Host: Lauren Corman, Rob Moore Offered: Weekly Listen To These Podcasts

Subscribe to this: (Click the above links to open this Podcast in the listed podcast sites.)

Average Rating: 3.5  Based on 2 ratings Click Stars to Rate: Review this title

Animal Voices Podcast by Lauren Corman

Steven passed away in 1997 but his words remain the foundation for why Animal Voices exists today.

About Podcasting:
For those of you new to podcasting, Click Here to read our "Introduction to Podcasting" Article.

Write a Review of Animal Voices Podcast

J.E., February 17, 2006
Reviewer: J.E. from Chicago, Illinois

The Animal Voices podcast keeps listeners informed of the latest happenings in the world of animal rights advocacy. The show usually starts off with a brief reading of animal rights news, and then moves on to an interview with someone involved with the cause.

I like animals well enough and I am interested in seeing them receive fair and humane treatment, but I don't consider myself an activist. So some of these topics were a bit "out there" for me. For example, one show included a discussion with someone from an organization that is fighting to grant great apes some of the same basic legal protection currently reserved only for humans.

On the whole, though, I think this podcast has a great purpose, so I'm willing to listen again. If you feel strongly about animal rights, you will definitely want to subscribe to this one.

Podcast Feed URL:

(Copy the above URL into your Podcast Application. Click Here to learn more.)

Hey, Sweetness!: Confessions of a Fair Trade Chocolatier

animalvoices@gmail.com (Animal Voices)
Tue, Feb 10, 2009

Photos of Siue Moffat and truffles by Michele Poirer

If you don't live in Toronto, prepare to be very jealous. In this interview we speak with Siue Moffat, of Lickin' the Beaters fame, who is an independent, vegan, socially and environmentally conscious chocolatier. Currently, Moffat lovingly handcrafts sixteen mind-blowing (taste-bud blowing?) truffle flavours to delight the palate as well as the eyes. From Dark Chipotle, Lemon Anise, Key Lime Marshmallow, Coffee Cinnamon Banana, Chocolate Mint, Banana Split, Solid Raspberry, and many more, Moffat combines the finest fair trade and organic ingredients to create a truly decadent experience. While the flavours range from comforting (e.g., Hazelnut or Mug of Cocoa) to playful and unexpected (e.g., Lavender Chestnut or Lemongrass Ginger), attention to detail remains a common feature to all of Siue's creations. Moffat, along with Ben Hackman from Toronto's Global Aware, join us in studio to sample some truffles, discuss the politics of fair trade, and talk shop about the finicky side of chocolatiering.

Moffat's chocolates are currently available at Panacea, Global Aware, and Trash Palace. Her new book, Lickin' the Beaters 2: Vegan Chocolate and Candy, will be published shortly!

News links:

• Lack of oxygen killed stingrays, Calgary Zoo admits
• Drug Made In Milk of Altered Goats Is Approved

Tags: Cooking | Veg Businesses

Spain has quickly become a hotbed of animal rights activism, and Igualdad Animal / Animal Equality continues to be at the helm of its most radical, creative, and effective actions. This highly organized anti-speciesist and abolitionist group holds numerous actions each week to raise awareness about slaughterhouses, fur farming, bull fighting, and a host of other contentious animal practices. In this conversation, Sharon Núñez reflects on the growth of the provocative group, its often unconventional tactics (such as open rescues), the impact of knowing liberated animals, and more.

News links:

• Dairy cows head for slaughter as milk prices sour
• Quebec's government set to strengthen measures to prevent pet cruelty

Tags: Direct action

Photo from HSUS

Join us for interviews with Mónica Pineda president of GEPDA (Genta por la Defensa Animal / People for Animal Defense), and social justice activist, animal activist, and Nahuatl (Aztec) Indian, Gerardo Tristan Alvarado. First, we connect with Pineda, who describes efforts to control dog overpopulation throughout Mexico. We hear about the authorities' approach to animal control, and GEPDA's educational outreach efforts in urban and rural areas. Pineda also explains some of the key issues that have led to the widespread overpopulation problem.

Photo from Abolitionist Online

Then, Tristan Alvarado discusses "Bio-Justice / Bio-Justicia 2009," the upcoming gathering in Monterrey, Mexico, which will draw together people interested in food sovereignty. Taking a holistic approach to vegetarian advocacy, he argues for local-based initiatives that are directly partnered with the communities they serve. He hopes to collaborate with people inside and outside of Mexico. Please contact him at biojusticia@hotmail.com.

Gerardo Tristan Alvarado is a proud member of the New Tallahassee (Tallahassee Wakokiye) ceremonial grounds in Eastern Oklahoma where he touches sacred medicine.

News links:

• Police bust cockfighting ring north of Toronto; 70 people charged
• Get Lucy out of Edmonton, says Bob Barker
• Experts not surprised by chimp's vicious attack

Tags: Companion Animals | Nutrition

Photo from Smallman Records

Supporting Caste, the newest offering from Winnipeg's Propagandhi has the kind of heart that makes you want to laugh, sob, raise your fist, and dissolve into a puddle of punk rock gratitude. Sprinkling their lyrics with characteristic irony and sarcastic political critiques, the searing honesty and blunt vulnerability of the band nonetheless cuts through as clearly as their fast and intricate riffs. In this interview, Chris Hannah (guitarist and a lead vocalist for the band) discusses the inspiration for the album, including some of its most controversial songs, such as one track that (tongue firmly planted in cheek) turns a "humane meat" advocate into a decadent dinner. Deeply self-reflexive but never narcissistic, Propagandhi makes music that is best listened to on repeat.

News links:

• Row over UN's call for increased fish farming

Tags: Arts & Music

Board games by candlelight... shadowy city skylines... Images of Earth Hour flicker across the mainstream and alternative media. As debates continue about the practical and symbolic impact of the action, the Toronto Vegetarian Society (TVA) suggests that we move "Beyond Earth Hour." This perennial gathering promotes a long-term and everyday strategy to help decrease the effects of global warming. Mishka Alarcon explains why the TVA calls vegetarianism "green eating."

Then, in our feature interview, Sheryl Fink, the Senior Research and Projects Specialist for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), shares her extensive expertise of Canada's commercial seal hunt. Specifically, Fink illuminates the current political initiatives, including the proposed European ban on seal hunt products and Senator Mac Harb's Bill S-229 (aka the "Harb Seal Bill"). She also delves into the scientific studies about the hunt, and explores some of the most controversial aspects of the slaughter. This interview offers an excellent primer on the major issues surrounding the hunt, and an exceptionally-researched perspective from someone who's studied the issues since 1994.

Tags: Climate Change | Hunting | Seals

© iStockphoto.com / Stephen Uber

At first glance, that decadent dairy-free brownie may seem like any other dessert, but in the hands of a savvy vegan advocate, that sweet treat can transform into a powerful tool for social and environmental change. As many vegans know, tasty animal-free foods shared at a potluck or offered as a gift can open dialogues and challenge stereotypes in ways that even some of the most compelling arguments cannot. Enter the remarkable VegFund, an organization that provides money to activists who are interested in providing vegan food at non-veg local events. In this interview, Rae Sikora explains why the free food plus educational literature make such a great pair, and how you can start accessing the fund in your area.

In our feature interview, Angie Rupra (M.S.W., R.S.W), shares her insights into animal companion loss. Struck by a dearth of resources when her dog and best friend, Montey, passed away in 2004, Rupra began volunteering with the Halton/Peel Pet Loss Support Group and studying companion animal loss in earnest. Now, as the Pet Loss Program Coordinator with the Pet Vet Hospitals, Rupra continues to help those grieving the death of an animal. If you've ever struggled with the loss of an animal, or know someone who has, please tune in to hear some compassionate advice about ways you can help yourself and others.

Please note that the Pet Loss Program services are offered at no cost, with the exception of long-term counselling (considered more than 2 face-to-face sessions). People from anywhere can call as Rupra does telephone and email support. You can either call or write: 1-866-226-8079, ext. 55 / angie.rupra [at] petvethospitals.ca.

Angie draws on anti-oppressive and critical approaches to social work. She completed her Bachelor of Social Work at Ryerson University, Masters of Social Work with York University, and Bereavement Education Certificate Program with Toronto Advanced Professional Education.

Tags: Companion Animals

© iStockphoto.com / Viorika Prikhodko

A huge thank you to everyone who took us up on our offer of "$25 for your very own radio show" during the Spring "Friends of 89.5" fundraising drive.

As many of you know, our station CIUT 89.5 FM requires each radio show to bring in ten new/renewing members per hour of programming. (And if we don't, says Karol [our trusty tech], then "Kablammo, right in the kisser!" which translates to, we might lose our show if we don't fulfill our quota.) Despite these recession and hand-wringing times, Animal Voices' generous listeners once again helped the show meet its quota. Your $25 donations keep Animal Voices on the air, and that's a pretty good deal, we think.

This community radio show is an all-volunteer labour of love. We maintain our commitment to bridging animal advocacy with other social and environmental justice movements. Animal Voices is the only animal activism show in Toronto, and one of the rare few to offer this consistently intersectional approach. Thank you for letting us keep doing what we do: highlighting the smart, passionate, and creative voices of those who struggle every day to help animals!

Tags: Clip Shows

Where do you find recipes for joy, empowerment, and celebration? Eco-chef, Bryant Terry, passionately points the way with Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African American Cuisine. In this interview, Terry digs into soul food's green past and explains why healthy grub is the essential antidote to today's "food deserts." From the Black Panthers' "Free Breakfast for Children" program, to the creation of b'healthy (Build Healthy Eating and Lifestyles to Help Youth), to the simple pleasures of a well-seasoned watermelon, Terry shows that eating well not only strengthens one's body, but also one's community. Tune in to get an aural sip of the Cali-inspired Slurricane (an homage to New Orleans), a nibble of Sweet Cornmeal-Coconut Butter Drop Biscuits, and a bite of the philosophy that inspires this dedicated food justice activist.

News links:

• No apologies over Labrador caribou slaughter: Quebec Innu chief
• Birds Can 'read' Human Gaze
• Hog farm hopes bigger gets better

Tags: Cooking | Nutrition

Mark Middleton, creator of Animal Visuals: Visual Resources for Animal Advocates, wants us to shift our perspective... literally. In his Virtual Battery Cage infographic, Middleton provides an immersive first person environment that attempts to give the user a visual and audio experience of a typical "battery hen," an egg-laying chicken who spends most of her life cramped within a cage. In this interview, we explore the motivation behind Middleton's striking infographic, weigh into the politics of representation, and examine this innovative contribution to animal activism.

News links:

• Wildlife in peril as Galapagos volcano erupts
• Humane Society blasts squirrel slaughter
• Abandoned Easter bunnies find sanctuary
• Canadian tax dollars fund mass slaughter of marine mammals

Tags: Arts & Music

In this interview, Will Potter, award-winning independent journalist and creator of GreenIsTheNewRed.com, demystifies the AETA (Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act) and discusses the implications of the act for advocates. Potter argues that the AETA is a significant threat not only to those who engage in illegal activities on behalf of animals, but also to aboveground activists and even to those outside of the movement. Tune in to hear about the meaning and troubling history of the law, its larger social and political context, and its particular effects on incarcerated activists.

News links:

• Holista: Stop Producing and Selling Shark Cartilage
• P.E.I. environment minister reminisces about blowing up beaver dams
• Malia and Sasha Obama Urged to Join Veggie Campaign

Tags: Law | Politics

At first glance, for many, New York City's horse-drawn carriage industry might seem pretty benign, even romantic and quaint. However, like most animal industries, there is much that is disguised, distorted, and hidden from public view. In the documentary Blinders: The Truth Behind the Tradition, filmmaker Donny Moss gives the viewer an intimate — and frequently startling — picture of the horses who not only labour in poor conditions, but who also find scant comfort in their resting stalls. Despite their years toiling in dangerous streets or standing in cramped and barren housing, most horses do not retire to sanctuary at the end of their thankless working lives, but instead are shipped to slaughter. In this interview, Moss talks about what surprised him most about the industry, and why he believes that a ban is the only way to really help the horses.

News links:

• Dolphin hunt movie wins Hot Docs audience award
• U.S. polar bear decisions frustrate Nunavut Inuit group
• 2 in Wayne County charged with stealing, killing, eating calf

Tags: Horses

Photo from Wikimedia Commons by Superbass

The ubiquity of cockfighting is shocking. Even in places such as the United States where the practice is illegal, underground fighting continues to be a lucrative (and inherently cruel) industry. Before a fight, roosters (or gamecocks) have their spurs cut off without anaesthetic, and metal or plastic razor-sharp blades (known as gaffs) are attached to their legs. Sometimes their beaks are sharpened. In the cockfighting pit, a pair of birds are provoked and pitted against each other. Trained to be violently aggressive, the roosters may be further stimulated with drugs, such as methamphetamine. The battles involve intense injuries and bloodshed, which cause incredible pain for the birds, and often result in at least one death.

In this interview, we hear two different perspectives on cockfighting, one from the United States and one from Puerto Rico, where the practice remains legal but enmeshed in criminal activity. Tune in to hear about the relationship between cockfighting and crime, more about the activity, arguments by proponents and opponents, and how positive change is happening.

Dana Campbell is a lawyer with the national nonprofit organization, Animal Legal Defense Fund. She also started her own animal law practice in Rochester New York. She teaches Animal Law as an adjunct professor at Cornell Law School in Ithaca New York. Leisha Swayne is the Vice President of the Humane Society of Puerto Rico, and an Animal Cruelty Investigations Consultant for the AdopciónMascotas.com. She is also a member member of the Animal Rights Commission of the Bar Association.

Tags: Animals in Entertainment

Toronto listeners will likely be aware of the recent Globe and Mail's shocking investigation of the Toronto Humane Society (THS), Canada's largest animal shelter. The allegations are serious and damning, including claims that animals languish in filthy conditions, as others are left to slowly die without proper veterinary care, while still others are adopted out with undisclosed pre-existing health conditions. Needless to say, the Globe article sparked huge public outcry.

As those who work in animal shelters can attest, the labour is demanding and an ideal care environment can be difficult to achieve. Many feel that the THS has not met the challenges well, arguing that animals continue to suffer unnecessarily under the organization's watch. After the Ontario Society for the Protection of Animals (OSPCA) stepped in to begin their own comprehensive investigation, the THS quickly declared itself vindicated by the organization's initial search, contrary to the opinion of the OSPCA. In this interview, Kristin Williams, spokesperson for the OSPCA, discusses the frictional relationship between the OSPCA and the THS, the phases of the investigation, and potential legal ramifications. Williams also weighs in on some of the sticky issues, such as euthanasia and pet overpopulation, that the THS controversy has undeniably pushed into the foreground.

News links:

• Roo meat sales have vegetarians seeing red
• Taiwan to enact world's strictest law on veggie food labeling
• Improve image to fight activists, speaker says
• Animal experiments could end in a generation

Tags: Companion Animals

Original air date: May 20, 2008

Ever considered becoming a vet? If so, you may encounter some unexpected ethical dilemmas in your training. In this engaging interview, Dr. Erika Sullivan provides an intimate portrait of her veterinary school experience. An award-winning graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, Sullivan is concerned that many students still choose to practice surgical techniques on live animals. The animals are transported to the college, kept in the students' care, later anesthetized, operated upon, and then killed. Where do the animals come from, and why are healthy animals being "euthanized"? Given that an alternative stream exists, why do the majority of students opt for the regular program? Which program provides the better learning experience? Dr. Sullivan answers these and other questions as we don our scrubs and tour the veterinary classroom. Invaluable to both potential students and the general public, Sullivan's perspective is informed as much by science as compassion.

News links:

• Cock-fight thriving in Aizawl
• Farmed Fish May Pose Risk For Mad Cow Disease
• Black dog, hard sell
• Rockville lab cited for animal violations

Tags: Animal Experimentation | Companion Animals | Dissection

Tofu Benny and photo by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Isa Chandra Moskowitz' new book, Vegan Brunch: Homestyle Recipes Worth Waking Up For— from Asparagus Omelets to Pumpkin Pancakes, makes getting up in the morning a whole lot easier (especially if you're a not a morning person, like yours truly). It also makes spoiling your friends easier, and Sunday mornings (or heck, any morning) a little more leisurely and decadent. Imagine breakfast in bed, with a plate of Chocolate Beer Waffles or Lemon Cashew-Stuffed Crepes with Whole Berry Sauce. Imagine rounds of Pink Grapefruit Mimosas, or Mango Lassis, for a group of your favourite out-of-town buddies. Or, say you've been missing the eggyness of eggs, or the sausageyness of sausages, you'll find ample satisfying vegan translations, such as Cherry Sage Sausages and Tofu Benny. In this interview, Moskowitz dishes on her favourite meal of the day and the creation of the book (and her famed recipes). She also fields a number of listeners' burning brunch-related questions. You might want to eat before you listen to this show, or at least have something tasty to snack on.

News links:

• Toronto Zoo elephant dies after push to ground by one of her own
• Tel Aviv vegan bar bans Israeli soldiers, settlement products
• Animal rights group rallies for Lucy the elephant
• Animal Rights Activists Protest Shark Tournament

Tags: Cooking

"Why love one but eat the other?" is the provocative slogan of the recent campaign launched by concerned citizens of Toronto and the U.S.-based animal advocacy organization, Mercy for Animals. This ambitious initiative, running June 9th to August 15th, involves a series of visually-striking subway posters that centrally juxtapose images of animals typically considered pets in North America against images of animals raised for food. Accompanying these images, text provides stereotype-busting information about "farm animals". Additional images and commentary highlight contemporary factory farm conditions and animal treatment within the industrial food system. In this program, Kimberly Carroll, a key organizer of the campaign, shares her thoughts on these highly-viewed public education materials, including people's reactions to the posters and a few background stories about the animals featured in the heart-rending pictures.

News links:

• Questions mount over Jackson animal kingdom
• For some local Jews, kosher isn't enough: Ethics of food production is key part of 'ethical kashrut.'
• Sea Shepherd captain arrested in Portugal
• Harp seal heart valves being tested for human use

Tags: Companion Animals | Farmed Animals

Mary Martin knows that if you want to get to the heart of human-animal relationships, you have to think critically about the language that's used to describe those relationships. Through her stellar Animal Person blog, she gives readers a daily dose of news and analysis, as well as regular explorations of common words used in animal advocacy. Visitors to her site are guaranteed to find thought-provoking material presented with clarity and conviction.

In this interview, Martin discusses her love of animals and her love of language, and how she sees the two converging. Martin also discusses Project Treadstone, the program she started in her local community to trap, sterilize, release and treat feral cats. Through her blog and her activism, she's seen first hand how discourse and language affects our relationship with animals, whether they are the animals we read about in the newspaper, or the stray cats we see on the street.

News links:

• Turkey plant worker sentenced for animal cruelty
• Vancouver Humane Society sets sights on Stampede for calf roping protest
• Namibian animal rights activists bid to stop seal slaughter
• Oppose Puerto Rico's plan for a massive primate breeding facility

© iStockphoto.com / Timothy Babasade

For some, the image of a mangled pig fetus or an cut up frog on the Biology room table remains a painful and disturbing memory. While the number of animals involved in dissection might seem relatively small compared to other uses, Jan Oakley argues that not only are staggering numbers killed every year, but also that the ecological consequences of such "procurement" are severe.

In this interview, we connect with doctoral candidate, Jan Oakley, to discuss her research on dissection. We cover scientific understandings, industry economics, controversial student cases, silenced voices, rigorous alternatives, and why the issue deserves much more attention than it receives.

News links:

• Bulls gore 4 runners in Spain
• 4th animal dies at Stampede
• Chicken farmers feel threatened by Oklahoma suit
• Men accused of dragging "stubborn" bull behind car

Tags: Dissection | Youth

When disaster strikes, news reports come fast and furious with constant updates and around the clock coverage. However, the coverage of earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods is almost always human-focused; where animals are concerned, the media often has little to say, especially if those animals were to become food or be used as research subjects. In this interview Dr. Leslie Irvine explains how some animals are deemed more worthy of coverage than others, and how an animal's sociological status affects how they are - or are not - protected when disasters occur. Covering both "natural" and "human-made" disasters, Dr. Irvine discusses the current state of animal protection in times of crisis, and gives practical suggestions for how the plight of animals can be ameliorated in the future.

Leslie Irvine is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She received her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Her research focuses on the role of animals in society. She has studied animal sheltering, human-animal relationships, and most recently, animals in disasters. Her book, titled Filling the Ark: Animal Welfare in Disasters, urges us to rethink our use of animals that put them in harm’s way. She is also the author of If You Tame Me: Understanding Our Connection with Animals, and numerous articles on our relationships with other species.

• Media coalition members against ban on media depictions of animal cruelty
• 2 men who filmed Namibia seal hunt convicted
• Animal campaigners call on Kingston council to ban goldfish fair prizes

Tags: Animal Rescues | Companion Animals | Farmed Animals

Food movements have been gaining serious momentum lately. The meanings of "just", "ethical," and "sustainable" food are all contentious. Biotechnology, organics, "free range" meat, vegetarianism and localism are but a handful of issues currently marinating in the proverbial stew. Historian James E. McWilliams, author of Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly, specifically cautions us against diving too eagerly into that bowl of current popular assumptions espoused by local food proponents. With a respectful nod to the locavore movement, and the many excellent points it raises, McWilliams reevaluates the logic of food miles as the sole criteria for ethical eating. Instead, the lauded scholar underscores the importance of life cycle analyses, and points to issues such as scale as key factors to consider by consumers. Further, McWilliams demonstrates why vegetarian food offers the greatest ecological benefits.

Tags: Farmed Animals | History

Dr. Barbara Smuts, professor of Biopsychology at the University of Michigan, knows she isn't a rock, which is actually very useful information when studying animals. Similarly, for example, baboons are also aware that the scientist sitting nearby is not an inanimate lump. As Smuts discovered, once this mutual acknowledgement has happened, a whole world of possibilities begins to unfold: Suddenly greetings and etiquette and the potential of understanding social relations from a closer, less detached position emerges.

In this interview, Smuts introduces us to her embodied and embedded approach to research. Such an orientation includes paying attention to research results that are often dismissed as mere "noise." Through highly detailed and rigorous methods, such as frame by frame analysis of dogs' play behavior, Smuts discovers worlds of emotional, psychological, and social richness too often denied to exist within animal societies. As she explains, her work draws on "evolutionary theory, studies of complex systems, and developmental research to examine the dynamics and functions of long-term social relationships."

Photo © Toronto Vegetarian Association

On this special episode of Animal Voices, we speak with Mishka Alarcon — lead organizer of the Annual Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair — and Sarah Kramer — cookbook author extraordinaire — about the passing of some incredible milestones. Both guests give us great insight into how their projects and their activism has grown over the decades.

First, we catch up with the whirlwind herself, Sarah Kramer, who gives us the scoop on the 10th anniversary edition of How It All Vegan. She tells us about the book's humble beginnings as a cookzine sold at Vancouver area punk rock shows, and its steady rise to becoming one of the most popular vegan cookbooks ever. Then, we speak with Mishka Alarcon, who tells us all about the (now passed) 25th anniversary of the Veg Food Fair, discussing its founding as an informational fair and its exponential growth, as well as giving us a sneak preview of what's in store for those attending this year.

Tags: Cooking

There is perhaps no "bug" as feared — and misunderstood — as the scorpion. Though scorpions are relatively harmless and non-confrontational creatures, they face a surprising amount of persecution and are maligned for many ill-informed reasons. Scorpion conservationist Matt Ellerbeck gives us a different view, appreciating the scorpions in their own right and debunking the myriad myths that surround them. We discuss some of the more bizarre ways that scorpions are exploited (from being bred to appear in film, or being pickled in liquour) as well as some of the larger implications of scorpion exploitation for ecosystems as a whole.

Matt Ellerbeck is a scorpion conservationist, conservation educator, and arachnoculturist who has given numerous educational presentations on animal conservation throughout the Kingston, Ontario area. Some highlights include presentations for the Kingston Field Naturalists, the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, St. Lawrence Islands National Park, and Environmental Education students at Queen's University. He has also written several articles on scorpions which have been published in numerous environmental and conservation-related publications. He is a member of Creatures 101, a group that specializes in giving both educational and informative presentations on animal conservation.

News links:

• No more examinations for Lucy the elephant, city says
• China unveils first ever animal cruelty legislation
• Belgian farmers dump milk in massive protest

Beneath the finely constructed facades of an urban centre such as Toronto, there is a different city that teems and struggles to make its way. Though we're probably all familiar with the cats that live in our homes or neighbourhoods, we might not know so much about the other world of cats that exists in the shadowy places outside of our regular view. Join us for an interview with Cat City director Justine Pimlott as she discusses her new documentary about cat overpopulation in Toronto. We'll explore the causes and effects of cat overpopulation, from feral cat trapping and steralization to the ever-difficult subject of euthanasia.

Justine Pimlott is one half of Red Queen Productions and an award-winning filmmaker who learned the art of documentary as an apprentice at the groundbreaking Studio D at the National Film Board of Canada. Her documentary Cat City will air nationally in Canada on Global TV.

News links:

• Kentucky loses world championship of coon hunting
• Massachusetts company fattens up monkeys for science

Tags: Companion Animals

This week, Animal Voices takes the show on the road to bring you a behind-the-scenes audio journey into the Peace Day celebrations at the Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary, sponsored by the Jane Goodall Institute. We get a rare listen into the sounds of the sanctuary (which is normally not open to the public), as Founder Sherri Delaney takes us through the sanctuary's various rooms and tells us about the day-to-day operation. We also hear from other volunteers who give us specific details about the primates that live there, including their likes, dislikes, and particularities.

Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary provide a safe and permanent home for primates retiring from biomedical research, zoos, universities & private residences, or wherever there is a primate in need of a permanent home.

News links:

• Sea Shepherd food wish list for Operation Waltzing Matilda
• Animal welfare groups welcome ban on fur farming
• Abuse victim sees link with cruelty to animals

Tags: Sanctuaries

This Author: Lauren Corman

We want LearnOutLoud.com to be the most complete and accurate resource for audio and video learning titles. Please let us know if you've found information missing or incorrect on this page.

For suggestions for this page email us at: suggestions@learnoutloud.com.