The Animal Guide for Curious Humans

The Animal Guide for Curious Humans

Maureen Armstrong

Concerned about the impact we humans are having on them? Then charge up those AirPods - or Bluetooth headset - and get ready for The Animal Guide for Curious Humans. Creator and host Maureen Armstrong brings animal lovers, wildlife experts and decision makers together to discuss the habits and behaviours of animals—including us—and ways we can live together harmoniously in light of ever-increasing population, resource and climate pressures. The Animal Guide for Curious Humans will educate you, entertain you, and get you thinking globally so you can act locally. Discover more about Maureen and the show on the The...

Elephants - Our Majestic Friends

Elephants - Our Majestic Friends

Today we are focussing on one of most intelligent, socially complex, and inspiring animals on the planet; elephants.  While being indigenous to just two continents Africa and Asia, elephants are easily one of the most recognizable mammals on earth.  While mainly living in the wild, for millennia humans have captured elephants for use as labor, for war and most significantly in recent centuries, for entertainment –circuses, zoos or in television and movies.  Thankfully, we are developing a better

Dec 8, 2023 • 46:45

Music to Our Ears - A Look at Some Farm Animal Welfare Studies

Music to Our Ears - A Look at Some Farm Animal Welfare Studies

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

Oct 5, 2023 • 34:52

Ending Bear Bile Farming

Ending Bear Bile Farming

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

Aug 28, 2023 • 42:32

Caring for Zoo and Aquarium Animals

Caring for Zoo and Aquarium Animals

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

Jul 14, 2023 • 58:00

The Cat Did What? Cat Behaviour and You

The Cat Did What? Cat Behaviour and You

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

Jun 9, 2023 • 49:58

Croc Docs – Protecting Wildlife from Non-native and Invasive Species

Croc Docs – Protecting Wildlife from Non-native and Invasive Species

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

May 8, 2023 • 54:35

I Feel You: The Human Animal Connection

I Feel You: The Human Animal Connection

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

Mar 24, 2023 • 53:51

The Great Ape Escape:  Finding Refuge at the Center for Great Apes

The Great Ape Escape: Finding Refuge at the Center for Great Apes

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

Mar 1, 2023 • 56:02

A Life Well Lived - The Whale Sanctuary Project

A Life Well Lived - The Whale Sanctuary Project

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

Nov 9, 2022 • 43:49

Pain in the Cat - The Feline Grimace Scale

Pain in the Cat - The Feline Grimace Scale

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

Oct 13, 2022 • 44:06

Feeling Groovy – The Five Domains of Animal Welfare

Feeling Groovy – The Five Domains of Animal Welfare

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

Aug 5, 2022 • 18:13

Monkey Business – Tails from a Primate Sanctuary

Monkey Business – Tails from a Primate Sanctuary

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

Jul 7, 2022 • 58:25

Saving Mountain Gorillas

Saving Mountain Gorillas

If you had to guess, how many mountain gorillas do you think remain in the wild today? For context, there are 7.9 billion humans in the world.  How many mountain gorillas do you think there are?  The answer: just 1,063.  Until recently, there were a critically endangered species.  Thanks in large part to today’s guest and her organization, the population of mountain gorillas is growing.Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is the founder and CEO of Conservation through Public Health (CTPH), an award winning

Jun 16, 2022 • 58:31

Why Did The Chicken Cross the Road? To Cool Off!

Why Did The Chicken Cross the Road? To Cool Off!

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

Jun 2, 2022 • 40:24

Letting Wild Cats be Wild

Letting Wild Cats be Wild

On today’s episode, we are taking a look at wild cats who have found themselves in human hands.  Lions, tigers, lynx, servals, and other species of wild cats can be targets for profiteers running roadside petting zoos or who are filling a demand for exotic pets.  These extraordinary creatures might be bred for their cubs to create a photo opportunity at an unregulated zoo or they may be taken into homes with the expectation they can be domesticated.  Neither of these environments allow them to l

May 19, 2022 • 50:32

Animals in the News

Animals in the News

Today’s episode is a brief one to touch base on some current news items and to tell you about some of the great episodes we have coming up.   We start with the recent heartbreaking story from Dallas, Texas where a little two year old boy was mauled by a coyote while on the front porch of his home.  My thoughts and prayers go out to this little boy and his family.  Several news stories have reported that neighbours in the area had been seen feeding the coyote and even petting it.  In episodes 6 a

May 6, 2022 • 7:06

Why we need to stop killing animals for fashion

Why we need to stop killing animals for fashion

Why is anyone still wearing fur despite the decades of protests against this practice?Unless you live in a remote community in which fur is used in the context of living responsibly off the land and as part of your culture, you don't need it for warmth. If you're wearing fur, the reason is vanity. In this episode of The Animal Guide For Curious Humans, host Maureen Amrstrong talks to Lesley Fox, Executive Director of The Furbearers, a Canadian charity that is seeking to end the commerc

Apr 14, 2022 • 59:31

How to shop cruelty-free

How to shop cruelty-free

More and more consumers are animal lovers, and their love of animals extends to what they buy. So more consumers are making purchasing decisions based on whether products are tested on animals. Many manufacturers have embraced cruelty free as part of their corporate culture. Others just print phrases like “Against animal testing” on their products. But what exactly does this mean? Does it mean that the product was developed without any testing on animals? Or without any testing that would now be

Mar 30, 2022 • 48:39

Why we need legal personhood for animals

Why we need legal personhood for animals

What are animals exactly?  Are they just things?  Are they property?  Can they be persons even though they aren’t people?   We share background on an important legal case on the question of whether an elephant is, in legal terms, a person for the purpose of accessing certain legal rights.  This case raises so many important issues regarding the human/non-human animal relationship, the intelligence of elephants in particular, animal ethics, and pathways we need to explore to protect animals in a

Mar 17, 2022 • 19:53

Overexploited fish and seafood need protection. Here’s what you can do

Overexploited fish and seafood need protection. Here’s what you can do

In this episode of The Animal Guide we explore the systems used to put aquatic life on our plates, and how we can improve the lives of aquatic animals.Our guest is Catalina Lopez from the Aquatic Life Institute.  She is the Director of the Aquatic Animal Alliance (AAA), a coalition of organizations working around the globe to reduce the suffering of aquatic animals used for food.A vet from Columbia who now lives in Mexico, Catalina has worked in the farmed animal protection movement for almost f

Mar 1, 2022 • 58:06

DOGS! And the value of a great trainer

DOGS! And the value of a great trainer

In the newest episode of The Animal Guide podcast show, we discuss one of the world’s most popular pets - dogs. Our guest is dog trainer Helen Prinold from the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers.  Helen has a Masters degree in Animal Behaviour, is CPDT-KA certified (Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed), a CDBC (Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant), and a Certified Fear Free Animal Trainer.  In our conversation with Helen we focus on puppy and dog training and the

Feb 15, 2022 • 54:30

Animal welfare in China

Animal welfare in China

Obtaining an accurate picture of animal welfare in China requires understanding of history, culture and politics in this large and complex country.  In this episode, Dr. Peter Li, a distinguished scholar and China animal policy expert, shares insights on animal welfare in China including wet markets and the role they played in the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic.  Dr. Li is Associate Professor of East Asian Politics, Animal Law and Policy at the University of Houston (Downtown) and a consultan

Jan 31, 2022 • 1:18:19

Managing encounters with wolves and other wildlife

Managing encounters with wolves and other wildlife

In episode 007 of The Animal Guide, we continue our conversation with Meg Toom. Be sure to listen to episode 006, Encounters With Wildlife, to hear host Maureen Armstrong and Meg discuss managing wildlife and human conflict, and in particular the human impact on bear habitats. They also discussed cougars and coyotes. Meg is principal of Serratus Wildlife Services in British Columbia, Canada, and specializes in human-wildlife conflict mitigation. Wolf culling in British ColumbiaIn this episode, M

Jan 19, 2022 • 33:36

Encounters with wildlife

Encounters with wildlife

No matter where we are in the world, we share the planet with wildlife. You may only see squirrels or birds when you take the dog out or head to the office, but these creatures are still classed as wildlife. Some listeners will regularly encounter raccoons, coyotes, bears, snakes, monkeys, jackals, possums, and more. In this episode of The Animal Guide for Curious Humans, host Maureen Armstrong talks with Meg Toom, principal of Serratus Wildlife Services in British Columbia, Canada.  Meg special

Jan 5, 2022 • 1:03:19

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

The holiday season is a time to reflect on how fortunate we are, but also to acknowledge how much our lives are enriched by other species and to consider what we might do for them.If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to consider donating your time, money and expertise—whichever you can spare, as much as you can spare—to organizations that work on animals’ behalf. I hope you will consider doing so.I am so grateful and thankful to all of you for “tuning in” and lending your support. If

Dec 21, 2021 • 4:45

Tips to alleviate animal cruelty in our food system

Tips to alleviate animal cruelty in our food system

In the previous episode of The Animal Guide for Curious Humans, host Maureen Armstrong spoke with Steve McIvor, CEO of World Animal Protection about the many ways humans are cruel to the animals we rely on for food. It was an illuminating and somewhat disturbing discussion that ended on a positive note: you have the power to help reduce the cruelty caused to animals in the food system even if you aren’t a vegan or vegetarian.In this episode, Maureen shares her seven strategies for thoughtful con

Dec 8, 2021 • 29:51

Farm Animals

Farm Animals

Join host Maureen Armstrong as she talks with Steve McIvor, CEO of London, UK-based World Animal Protection, an international organization that has been working for over 50 years to end animal cruelty by addressing the root causes.A major—if not the major—cause of animal suffering is one that most of us are aware of but, perhaps, tend to ignore: factory farming.The way humans have raised animals for food hasn’t always been as cruel as it is today, but an increasing human population has created e

Nov 24, 2021 • 48:23

Your Dog Has Opinions

Your Dog Has Opinions

Be sure to join host Maureen Armstrong for the inaugural episode of The Animal Guide for Curious Humans.The Animal Guide for Curious Humans brings animal lovers, wildlife experts and decision makers together to discuss the habits and behaviours of animals—including us—and ways we can live together harmoniously in light of ever-increasing population, resource and climate pressures. In this episode, Maureen talks with Professor Kristin Andrews, a Toronto-based animal researcher and author, who tea

Nov 15, 2021 • 1:03:57

Animal Farm

Animal Farm

Join host Maureen Armstrong as she talks with Steve McIvor, CEO of London, UK-based World Animal Protection, an international organization that has been working for some 50 years to end animal cruelty by addressing the root causes.A major—if not the major—cause of animal suffering is one that most of us are aware of but, perhaps, tend to ignore: farming.The way humans have raised animals for food hasn’t always been as cruel as it is today, but an increasing human population has created extraordi

Nov 15, 2021 • 48:07

Attention All Animal Lovers

Attention All Animal Lovers

Love animals?Concerned about the impact we humans are having on them?Then charge up those AirPods - or Bluetooth headset - and get ready for The Animal Guide for Curious Humans.Creator and host Maureen Armstrong brings animal lovers, wildlife experts and decision makers together to discuss the habits and behaviours of animals—including us—and ways we can live together harmoniously in light of ever-increasing population, resource and climate pressures. The Animal Guide for Curious Humans will edu

Nov 11, 2021 • 5:41

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