64. Celebrity Spotlight – Amber Marshall from "Heartland" at Global Pet Expo!

Disclaimer: Our podcast is produced as an audio resource. Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and human editing and may contain errors. Before republishing quotes, we ask that you reference the audio.

00:00:00:03 - 00:00:14:19
Voice Over
Pets Add Life. Your guide to the latest in pet trends, products and the joy of the human animal bond. With Kristian Levine and Chris Bona, fide powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.

00:00:14:21 - 00:00:33:24
Kristen
Welcome to the Pets and Life podcast. This is such a special show for many reasons. Number one, we are again coming to you from the Global Pet Expo, which is happening in Orlando, Florida. Secondly, I have a special costar Courtney Campbell, sitting in for Chris Bonitafi.

00:00:34:00 - 00:00:38:01
Courtney
Well, this is a true honor to host with you, Kristin. Thank you so much.

00:00:38:01 - 00:00:38:18
Kristen
Of course.

00:00:38:19 - 00:00:46:06
Courtney
And like you said, this is a special episode. I won't give any spoilers because we're seconds away from announcing who is here. Right, right. This is going to be outstanding.

00:00:46:08 - 00:00:54:05
Kristen
Well, it is. And I tell you what, we talked to a lot of pet industry celebrities on this show like you yourself.

00:00:54:07 - 00:00:58:18
Courtney
Okay. The double zealous, zealous celebrity.

00:00:58:20 - 00:01:02:10
Kristen
But I think this might be our very first actual celebrity.

00:01:02:11 - 00:01:05:15
Courtney
Oh, right. Like, in the truest sense of the word celebrity.

00:01:05:17 - 00:01:30:14
Kristen
All right, without further ado, let me introduce to you Amber Marshall. She is a Canadian actress, singer and passionate animal advocate, best known for her portrayal of Amy Fleming on the long running CBC series heartland. She was born and raised in London, Ontario, and Emma's love for animals began at a very young age, leading her to work as a veterinary assistant, before pursuing an acting career.

00:01:30:16 - 00:01:54:22
Kristen
Now, her role on heartland, as you probably know, just really blends her acting talent with her equestrian skills, and just have been captivating audiences since 2007. Off screen, Amber resides on a ranch near Calgary, Alberta, where she cares for a diverse array of animals. We were just talking about all of our different animal experiences, and I used to have a little teeny tiny ranch.

00:01:54:24 - 00:02:15:10
Kristen
And so I'm very envious of your ranch, Amber, which we'll talk about in a minute. But she also actively supports animal welfare initiatives, such as the Canadian Animal Assistance Team, and engages with her community through ventures like Marshalls Country Store, offering Western apparel and accessories. And I just learned she's also partnered with one of the companies here at Global Pet Expo, so we'll we'll learn more about that.

00:02:15:12 - 00:02:17:15
Kristen
Amber, welcome to the podcast.

00:02:17:15 - 00:02:35:04
Amber
Well, thank you very much for having me on. And, you know, fellow animal lovers, I feel like I'm in a great space here, and I just feel so welcomed. So thank you for that, that warm introduction. Cause I'm excited to to dive into all the things that everyone here I think can agree on is that we just love animals.

00:02:35:04 - 00:02:46:02
Kristen
Yes. And it's it's evident by the vibe here at Global Expo. And, you know, so many people, that get into the pet industry stay because it's just such a wonderful place to be.

00:02:46:02 - 00:03:06:18
Amber
It is. And that's something people always ask me, you know, you've been you've been doing the same job for almost two decades and are you sick of it? And I truly believe that animals are the reason I continually love what I do. Because as we all know, people who are around animals, there's just there's an energy behind them that you you can be having a bad day.

00:03:06:18 - 00:03:22:08
Amber
And then you look at a dog or you look at a cat and you go, okay, my day is better, right? There's just this, this special connection between humans and animals. And I think when you have the opportunity to work with them, it doesn't feel like work. It just it just feels like you're you're having the best time of your life.

00:03:22:08 - 00:03:38:24
Amber
And I feel that that's what has really kept the magic alive in what I do. And we'll get more into that as well. But, I, I'm just so blessed with the, the role I was given. And I think that having animals as a part of that has just really kept it going strong.

00:03:38:24 - 00:04:02:01
Courtney
Yeah, absolutely. It's it's outstanding. Just because when we talk about bringing animals to work, right, we there's so many studies that talk about the power of that and how it releases serotonin and it makes the your job just feel better. But there's a different element when you're working with animals, right? And you're both working with them in the sense that this is your job.

00:04:02:07 - 00:04:22:08
Courtney
But then off camera, like the job doesn't stop talking to us a little bit about that dynamic where we, you know, they talk about animals and kids. You get one take. Right. So the question is, I have for you, talk to us a little bit about working with animals and your experience with horsemanship and how that works even off camera as well.

00:04:22:11 - 00:04:44:09
Amber
Well, it's funny you talked about having the animals there when we're not filming as well. And I think that there's there's an element that adds to the entire crew as a whole is having these animals on set. And there's kind of a funny thing, most of the, the ads and the people on set joke that if you can't find em or she's with the animals and, you know, you look at some actors and it's like, where are they?

00:04:44:09 - 00:05:09:04
Amber
Oh, they're hiding in their trailer. They're they're wherever they might be. I'm usually in the middle of a horse field, sitting in the grass, just hanging out with the horses. And I find that that's a very calming environment for an industry that can be quite the opposite. And that again, has really, in my opinion, kept me sane over the two decades that I've been doing this show because it can be a very fast paced, emotionally, demanding.

00:05:09:06 - 00:05:20:07
Amber
Just people are at you all the time. It's like, here, let me fix your hair. Let me touch your clothes. Let me. There's just people all around you. And I find that my sanctuary is when I'm just with animals and not people I know.

00:05:20:07 - 00:05:39:09
Courtney
You see that? Yeah. You did mention two decades. I'm curious about the evolution. Right. You talk a little bit about, where your sanctuary is, but I'm picturing you. At least I'm picturing myself actually in your position saying, you know, when I first get there, I'm not sure how much I can do that. Was there an evolution there for you?

00:05:39:13 - 00:06:03:10
Amber
I have always been so drawn to animals from a very young age. I was fortunate in my life. My parents allowed me to have dogs and cats and rabbits and horses and all kinds of things when I was a kid. So this has been a part of who I am since I can remember. And so I do believe that animals also give you a sense of comfort and understanding of a new situation, because, you know, we're kind of we don't animals don't judge you.

00:06:03:15 - 00:06:23:14
Amber
And so if you're feeling a little bit out of place, they might pick up on that and say, hey, it's okay, I got you. I'm here. And so I find for myself as an actor, that's a very vulnerable place to be, right? You're asked to perform in front of people that you don't know. You're asked to expose emotions that you would normally hide from strangers.

00:06:23:16 - 00:06:49:14
Amber
But having animals there gives you that groundedness. It gives you that sense of comfort. And so I remember my very first days on set. I was 18 years old and I was, you know, feeling like, okay, now I'm in front of a whole group of 75 strangers watching me have to expose emotions that I usually keep hidden. And there was a horse with me in that scene, and I just remember looking at the horse, looking into their eyes and just thinking everything else just melted away.

00:06:49:16 - 00:07:08:23
Amber
There was no people there anymore. It was just me and that animal, and I was able to access all those emotions because I felt like I was in a comfortable place. I was with a creature that didn't judge me. That was just like, let it go, right? And I think that it would have been a very different situation for me if there weren't animals involved in that.

00:07:08:23 - 00:07:15:05
Kristen
Show to talk to us about. Any of your your roles outside of heartland that did not involve animals?

00:07:15:05 - 00:07:16:18
Amber
They weren't as much fun.

00:07:16:20 - 00:07:19:20
Kristen
Obviously. I guess that's the end of that. You answer the question. Yeah.

00:07:19:20 - 00:07:37:20
Amber
No. I think that animals, again are very much a part of my life and so is acting. And I've been able to combine the two for many years, which I'm very fortunate for. And some of the roles that I've been in have also involved animals. I did a show with a guide dog where I was training a guide dog.

00:07:37:20 - 00:08:04:07
Amber
So being able to have a golden retriever looking up and smiling at you every day is also just such a great thing. But you're right, there's a very different vibe on a set that has no animals. And what I would describe it as would be a little bit more frantic on edge people are a little bit more tense because I feel like you can't present those emotions when there's animals around because they go, what's going on?

00:08:04:07 - 00:08:27:06
Amber
And there's alarm bells going off, and they're saying, why is everybody yelling, why is it? And then they get stressed. So that's yeah. And so that's one of the most incredible things about heartland is you can always tell when there's a new member of the cast or crew, because their energy is different, and it quickly shifts when they realize that everybody else just has this calm demeanor, because that's what animals do to you.

00:08:27:06 - 00:08:50:10
Amber
And I've noticed that here in this very building, you know, there's there's a lot going on. And I feel like trade shows and different conferences can get very sales and pushy and things like that. I have not felt that here because I believe the animal presence and you walk into a booth and there's a dog or a cat or a bird or a lizard or whatever it might be, and you just you soften.

00:08:50:12 - 00:09:02:12
Amber
And I think that that's that's why I love animals so much is it doesn't matter your energy. Everybody is united by their demeanor. And I think that that's so cool.

00:09:02:14 - 00:09:21:03
Courtney
Yeah, I know, I mean I'm impacted every day by animals, as we discussed as a veterinary surgeon, you know, you they are the source of your, relaxation and competencies, unfortunately, can be the source of your anxiety and stress only because your goal is to help. And sometimes what you're.

00:09:21:03 - 00:09:23:11
Amber
Finding, especially with what you do, I can imagine.

00:09:23:16 - 00:09:42:24
Courtney
Right. And sometimes you find what you're doing is complicated and and that can be a source. Is there a favorite moment that you have, behind the scenes? And what I mean by that is animals for us in our lives are very much the highlight. Right? And, sometimes people aren't the best. Right? And they're not the band.

00:09:42:24 - 00:09:50:06
Courtney
The they're the low light. Right. And so is there a highlight that you have that's behind the scenes that particularly is with, with animals?

00:09:50:06 - 00:10:12:01
Amber
Oh my goodness. There's been so many over the years. And I think that there's there's moments in my life that animals have propelled me to a new understanding of myself. And I think that that's always important. We're continually growing and learning from our animals. And one thing that I feel, is that people always say, like, how do you stay grounded?

00:10:12:01 - 00:10:32:21
Amber
How do you stay connected to what you love? And not just kind of drift off into the clouds like it can happen in this industry and 100%, it's my animals, I have no doubt about that. I come home from work and I'm cleaning pens and I'm feeding, and I'm doing all the things that really make me feel like I'm I'm here for them.

00:10:32:23 - 00:10:50:17
Amber
And but just as much as they are there for me, you know, I get so much out of caring for my animals. And a lot of people also say like, oh, you must have staff that comes and looks after your animals when you're on set. And no, because I have them because they do so much for me. And so I want to be there for them.

00:10:50:17 - 00:11:16:23
Amber
And that in turn, is this connection that that's what I feed off of. That's what gives me just a sense of purpose and pride. And I sometimes we were talking to how you can get carried away and collect a whole menagerie of creatures, and then your list of duties goes a little too long. So that's been the hardest thing for me, is to balance and to be able to know that I can only take on what I can look after.

00:11:17:00 - 00:11:31:06
Amber
And so I also love just bringing in friends animals to that. They're like, I don't have a place for this horse right now, or I'm in between homes, or I'm like, bring it over, bring it over, because then I can still experience them and love them, but somebody temporarily.

00:11:31:06 - 00:11:31:14
Kristen
Looking.

00:11:31:14 - 00:11:48:16
Amber
After them. And yeah, it's not like a long term thing. So that's where foster is so important and things like that. For people who say, I really want to care for an animal, but I know that I'm only in this space for a year or whatever it might be. I'm like, foster, you know, you can get that experience, and then a lot of them just fall in love with them and adopt them anyway.

00:11:48:16 - 00:12:14:15
Amber
But you'll see. Yeah, I'm guilty as well. So, but I do I think that the moments that animals give us shape who we are. And talking about being on set, I think the most valuable moments for me are when I'm in a scene and it's scripted, that I must do something and I'm going through the motions, and that horse or that dog or whatever it might be, actually does.

00:12:14:15 - 00:12:41:07
Amber
What's scripted not because we told them to, but because what I'm giving them is naturally making that whole situation happen. And I think that's where the true magic is. And a lot of people that watch the show and that have horses, they say, wow, like that looks so real. That's so cool. And I was like, it was, you know, that joint moment that happened when I was driving that horse around the pen and then all of a sudden it turned in that looked at slips and it walked up to me, that's real.

00:12:41:07 - 00:12:55:11
Amber
There was not a trainer there calling it over and saying, okay, lick your lips now. And like and anyone who has that connection knows how powerful that is. And I think that that really on set, when that happens for me it's like it's just magic.

00:12:55:11 - 00:12:56:23
Kristen
It's like it's a partnership.

00:12:56:23 - 00:12:57:09
Amber
It is.

00:12:57:09 - 00:13:18:03
Kristen
Right. And one thing I wanted to go back to, we were talking about a minute ago about pairing your talent and your interests with your love for animals. We see a lot of that in the pet industry. You know, where people's love for animals leads them into a career where they they marry those two things together. You've grown up with the animals, and.

00:13:18:08 - 00:13:27:07
Kristen
But I'm curious to know if you did you know that you always wanted to have a career with animals, or did it just kind of happen?

00:13:27:09 - 00:13:44:05
Amber
I knew I always wanted to have a career with animals for sure, because they bring me such joy and everyone always says, you know, do what you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life. And that is so true for myself and I think many people in the pet industry, like you said it, animals drew them into the role they're in.

00:13:44:11 - 00:14:16:24
Amber
But I think the thing that's so remarkable, and I still look back and just am in awe of how this all came together, is that I loved acting, but I loved animals more, and I always thought that acting was going to be a hobby on the side. And then I would pursue a career with animals. Never in a million years did I dream that these two were just collide together and and also have the longevity that they have because a lot of of actors and, and people in the industry, you know, you're lucky if you get a series for 2 or 3 years, let alone, you know, a couple decades.

00:14:17:01 - 00:14:38:09
Amber
Yeah. So it's like for me, that's just remarkable. But I think to answer your question, when I was young, I wanted to be a veterinarian. And so that was my I was like, yes, I want to help animals. I want to be with animals. And that's, you know, when you're three years old, that's really the only animal career that pops into your mind because that's like, you know, that is the career.

00:14:38:15 - 00:14:59:11
Amber
So you're like, I want to help animals. I'm going to be a vet. And then, so my parents were really great at pushing me towards those goals. And they said, if you want to be a that, you got to start now. And I was ten years old and they're like, you need to go and you need to volunteer at the local animal shelter, and you need to go and work with horses and find out what kind of animals you want to help you, because it's like I was just like, oh, I hope all the animals.

00:14:59:11 - 00:15:31:00
Amber
But, and so I started doing those things. I started just volunteering at different centers and just getting all the hands on experience I could, working and helping animals in the way that I could. And then when I was 14 and it was time for me to go get a real job, get out, go get a real job, I was like, oh, be really cool to work in a vet clinic and understand, you know, exactly what I'm getting myself into, because I also thought, if I'm going to spend all this time in school and I'm going to pay a lot of money to to get there, is this what I really want to do?

00:15:31:02 - 00:15:50:00
Amber
And so I submitted my resume to every vet clinic in the city. And as a 14 year old girl, everybody said, no, I'm sorry. Like, I love your ambition, but you're too young. And so then my parents talked and I was devastated. I'm like, no, I'm never going to do it right. So then there was a vet clinic right beside my high school.

00:15:50:01 - 00:16:07:09
Amber
My parents said, why don't you go in and just ask if they need someone to just clean dog kennels after school? So I was like, okay, that's that's a good, good idea. So I go in and I said, I'd love to just volunteer here. I would love to. It's on my way home from school every day. Can I just come in and clean kennels and just I love animals, I just want to be a part of it.

00:16:07:11 - 00:16:30:24
Amber
And so of course they were like, sure, like, that sounds great. Nobody wants to come and clean poop every day. So that's where I started. I just would come after school, I would walk the dogs, I would clean kennels. And then I really made it my mission to prove that I was able to do this. So then I would pick, I would say, hey, would you like me to answer phones?

00:16:31:01 - 00:16:44:06
Amber
I'm like, well, I don't know, you're 14 years old and this is a vet clinic. And so I would start doing little things like that and I would, you know, hi, Stony Brook Animal Hospital, this is Amber. How can I help you and everyone like, she's really trying hard here.

00:16:44:08 - 00:16:46:02
Courtney
You got it? Yeah.

00:16:46:03 - 00:17:05:14
Amber
Can't say no. And so it was. It was one of those things that I just made it my purpose to be the best volunteer I could. And then within a few months, they said, okay, well, we'll hire you on and here are your jobs. I was there for five years, and over those those years, my jobs became, you know, a little bit more in depth.

00:17:05:14 - 00:17:28:18
Amber
And I was given more responsibility. And I think that just I really I like telling that story because it it shows people who have been let down or said, no, you can't do that. You're too young, you're too whatever it might be, and say, yeah, but don't take no for an answer. If this is something you really want to do, then be persistent and be the best at that job you can be.

00:17:28:20 - 00:17:29:11
Amber
Yeah.

00:17:29:13 - 00:17:33:17
Kristen
So, Amber, if this whole acting thing doesn't work out for you. Yeah. Courtney, you could hire.

00:17:33:17 - 00:17:34:10
Courtney
Her, right? Oh, yeah.

00:17:34:14 - 00:17:35:07
Amber
I'll volunteer.

00:17:35:07 - 00:18:02:22
Courtney
She's got the skill down. She's. It's still ingrained. She's. It just like automatic instinct. So it's clearly had a huge impact on you. The show animals in general. And then you mentioned the longevity piece. I think that's probably the most understated aspect of your entire career is just the longevity. Talk to us a little bit about what you've seen, the impact your show has had outside of you personally, outside of the the the set environment.

00:18:03:00 - 00:18:12:24
Courtney
Have you seen over the course of the two decades that the show has been in existence and you've been and luxuriating in this awesome career, have you seen it had an impact on the outside world?

00:18:12:24 - 00:18:36:13
Amber
100%. And it kind of gives me goosebumps just reflecting back on the numerous stories that people have told me, both in person and through letters and emails and such. But we all know that animals affect people in the most extraordinary ways, and I think those who don't have access to animals don't know what that feels like. Until that world is opened up.

00:18:36:15 - 00:19:00:00
Amber
And those are the stories that I love the most, are people who write to me and say, I've always loved horses, I've always loved animals, but I've never had the opportunity to be around them. And after watching heartland and seeing the magic and the way that horses just really open your eyes to so many things, they've since gone and started volunteering at horse or rescue centers.

00:19:00:00 - 00:19:19:12
Amber
They've started taking riding lessons and some remarkable stories. And one I'm going to include is my own grandmother. And at 80 years old, she'd never been around a horse before. She was watching heartland, and she's like, you know what? This is something I want to do before I die. This is on my bucket list. And so at 80 years old, she started taking riding lessons.

00:19:19:14 - 00:19:46:03
Amber
Very first time she's ever been on a horse, and she's now 93. And she comes out to my place in Alberta every year and we go for a ride. And I think that for me, that's a very special story, because not only is it someone who is very near and dear to me and I love her very much, but it's inspiring because there's so many people that are, you know, young adults that come to me like I didn't ride growing up, so I can't start now.

00:19:46:05 - 00:20:07:20
Amber
Like, well, are you 80? Because I can tell you. So I think that there's a lot of inspiring people in the pet world, but having a television show that has so much reach and shows people time after time what animals can do for the soul, and then being able to inspire them to go and find this for themselves.

00:20:08:00 - 00:20:31:06
Amber
I think that that's really what, you know, people say, I do this because and that's one of the things that really touches my heart is that not only is this a television show, not only is this just my job, but this is a way for me to bring animals to the world and to show how impactful they are on our lives and how there's just something they do for the soul that you can't explain until you're around them.

00:20:31:11 - 00:20:52:05
Kristen
Yeah, that's so true. I want to talk a little bit about, why you're here. Global Pet Expo I know you didn't make the travel, the trip just to be here on this site. Did. But just to remind our listeners at home, Global Pet Expo is where new pet products are launched before we see them in stores or online.

00:20:52:05 - 00:20:55:13
Kristen
So what are you up to here at the Global Pet Experience?

00:20:55:13 - 00:21:14:23
Amber
Something that, again, you know, being an animal lover and being able to make a difference in the animal community is is very important to me. And so I've partnered with Killarney and that we are coming out with this new innovative pet crate. And so I'm someone who I have dogs, I've taken my dogs almost all over the world.

00:21:15:03 - 00:21:33:00
Amber
I stay within North America usually, but travel and being in a safe space is really important for them. And I think having that place where they feel comfortable when they're in a new environment is really important. And so I've always crate trained my dogs and, you know, whether they they sleep in that crate, it doesn't matter as they grow up.

00:21:33:00 - 00:21:49:23
Amber
But I want to make sure that that's a space that they know is their, their comfort zone. Because no matter where in the world we are, they know if I go in there, I can go have a sleep and I it's it's the space I know. And so I also we talked a little bit about this, but I love colors and making things pretty.

00:21:49:23 - 00:22:10:00
Amber
And you don't just want a crate for your pet. You want something that you can look at and say, I love that color. Yeah, it makes me happy. And that was the first thing that really sold me on this. I was like, wow, you guys are coming out with something that's so fresh. And I think that in the pet world, there's so many things that we've seen year after year.

00:22:10:02 - 00:22:28:06
Amber
And so when we come to a place like this were inspired by the new innovative products, and there's so many things I've seen in the last couple days, being here going, wow, I never even knew that existed. And this is so helpful. And I think that's why we all come together to to learn what everybody else is, is inventing and creating.

00:22:28:08 - 00:22:36:22
Amber
And so yes, if you get a chance, check out the Killarney Pet Crates. And they're not for sale yet, so it's just a brand new.

00:22:36:24 - 00:22:48:22
Kristen
Brand new. Speaking of the colors, I saw your Instagram post. I saw a beautiful, like, green color and blue. So they are definitely eye catching and, you know, nothing like the traditional, you know, stainless one. I think we all.

00:22:49:01 - 00:23:09:15
Amber
We all have our own tastes. And you see it when you go into a pet store and you see all of the choices of pet leashes and collars and everybody's drawn to something else, right? So I think that that having the multiple color options is really cool because not everybody loves green, not everybody loves blue. It's just it's nice to be able to have that.

00:23:09:18 - 00:23:12:16
Amber
As of a reflection of you and your pet.

00:23:12:18 - 00:23:14:19
Kristen
Amber, do you have any idea when they'll be available.

00:23:14:19 - 00:23:15:22
Amber
In stores coming soon?

00:23:15:22 - 00:23:16:08
Kristen
Okay.

00:23:16:09 - 00:23:17:07
Amber
Yes, yes.

00:23:17:07 - 00:23:19:24
Kristen
And the name of the company for for folks is Killarney.

00:23:19:24 - 00:23:36:03
Amber
Yes. And so what I'll do is if anyone's following my social media, which is amber underscore Marshall underscore farm, I will put up a post about this and, I'll keep everybody kind of updated because as the details come, I'll be able to release them.

00:23:36:03 - 00:23:42:14
Courtney
That's fantastic. I mean, you did mention leashes and collars and things like that. Why crates? Why how to why that.

00:23:42:16 - 00:24:00:19
Amber
Everybody's doing leashes and collars. I think it's really important to have a base product that you feel confident about. And I would love to, to diversify and go into leashes and collars and toys and stuff in the future. But I think that this is something that really caught my interest because it's new. It's something that I was like, oh, that's different.

00:24:00:21 - 00:24:26:19
Amber
And I think that's what catches people's attention, too. If I was to come out with a pretty blue collar, that's great, but there's a lot of those out there. And so I think just having that uniqueness is something that I was really drawn to and having a product because like I said, I have I have large dogs. And so a lot of times if I'm going to somewhere on the beach or something where my dogs are to get soaking wet, I'll have a crate tied in my back on my truck.

00:24:26:19 - 00:24:36:21
Amber
I'll put my dogs in. I know they're safe there. They can dry off. And so having something that I know is safe and being able to have them with me, I think is was the most important thing for me.

00:24:36:22 - 00:24:56:02
Kristen
Oh for sure. Normally on our on our show, we always featured two products. So we've obviously just talked about the Killarney crate. I know you've been really busy at the show. But have you seen anything else that's caught your eye that you, you want to share with the audience or. Yeah, okay. For me, I usually don't get to walk the floor till the last day.

00:24:56:02 - 00:24:58:17
Kristen
Yes, but, But has anything caught your eye that.

00:24:58:18 - 00:25:17:19
Amber
Yeah, I think there's there's a lot of products that I haven't seen in stores before. So you always are. Anything that's new, that's different automatically catches your eye. So the first product that I was like, what is that was a large dog wash and dryer where you put your dog in, it washes your dog. It dries you dog.

00:25:17:19 - 00:25:19:19
Kristen
It was by itself, by yourself.

00:25:19:21 - 00:25:21:21
Amber
Yes. So I was like, I need a demo.

00:25:22:00 - 00:25:24:13
Courtney
There's nothing you have to put anything. That's nice.

00:25:24:15 - 00:25:39:19
Amber
So I was like, this is very interesting. So I had the full demo and I watched it and I the whole time I was thinking, I wish I had my dog here so I could try this out. You know, there's so many things that you're like, this is really cool. It's a great idea. How would my dog respond to this situation?

00:25:39:21 - 00:26:09:17
Amber
And so I think it's really great. There's been a lot of dog influence influencers running around. And it's again, we talk about how the tone changes when there's animals involved, but just seeing, you know, corgis dressed up with sunglasses and multicolored outfits and all of these dogs that are just taking part in what you would normally see humans doing is just something that it takes you away from the the sales attitude.

00:26:09:17 - 00:26:18:19
Amber
Right? It's just it's a lot of fun. And I think that it softens people and you can't help but smile when you see that you can't help be stressed when there's animals involved.

00:26:18:24 - 00:26:41:23
Courtney
Yeah. No doubt. I mean, I definitely smile. There's something unique that I smile about too, which is that the pet and vet world don't often talk to each other. Right? Is a massive veterinary industry and a massive veterinary conferences that I'm lucky enough to speak at. Quite a few of them. But then you come to a global pet expo and you don't necessarily see a veterinary in footprint.

00:26:41:23 - 00:27:07:13
Courtney
And so there's something I talk a lot about, which is novel career paths. Right. You said you wanted to be a veterinarian. And, everybody who's interested in animals, you don't have to become a veterinarian. Right. So can you talk to us a little bit about sort of the welfare aspect of animals on the set and, either a veterinarian's role on the set or people who are in careers, animal health careers and how they may work in the Hollywood industry.

00:27:07:18 - 00:27:33:24
Amber
Yeah. No. And that's a really good topic to bring up to, because obviously, especially now more than ever, I feel like everyone's very conscious of animal welfare. Whereas many years ago I couldn't have been in the film industry, you know, 30, 40 years ago because animal welfare was not even on the radar. And I think that now I'm proud to be in an industry where we respect animals as much as we do the actors on set.

00:27:33:24 - 00:27:53:01
Amber
You know, when you talk about working with kids and animals, well, it's very similar how they're treated on set because we have to protect them, not only because it's our duty, but also because they're not going to work if they don't feel safe, if they don't feel comfortable. And so for us, like on the show, there's young children.

00:27:53:03 - 00:28:14:13
Amber
We treat them the same as we treat the animals because we want them to have fun. We don't want them to come to a place where they're scared or they feel uncomfortable or any of those things because we're not going to get the best performance out of them. And so it is a really unique situation to be able to work with kids and animals at the same time, because their energy is very paralleled as well.

00:28:14:13 - 00:28:51:20
Amber
Right. And it's it's a I talked about the, general kind of consensus on set is that everybody has to be calm. Everybody. There's nobody yelling, there's no frantic energy. Because soon as you start with that, the animals are upset, the kids are upset, the humans, the grown ups are upset. So I think that for us, having a a veterinary presence, any time that there's something, if we have to lay a horse down, if we have to do something that we're concerned about, you know, just the the well-being of the horse, we'll always have a veterinarian there just to monitor everything.

00:28:51:22 - 00:29:09:24
Amber
But for the most part, we're working with these horses on a daily basis. And we have been working with the same horses year after year after year. So we know them, we understand them, and the horses get to a point where they know their job to a tee. In fact, we all have marks where we stand. You know, there's a mark on the ground, the horses know their marks.

00:29:09:24 - 00:29:25:02
Amber
And I'm not just saying that they will. They will walk up to their mark and they'll stand on it and they'll say, okay, this is where I get to relax, right? Like this is my comfort zone. And they get so used to the crew and the cameras and the lights and everything else that they just feel like this is my role.

00:29:25:02 - 00:29:48:12
Amber
This is where I get to just hang out. And it's funny because, the horse who played Spartan for many, many years, who was my character's main horse on the show, he's since retired because he grew up. He was five years old when the show started. Well, now he's in his 20s, and we recognized a couple years ago that he was starting to get a little bit cranky, like some old men do.

00:29:48:14 - 00:30:09:00
Amber
And he said, you know, I've been doing this role for a long time, and he was always the most gentle, sweet, wonderful guy. And he loved attention. He loved pets. And near the end, he would kind of like pincers a little bit once in a while. And I said, okay, guys, he's done. And I didn't want to take it to the point where he got so cranky that he would bite someone or kick someone or something, right?

00:30:09:00 - 00:30:31:09
Amber
I was like, he's showing us these subtleties. We need to recognize them and respect them. And so he's now got the best life ever. He lives with one of the wranglers who's retired as well. So they retired together. And, he's just spoiled. So I think that it's it's also really important for us no matter what our industry, is, to recognize the cues of the animals around us because they tell us.

00:30:31:11 - 00:30:52:02
Amber
And so to be able to say, okay, this is enough's enough, or this isn't the right role for this animal. And that's not just talking about the film industry, but, you know, whatever it might be. We see some incredible service dogs and animal influencers and all of these wonderful creatures around here. And I think that we can recognize when they're enjoying what they're doing and when they're not.

00:30:52:02 - 00:31:01:23
Amber
And I think it's up to us to say, okay, it's it's time to let them kind of just retire or they're having a great time. And this is exactly where they're supposed to be.

00:31:01:23 - 00:31:11:18
Kristen
Yeah. Great point. I do want to talk a little bit about your advocacy work. I, I read that you're doing some work with the Canadian Animal Assistance team. What is that about?

00:31:11:18 - 00:31:26:19
Amber
So we go in to remote locations and spay and neuter animals that don't have access to veterinary care. And so there's a lot of areas, and people always say, oh, you know, the the dog population is out of control. There's all these stray dogs and they go in and they collect them and, and try to adopt them out.

00:31:26:19 - 00:31:50:21
Amber
And I love that. That's great. But why not start at the root of the cause? The reason there's so many animals and homeless critters running around is because they don't have the access to proper veterinary care. So I love Canadian Animal Assistance Team because they go right to the root of the cause. They go into these communities and they say, we're going to spay and neuter all the animals in the area, as many as we can.

00:31:50:23 - 00:32:00:17
Amber
And and then there's not all the homeless animals that are running around because those animals have been the problem is, is kind of nipped right at the source.

00:32:00:17 - 00:32:01:00
Kristen
Exactly.

00:32:01:03 - 00:32:19:08
Courtney
I think it's so important to emphasize that these are well oiled machine operations. Right. And these animals, although it's a high volume, they're still getting high quality care in terms of pain management, antibiotics, meticulous surgical technique and things like that. Is there a number that pops in your head as to the most you guys have done in a day?

00:32:19:08 - 00:32:23:14
Courtney
Not that it's about numbers necessarily, but you know, sometimes you keep a running tally in the you.

00:32:23:15 - 00:32:27:11
Amber
Did over 100 in 2 days.

00:32:27:11 - 00:32:28:06
Courtney
103.

00:32:28:06 - 00:32:28:24
Amber
Days.

00:32:29:01 - 00:32:29:07
Courtney
Wow.

00:32:29:07 - 00:32:58:00
Amber
Get my numbers correct. And I know it was because that's incredible. One of the dogs I have, she was 101, and, she came in and with this, this organization doesn't adopt out dogs. And so but there was something she was a stray and this pop. And I just remember saying, hold off like, don't don't spay her yet because if I spayed or I wouldn't be able to take her with me and and we went and we got written consent from the community that I could take this dog home.

00:32:58:00 - 00:33:19:05
Amber
And so I adopted it. She was 101. So, so I know that those numbers, which, is kind of cool, but also just to be able to offer veterinary care like it's not some people of the community bring their animals in that might already be spayed and neutered, and they just want deworming and vaccinations and things that they don't have the ability to get.

00:33:19:11 - 00:33:25:14
Amber
And so I think that's really important to to help in a community where they don't have access to proper veterinary care.

00:33:25:16 - 00:33:38:15
Kristen
Amr, we have so many more questions for you, but I know that you have other things you have to do today. So, I don't know, maybe we we end up with, you know, for heartland fans, is there anything you can add a sneak peeks or anything you can talk about the future.

00:33:38:15 - 00:33:40:07
Courtney
Where do you see Harlan in the future?

00:33:40:07 - 00:34:06:21
Amber
It's crazy because I'm from Canada, and so we have a different broadcast schedule than everywhere else in the world. So I don't know exactly the release dates and everything that's happening in the US. So the best thing again, social media, there's lots of information online. But I just I love one of the things I'm going to end with is that heartland, you know, a family show that's filmed in Alberta, Canada, and it has touched so many people around the world.

00:34:06:21 - 00:34:31:08
Amber
We're in over 120 countries. Wow. And to be able to think that this little Canadian show that's about horses and animals and a ranch has touched so many lives to the point where people have traveled from all over the world just to come out and experience our area. And, and I think that, again, we talk about how connecting people with animals betters their life.

00:34:31:08 - 00:34:46:14
Amber
It's enrichment for both the animals and the people. And heartland has been able to do that for so many people around the world. And I do believe that's why they resonate with it is because it is. There's something about that connection that nobody can deny.

00:34:46:17 - 00:35:15:00
Kristen
Well, and and you're such an authentic example on the show. I mean, you, you know, you were living the ranch life yourself, and you just exude your love and passion for animals. And you're you're a great example of not only someone who has taken their talent and their love and paired it together for a career, but also, just like you talked about all the ways that you've inspired others to, you know, to get into horsemanship or, you know, to explore things with animals that they wouldn't have otherwise done.

00:35:15:00 - 00:35:18:08
Kristen
So. So yeah, that's really cool. That's really cool.

00:35:18:09 - 00:35:32:19
Courtney
It is really cool. I mean, the just the, the depth and like, you said, the authenticity and just the fact that you can integrate who you are in the show and where the the person, the actor and the show become one that's so rare, that's so rare, super cool.

00:35:32:19 - 00:35:47:23
Kristen
Amber, we we thank you so much for taking your time to be with us today. This has been a very special episode of the Pets Add Life podcast, our first real world celebrity. And and maybe we get to track more celebrities now that you know right now.

00:35:48:00 - 00:35:52:20
Courtney
Just like she just broke the dam down and they're all putting it now, right?

00:35:52:22 - 00:36:07:23
Kristen
Yeah. So be sure to make sure if you're listening on the podcast, make sure you check out the Pets Add Life YouTube channel so you can actually see us all, get to know us better on video. And, Amber, thanks again for your time and enjoy the rest of the Global Pet Expo.

00:36:07:23 - 00:36:12:19
Amber
Thank you, I will, I have been and I have lots more to check out today, so I appreciate it.

00:36:12:21 - 00:36:22:15
Kristen
All right, Chris, you missed a great show. But Chris will be back with us when his real job ends here at the Global Pet Expo. Thanks so much for listening or watching. Pets are life.

00:36:22:17 - 00:36:34:05
Voice Over
Pets add life. Your guide to the latest in pet trends, products, and the joy of the human animal bond with Kristen Levine and Chris Bonifati. Powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.