125. Helping Pets & People, Pet First Aid & Living Better Together

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Pets Ad Life, your guide to the latest in pet trends, products, and the joy of the human animal bond with Kristen Levine and me, Chris Bonafati, powered by the American Pet Products Association and dog TV. Hello and welcome to another episode of Pets Ad Life. I am one of your co-hosts, Chris Bonafati, and joining me as always is renowned arborist Kristen Levine.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Thank you. Thank you for that. Not a lot of people know about my arborism

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Expertise. It was important to bring that up because we do have a new tree in the studio here. This is my new fake tree. If any of my APA staff members are watching, no, this is not the tree from the bullpen. It's a completely different tree. That is mine that I found. Where did

Speaker 2 (00:52):
You steal that tree from? Whose office?

Speaker 1 (00:54):
We had it out in the bullpen of cubicles and no one's here today except for me. So I decided that the tree is going to be joining us. There needed to be something going on in this space over here.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah. Yeah. It looks great. Well, you don't have to say that. It's kind of obvious.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
No, I need to be honest with my fans and with a sucker renowned arborist.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
I could tell it's a fake, I think it's a fake dogwood, right? Is that what we're going for here?

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, exactly. It's a dogwood tree. So therefore it counts as a pet. Anyway, we've got a great episode lined up for you all. Back to our usually scheduled programming here coming out of the 4th of July where we will have two products, two stories, two guests. We're going to answer two questions and afterwards I'm going to take two naps, I think.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
And we're going to have too

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Much fun. Yeah. It's one of those days. So without further ado, let's hop into story time. Kristen and Chris present story time. All right, Kristen, you want to kick off this kick? Why am I saying it like that? Do you want to kick off this week's story time first?

Speaker 2 (02:12):
I'd love to. I'd love to. I've got kind of a sciencey one, so I know you'll like this, Chris. Yay. This is a study that was done by the University of Cambridge. It was funded by the Morris Animal Foundation. And essentially it's scientists now have proof that your dog isn't just acting like a member of the family. Genetically, they kind of are. Have I piqued your interest?

Speaker 1 (02:37):
My interest is peaked.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Okay. So what they did is they analyzed the DNA of 1300 golden retrievers and they matched it to detailed behavioral profiles from their human owners. They looked at things like trainability, energy level, fear of strangers and aggression toward other dogs. They were looking at what genes were tied to those types of things. So then they compared, once they identified those genes, they compared them to the human genetic data and found out that 12 of the genes shaping golden retriever behavior are the same genes that shape personality and emotion in people. And not just similar, like the same genes doing very comparable work in each species. So pretty cool stuff. So for example, the gene that's tied to trainability in goldens is the same gene that's linked to intelligence and emotional sensitivity in humans. And let's see, another example is the gene that was linked to reactivity toward other dogs is the same gene asociated in humans with depression and lower cognitive performance.

(03:55):
So interesting stuff. So I guess the takeaway here is that if you have a dog that's hard to train or reactive, it's not being stubborn or bad, which we've talked a lot about that last month, but it's more about understanding their genetic roots. And once we understand them better, we should be able to use training practices that are more effective. So more to come on this I'm sure. And by the way, the reason they used goldens is because their genetics are so well documented. But the researchers, they did say that this shared biology would definitely extend across breeds and more studies are coming.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
It seems like now when I say somebody has golden retriever energy, I could mean it literally.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
It's so true. It's exactly right. What's your story, Chris?

Speaker 1 (04:44):
While we're recording this, the Knicks have been on their historic playoff run. So I'm in a very New York state of mind. So I'm pulling a very fun New York City story here. And very recently, the New York City subway passed a rule where all dogs must be carried in a bag, which in their head, and this is pre-Mamdoni era. I just want that to be clear. This is the previous administration's law. And the rule was meant as like, oh, that'll stop people from bringing big dogs onto the subway because the dog has to be in a bag. Oh man. So I found on Reddit a montage video of the creative ways New Yorkers were bringing some of their dogs onto the subway. And my favorite one is the giant Ikea bag with four holes cut out for legs. No way. And there's full on shepherd mixes and like big dogs in there that they pick up and then they just put down.

(05:50):
Oh my gosh. I doubt us being in a bag. It's like one of the most New York things I've ever seen. And of course, nobody's batting an eye at these dogs on the subway. They were allowed on for such a long time. And so you

Speaker 2 (06:05):
Also see - Hold for the head too, or it just holes for the beat. They just

Speaker 1 (06:07):
Go over the head. Yeah. Oh,

Speaker 2 (06:09):
They go over the head. I gotcha. And they go

Speaker 1 (06:10):
Over the edge of the bag. And we've got corgis and backpacks and of course we've got all the fancy purse dogs, little miniature cupcake dogs. So it was a fun... I put the link in there if anybody wants to

Speaker 2 (06:27):
See. Yeah. I definitely check that after the show.

Speaker 1 (06:31):
So yeah, definitely check it out. Got to love New York, baby. Give us a rule and we'll find creative ways to break it. Beyond the leash, exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism. And joining us now is Dr. Cliff Redford, a veterinarian hospital director, international animal welfare advocate, and author of the upcoming memoir, Far and Wild Adventures of the Worldwide Vet. A graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College. Dr. Cliff has spent more than two decades caring for pets through his veterinary hospital in Markham, Ontario while also volunteering with animal rescue and welfare organizations around the world. Known to many Canadians through his appearance on global TV's The Morning Show, Dr. Cliff has treated animals in some of the most challenging environments imaginable from street animals and wildlife rescues to volunteer veterinary missions in war tour in Ukraine. Through his travels, documentaries, and upcoming book, he shares remarkable stories that highlight the deep bond between humans and animals and the extraordinary people working to protect them.

(07:34):
Dr. Cliff, thank you so much for hopping on the show today.

Speaker 3 (07:37):
Thank you. That was a great intro. I love it.

Speaker 1 (07:40):
That's one of my top podcasting skills is intro. I've really invested a lot of time into mastering that.

Speaker 3 (07:47):
I need someone to read the audiobook, to record the audiobook. I should ask you

Speaker 2 (07:52):
To do that.

Speaker 1 (07:52):
Thank you, Chris. Wow. That would be my honor and I promise not to do any silly voices. I'll take it incredibly seriously.

Speaker 3 (07:58):
Oh, then I'm not interested.

Speaker 1 (08:01):
There we go. That's what I like to hear. Let's go ahead and start with the book then, Far and Wild. It's filled with stories from around the globe. Obviously you have this huge career, so many different experiences, but was there one experience you could highlight that fundamentally changed the way you view animals or the people who care for them?

Speaker 3 (08:21):
Oh wow. One sort of situation. I'm going to say one of the ones that is probably the most entertaining, the stories. I did travel and volunteer in Ukraine and I've gone twice during the current war. And the first trip was about four years ago and it was mostly in Poland. We were right at the border of Poland and Ukraine, although we went in Ukraine for a day. And I became friends with Dr. Lachlan Campbell, who's an Aussie vet. And he was like me that he just wanted to volunteer and he just got up off his couch and showed up. And we're hiking. What this taught me was sort of that there are other sort of cowboys like me that jump into it and these animals seem to find us. We had a quiet afternoon. We decided to go for a hike. We kind of got lost.

(09:11):
We didn't know where we were going. And we just stumbled upon this trail. And I think the world was bringing us together because we're hiking up and there's this open field and there's this tower, this two story wooden tower. And he goes and they really talk like this. He's like, "What do you reckon that's for mate?" And I said, "Well, that's a hunting tower." And he's like, "What do you reckon they... " They say reckon a lot. "What do you reckon they're hunting around here? "And I said," Oh, boar and deer. "And he goes," Do you think there's deer here? "And I turned and there was this deer trapped in like a rope fence all wrapped around its antlers, whipping back and forth. And this is where I found out that there's crazier veterinarians and animal rescuers than me. He slaps me on the chest and says," Time to go be heroes, mate.

(10:02):
"And I'm like, " Okay, well, let's figure out what we're going to do. "And he's like, " Easily, let's go tackle it. "And he literally...

(10:09):
I have this video of me holding the rope and slowly bringing this thing closer together and closer to me. And he leaps onto its antlers and wrestles it to the ground. We did end up spoiler alert, still get the book. We ended up pulling off this rope after about 15 minutes. The thing ran away without a thank you. And so it is one of the many incidences where I've become friends with these animal rescuers that are not only veterinarians, but just average Joes or Jills. And people are so passionate and it inspires me and keeps me going.

Speaker 2 (10:49):
That's awesome. And I was going to, just speaking of your work in Ukraine, I was going to ask you, what is it like to try to help animals in need when your basic safety can't be taken for granted?

Speaker 3 (11:01):
Yeah. It's scary. That's how it is. I mean, the second trip, I went by myself for obvious reasons. My daughter didn't come with me because I was going into the war zone. I went into Harkiev, worked with Animal Rescue Harkiev. And I was literally at times working at this clinic where the vet had left for safer parts of the country. And I'm doing surgery and these what we call Russian thunder, which were the missiles dropping, were dropping so close that the clinic was shaking like an L train was going over top. And at one point I asked the rescuer and there had to be some translation because not all of them spoke English. I asked this one rescuer about how do we know when it's too close? And he says something in Ukraine and snaps his fingers. And the woman translates Urena. She says, "If the missile's too close, you're not going to have to worry about it because you're going to be dead." And then she snaps her fingers.

(12:01):
And this guy wasn't joking.He didn't wink, he didn't smile. He literally just patted me on the shoulder and walked away. So it was not safe. Now I was only there for 10 or 11 days and there were some harrowing moments. The book opens with me almost getting hit with a high explosive artillery, I think it was called. But these are rescuers that have been there for the full four years. People were leaving. They were sending their families to other countries to be safe and they stayed there rescuing these animals. So it was a little bit dangerous for me. It's dangerous for them every single day of this war.

Speaker 1 (12:43):
Yeah, absolutely. And I want to ask, why do you think people do this? Risking their lives for animals, whether it's natural disaster or war or otherwise there's so many people and it's clearly not for money or recognition. These aren't rich and famous people for the most part. So why?

Speaker 3 (13:06):
Yeah. This is going to be a good therapy session for sure. My kids joke that it's a midlife crisis and they may not be entirely - They

Speaker 1 (13:18):
Might be onto something.

Speaker 3 (13:20):
I'm a short guy. I'm the youngest of three. I'm a smart guy, but my brother's a rocket scientist. So there was always trying to better myself above my big brother. For me, it started in Jamaica. It was easy. I went to Jamaica. I volunteered. I was filming it. I was trying to get this TV show idea going that never quite happened. But I fell in love with the adventure travel and I fell in love with the volunteer work. And it makes me a better veterinarian. It definitely makes me a better person. Veterinarians have a big issue with burnout in this industry. I don't feel that. And I think a lot of it is this travel kind of quenches the burnout possibility in me. And it's a cliche, but although I'm not getting paid, I am getting so much out of these trips in mental health and understanding how blessed we are to live in the world that they were living in.

(14:23):
And I'm getting to do something that I love and I'm good at. So I hope I'm going to be doing this for many, many decades to come for sure.

Speaker 2 (14:34):
I hope so too. Now, Doc, don't you also run a veterinary practice back home? You're in Markham, Ontario, right?

Speaker 3 (14:42):
Yeah. Yeah. Just north of Toronto. I live in Toronto and my clinic's 20 minutes away, just up a ways a bit. And yeah, I've owned Wellington Vet Hospital since 2000. I graduated in 98 and bought this clinic very, very quickly. We are still independently owned. I'm the only one who owns it. That's a big thing around here and I think in the US as well about corporate clinics. And you're probably going to ask where I find the time. That's usually what people ask me.

Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, that, but also when you're back home in your clinic, how does the world traveling and the rescue missions that you go on, how does that impact your practice back home?

Speaker 3 (15:25):
Yeah. Great question. I mentioned that I become a better veterinarian on these trips and that's legit. There are times where I'm spaying what we call bleeder dogs because they're infected with their licchia, so they have low platelet counts. I'm spaying 60 pound dogs with sort of archaic anesthesias that are less safe in the middle of the jungle in Panama while these howler monkeys are screaming at me. And then I come back and I get to do the same surgery with all the bells and whistles and technicians. It does make you a better surgeon. The other thing is, and I love my clients to death. Sometimes I'm going to kill them. I love them to death.

(16:16):
When occasionally a person is mad at us and I don't care when I've been in Ukraine and I've been rescuing these animals and I come back and someone gets mad at me because their appointment was 20 minutes late, it just goes off me. What's that saying about the ducks back? Water's off a duck's back. Yep. So it has calmed me, which I need. My ex - wife will confirm that. It has calmed me. And it has made me appreciate my team and my clients and my life. And so I encourage, you don't have to go to a war torn country. I encourage everybody to step out of their comfort zone in whatever field they're in and they'll probably appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yeah. That's amazing. And for our listeners at home who may be having some issues with either their veterinarian communication issues, I think there's a lot of differing expectations. You have such a unique perspective on the human animal bond. And as a pet parent, we all want what's best for our pet, right? When we take them to the vet, we want what's best. If you could summarize your lifetime of experience into a little droplet of wisdom for pet parents, what would that droplet of wisdom be and how they can really make sure they're taking the best care of their pet?

Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah. I mean, I think the big thing is to have that level of communication. It's okay to talk to your veterinarian and say, "I can't afford that. " It's okay to say, "Maybe this surgery isn't right for my dog because he's 14 years old." And that's a big thing. And I'm not saying don't do the surgery or don't do the necessary things. If you can afford it, try and do it. But the big problem I see in this industry as a whole is there's this sort of separation between veterinarians and their team and the pet owners. But in truth, the pet owners are a part of that team and we need to communicate. We need to be honest with each other. We need to be kind to animals, be kind to each other and be kind to yourself. That's the three things I kind of preach.

Speaker 2 (18:32):
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. I

Speaker 1 (18:33):
Say that at the end of these episodes very regularly and that was really weird.

Speaker 2 (18:39):
It's weird. You guys are brothers from. So Dr. Cliff, tell us about the book. When is it coming out and what can we expect to enjoy in the book?

Speaker 3 (18:53):
Yeah. It's called Far and Wild: Adventures of the Worldwide Vet. And it is a memoir. It is a prequel to a documentary that I did a couple of years ago. And it basically is chronologically as Jamaica, Greece, India, Panama, Egypt, and then Ukraine and Poland. And it's a heartwarming, funny, sad, adventurous story told in the first person. And it comes out September 15th. It's available by pre-order now. If you just Google Dr. Cliff, Far and Wild, you can find it on any of the platforms. But it's going to be sold worldwide in print and hopefully in audiobook as well. Here's some images from my documentary. And yeah, I'm super proud. I'm super excited about it and I'd love for people to pre-order it. Apparently the pre-order numbers make a difference when it comes to getting it onto the front shelves at Barnes & Noble and stuff.

(19:55):
So that's an important thing.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
So pre-order, everybody.

Speaker 3 (19:58):
Please, please.

Speaker 1 (19:59):
I'm definitely going to be checking it out. If this conversation was a small little Amuse bouche, I'm ready for the entree.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
Oh, that is some good French. Well done.

Speaker 1 (20:08):
There we go. Yeah. Well, Dr. Cliff, we got to let you go. Thank you so much for taking some time out of your day to join us on the podcast. We'll all be checking out that book, Far and Wild: The Adventures of the Worldwide Vet, September 15th. Pre-order now, people.

Speaker 3 (20:26):
Excellent. Thank you.

Speaker 2 (20:31):
One question I didn't get to ask him is what's next on his adventure list?

Speaker 1 (20:36):
That's a good point because he doesn't seem like the kind to sit still.

Speaker 2 (20:40):
No. And it's going to be hard to top all the things he's already done.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
I know. I know. He really just brings such an amazing energy to the whole entire thing. And I'm definitely going to be checking out either the book or the documentary or something because I really want to hear more about some of these stories. I really feel like that one he brought up in the interview from Australia, I was like, "He's channeling some Steve Irwin here. There's some Steve Irwin energy happening."

Speaker 4 (21:05):
Yeah,

Speaker 1 (21:06):
You're right. Yeah. Just like the Australian guy being like, "Oh, the only way to save this deer is to wrestle him to the ground." Yeah. Steve Irwin coded all the way down. So we'll have to have him back after his next adventure to learn more.

Speaker 2 (21:19):
Absolutely. And joining us next is Genevieve Frederick. She's the founder and president of Feeding Pets of the Homeless, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing food, veterinary care, emergency shelter assistance, and other critical resources for people and pets experiencing homelessness. Now, since founding the organization in 2008, she's helped raise awareness about the unique challenges that are faced by homeless pet owners while advocating for programs that keep people and their companions together. Through partnerships with shelters, vet clinics, businesses and volunteers across the US, Genevieve and our organization work to ensure that no one has to choose between their own wellbeing and the safety of a beloved pet. Her work highlights the powerful bond between people and animals and the vital role that pets play in providing companionship, emotional support and hope during difficult times. Welcome, Genevieve.

Speaker 5 (22:23):
Thank you. Thank you. And good morning to your audience.

Speaker 2 (22:27):
Yes. Thanks for being here. We love what you're doing and I know our audience is going to want to learn more. So let me just start by asking you, what inspired you to start Pets of the Homeless? And I guess what happened that showed you the need, the issue that needed more attention?

Speaker 5 (22:48):
Making this short, I saw somebody on the street with a dog. They weren't panhandling. They were there. And my thought was how is he taking care of that dog when he can't take care of himself? So I started doing a little research asking other national nonprofits that work with the homeless population, "How many of these folks have a pet?" And at that time, this was in 2006, they said five to 10% had a pet. We now know that it's more like 33%. I was thinking, "Okay, what can I do for this population?" Because at that point I was told 3.5 million people in America are homeless on any given year. They come in and out of homelessness. Sometimes they're in for a little bit because they have a support group. Anyway, I thought I could feed these pets by having businesses be a donation site and then take that pet food to where people are already getting human food.

(23:57):
That would be food banks. It could be a soup kitchen. It could be a variety of different things. So that's how the whole program started. So that's our legal name is Feeding Pets of the Homeless. Since then, we have evolved to five unique programs that help pets and their people.

Speaker 1 (24:18):
That's incredible. What an incredible story. And I'm so glad you exist because it's such a magnificent thing you're doing. And you talked a little bit about how you're addressing hunger for the pets, but what are some of the other challenges that homeless pet owners may face? Maybe some of the hidden challenges that people may not consider?

Speaker 5 (24:38):
Well, what happens is if an animal gets injured or ill, because they're out on the streets and it's dangerous folks do not have the resources to take that pet to a hospital or a clinic. So they are anxious. They feel guilty. They don't have those resources. So they look for somebody that can help them. So they start calling and looking on the internet for anything that'll help. So that's where we step in. We will allow that person to take that pet to one of our hospitals that we're going to talk to. And then we pay the hospitals at time of service. To give you an example, last year we spent $1,160,000 at hospitals and that was after discounts. So we process a lot of invoices because we pay these hospitals at time of service. So no money goes to these homeless. They go through a interview or online there's an application and they fill that application out.

(25:57):
Unfortunately, one of the challenges is that we need homeless verification. It can be from a police officer. It could be from a social worker. It could be from the VA. It could be from... There's a variety of different places and how we get verification. We had been scammed in the past so much that we had to put this roadblock, if you will, for these. And it just makes a challenge for everyone, including us. To give you an idea, last year, my staff, there's a staff of 11 of us. We made and took over 72,000 phone calls.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
Wow. Wow. Oh my goodness.

Speaker 1 (26:44):
A millennial's worst nightmare.

Speaker 5 (26:47):
Yeah. That is our most costly program. We are a nonprofit. I got my 501 back in 2008. Going on to the next program is that we will sponsor doctors to go out to where homeless congregate and do wellness clinics where they give them basic exam and vaccinations. While they are treating that animal on site out in the field, say they notice that there is an abscess tooth that needs to be pulled. Obviously they can't do it out in the field. So the doctor will say, "Call this number, go to this website, fill out an application. I will verify that you are homeless." And then they will get that person to an appointment at a hospital. The hospitals are going to expect that person to call because we already let the hospital know Joe and his dog are coming in. We will authorize a basic exam and then you can take it from there.

(27:58):
Call us when you figure out what the prognosis and the treatment is going to be. So that's the third program. The fourth program is that we will actually drop ship brand new metal collapsible crates to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters so that pets -

Speaker 2 (28:20):
I

Speaker 5 (28:20):
Actually

Speaker 2 (28:20):
Wanted to... Sory to interrupt you, but I did want to ask you a question about that because we've talked about several of the programs so far, including food and veterinary care. But from what I understand, a lot of homeless shelters won't allow people to bring their pets in. And how do you navigate that challenge?

Speaker 5 (28:40):
Well, what we do is we reach out to these shelters and we offer these crates so that it becomes the property of the shelter. It's up to their policies. This is a segment of the homeless population that they can say pets aren't allowed because they're so overcrowded. And so this is one, "Okay, we can't accept you because you have a pet. Sorry." And that's something that we advocate to let these people, these shelters know that this person is not going to relinquish their pet to get shelter for the night. So a lot of our clients in our emergency care program actually live in a vehicle with their cat, their dog, their bird, their snake, whatever their pet is that they took with them into homelessness so that the crates are an important part of our program so that we can get people. Once somebody's in a shelter, if the animal's injured or ill, they're considered homeless if they're in a shelter.

(29:53):
If they're in a motel room that maybe they can only afford one week out of the month or a They're in transition housing. There's all kinds of things that happen. We talk to people that are couch surfing. We talk to people that are in a domestic violence shelter. In fact, I can tell you that 24% of our clients are survivors of domestic violence. So the last program that we have now is we've always helped homeless veterans. In fact, about between eight to 10% of our clients are veterans. And now we have a memorandum of understanding with the VA. So the VA social workers know who we are and how to get ahold of us. And that has been always something close to mine because my husband is a disabled veteran from Vietnam.

Speaker 1 (30:54):
Yeah. That's an incredible way to make a difference in so many different lives. And we are slowly running out of time here. So I want to ask for those who are listening and are inspired by this and they want to have some kind of impact, what's a good way for the average person to have an impact on their local community to assist either the homeless or displaced pets or however else they may be helpful?

Speaker 5 (31:22):
Of course. We don't get government money. So any financial help is always appreciated. And we have a whole list of different volunteer activities. If somebody's interested in volunteering in their own community or if they are a business and they would like to become a donation site, there's information on our website as well. And that website is petsofthehomeless.org.

Speaker 2 (31:56):
Petsofthehomeless.org. Definitely check it out. I was on your website earlier and I could see donations coming in as small as $10 and as large as $150 and I'm sure more. So every little bit helps. And I'm sure that our listeners are going to definitely want to support your efforts. And thank you so much for joining us today, Genevieve. We'll have to talk again when you keep adding more and more programs so we'll have to have you back and learn about the amazing help that you're adding to it.

Speaker 5 (32:27):
Thank you for this opportunity.

Speaker 1 (32:33):
Kristen, I'm really glad there are Genevieves out there.

Speaker 2 (32:37):
No kidding. She's amazing.

Speaker 1 (32:40):
Yeah. And one of the things we talked about in our chit chat before and after is how homelessness has many different shapes and sizes and it looks very different than what you'd expect.

Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yes.

Speaker 1 (32:54):
And it's important to talk about those kinds of things.

Speaker 2 (32:56):
Yeah. There's no one single definition of homelessness. Everybody comes to it from a completely different place and it's important, like you said, it's important that we talk about it and we understand it better so we can help these people and help their pets.

Speaker 1 (33:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (33:09):
And

Speaker 1 (33:10):
The fact that there's advocates for their pets out there is just astounding stuff. So thank you to Genevieve and everything that she's doing. It's truly amazing work.

Speaker 5 (33:20):
The product of the week.

Speaker 1 (33:23):
And it is time for our product of the week. And I'll kick it off here, Kristen. Earlier in the show I was talking about creative ways New Yorkers were carrying their dogs on the subway. And as I'm watching this video, there's obviously the funny stuff, the purses and the Ikea bag, but then I saw some actual backpacks that look like they were made for dogs. So I went down the dog backpack rabbit hole so that you at home don't have your search algorithms messed with by looking up dog backpacks. And I found a company that really specializes in them. They're called Canine Sports Sack. And it's really cool because it is more of like a sac situation instead of a backpack. Imagine like a drawstring sack on the back that your dog sort of nestles in and then they get an arm harness. And so they're kind of just coming over your shoulder like Yoda in Empire Strikes Back when Luke's wearing Yoda.

(34:31):
It's kind of like that where you get your little friend sort of over your shoulder like a pirate's parrot almost. And they've got all sorts of styles, shapes, sizes. I even see one here that's called the Colossus. It's meant for big dogs.

(34:48):
I like it. Great opportunity whether this is for urban living, if you need to get on the New York City subway with your dog, or if you intend to do some type of hiking and you have a smaller dog that can't hike for as long as you do, or you've got a dog with a disability that may not be able to walk and do those hikes with you. This is a great way to keep them involved in your activities. Some of the cheaper ones for small dogs and puppies are about 60 bucks going all the way up to almost $300 for the large dog carrier, but all sorts of stuff in between in terms of style, size and functionality. So take a look. The link will be in your show notes.

Speaker 2 (35:31):
I like it. And that's easier to carry than a bag because you've got your back doing most of the work.

Speaker 1 (35:39):
I'm sure it's still going to be quite a workout for those attempting it.

Speaker 2 (35:42):
Yeah. Yeah. Especially for the big dogs. Okay. So my product of the week is, I don't think I've ever featured one of these, but I think it's high time. This is a dog and cat first aid kit by a company called ARCA, A - R-C-A. And I thought after we talked to Dr. Cliff, a vet who's treated animals in war zones and disaster areas with whatever supplies he had on hand, this is a good reminder to us to have a pet first aid kit on hand. This one's really affordable. It's $36. They do have a few other options if you want to check out the whole selection, but here's what's included in the one that I chose. It's got a digital thermometer, an emergency muzzle, a tick remover, that would come in handy around here. Bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze pads, vet wrap saline wash, stiptic pencils, slip leash and a pet first aid guide to kind of help you with whatever injury or issue you're dealing with.

(36:45):
It's supplied for dogs and cats and it's compact enough to throw in your car or your travel bag. So we'll have links to that product as well as Chris's in the show notes.

Speaker 1 (36:57):
That's so smart. That's not something I've ever... I've owned pets for 34 years and I've never considered having a first aid kit for them.

Speaker 2 (37:07):
Yeah. I've had one for many years, but fortunately the only thing I've ever really had to use is like the tick remover.

Speaker 1 (37:16):
But

Speaker 2 (37:16):
You never

Speaker 1 (37:17):
Know. It's crazy.

Speaker 2 (37:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (37:19):
You do never know.

Speaker 2 (37:21):
Q and As.

Speaker 1 (37:23):
All right. It is time for our favorite part of the episode. That's right. We're going to answer two questions from you, our lovely audience. And I know what you're thinking, lovely audience. How do I get my question answered by Chris and Kristen? Well, it couldn't be easier. Head on over to petsadlife.org/podcast. Scroll on down to the bottom of that page and you'll see a form to submit your question. Or if you're feeling as brave as our guest, Dr. Cliff, you may record a voice memo. You might even hear it played live on our show. So Kristen, I've got a question for you.

Speaker 2 (38:00):
Alrighty.

Speaker 1 (38:01):
This question comes from Michelle in Tampa, Florida. Wow, right?

Speaker 2 (38:06):
Another Tampa listener.

Speaker 1 (38:07):
Your old stomping grounds.

Speaker 2 (38:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
Michelle asks, "My 10 year old Labrador was recently diagnosed with cancer and we're trying to decide what comes next. How can pet owners evaluate treatment options while still making sure their dog has the best possible quality of life?" That's a tough situation, Michelle.

Speaker 2 (38:27):
Very tough situation, Michelle. I'm sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, I can relate because our dog, Chili, back in 2022, I guess it was now, was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma. So I think the first and most important step is you've obviously talked to your veterinarian. I don't know if you've talked to an oncologist yet or not. If you haven't, I would suggest asking your vet for a referral to an oncology specialist. And that's just because you want to make sure you have a really, as precise as possible, a diagnosis, including the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, because that really determines what treatment options are available, if any, if we're talking about treatment or just keeping our dog comfortable. I think some questions you need to keep in mind is once you have that information, what is the goal of the treatment? If treatment is an option, is the goal a cure or a remission or is the goal just comfort for your dog?

(39:33):
So it's really tough. We chose treatment in our case, although hemangiosarcoma is a very aggressive, fast growing cancer. So while we did choose surgery for Chili, we actually got an extra four months with him. And he was very healthy and happy otherwise, but it's completely dependent on the type of cancer and how it's impacting your dog's day-to-day life. So whatever you decide, there's really no wrong answer as long as it's coming from good information and the love you have for your dog. So I wish you the best. It's tough stuff.

Speaker 1 (40:13):
That is difficult

Speaker 2 (40:14):
To hear for

Speaker 1 (40:14):
Sure.

Speaker 2 (40:17):
Yeah. I've got a question for you from Jennifer in Denver.

Speaker 1 (40:21):
All right,

Speaker 2 (40:22):
Jennifer.

Speaker 1 (40:24):
Let's bring the mood back up.

Speaker 2 (40:25):
Yes. Tune back up to Denver here. Okay. So she says, "We have two cats who tolerate each other most of the time, but they're still frequently hissing matches and occasional fights. What can cat owners do to help cats coexist peacefully and reduce tension in a multi-cat household?"

Speaker 1 (40:44):
That is a great question. And I'm still taking my brain a second to switch emotional gears and there it is. Okay. I'm now prepared to answer this question. I think the reason cats get chippy is largely due to competing for resources. Even if you with your logical human brain looks at everything and goes, "There's enough for both of you. " Those cats don't think with the same logic we do. So you may have read that, "Oh, one litter box is enough for a two cat household." Might not be true for your two cats. You might need to do two litter boxes in separate rooms. They may be eating too close together and seeing each other eat can actually set cats off because they're thinking like, "Oh, there's more food and that cat is eating the more food. If that cat wasn't here, I'd get twice the food." It makes no sense for us humans, but that's the way these cats may be thinking.

(41:50):
So you may want to feed them in separate spaces. Same with water. If your cats get along, one water source is enough for a two cat household. You may need to get two different water sources. And now it seems like you're spreading the cats all around your home. Well, welcome to having two cats.That is kind of what happens. One is enough to squirrel them away into their own personal space, but once you get to two, the whole house has to become dedicated to cats. So that's really what I'd recommend. That's typically what's happening now. If it is a boy cat girl cat and they're not neutered in spade, there may be something else going on, but this is a family show. I do highly recommend if you have a two cat household that all the cats be fixed in their appropriate ways just because there is a lot of hormones that...

(42:45):
And it could happen with two unfixed boy cats, two unfixed girl cats. The hormones that happen with their reproductive cycles can definitely cause the cats to clash. So if that hasn't been taken care of, you may want to consider that path as well. I'm hoping that answers your question and best of luck to your growing kitty cat home.

Speaker 2 (43:12):
It reminds me of siblings. I remember when my sister and I were growing up, we didn't want to share anything. We wanted our own stuff, even if it was ridiculous duplicates of things that... But that's how cats are sometimes too.

Speaker 1 (43:26):
Even if it makes so much sense as to why it's time to share, sometimes the kiss doesn't matter. They have to pick and choose your battles with your preteens and also with your cats. So there you go. All right. And that brings us to the end of our show.

Speaker 2 (43:45):
That was fast.

Speaker 1 (43:47):
Yeah. Time flies when you're having fun and spending time with good friends, a new tree.

Speaker 2 (43:55):
I'm anxious to see if the tree is still there next week or if somebody snags it back.

Speaker 1 (43:59):
I have a feeling that I can retain this tree. I feel like - A

Speaker 5 (44:04):
Bolted ground.

Speaker 1 (44:06):
I'm not that high up there in the grand scheme of things in the office, but I feel like I could cash in some political chips and retain control. It's

Speaker 2 (44:16):
Not too much to ask.

Speaker 1 (44:18):
It's not too much to ask. Okay. I'm a hard worker. I'm a hard worker and all I want is this fake tree in the corner of my sad little studio over here. So I think I'll be able to make it work. But if the tree's gone next episode, we're not going to address it. Just know I'm incredibly sad.

Speaker 2 (44:37):
Okay. Okay. Well, don't forget we are on video. You guys can watch the show on YouTube if you're not already. And if you're watching us on YouTube and you're going to be in the car and you want to continue to listen to us, you can just listen to us wherever you get your podcasts. Chris, what channels did I miss? Oh, dog TV. Dog

Speaker 1 (44:53):
TV. The fast

Speaker 2 (44:55):
Channel. The fast channel. Social

Speaker 1 (44:56):
Media. All this stuff. There's so many places where you can gain access to us.

Speaker 2 (45:02):
There's nowhere you can go where you can't watch or listen to the Pets Ad Life podcast. We're

Speaker 1 (45:07):
Everywhere. Give

Speaker 2 (45:07):
Excuses. We're always watching. Ron's never going to ask us to say goodbye again.

Speaker 1 (45:13):
Goodbye.

Speaker 2 (45:15):
Bye.

Speaker 1 (45:15):
Pets Ad Life, your guide to the latest in pet trends, products, and the joy of the human animal bond. With Kristen Levine and me, Chris Bonafati, powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.

Speaker 2 (45:35):
Got questions? The experts have answers.

Speaker 1 (45:38):
Every Friday, a brand episode of The Experts Drops featuring the biggest names in pet care.

Speaker 2 (45:44):
From behavior to health, training to nutrition, our panel of top veterinarians, trainers, and technicians tackles it all.

Speaker 1 (45:52):
Real questions from real pet parents and real answers from the best in the business.

Speaker 2 (45:57):
The experts every Friday, only on Unleashed by Dog TV.

Speaker 1 (46:01):
Watch and learn, your pet will think. My

Speaker 4 (46:05):
Human leaves and I'm on my own. I'm just a pup and I fully grow a home. I hear that fun. Familiar too. It's dog TV. My fun starts soon. I spend my day with dog TV. Wagon tail and feel happy. I can relax and live carefully with all the friends on dog TV. I may be a dog, but I've got good taste. Please turn it on. No time away. My first friends will mock and play. There's always something you need to see every day. I spend my day with dog TV. I can relax and live every with all the friends on dog TV.

Speaker 2 (47:35):
Hey guys, I'm Kristen Levine, your host of the new show, The Experts. This is where I bring to you three pet experts to answer your burning questions about your furry friend. So you can't do the show without your questions. So here's what you do. Take out your phone, videotape yourself horizontally asking your question about your pet and send it to dogtv.com/experts and we might just feature you on the next episode. So what are you waiting for?