  They aren’t meant to be pets or entertainers.  Yet there are so many among us far from their natural habitat mainly due to the exotic pet trade and unregulated zoos.  Others are acquired as subjects for scientific research and discarded after they have served their usefulness.  Thankfully, some make their way to sanctuar...

If you had to guess, how many mountain gorillas do you think remain in the wild today? 

For context, there are 7.9 billion humans in the world.  How many mountain gorillas do you think there are?  The answer: just 1,063.  Until recently, there were a critically endangered species.  Thanks in large part to today’s guest and her organization, the population of mountain gorillas is growing.

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is the founder and C...

It is estimated that around 65 billion broiler chickens are consumed by humans every year.  Yet, how much do we really know about them?  Today’s guest is doing fascinating and important research in animal behaviour, particularly chickens.  Dr. Oluwaseun Sera Iyasere is a specialist in Animal Behaviour and Welfare and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Physiology, at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Nige...

On today’s episode, we are taking a look at wild cats who have found themselves in human hands.  Lions, tigers, lynx, servals, and other species of wild cats can be targets for profiteers running roadside petting zoos or who are filling a demand for exotic pets.  These extraordinary creatures might be bred for their cubs to create a photo opportunity at an unregulated zoo or they may be taken into homes with the expectation they ca...

Today’s episode is a brief one to touch base on some current news items and to tell you about some of the great episodes we have coming up.  

 We start with the recent heartbreaking story from Dallas, Texas where a little two year old boy was mauled by a coyote while on the front porch of his home.  My thoughts and prayers go out to this little boy and his family.  Several news stories have reported that neighbours in the area had b...

Why is anyone still wearing fur despite the decades of protests against this practice?

Unless you live in a remote community in which fur is used in the context of living responsibly off the land and as part of your culture, you don't need it for warmth. 

If you're wearing fur, the reason is vanity. In this episode of The Animal Guide For Curious Humans, host Maureen Amrstrong talks to Lesley Fox, Executive Director of The ...

More and more consumers are animal lovers, and their love of animals extends to what they buy. So more consumers are making purchasing decisions based on whether products are tested on animals. 

Many manufacturers have embraced cruelty free as part of their corporate culture. Others just print phrases like “Against animal testing” on their products. But what exactly does this mean? Does it mean that the product was developed without...

What are animals exactly?  Are they just things?  Are they property?  Can they be persons even though they aren’t people?   

We share background on an important legal case on the question of whether an elephant is, in legal terms, a person for the purpose of accessing certain legal rights.  This case raises so many important issues regarding the human/non-human animal relationship, the intelligence of elephants in particular, animal...

In this episode of The Animal Guide we explore the systems used to put aquatic life on our plates, and how we can improve the lives of aquatic animals.

Our guest is Catalina Lopez from the Aquatic Life Institute.  She is the Director of the Aquatic Animal Alliance (AAA), a coalition of organizations working around the globe to reduce the suffering of aquatic animals used for food.

A vet from Columbia who now lives in Mexico, Catalina...