#av2007

Rescue, Shelter, and Education: The Ferret Aid Society Speaks When people think of vivisection, ferrets aren’t usually the first animals who spring to mind. Or, similarly, mention animal cruelty investigations, and people tend to imagine cats and dogs. While ferrets are plagued by cultural stereotypes that they stink and love to bite, The Ferret Aid Society offers a very different interpretation of these inquisitive animals. Started in 1994, president and founder of the organization, Randy Belair, tells a heart-wrenching story of the first ferret who inspired her and her mother to launch the FAS. Thirteen years later, Randy has rescued many ferrets, nursed them to health, turned her home into a shelter, educated the public, and side-stepped imminent burn-out. (Needless to say, it’s been a lot work!) Tune in as Randy shares personal stories about the ferrets she and the FAS volunteers have known and loved. Hear about Randy’s experiences doing investigations, and find out what ferrets need to thrive. Keep the dial locked to find out more about ferrets not only in Ontario, but also around the world. Additionally, we’ll talk about the economic connections among backyard breeders, farmers, and hunters. Still under the radar of many animal advocates, this show promises to pay homage to the struggles and joys of these underrated animals.

The Secret Lives of Sloths – Part II We’re delighted that Judy Avey-Arroyo, co-founder of the Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Centre and the Buttercup Centre Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica, will join us again to talk about sloths. We’ll hear more about sloths’ habitat and history, the sloth pet trade, the Sanctuary’s “Adopt A Sloth” program, additional stories about the individual animals at the sanctuary, and so much more… After struggling with a poor phone connection last week, eventually we could hear Judy clearly, but we lost about fifteen minutes of our potential interview time. (Did we mention it’s live radio?) We wanted to have her back on the program soon. Over the past week, so much positive listener feedback has just confirmed this! We also hope you enjoy Part II. For folks who missed Part I, the show is now archived here. During the program, Judy talks about banana plantations and wildlife reserves, sloth injuries, the Sanctuary’s education efforts, “sloth moss”, and how sloth poop helps make the world go round. In the midst of all that, Judy reminds us that sloths aren’t slothful at all… they’re slowthful.

The Secret Lives of Sloths Definition of “Sloth”: “Apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue (personified as one of the deadly sins)”, and, “Any of several slow-moving arboreal mammals of South America and Central America; they hang from branches back downward and feed on leaves and fruits.” Sloths are one of those maligned animals whose very existence is associated with negative traits. These amazing and complex beings have really gotten a bad rap. Yet, for many people who take the time to get to know them, and their worlds, sloths don’t seem lazy or apathetic at all. Their slow movements are revealed as highly adaptive behaviour and their unique, individual personalities quickly become apparent. Unfortunately, sloths are threatened with more than just disparaging stereotypes. In Central America, deforestation, expanding land development, and the black market pet trade regularly endanger their lives. Luckily, sloths in Costa Rica are not alone in their struggle against such human-made hazards. We connect with Luis Arroyo and Judy Avey-Arroyo, founders of the Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Centre and the Buttercup Centre Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica. Beginning their work with sloths in 1991, Aviarios del Caribe and the Buttercup Centre are committed to the rescue and rehabilitation of sloths who have been endangered or hurt by human activity. Join us to find out more about sloths, their Costa Rican sanctuary, and how you can help!

Sharkwater: An Interview With Rob Stewart We speak with Rob Stewart, director of the award-winning film Sharkwater, about his compelling case for the global protection of sharks. Busting the myth that sharks are unstoppable killing machines, Stewart portrays them as complex and evolved beings, beings whose survival is threatened by the lucrative shark-fin industry. “A dangerous shark makes money and sells papers,” he says, “If they tell you a shark is beautiful and perfect and wonderful and won’t attack you, that’s only going to make the news once.” Stewart’s love of sharks has taken him as far as the Galapagos Islands, Guatemala and Costa Rica, where he has worked alongside Sea Shepherd to expose and stop shark poachers, at times under harrowing conditions. He joins us to talk about his film, his travels, and why sharks matter. Sharkwater is Rob Stewart’s first film, and was Winner of Canada’s Top Ten at the Toronto International Film Festival, People’s Choice Winner at the Atlantic International Film Festival, Winner for International Documentary at the Beverly Hills International Film Festival. In addition to visiting schools across Canada to promote his message, Stewart has also appeared on The Today Show and Larry King Live.

Your Mommy Kills Animals!: Curt Johnson Walks the Line You might not know it by looking at mainstream media, but the animal movements are full of a diversity of perspectives and strategies. Curt Johnson, Academy-award winner, and director of Your Mommy Kills Animals speaks with us live about his journey into the animal movements and the making of the film. Spurred by a curiosity about the issues and the organizations that call this movement home, Johnson set out to learn more about what makes animal activists tick… and what ticks them off. Your Mommy Kills Animals concentrates on a melange of groups and group leaders, including folks such as Kevin Kjonaas from SHAC, and their critics, perhaps most notably David Martosko from the Center for Consumer Freedom. The documentary, while described as “a film, not an opinion”, in part provides an unequivocal critique of PETA and HSUS (neither group agreed to be interviewed), and ponders the fact that animal rights activists are currently considered the number one domestic terrorist threat in the United States. Your Mommy Kills Animals addresses themes of animal abuse, radicalism, hypocrisy, welfare, abolitionism, and violence, as Johnson talks with fur farmers, celebrities, activists and dissidents to initiate a conversation about the state of the movement today, while shining a few floodlights on the simmering, behind-the-scenes debates.

Hearth to Home: Elegant and Hearty Cuisine with Raisa Jari & Mitchell Cutler Get ready to salivate! On this program we connect with the folks from Hearth to Home, Raisa Jari and Mitchell Cutler. This culinary duo “prepares fresh organic vegan meals that feature elegant contemporary flavours as well as traditional favourites adapted to healthier plant-based versions. The meals are then delivered to Toronto homes each week.” In 2005, Raisa and Mitch abandoned their former career paths to dedicate themselves full-time to their dream, and Hearth to Home is a testament to their success. In our interview, we talk about the food that inspires Mitch and Raisa, how to make your own vegan yogurt, getting the grill on vegan-style, and the sauces that make Raisa’s French cuisine pop. On a loftier note, they share their passion for organics and the technical side of preparing vegan food that will satisfy an omnivore’s (and vegan’s!) palate. Karol and Lauren enjoy some of their wares in studio, including pesto stuffed tofu with tomato coulis and roasted red peppers, green bean toss, and barley and chives, all perfectly prepared. Reasonably-priced and nutritionally-balanced, Raisa and Mitch marry hearty and elegant food with the health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Vegans on the Hot Seat: Rae Sikora and Gary Francione Respond Should insects have rights? What about plants? Don’t they feel pain, too? Isn’t meat-eating natural? What about religious texts that justify using and eating animals? Isn’t veganism classist, racist, Euro-centric, and culturally-insensitive? Why bother advocating for animals when there’s so much human suffering? Why be vegan when humanely-produced meat and dairy is now available? If you’ve ever been confronted with concerns like these, or wonder about them yourself, tune in to hear responses from two respected vegans and movement leaders. Structured around a set of commonly-asked questions about veganism and animal rights, tomorrow’s show features Rae Sikora and Gary Francione, who will answer the same questions, each informed by decades of experience and their own unique perspective. For those of us who have ever been stumped, baffled, and otherwise left with a loss for words, this episode of Animal Voices should offer some excellent ideas for how to approach the issues. More on Francione and Sikora… Rae Sikora has been a spokesperson for animals, the environment and human rights for over 25 years. She is the co-founder of the Center for Compassionate Living and the Institute for Humane Education. She is also the founder of Simply Enough, an organization that promotes peace, critical thinking, and creativity. “The time has come to recognize that we are enough and we have enough regardless of the messages that advertising and popular culture have infused into our lifestyles” (www.simplyenough.com). Sikora holds degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Education from University of Wisconsin. Gary Francione is a Distinguished Professor of Law and Nicholas deB. Katzenbach Scholar of Law and Philosophy at Rutgers University. Professor Francione started teaching animal rights and the law in his course on legal philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1985. He began teaching it as a separate course when he moved to Rutgers in 1989, and combined the course with a litigation clinic (the Rutgers Animal Rights Law Clinic) in which students worked on actual animal cases while learning theory in the classroom. He has written four books, and numerous articles on animals and the law, including Animals, Property, and the Law (1995), Introduction to Animal Rights: Your Child or the Dog? (2000), and Vivisection and Dissection in the Classroom: A Guide to Conscientious Objection (with Anna Charlton) (1992). Francione’s new book, Animals as Persons: Essays on the Abolition of Animal Exploitation is coming out with Columbia University this fall. More info about Francione can be found at his website The Abolitionist Approach.

Meat-eating and the environment First, Curt Johnson briefly promotes his new documentary, Your Mommy Kills Animals, before its release in the United States on July 20th, 2007. Then, Dr. Gidon Eshel, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago, discusses his study, co-authored with Pamela Martin, entitled Diet, Energy and Global Warming. He sheds light on how meat-eating affects the environment and offers his insight and opinions on several core issues.