Dec. 24, 2024

Farewell Starlight Pet Talk: Celebrating Our Journey and What's Next for 2025

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Season 2

As we wrap up Starlight Pet Talk, we’re taking a moment to celebrate everything this podcast has meant over the past two years. This episode is all about gratitude, reflection, and a little bit of fun as we look back on the episodes that resonated most with you – our incredible listeners.

In this episode, we’re:
 • Reflecting on the core mission of Starlight Pet Talk – connecting with and educating pet parents with honesty and heart.
• Sharing memorable stories and moments that capture the ups and downs of pet ownership.
• Highlighting amazing community support and standout listener interactions that have shaped this podcast.
• Looking back at the most downloaded episodes of 2024 and why they stood out.
• Offering a sneak peek at what’s ahead with Muddy Paws and Hairballs – keeping the same values, but adding fresh energy and topics.

This isn’t goodbye – it’s just the next chapter. Thank you for being part of this journey. We can’t wait to see you in the next phase!

Let me know if this feels more aligned, or if there’s something specific you’d like me to highlight further.

Comment on this episode! For questions or if you need a reply- please email us at Amy@StarlightPetTalk.com

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We Want to Hear From You!
Your thoughts and experiences matter to us. What’s one thing you’ve learned from this episode that you’re excited to try with your pet? Or, do you have a question or topic you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Leave a review or comment—your feedback helps us create content that truly resonates with you!

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CONTACT: Amy@StarlightPetTalk.com
Thanks for listening to Muddy Paws and Hairballs, your go-to resource for all things pet care. From dog training, behavior, and socialization to cat enrichment, pet adoption, and tackling behavior problems, we provide expert advice and real talk to help you create a happy, healthy life with your pets. Whether you're dealing with dog anxiety, looking for puppy training tips, or exploring enrichment ideas for your cat, we've got you covered. Be sure to check out all our episodes!

Chapters

00:02 - End of an Era

12:12 - Top Pet Care Tips & Insights

19:06 - Responsible Pet Ownership & Financial Care

31:00 - Fixing Common Dog Behavior Issues

39:18 - Veterinary Vaccines and Military Pet Rescue

52:45 - Podcast Endorsement and Pet Love

Transcript
WEBVTT

00:00:02.645 --> 00:00:06.613
Muddy Paws and Hairballs is going to be ready to launch in 2025.

00:00:06.613 --> 00:00:16.832
But this last episode is our final episode of Starlight Pet Talk and we're going to wrap up by talking about the top episodes of the year and why they were so popular.

00:00:16.832 --> 00:00:17.940
So stay tuned.

00:00:17.940 --> 00:00:38.259
All right, everybody, welcome to Muddy Paws and Hairballs.

00:00:38.259 --> 00:00:45.906
But in reality, this is the final episode of Starlight Pet Talk and, as I said in my I know it's sad, it's a.

00:00:45.906 --> 00:00:48.043
You know it's.

00:00:48.043 --> 00:00:49.286
It's a chapter.

00:00:49.286 --> 00:00:51.472
Yes, I was going to say the end of an era, but I don't know.

00:00:51.472 --> 00:00:51.732
Does it?

00:00:51.732 --> 00:00:53.825
Does two years really count as an era?

00:00:53.825 --> 00:00:54.786
It's a chapter.

00:00:54.786 --> 00:00:55.689
It's a chapter.

00:00:55.689 --> 00:00:59.021
End of a chapter, beginning of a new and exciting chapter.

00:00:59.021 --> 00:01:02.947
I'm here with my friend Bev, as you can hear her cackling in the background.

00:01:04.007 --> 00:01:12.177
So what we're going to do is we're going to talk about the top episodes of Starlight Pet Talk for 2024, not overall.

00:01:12.177 --> 00:01:20.134
If you want to go back and know what the overall ones, then you've got to listen to the top episodes of 2023 and 2024, and then you can do the math on your own.

00:01:20.134 --> 00:01:22.509
But we will get to that in just a minute.

00:01:22.509 --> 00:01:33.025
But first of all, I want to talk about good news and bad news, because I wanted to share a little.

00:01:33.025 --> 00:01:43.331
Like I said when we started Muddy Paws, that we're going to get down and dirty and real, and so I just want to tell you a little bit about my morning so far, because we're going to start with the bad news so far, because we're going to start with the bad news.

00:01:44.231 --> 00:01:48.015
Can I just tell everybody that this is how most of our conversations start.

00:01:48.015 --> 00:01:52.177
We speak several times a week and they usually start with let me tell you what happened last night.

00:01:52.816 --> 00:01:54.498
Yeah Well, yeah so, yeah.

00:01:54.498 --> 00:02:00.173
So Bev actually has relatives who thinks I don't have any friends because I call Bev so much.

00:02:00.173 --> 00:02:14.701
It's kind of like talking to your sister, right, you get up, you do your little chores, you sit down with your cup of coffee and you call your sister and you'll be like, hey, what happened to me?

00:02:14.701 --> 00:02:23.925
But usually the conversation starts with you know what my favorite thing is, or what I like to do is I call up and I asked to speak to the complaint department and then she does this whole routine.

00:02:23.925 --> 00:02:24.686
Would you like to do it?

00:02:24.686 --> 00:02:26.269
Let's just demonstrate it, okay.

00:02:27.211 --> 00:02:27.311
Oh.

00:02:27.311 --> 00:02:28.473
I haven't done it in so long?

00:02:28.473 --> 00:02:29.600
All right, we'll give it a shot.

00:02:30.021 --> 00:02:38.283
It's been a little while, so I'll actually I'll launch into the bad news by using this as the platform and then I'll give you all the good news, but anyway.

00:02:38.283 --> 00:02:40.566
So ring, ring, ring, phone rings.

00:02:40.566 --> 00:02:48.876
Bev answers the phone, she says Hello and I say I'd like to speak to somebody in the pet complaint department, please.

00:02:52.302 --> 00:02:53.187
Hold on one second please.

00:02:59.300 --> 00:03:02.046
The complaint department.

00:03:02.046 --> 00:03:03.730
Is it involving a mineral, a animal or a?

00:03:04.592 --> 00:03:06.317
vegetable Animal and vegetable because it involves a pet and puke?

00:03:06.317 --> 00:03:08.549
Is that vegetable Animal and vegetable because it involves a pet and puke?

00:03:08.549 --> 00:03:09.064
Complaint department.

00:03:09.064 --> 00:03:10.169
This is the vegetable department.

00:03:10.169 --> 00:03:10.689
Can I help you?

00:03:14.341 --> 00:03:19.310
And then the conversation goes like from there.

00:03:19.310 --> 00:03:33.139
Because I have seven animals living in my house right now, I have been trying to identify which of the seven animals is pooping and peeing around my house, because I'm tired of stepping in it, I'm tired of picking it up.

00:03:33.139 --> 00:03:43.811
And so I spent the weekend, while Kelsey was out of town, trying to isolate certain pets at night to see who leaves the big surprise in the morning and where it is.

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And so this morning, since Kelsey is now back from her trip, she took her dog Gigi, because I think she's one of the suspects personally, I've seen her in action.

00:03:53.866 --> 00:04:07.562
She took her back in her room overnight and I put all of the dogs in the dining room, which is now just a giant dog pen in there last night and figured we would see what happens.

00:04:07.704 --> 00:04:10.175
Well, there was nothing on the floor in the dining room.

00:04:10.175 --> 00:04:12.604
I'm assuming nobody peed in Kelsey's bed.

00:04:12.604 --> 00:04:21.045
But there were two turds by the front door and upon closer inspection, when I went to clean them up, they were cold.

00:04:21.045 --> 00:04:30.372
So it wasn't like somebody did it like after I let them out this morning, because it was like five o'clock in the morning it was dark, so somebody did it a while ago.

00:04:30.372 --> 00:04:38.540
So it was either a cat, because the cats were on the loose, or it happened last night before I put everybody up.

00:04:38.540 --> 00:04:43.992
So I'm no no wiser, but I did spend my morning, once again, cleaning up poop.

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Oh, and then somebody puked from the kitchen out all the way out to the front door.

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It was like a long day.

00:04:50.146 --> 00:04:51.870
Yeah, I think it was puke.

00:04:51.870 --> 00:04:55.069
I mean I, I didn't want to, I didn't want to inspect it too closely.

00:04:55.560 --> 00:04:56.182
Couple of thoughts?

00:04:56.182 --> 00:04:58.088
Yeah, Couple of thoughts.

00:04:58.088 --> 00:05:01.567
This sounds very complicated, but definitely necessary.

00:05:01.567 --> 00:05:06.579
But cold turds yeah.

00:05:06.579 --> 00:05:08.646
How did we discover that?

00:05:09.341 --> 00:05:12.930
Well, when I picked them up in the paper towel, it wasn't soft and warm.

00:05:13.420 --> 00:05:15.206
So you didn't step in it and discover it that way.

00:05:15.547 --> 00:05:17.170
No, no, but that has happened before.

00:05:17.170 --> 00:05:28.605
The other morning I came out of my bedroom at 5.15, and luckily there was enough light coming from outside that I could see two things on the floor directly.

00:05:28.605 --> 00:05:31.639
I think they do it directly in line of a door, so somebody steps in it.

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Because there were two things on the ground spaced about two feet apart between my route from my bedroom to the back door to let the dogs out.

00:05:41.029 --> 00:05:44.903
So of course I circumvented those things, because they could have been anything right.

00:05:44.903 --> 00:05:52.050
They could have been turds, they could have been toys, and it was two turds, two separate piles of turds, small piles.

00:05:52.451 --> 00:05:53.834
So what is happening?

00:05:53.834 --> 00:05:55.218
What is happening.

00:05:55.538 --> 00:05:56.021
I don't know.

00:05:56.021 --> 00:06:06.882
Somebody's lost their damn mind, so I got to figure out who it is, because I'm getting ready to move into an RV with all of these jerks and it's not going to be pretty.

00:06:06.882 --> 00:06:08.026
But we'll, we'll work on it.

00:06:08.026 --> 00:06:16.752
I think I probably just need to start leaving out maybe one or two, cause I know for sure it's not Gunny and it's not Sassy the two big dogs.

00:06:16.752 --> 00:06:20.790
So maybe leave one little dog, one big dog out and then see what happens.

00:06:20.810 --> 00:06:25.529
And then I'll miss that little dog, but anyway yeah, I wonder if other people have this issue.

00:06:26.853 --> 00:06:29.059
I'm sure, I'm sure they do.

00:06:29.059 --> 00:06:30.805
I mean not people that don't have pets.

00:06:31.326 --> 00:06:34.350
Well, I mean someone who's got a good quantity.

00:06:34.350 --> 00:06:36.579
Would you have five, seven animals, seven?

00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:38.584
There's seven running around inside the house right now.

00:06:38.584 --> 00:06:39.889
Is that counting Kelsey?

00:06:39.889 --> 00:06:46.223
No, that, no, that would be eight, and two of them are blind.

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So I know that, especially the blind cat, probably her life is a little stressful.

00:06:48.870 --> 00:06:50.384
We just started her on Prozac.

00:06:50.946 --> 00:06:56.730
Yeah, so yeah, I just, it's just, I wish there was a solution.

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You're doing the right thing, like the process of elimination, you know, yeah, elimination.

00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:02.242
You see what I did there.

00:07:02.701 --> 00:07:07.184
Yeah, very funny, all right, so let's move on from elimination and the bad news.

00:07:07.223 --> 00:07:08.103
So that was the bad news.

00:07:08.144 --> 00:07:13.466
Is that my life continues to be mornings of cleaning up poop or pee or both.

00:07:13.466 --> 00:07:17.646
Today it was just poop, so that I guess wasn't too bad, oh and puke Sorry.

00:07:17.646 --> 00:07:20.367
So two out of three peas.

00:07:21.168 --> 00:07:22.548
It makes me feel better about my life.

00:07:23.310 --> 00:07:26.990
Yeah, you don't have any bad news you want to share.

00:07:27.391 --> 00:07:30.312
No, because he's perfect in every way.

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When he's going to puke, he gives me a lot of warning, so I can grab some newspaper, and you know we're good Newspaper what you read while he's doing it.

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Yes, I read while he's puking.

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Poor little thing.

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So what do you do?

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Toss the paper in front of his mouth.

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Yeah, oh, good Lord, have mercy, oh, yeah, there's no privacy, there's no secrets.

00:07:52.884 --> 00:07:53.709
I'll tell you what, though.

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The house is cold, he's got two heating pads and he is cold.

00:07:56.701 --> 00:07:56.901
Yeah.

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It's like 62 degrees in here.

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Yeah, okay, all right.

00:08:01.603 --> 00:08:06.752
So on to the good news, because I'm only allotting a certain amount of time to this BS that's happening in the beginning of this show.

00:08:07.093 --> 00:08:07.293
Wow.

00:08:07.940 --> 00:08:27.161
So the good news is and I'll give you the Reader's Digest version of the story so a very nice donor and supporter of Starlight Outreach and Rescue named Julie went I don't know if it was when she moved, but anyway she donated a really nice Dyson vacuum cleaner to us for the rescue and it has been a godsend.

00:08:27.161 --> 00:08:30.069
I mean, it's a great vacuum cleaner, it really.

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It's got that clear canister so you can see how much crap is on the floor.

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It's crazy.

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It's a hot mess.

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It's got a super long vacuum cord, so it's a really nice, nice vacuum cleaner.

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Anyway, we've put it to great use here at the rescue and unfortunately, as happens with most things, I don't put things away, and so at one point I did not put the vacuum cleaner away, I left it unattended and somebody decided to chew off the plug.

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So yeah, yeah, because that's what we do.

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Because that's what we do.

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This is nothing new.

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This is nothing new.

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It happens all the time at your house.

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I know I just for the second time fixed the hose to the pool, the $700 pool cleaner that they chewed through the electric cord on that one too.

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Luckily it wasn't plugged in.

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But anyway.

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So they chewed the cord off.

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I fixed it, but I'm always afraid that it's going to catch fire, because obviously I'm not an electrician.

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Um, so anyway I I thought, well, maybe I could contact Dyson and see if I can purchase a replacement cord, which you apparently can.

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So I'm chatting with them online and they're going to send me a replacement cord for free.

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This is back in June.

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So I'm chatting with them online and they're going to send me a replacement cord for free.

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This is back in June.

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So, super excited, I'm going to get this replacement cord.

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And then I kind of forgot about it, and now it's six months later and I still don't have the cord.

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So I decided the other day to follow up.

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Well, apparently that cord for that vacuum cleaner is on back order to infinity, Like it's just not going to happen.

00:10:08.136 --> 00:10:34.956
So and this is the kicker, you guys, this is good customer service right here, because, even if people don't necessarily always give Dysons the best review, I probably will buy Dysons from here on out when I need a new vacuum cleaner for myself, just because of this, because not only were they very apologetic that the cord never came and that they were still waiting on it, but they are going to replace the entire vacuum cleaner and I and I will be on.

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I am very honest, like I specifically told them, my dogs chewed this cord Cause.

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When they were going to give me a free cord, I was like, well, it's not like it just broke, but my animals chewed through it, it's my fault and they were like we don't care, it's under warranty till 2026.

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Crazy, crazy.

00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:51.241
Thank you, Julie.

00:10:51.241 --> 00:11:01.504
So yeah, so now I'm going to get a brand new, new model like not a refurbished, a new vacuum cleaner, and they're going to pay for me to ship the whole vacuum cleaner back.

00:11:02.966 --> 00:11:03.586
That's crazy.

00:11:03.586 --> 00:11:04.326
I would.

00:11:04.326 --> 00:11:06.447
I would buy a Dyson just based on that too.

00:11:06.447 --> 00:11:10.251
Yeah, that's awesome that they'll do that.

00:11:10.692 --> 00:11:11.452
That's the good news.

00:11:11.753 --> 00:11:12.994
That's the very good news.

00:11:13.594 --> 00:11:25.778
Here's the other beautiful thing is that the new Dyson will come in a box and so that when I go to move, when I will keep the box, and when I go to move in a couple of months, I will be able to put the Dyson in the box and protect it during the move.

00:11:25.798 --> 00:11:26.179
There you go, win-win.

00:11:26.900 --> 00:11:27.345
Win-win.

00:11:27.446 --> 00:11:31.750
So thank you, dyson no that is very good customer service, absolutely yeah.

00:11:32.961 --> 00:11:33.221
All right.

00:11:33.280 --> 00:11:39.260
So moving right along we're going to get into our top episodes of 2024 of Starlight Pet Talk.

00:11:39.260 --> 00:11:47.374
We are not going to discuss all 10, but I do want to let you know what the top 10 ones were and then we're going to discuss the top five.

00:11:47.374 --> 00:11:53.456
So number 10 was season and all of 2024 was basically season two.

00:11:53.456 --> 00:11:55.638
So it was season two, episode 81.

00:11:55.638 --> 00:11:59.547
And it was does your dog have separation anxiety?

00:11:59.547 --> 00:12:02.373
With our trainer friend Ruth Hegarty.

00:12:02.921 --> 00:12:08.807
So I think that was a great episode because I think things get labeled as separation anxiety when maybe they're not.

00:12:08.807 --> 00:12:10.350
So you definitely need to listen to that one.

00:12:10.350 --> 00:12:11.761
We're not going into gory detail.

00:12:11.761 --> 00:12:34.552
Episode number the ninth most popular episode was season two, episode 62 on lap of love, home hospice and euthanasia for pets Again, a great option for being able to plan and coordinate your pet's euthanasia if you have to, and make it a pleasant experience for, or as pleasant as it can be for you and for your pets.

00:12:34.552 --> 00:12:45.291
Number eight was season two, episode 67, unlocking the Human-Animal Bond Secrets from the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute, which I thought was really fascinating.

00:12:45.291 --> 00:12:54.547
I mean a whole organization that is just dedicated to research on how much our pets positively impact our lives.

00:12:54.706 --> 00:12:55.350
Yeah, yeah.

00:12:56.221 --> 00:13:03.374
Episode number seven was season two, episode 82, 1,672 Miles to a Forever Home Bonnie's Journey.

00:13:03.374 --> 00:13:10.688
Yeah, so that was Bev and my rescue road trip where we drove crazy Bonnie, Although she was really good on that trip, wouldn't you say.

00:13:12.302 --> 00:13:14.089
She was more sane than both of us put together.

00:13:14.089 --> 00:13:19.311
Although, yeah, yeah, it doesn't take much, it doesn't take much, yeah.

00:13:20.482 --> 00:13:23.631
So that was a fun episode to do, just to kind of recount our journey.

00:13:23.631 --> 00:13:32.594
The sixth most popular episode was Season 2, episode 78, life with Pets Hidden Benefits Revealed the original title.

00:13:32.594 --> 00:13:33.663
I've changed up some of the titles.

00:13:33.663 --> 00:13:41.071
The original title was the Surprising Mental, physical and Social Benefits of Living with Pets with my friend Denise Dudley out in Colorado.

00:13:41.071 --> 00:13:49.465
So she actually is a, you know, works with human beings but has pets and has done a lot of research on the impact of pets in our lives.

00:13:49.465 --> 00:13:50.547
So that was fun.

00:13:50.547 --> 00:13:53.793
And so those were 10 through 6.

00:13:53.793 --> 00:14:01.741
And so we're going to discuss 5 through 1, and then maybe throw in a couple of thoughts on our own personal favorite.

00:14:01.741 --> 00:14:03.566
Hold on, I've got notes I've got to file through here.

00:14:03.566 --> 00:14:07.293
So the number five I know you've got notes too.

00:14:07.293 --> 00:14:09.701
Mine are typed, yours are handwritten, okay.

00:14:10.221 --> 00:14:24.650
So the fifth most popular episode of season two was season two, episode 79, pro Tips for Extending your Pet's Life with my friend Dr Marlene Siegel down in Florida.

00:14:27.220 --> 00:14:37.312
I think this one probably resonated most with listeners because it really gave you some actionable steps, for you know things that you could do for focusing on longevity and well-being for your pets.

00:14:37.312 --> 00:14:48.750
So we talked about things like eliminating toxins, because there's so many that we are exposed to as humans, that also our pets are exposed to essential nutrients.

00:14:48.750 --> 00:15:01.792
Healing the gut which I thought was also super interesting, because it's such a tie over to human beings as well that our gut health impacts and who knew until the most recent years how much your gut health impacts the rest of your health?

00:15:01.792 --> 00:15:10.760
Detoxifying your organs and then really getting down on the DNA level, you know, supporting mitochondrial functions and then emotional health.

00:15:10.760 --> 00:15:12.024
That was another area.

00:15:12.024 --> 00:15:14.831
So those were kind of some of the things that came out in that episode.

00:15:14.831 --> 00:15:20.743
What were your and I don't know if that was one of your favorites or necessarily Bev, but what were your thoughts on that episode?

00:15:21.544 --> 00:15:24.029
The takeaway for me was anybody can do this.

00:15:24.029 --> 00:15:26.741
The changes are really, really doable.

00:15:26.741 --> 00:15:31.311
They're really small and it can make a huge impact down the road.

00:15:31.311 --> 00:15:44.041
You might not see an overnight makeover, but just by increasing water intake or little that's what I had written down inflammation and water intake and things like that such a simple thing can change your pet's life.

00:15:44.041 --> 00:15:45.427
I mean, it's just so simple.

00:15:45.427 --> 00:15:48.991
Yeah, my takeaway was that anybody can do this.

00:15:48.991 --> 00:15:52.244
It's very simple to make these little, small changes, absolutely.

00:15:52.845 --> 00:16:05.005
Yeah, and I think we've had a couple of episodes that have been around that issue and I know personally that, like every time I've done one of these episodes, I start looking at my pet's food and you know getting I got a water fountain.

00:16:05.005 --> 00:16:07.029
I've been adding water to the cat's food.

00:16:07.029 --> 00:16:24.630
You know, even the other day I was in the kitchen doing the dog's food and you know I've not gotten to the point where I'm going to be cooking dog food but it's like what do I have in the fridge that I can toss in here that would enhance this meal that I'm giving them Right, and it's such a simple thing, you know.

00:16:25.130 --> 00:16:29.495
And if you go buy a pint of blueberries in the grocery store and just toss it in there, it's fine.

00:16:29.495 --> 00:16:31.236
Anything helps.

00:16:31.236 --> 00:16:32.543
Yeah, that was definitely.

00:16:32.543 --> 00:16:44.554
It's definitely changed Kuzzy's lifestyle, perhaps not from this particular episode, but previous ones about water intake and reading the ingredient label, you can learn.

00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:45.660
And reading the ingredient label.

00:16:45.681 --> 00:16:46.000
You can learn.

00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:50.644
God bless you, amy, because it was a whole education for me all of last year and this year.

00:16:50.644 --> 00:16:56.529
Read those labels, people, and you will be shocked, absolutely shocked, so you can make better choices.

00:16:56.529 --> 00:16:58.270
You might pay for it, you might not.

00:16:58.270 --> 00:17:02.674
It might not be a huge monetary thing, but isn't your pet worth it?

00:17:03.316 --> 00:17:07.086
Yeah, I know, because he is Well and you're going to pay for it on one end or the other.

00:17:07.086 --> 00:17:17.173
You know, like the intake, this uh, the blind cat that we have, has uh already had bladder stone surgery when she was barely over a year old.

00:17:18.261 --> 00:17:18.402
Yeah.

00:17:18.561 --> 00:17:21.186
And she's already got some floating around in there again.

00:17:21.186 --> 00:17:24.553
So you know, the water intake, I think, has helped.

00:17:24.553 --> 00:17:26.582
You know, keep it at bay.

00:17:26.582 --> 00:17:28.526
At least they're not getting bigger.

00:17:28.526 --> 00:17:34.525
And so it's, yeah, like you said, little bitty changes along the way, for sure.

00:17:34.545 --> 00:17:36.211
Very, very doable, absolutely.

00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:43.113
So hopefully we'll get Dr Marlene back on the show and talk about more things we could be doing along the way.

00:17:43.113 --> 00:17:45.517
All right, moving along.

00:17:45.517 --> 00:17:54.814
The fourth most popular episode was season two, episode 53, responsible Rabbit Care Explained.

00:17:54.814 --> 00:18:06.087
Again, I've changed the titles a little bit with Muddy Paws, I've shortened them up a little bit, but the original title was Beyond the Fluff Rabbit Realities and Responsible Guardianship Cute, yeah, and that was with Marcy Berman.

00:18:06.621 --> 00:18:28.707
She is the president and founder of Save a Bunny Rabbit Rescue out in California and I think the thing for me, one of the biggest things for me, was how much care rabbits because I have had a rabbit and I knew something about rabbit care but in order for them to really live an optimal life, how much care they need, what things can go wrong with rabbits.

00:18:28.707 --> 00:18:35.983
I was super lucky, nothing ever went wrong with this bunny but things can certainly go wrong if they're not getting the proper diet and proper care.

00:18:35.983 --> 00:18:54.686
So some of the things that came up in that episode were misconceptions that you know that rabbits were super low maintenance and easy starter pets, the importance of spaying and neutering which I only had one bunny but even for having one bunny, how that could impact their behavior and things like that.

00:18:54.686 --> 00:19:01.551
Their need for mental stimulation and social interaction no idea, and that's what makes me feel really guilty about the bunny that I had.

00:19:01.551 --> 00:19:02.862
Yeah.

00:19:03.343 --> 00:19:04.886
I was going to say when you know better, you do better.

00:19:04.886 --> 00:19:06.190
That's why these podcasts are great.

00:19:06.190 --> 00:19:07.853
I didn't know anything about bunnies.

00:19:07.853 --> 00:19:12.611
I had no clue, so yeah, if I was to get one now, this is great.

00:19:12.611 --> 00:19:13.613
I know what I'm getting into.

00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:19.031
Yeah, yeah, there's quite a bit, even just their habitat and how that needs to be.

00:19:19.031 --> 00:19:20.401
Yeah, let's see.

00:19:20.401 --> 00:19:28.355
Oh, ethical consideration in shelters you know what happens to rabbits when they end up in shelters and you know what kind of specialized care they might need.

00:19:28.355 --> 00:19:42.256
Because I know we ran into that a couple of times where we've gotten, when I used to volunteer at a shelter and they'd get an animal in that you know it wasn't a dog or a cat and they had no supplies and not really a huge inclination to go and get them.

00:19:42.256 --> 00:19:45.048
It's like how long are you gonna leave that animal without food?

00:19:45.048 --> 00:20:01.869
And then educational outreach, I think, was another thing the importance of really educating, and I think Save a Bunny does a good job of not only matching appropriate bunny to the appropriate adopter but also educating people on their needs and their care.

00:20:01.869 --> 00:20:14.053
So I know that was a big thing to me, Like I've kind of decided that I probably wouldn't have a bunny, maybe once my herd got culled down a little bit, but I can't give it that attention and I certainly don't want multiples.

00:20:14.053 --> 00:20:19.133
So it's interesting, it really gets you thinking about them on a different level.

00:20:19.204 --> 00:20:26.817
And then the one other thing I did want to bring up was the whole conversation about bunnies being used as food for animals.

00:20:26.817 --> 00:20:30.270
That was something that I thought I'd never really thought about that.

00:20:30.270 --> 00:20:52.440
I was looking at food the other day trying to find a limited ingredient and it was like rabbit meat and I kind of cringed because one of Marcy's key points in that episode was yes, if you, if you're, if you haven't a pet, that is a carnivore, like a cat, and the only thing that they can eat without having a horrific reaction is rabbit, then yes, make that available on a special order basis.

00:20:52.440 --> 00:21:05.547
But the fact that we're making all of these products with rabbit meat, we're basically introducing another animal beyond the chickens and the other animals that are already being killed for us to eat and for animals to eat.

00:21:05.547 --> 00:21:13.053
Everybody's dog doesn't need to eat rabbits, so if we didn't allow that to happen, then a lot less rabbits would die.

00:21:14.566 --> 00:21:17.291
Right, right, that goes back to reading those labels.

00:21:17.291 --> 00:21:20.727
You know my takeaway was more of a cultural thing.

00:21:20.727 --> 00:21:22.631
She made this comment.

00:21:22.631 --> 00:21:28.028
She said rabbits are where cats used to be, and that broke my heart.

00:21:28.028 --> 00:21:31.136
You know it's like the way we dote on our cats.

00:21:31.136 --> 00:21:33.157
They didn't used to be that way, it was always, I guess, the dogs first.

00:21:33.157 --> 00:21:33.657
You know it's like the way we dote on our cats.

00:21:33.657 --> 00:21:36.648
They didn't used to be that way, it was always, I guess, the dogs first.

00:21:36.648 --> 00:21:41.479
You know, back 40 million years or whatever it was.

00:21:41.479 --> 00:21:50.455
And now cats have become that you know, a multi-billion dollar industry and rabbits are just kind of thought about as like oh yeah, look a rabbit.

00:21:50.455 --> 00:21:53.233
You know it's, and that's the way cats used to be thought of.

00:21:53.233 --> 00:21:57.380
I just it just broke my heart that they're just like second class citizens and they're not.

00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:58.565
It's your responsibility.

00:21:58.565 --> 00:22:00.648
If you have a pet to take care of it.

00:22:00.648 --> 00:22:01.851
You take care of it.

00:22:01.851 --> 00:22:04.195
Yeah, soup to nuts, yeah.

00:22:04.236 --> 00:22:22.663
Yeah, yeah, I think that Well, and that's kind of a little hang up that I have in general about you know, you see these videos of unusual animals that are now being, you know, brought in as pets and it's like do you really need an armadillo as a pet?

00:22:22.663 --> 00:22:35.625
Do you really need, you know, some of these exotic animals that get not necessarily bred in captivity but captured other places, but captured other places?

00:22:35.625 --> 00:22:43.538
And you know, it's like, it's kind of like I got into an argument with somebody the other day, once again on the rescue side of things, about declawing cats.

00:22:43.538 --> 00:22:49.231
And, you know, having a cat is not a right.

00:22:49.231 --> 00:23:03.452
So therefore, if you can't keep it in physically intact without amputating its toes or you're allergic, so now you want to have people breed hairless cats that self mutilate every time they're bathing themselves with their barbed tongues?

00:23:03.452 --> 00:23:08.573
Maybe you just don't get a cat, maybe you're just not allowed you know, not allowed to have one.

00:23:08.854 --> 00:23:11.268
It's just agreed you move on and get something else.

00:23:11.448 --> 00:23:13.352
You know it's not the cat's fault.

00:23:13.352 --> 00:23:18.730
You have allergies or they have expensive furniture, yeah, sorry at that point, what's the point?

00:23:18.730 --> 00:23:25.814
What's the point if it's, if it's, if your furniture is going to get ruined, if you have poor allergies, you know that that particular pet is not for you.

00:23:25.814 --> 00:23:28.487
Try goldfish, see, see what that and even that has.

00:23:28.507 --> 00:23:34.358
But I want one, yeah, yeah and that's the that, the thing it's like just because you want it doesn't mean you get to have it.

00:23:35.828 --> 00:23:37.294
Life's not like that, yeah.

00:23:37.505 --> 00:23:39.733
But yet I get into arguments with people all the time.

00:23:39.733 --> 00:23:40.970
So I think it's the same with bunnies.

00:23:40.970 --> 00:23:47.928
If you can't listen to that episode and say, yes, I can provide this kind of life and lifestyle for this animal, you shouldn't have one.

00:23:48.548 --> 00:23:49.008
Exactly.

00:23:49.008 --> 00:23:49.989
That's a great point.

00:23:49.989 --> 00:23:51.388
That's what these podcasts are so great.

00:23:51.388 --> 00:23:53.210
You're going into it with eyes wide open.

00:23:53.210 --> 00:23:54.190
You know what?

00:23:54.190 --> 00:23:56.211
That type of dog is not the dog for me.

00:23:56.211 --> 00:23:57.852
This type of dog is the dog for me.

00:23:57.852 --> 00:24:00.993
It's not about being turned down for adoption, it's about what's the best fit.

00:24:00.993 --> 00:24:02.693
I mean, you've been preaching that forever.

00:24:02.693 --> 00:24:04.255
You got to have the best fit.

00:24:04.255 --> 00:24:10.557
And if it's not going to be the dog that you want, take the are best fitted to and give that dog a home.

00:24:11.198 --> 00:24:17.540
Yeah, because people are just super selfish, they want what they want and it's just very aggravating, very aggravating.

00:24:17.540 --> 00:24:19.942
Anyway, we could do a whole episode on that.

00:24:20.122 --> 00:24:21.843
I think we should have done it to a certain degree.

00:24:21.843 --> 00:24:24.968
Yeah, all right, moving right along.

00:24:24.968 --> 00:24:29.478
The third most popular episode was I've got too many papers going on.

00:24:29.478 --> 00:24:39.306
Here was Season 2, episode 80 with Jonathan Weinberg of Synchrony parent company, of Care Credit with expert advice for paying for and saving on your vet bills.

00:24:40.387 --> 00:24:43.375
I think that is such a huge topic in this day and age.

00:24:43.375 --> 00:24:51.186
I mean the fact that there is such a thing as economic euthanasia you know, people that have animals that could absolutely be saved.

00:24:51.186 --> 00:24:58.236
They just can't afford to do it and have no means to pay for it and therefore the animal gets euthanized is a bit appalling.

00:24:58.236 --> 00:25:07.130
So what we discussed and I'll just kind of run down the quick topics here we talked about the importance of preventative care and it kind of goes back to the whole food and diet.

00:25:07.130 --> 00:25:15.940
Like if we spend the money on the food and diet, then you're not going to have those issues with cancer and other things later on that you might have when you feed crappy food.

00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:24.071
So the importance of regular checkups facts, you know appropriate vaccinations, parasite prevention.

00:25:24.092 --> 00:25:27.306
We talked briefly about pet insurance, but we did a whole episode about pet insurance, so I didn't, we didn't go too far down that road.

00:25:27.547 --> 00:25:33.719
The importance of having an emergency fund, the importance of understanding what your care options are.

00:25:34.025 --> 00:25:43.198
You know it's like whether it's a low cost clinic or, you know, getting certain things done from your vet and certain things through other community resources, negotiating payment plans.

00:25:43.198 --> 00:26:05.226
And then you know and I would like to do a whole episode on this and I think I probably will in 2025, is finding the words to have the conversation and being brave enough to have the conversation with your vet about care options, because vets are going to offer you the optimal treatment or the gold standard treatment, and that may not be the only treatment.

00:26:05.226 --> 00:26:10.326
There may be step ups that you can do towards that treatment to see if certain things work.

00:26:10.326 --> 00:26:11.127
And we just don't.

00:26:11.127 --> 00:26:23.086
You know, we kind of hear what it is, we hear the price tag and we say yay or nay without discussion, and I think that communication is so important and most vets are super open to it, and if they're not, I think you need to find another vet.

00:26:23.086 --> 00:26:27.585
That's a whole nother episode too, but anyway, what did you think about that episode, bev?

00:26:27.724 --> 00:26:28.626
I was thinking the same thing.

00:26:28.626 --> 00:26:31.651
What struck me after listening to it was how many options there are.

00:26:31.651 --> 00:26:37.779
Get creative as far as health care, whether it's doing your own financial saving or whatever.

00:26:37.779 --> 00:26:40.453
But, like you said, your vet is always willing to work with you.

00:26:40.453 --> 00:26:47.218
I have yet to meet not that I meet them a lot, but I have yet to meet a vet that isn't open-minded enough to work with you.

00:26:47.218 --> 00:26:49.131
It's all about the care of the pet.

00:26:49.131 --> 00:26:56.659
Yes, they are in it for the profit they have to run their business, but they're still willing to be creative as far as health care goes with their pet.

00:26:56.905 --> 00:26:57.891
Yeah, that was a good episode.

00:26:57.891 --> 00:27:14.919
Surprisingly number three to me, because I didn't realize that, because I'm so blessed with a healthy income that I didn't realize this was like a make or break type of thing for people, and it breaks my heart that if you can't afford certain options, that you have to let the pet go.

00:27:14.919 --> 00:27:22.608
But this is I mean, this is what Starlight was doing, also doing that outreach, like the Great Dane the Great Dane that you had that was hit by a car and the family couldn't afford it.

00:27:22.950 --> 00:27:24.976
That that's the outreach part of Starlight.

00:27:24.976 --> 00:27:26.106
You know you assisted them.

00:27:26.567 --> 00:27:26.768
Yeah.

00:27:27.329 --> 00:27:27.891
You know yeah.

00:27:29.074 --> 00:27:29.273
Yeah.

00:27:29.273 --> 00:27:34.464
And then you know and that kind of ties back it.

00:27:34.464 --> 00:27:35.608
Yeah, and that kind of ties back.

00:27:35.608 --> 00:27:43.375
It's kind of a chicken and egg thing of when you get a Great Dane it's going to be expensive, even if it doesn't get hit by a car, because it's going to be expensive to feed, it's going to be expensive to care for.

00:27:43.375 --> 00:27:58.596
And when I have adopters that come to us and they say things like I have to wait until my next paycheck to pay the $85 adoption fee, that is a huge red flag to me because that's not anywhere near to what it's going to cost you annually to care for that pet.

00:27:58.596 --> 00:28:16.336
And so if you're struggling to pay the adoption fee, again I know, I want, I want, I want, but maybe now is not the time for you to have a pet, or maybe you need a different kind of pet that has a more manageable maintenance cost, for lack of a better term.

00:28:16.376 --> 00:28:16.778
Yeah.

00:28:18.145 --> 00:28:18.326
You know.

00:28:18.326 --> 00:28:24.038
Another thing I would say too about the whole affording the pet care and you know, like you said, most vets are willing to work with you, etc.

00:28:24.038 --> 00:28:24.198
Etc.

00:28:24.198 --> 00:28:43.970
Keeping in mind too, because I've run into this a couple times in the past couple of weeks is that most vets are willing to work with their established clients and people who have paid their bills on time in the past and people who have not no-showed for appointments and things like that.

00:28:44.131 --> 00:29:12.990
So if you're one of those people because we had a couple of people this week who we turned down for adoptions for new pets, because they don't routinely take their animal to a vet and the last vet visit was, you know, to the vet to put their animal to sleep because something, you know, it just wasn't acting right and it's like, well, whatever it was, it could have been something that was lingering there for a long time and had you gone to your vet routinely, maybe you would have discovered that sooner, instead of putting your animal down and maybe not.

00:29:12.990 --> 00:29:14.012
Things do creep up.

00:29:14.012 --> 00:29:14.994
I understand that.

00:29:14.994 --> 00:29:30.630
But when you've got two cats as an example, one that I turned down this week, two cats that hadn't been to the vet except one when it went to be put to sleep, and one when it had a kidney stone and had to have emergency surgery but had not been to a vet for 10 years before that.

00:29:30.630 --> 00:29:35.369
It's like do I want to adopt a kitten to you Because that kitten's going to need care?

00:29:36.192 --> 00:29:37.395
along the way oh my gosh.

00:29:37.965 --> 00:29:42.789
So we get a lot of that Like people think, or people that say, well, it's an indoor cat, it doesn't need to go to the vet.

00:29:42.789 --> 00:29:47.611
It's like that's just like saying my kids don't need to go to the pediatrician because I take good care of them.

00:29:48.211 --> 00:29:48.412
Yeah.

00:29:49.073 --> 00:29:52.057
They still need checkups, yeah, at least periodically, and that's the thing.

00:29:52.397 --> 00:29:53.078
It translates.

00:29:53.078 --> 00:29:54.060
It's nothing new.

00:29:54.060 --> 00:29:57.875
You know, you bring your kid for annual physicals.

00:29:57.875 --> 00:30:05.919
I would imagine the same applies to pets that right now are sitting next to me trying to destroy my writing envelopes.

00:30:13.691 --> 00:30:14.270
Yeah, there.

00:30:14.270 --> 00:30:29.182
You also have to realize whether you have a relationship with them or not, and how good that relationship is can impact how much they're willing to risk giving you a payment plan or waiting until tomorrow to get paid, because the bottom line is a business.

00:30:29.182 --> 00:30:33.815
They've got to pay their bills, otherwise they're going to go out of business and then you won't have access to any vet.

00:30:34.606 --> 00:30:35.550
I didn't think of it like that.

00:30:35.550 --> 00:30:40.315
If you're a chronically good customer, they're going to be willing to take that.

00:30:40.315 --> 00:30:41.217
I never thought of that.

00:30:41.738 --> 00:30:48.028
Yeah, make an appointment and keep it, don't just no-show and it's just yeah.

00:30:48.028 --> 00:30:49.133
That could go on and on right.

00:30:49.133 --> 00:30:53.635
There Be a good client Interesting and your vet might treat you well.

00:30:53.635 --> 00:30:56.151
All right, moving along.

00:30:56.151 --> 00:30:58.911
Okay, now we're getting into the top two.

00:30:58.911 --> 00:30:59.974
The top two.

00:31:00.184 --> 00:31:15.961
So the number two episode of the second season of Starlight Pet Talk was season two, episode 77, fix Five Annoying Dog Behaviors Fast with my friend Ruth Hegarty again.

00:31:15.961 --> 00:31:17.748
So she ended up twice in the top 10.

00:31:17.748 --> 00:31:34.990
And one of the reasons we picked the five behaviors that we did is because, well, because they are the top most annoying but several of them are the most chronic and common reasons that people will give up their dogs to rescues and shelters because of some of these behaviors.

00:31:34.990 --> 00:31:44.685
So we talked about what the issues were and I think Ruth did a really great job of giving some really down-to-earth, easy-to-start-with advice for fixing some of the issues.

00:31:44.685 --> 00:31:50.137
So the five issues were leash pulling, nuisance, barking that's a huge pet peeve of mine.

00:31:50.137 --> 00:31:54.660
Recall, like coming back when you call them jumping up on people a huge pet peeve of mine.

00:31:54.660 --> 00:31:59.528
Recall, like coming back when you call them Jumping up on people another huge pet peeve of mine.

00:31:59.567 --> 00:32:01.271
And then destructive chewing, which I've experienced a lot of.

00:32:01.271 --> 00:32:01.471
You know.

00:32:01.471 --> 00:32:04.519
Case in point, the Dyson vacuum and my two $1,200 Lazy Boy recliners.

00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:18.984
So I left a foster dog unattended in the living room for 30 minutes and that dog chewed the arm and the seat just enough to damage them and make them look like shit and then went across the room and did it to the other matching chair.

00:32:18.984 --> 00:32:23.098
Oh no, so they both are chewed up and they're now worth nothing.

00:32:23.098 --> 00:32:32.152
I could probably, if they had not been chewed up because they were expensive chairs and they're relatively new I could probably have sold each of those chairs for two $300.

00:32:32.152 --> 00:32:32.954
But no, right now I'm going to.

00:32:32.954 --> 00:32:35.561
Yes, I think I could probably have sold each of those chairs for two $300, but no, right now I'm going to.

00:32:35.561 --> 00:32:35.962
Yes, I think I could.

00:32:35.962 --> 00:32:36.704
I think I could have cause.

00:32:36.704 --> 00:32:38.107
I got two, 50 for the sofa.

00:32:39.190 --> 00:32:39.590
Wow.

00:32:40.231 --> 00:32:41.294
Yeah, all right.

00:32:41.294 --> 00:32:43.759
So anyway, that's not the point, bev.

00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:54.877
The point is that two perfectly good chairs are going to end up in the garbage dump, um, or set on fire in my backyard as a final farewell.

00:32:56.086 --> 00:32:57.067
A Viking send off.

00:32:57.568 --> 00:33:00.093
There we go, yeah, so anyway.

00:33:00.093 --> 00:33:04.453
So anyway, bev, you don't have a dog, so what did you think of that?

00:33:04.453 --> 00:33:05.339
I don't.

00:33:05.601 --> 00:33:17.699
However, my takeaway from that was all of those things you just described are completely fixable and doable if you are consistent.

00:33:18.605 --> 00:33:19.911
Yeah, that's huge.

00:33:21.526 --> 00:33:24.355
I mean, it works for this damn cat who thinks he's a dog.

00:33:24.355 --> 00:33:29.998
If you're consistent with stuff, you will see a change, but you must be consistent, yeah.

00:33:30.945 --> 00:33:34.236
Dogs and children and cats, it's all the same thing consistency.

00:33:34.236 --> 00:33:40.718
So now remind us Bev, not us remind me, bev.

00:33:40.718 --> 00:33:46.869
Didn't you get bitten by a dog one time, fairly recently, and was there a recall issue involved?

00:33:46.869 --> 00:33:50.356
Or did it when you were walking and that guy had the dog at the construction site?

00:33:50.356 --> 00:33:52.070
And the dog, oh, that's right.

00:33:52.673 --> 00:33:53.546
I forgot about that.

00:33:53.546 --> 00:34:09.306
So I'm walking in my neighborhood and a guy's working construction on a home and you know as people will do, they'll bring their dogs to the construction site to hang out or whatever and um, this dog came off the site towards me and I don't know what kind of dog I want to say it was a spitz.

00:34:09.306 --> 00:34:21.510
It was like a, um, long hair, white, fluffy type of thing, and I guess he started to like heard me, you know, he was circling me or whatever, and he nipped my back of my leg.

00:34:21.510 --> 00:34:22.032
I couldn't believe it.

00:34:22.032 --> 00:34:28.050
He pulled my sweatpants away from and he kind of nipped me, but the guy was calling and the dog never came, you know.

00:34:28.150 --> 00:34:38.545
And then finally after finally, yeah, finally, after the dog bit my leg PS, it was just a little nip, it's not the point, it hurt, it was like a pinch.

00:34:38.545 --> 00:34:41.027
And it wasn't until then that the dog finally came.

00:34:41.027 --> 00:34:44.710
I guess the dog must have heard it in the owner's voice that he really means it this time.

00:34:44.710 --> 00:34:45.630
That's another thing.

00:34:45.630 --> 00:34:49.132
You can't just say it, you have to mean it when you say it, and they can tell the difference.

00:34:49.132 --> 00:34:50.833
They can totally tell the difference.

00:34:50.833 --> 00:34:55.836
They can totally tell the difference when you know, like when your mom uses your middle name, you just you know, you know that type of thing.

00:34:55.836 --> 00:34:58.018
Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.

00:34:58.018 --> 00:35:00.760
I'm like just train your dog better Work with your dog.

00:35:01.159 --> 00:35:05.081
Yeah, you should not have your dog off leash if it's not reliably coming back.

00:35:05.081 --> 00:35:06.563
That's the key thing, right there.

00:35:08.885 --> 00:35:10.130
Not only that, who knows where this guy lives?

00:35:10.130 --> 00:35:10.731
He's at a construction site.

00:35:10.731 --> 00:35:12.378
It's not his home, he's in a strange neighborhood.

00:35:12.378 --> 00:35:13.563
What if that dog took off?

00:35:13.563 --> 00:35:14.527
He'll never see it again.

00:35:15.389 --> 00:35:16.231
It's not going to happen.

00:35:16.231 --> 00:35:18.197
It's not going to happen.

00:35:19.804 --> 00:35:21.190
I totally forgot about that.

00:35:21.190 --> 00:35:25.851
Yeah, and I certainly wasn't mad at the dog, I was mad at the guy.

00:35:26.585 --> 00:35:27.771
Oh, I'd have been mad at the dog too.

00:35:28.967 --> 00:35:30.052
No, it's not the dog's fault.

00:35:30.052 --> 00:35:31.574
It's not the dog's fault.

00:35:31.574 --> 00:35:32.175
It's not the dog's fault.

00:35:32.175 --> 00:35:40.057
You're right, the dog was just doing the dog thing, he's just reflecting what he knows, which is next to nothing, because the owner wasn't consistent with the dog.

00:35:40.764 --> 00:35:43.646
Yeah, neither of you should have been put in that situation.

00:35:44.126 --> 00:35:44.347
Yeah.

00:35:44.847 --> 00:35:59.938
Well, I will say one of the things the jumping up jumps out at me now because Sassy, our blind pit bull who we're still trying to find a home for after I don't know a year and a half going on, two years now she used to have a real problem with jumping and she's gotten.

00:35:59.938 --> 00:36:05.782
But the key is not winding her up when you first come out, come in the house or whatever.

00:36:05.782 --> 00:36:14.490
But I don't think she's jumped up on me in several months now.

00:36:14.490 --> 00:36:19.768
So we finally, because yeah she was, yeah she was, and especially because she came with these long disgusting toenails which we've had a heck of a time trying to get those quicks to go back and shorten them up.

00:36:19.829 --> 00:36:26.532
It was like she'd jump up and claw you as she slid her way down and leave, you know, long bruises down your leg.

00:36:26.592 --> 00:36:28.215
So not only that, she's.

00:36:28.215 --> 00:36:29.498
She's kind of tall.

00:36:29.498 --> 00:36:33.976
When she's up on her back legs it's not like a little tiny, you know, little dog or whatever.

00:36:33.976 --> 00:36:36.773
So when she jumps up on you, you know it Exactly.

00:36:37.215 --> 00:36:38.139
Oh, but she's such a love.

00:36:38.179 --> 00:36:39.101
I can't believe she's not adopted.

00:36:39.101 --> 00:36:40.851
Well, I can believe she's not adopted out.

00:36:40.851 --> 00:36:44.748
It's a little bit of a special needs, but she is a sweetie, definite sweetie.

00:36:45.449 --> 00:36:46.771
Yep, so anyway.

00:36:47.152 --> 00:36:48.612
You can see pictures of her on Facebook.

00:36:49.253 --> 00:36:49.675
That's true.

00:36:49.675 --> 00:36:55.661
Yeah, we just posted her up again, like please, because her foster is moving and cannot take her with her.

00:36:55.661 --> 00:37:00.461
But yeah, I think that's definitely.

00:37:00.461 --> 00:37:02.130
If you're, if anyone's out there dealing with any of those issues, you need to go back and listen to that episode.

00:37:02.130 --> 00:37:04.864
But the primary thing, like Bev said, is being consistent.

00:37:04.864 --> 00:37:11.313
Like you can't even even just doing recall in your house, you can't call them and then have them not come to you.

00:37:11.313 --> 00:37:16.646
Like, doing recall in your house, you can't call them and then have them not come to you.

00:37:16.623 --> 00:37:18.664
Like you can you've got to make sure that it happens, otherwise, you know, two out of three times is not super helpful.

00:37:18.664 --> 00:37:19.382
Yeah, it doesn't do anything.

00:37:19.382 --> 00:37:20.431
It doesn't seal the deal you need.

00:37:20.431 --> 00:37:22.126
You need to be consistent, right, yeah.

00:37:23.476 --> 00:37:32.630
All right, moving right along the number one episode and actually it's the same guy who had the number one episode of 2023, I believe, of Season 3.

00:37:32.690 --> 00:37:33.110
No way.

00:37:33.255 --> 00:37:34.195
I think I'm pretty sure.

00:37:34.195 --> 00:37:36.197
I have to go back and look, but I'm pretty sure it was.

00:37:36.197 --> 00:37:38.019
Yes, it is.

00:37:38.019 --> 00:37:38.481
You know why?

00:37:38.481 --> 00:37:42.144
I know that for a fact Because it's the number one episode overall.

00:37:42.144 --> 00:37:46.710
Huh was Are you Feeding your Pet the Right Food?

00:37:46.710 --> 00:37:48.831
With Dr Jeff Grognet.

00:37:48.831 --> 00:37:53.378
So that's our number still our highest downloaded episode.

00:37:53.378 --> 00:38:02.125
But the number one episode of 2024 only was Season 2, episode 70, pet Vaccination Essentials with Dr Jeff.

00:38:03.414 --> 00:38:08.469
So that one I think I love when he comes on because he is a holistic veterinarian.

00:38:08.469 --> 00:38:11.429
But he came from a very traditional veterinary background.

00:38:11.429 --> 00:38:13.519
I mean, he's been practicing for years and years and years.

00:38:13.519 --> 00:38:28.927
So it's not like he doesn't realize this is the way the world used to see veterinary care and he has evolved as a veterinarian into who he is now and has a huge following of people that take his courses and get his newsletter, things like that.

00:38:29.976 --> 00:38:42.106
So we talked about vaccines, because there's a lot of controversy these days about whether our pets really need all of the vaccines that they get and whether they need them every single year, like we've kind of always traditionally thought.

00:38:42.106 --> 00:38:59.894
So we talked about the difference between core and non-core vaccines, the risks related to over-vaccination, which a huge percentage of it is cancer side effects of vaccine, how we can titer test our pets if we wanted to know whether a vaccine was still viable in their system.

00:38:59.894 --> 00:39:09.195
We talked a little bit about just general holistic veterinary care care.

00:39:09.195 --> 00:39:10.016
But then the duration of immunity.

00:39:10.016 --> 00:39:18.184
I think that was super interesting to realize that many of the vaccines, if we give them once, twice, thrice, are pretty much good from there on out, and so we don't need to necessarily be giving them any year.

00:39:18.264 --> 00:39:19.757
And you know what I think is interesting too?

00:39:19.757 --> 00:39:27.367
Why is it miraculously, in the last couple of years we have quote unquote three-year vaccines like rabies as an example.

00:39:27.367 --> 00:39:32.804
As long as you do it every three years by the deadline, it's because it's the same vaccine, people.

00:39:32.804 --> 00:39:36.465
It's not any different, it's not stronger than the one-year vaccine.

00:39:36.465 --> 00:39:38.213
It's because they realize you don't need it.

00:39:38.213 --> 00:39:42.784
That often, probably, three years is probably too frequent as far as I'm concerned, but anyway.

00:39:42.784 --> 00:39:45.135
So what did you think about that?

00:39:45.135 --> 00:39:49.985
I know we had some big discussions because we were talking about it before, because he went to the vet the last time.

00:39:50.327 --> 00:40:02.625
That's true, and prior to me actually going to the vet to get his vaccinations, research had come out saying there was no difference in the cancer what do you call the cancer at the site of the vaccination Right?

00:40:02.625 --> 00:40:05.585
There's a term for it.

00:40:05.585 --> 00:40:18.182
Apparently, there's no statistical difference between the one and the three-year Because it's the same vaccine Bottom line is do your research.

00:40:18.262 --> 00:40:19.867
Like reading your labels, do your research.

00:40:19.867 --> 00:40:22.744
And I like the fact that he kept saying ask questions.

00:40:22.744 --> 00:40:29.806
Like when you go to the doctors just say you get scary news, you have all sorts of questions for the doctor, write them down.

00:40:29.806 --> 00:40:33.981
When you're in that office and you see that white coat your mind just goes blank.

00:40:33.981 --> 00:40:41.434
So write those things down and don't dismiss a question like oh, it's not important right now Cause he must be busy Ask the questions.

00:40:41.434 --> 00:40:42.396
Just keep asking.

00:40:43.056 --> 00:40:46.458
Yeah, so a funny behind the scenes during that recording.

00:40:46.458 --> 00:40:48.898
Yeah, so a funny behind the scenes during that recording.

00:40:48.898 --> 00:40:55.583
So we had scheduled, obviously, a recording date and he's a busy guy so getting on his calendar gets a little dicey sometimes.

00:40:55.583 --> 00:41:21.496
But we got it scheduled and so we're just chit-chatting a little bit before we get started, just to kind of warm things up or whatever, and he tells me he's not at home, he's at his I don't know if it was a cabin, but like sound like a vacation home in the woods in Canada, and so like it was just a lot of audio issues.

00:41:21.496 --> 00:41:24.219
There was the microphone issue and then I've got really sensitive ears anyway.

00:41:24.219 --> 00:41:26.684
But I hear this like humming, buzzing in the background.

00:41:26.684 --> 00:41:28.907
I'm like, is there a fan or something going?

00:41:28.907 --> 00:41:31.090
And he's like, oh, that's the heater that had kicked on.

00:41:31.090 --> 00:41:34.172
So he had to shut the heat off and it's like, okay, now it was back to being quiet.

00:41:34.556 --> 00:41:43.835
We start talking again and then all of a sudden I hear like, kind of faintly in the background, and I'm like, okay, and it went on.

00:41:43.835 --> 00:41:51.197
And then it kind of stopped and then it started again and it wasn't summer like, and he was mowing the lawn and I was like is somebody?

00:41:51.197 --> 00:41:54.771
Is somebody like sawing something outside your house?

00:41:54.771 --> 00:41:59.425
And he's like, oh yeah, we've got a company here cutting down a bunch of trees around the property.

00:41:59.425 --> 00:42:01.797
I'm like, is this really the best day for us to be doing this?

00:42:01.797 --> 00:42:04.202
Like you gotta be kidding me.

00:42:04.202 --> 00:42:08.829
So the editing of that episode was a nightmare.

00:42:08.829 --> 00:42:20.449
I mean, we had to literally split our audios and then I had to erase everything between the words that he actually spoke and then cut certain things out because it got rammed over.

00:42:20.449 --> 00:42:23.601
But still we managed to cobble together.

00:42:24.304 --> 00:42:28.202
I'll tell you what you must do a great job editing, because I didn't pick up on anything like that at all.

00:42:28.202 --> 00:42:35.726
And then sometimes, when you do complain about stuff, I'm like I don't think it's as big of a deal, you just want it, you want it to be perfect, I get it.

00:42:35.726 --> 00:42:39.980
You want to polish everything up and everything, but I couldn't tell all the editing you're talking about.

00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:40.780
That's great.

00:42:40.780 --> 00:42:42.782
That was a yeah that's a lot of work.

00:42:43.684 --> 00:42:47.608
Yeah, I'm not going to put that much work in anymore people.

00:42:47.608 --> 00:42:50.251
Muddy pause is going to be muddy, it's going to be muddy.

00:42:50.251 --> 00:43:06.467
I mean I'm not going to really allow crappy audio, but I'm going to try my best and it's going to start with this episode to not over-edit, like just leave it out how it naturally occurred and not try to make it seem too polished, because I want you to feel like you're part of the conversation.

00:43:07.088 --> 00:43:07.769
Yeah, buddy.

00:43:08.434 --> 00:43:11.445
And conversations kind of ramble sometimes or whatnot.

00:43:11.445 --> 00:43:19.528
So anyway, yeah, I think we got a good second year, a lot of growth in our download numbers, so that's super exciting, that's awesome.

00:43:19.628 --> 00:43:25.342
Yeah, we're reaching more people, getting good feedback from people and so, yeah, it was good.

00:43:25.342 --> 00:43:26.900
And I'm always surprised too.

00:43:26.900 --> 00:43:45.742
I think when I reach out to people, it's like that person's not going to be on my show, they're this or they're that, or they're famous or they're that work for this big organization or whatever it is, and people want to get the word out about what their area of expertise is or their product or whatever it might be right, right can I can I mention two shout outs for my top favorite?

00:43:46.264 --> 00:43:48.728
Sure, yeah no that's what I wanted to get to next.

00:43:50.795 --> 00:43:55.507
As much as I love those, the ones that were near and dear to my heart were two about the military.

00:43:55.507 --> 00:44:01.768
One of them was Dogs on Deployment with Alicia Sieber, I believe her name is.

00:44:01.768 --> 00:44:03.840
I thought that was so interesting.

00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:11.728
So while a service member is deployed, it's sometimes ridiculously expensive to bring the pet with them.

00:44:11.728 --> 00:44:19.329
So you could actually foster their pet while they're away and take care of it while they're away until they come back.

00:44:19.329 --> 00:44:26.684
I mean, yes, there's pitfalls that come and go along the way Like they might not come back, they might come back a lot later than expected, or whatever the case may be.

00:44:26.684 --> 00:44:32.246
I thought that was just genius, and to be able to foster for the military is awesome.

00:44:32.246 --> 00:44:34.478
I think that's just very creative and very amazing.

00:44:34.478 --> 00:44:35.239
Love that one.

00:44:35.822 --> 00:44:44.315
Yeah, that was a really good one and you know, as a former military member, I like to support, you know, when military-related organizations.

00:44:44.315 --> 00:44:47.079
We've had a couple that were military-related, like you said.

00:44:47.079 --> 00:44:51.228
I'm sure you're going to get to the other one, but I do want to say so, elisa Sieber.

00:44:51.248 --> 00:45:01.543
She was a Marine pilot and started this organization because she struggled herself in trying to figure out, when she was going to be deployed, what was going to happen to her pets.

00:45:01.543 --> 00:45:03.717
And she got lucky and had family members.

00:45:03.717 --> 00:45:13.226
But I don't think I realized how many military members had to give up their pets because of deployments, because they didn't have somebody to care for them.

00:45:13.226 --> 00:45:22.621
Or, my God, we pay our military people the like the crappiest wages for the amount of hours that they work and what they sacrifice.

00:45:23.182 --> 00:45:24.507
And so you know ain't.

00:45:24.507 --> 00:45:27.639
Nobody can be gone for six months and pay $50 a day to board their dog.

00:45:27.639 --> 00:45:28.262
That's crazy.

00:45:28.262 --> 00:45:29.820
Even a colonel couldn't do that.

00:45:30.275 --> 00:45:34.025
Unless you have military in your family, that's something you just don't even give a second thought to.

00:45:34.025 --> 00:45:36.744
So when that came up, I was just flabbergasted by the whole thing.

00:45:36.744 --> 00:45:41.126
The other one I wanted to talk about was Mission Canine Rescue with Kristen Moorer.

00:45:41.126 --> 00:45:44.121
These are like bomb dogs.

00:45:49.896 --> 00:45:52.706
Yeah, bomb dogs yeah bomb dogs, protection dogs, basically working dogs of various working dogs that want to get reunited with the handler.

00:45:52.706 --> 00:45:55.675
I was flabbergasted at the money that it takes to do that.

00:45:55.675 --> 00:45:56.918
Why is it so expensive?

00:45:56.918 --> 00:46:03.161
Um, and this she, when kristin was talking, she the stuff that she'll crawl over broken glass to help you out.

00:46:03.161 --> 00:46:05.248
I was like, oh my god.

00:46:05.248 --> 00:46:20.076
So to be to be able to reunite those handlers with those dogs that saved their lives or, you know, protected so many soldiers, is just again, if you don't have a military person in your life, who knew, who knew, I thought they hop on the plane with them, on the transport plane.

00:46:20.076 --> 00:46:22.699
Oh no, oh no, it's a lot more complicated.

00:46:22.699 --> 00:46:24.001
Had no idea.

00:46:24.981 --> 00:46:37.612
Well, they're over in some foreign country and they're no longer of use and the handler gets sent home and the dog gets euthanized or just, you know, abandoned in some form or fashion.

00:46:37.612 --> 00:47:00.695
Yeah, and so I think her and you know, if you think about, like you said, a bomb dog or just a security dog, like you relied on that dog and the dog relied on you to keep you alive and others alive, and you've had this connection for, however, however long it is, and now you're going to be separated, knowing full well that that animal is not going to come to a good end.

00:47:00.695 --> 00:47:02.521
Like I can't even imagine how that would feel.

00:47:02.521 --> 00:47:03.844
And you have no choice.

00:47:03.844 --> 00:47:04.715
Like they have no choice.

00:47:04.715 --> 00:47:08.061
They can't even, for the most part, they can't even at their own expense.

00:47:08.061 --> 00:47:11.369
Just be like, okay, I'll pay, or my dad will pay to bring the dog back.

00:47:11.369 --> 00:47:14.264
It's like it belongs to that company or that organization.

00:47:15.175 --> 00:47:16.561
That was again.

00:47:16.561 --> 00:47:21.835
I was just blown away, no idea that this was going on, no clue, yeah.

00:47:21.835 --> 00:47:30.340
And everybody loves scrolling through reels on Instagram with the dogs getting reunited with deployed soldiers and stuff like that when they come at home.

00:47:30.340 --> 00:47:33.697
You can't help but just fall in love with that, that reaction.

00:47:33.697 --> 00:47:39.409
Or when the dog when the dog at first is really, really hesitant and then he kind of figures it out that that's his owner, Like that's amazing.

00:47:39.409 --> 00:47:40.894
That's some good stuff right there.

00:47:41.436 --> 00:47:43.097
Yeah, the nose has to kick in.

00:47:43.097 --> 00:47:45.360
It's like the nose has to kick in yeah, yeah.

00:47:45.360 --> 00:47:48.304
Oh, they just break my heart every time I see those yeah.

00:47:48.304 --> 00:47:50.168
Yeah, for sure.

00:47:50.407 --> 00:47:51.329
You know I don't have a favorite.

00:47:51.329 --> 00:47:52.130
I don't mean to ask you.

00:47:52.650 --> 00:47:53.396
No, no, I was just.

00:47:53.396 --> 00:48:03.565
I was just thinking, you know, I will say that, uh, one of my favorites was season two, episode 66 on pet massage.

00:48:03.565 --> 00:48:10.117
That particular episode, the guest was a pet masseuse, a certified canine massage therapist, blanca Rodriguez.

00:48:10.117 --> 00:48:15.536
I think her passion and her compassion for animals just really came through.

00:48:15.536 --> 00:48:33.536
I mean, it was just like it felt like a very, you know, personal and, I guess, intense conversation and just to talk to somebody who believed so much in what they were doing and the power of what they were doing, the stories that she talked about working with, you know, shelter animals and the impact of that touch.

00:48:33.536 --> 00:48:48.994
I mean we all, you know, we all know the impact of of touch and how, how, what a positive impact it has on human and animals and, um, I just think her, her passion for what she did and her caring for animals just really kind of touched my heart with that episode.

00:48:49.757 --> 00:48:51.742
So that was one of my favorites.

00:48:51.742 --> 00:48:52.545
But I don't know.

00:48:52.545 --> 00:49:03.990
I feel like almost all of them are favorites because they're all pretty much handpicked based on either a personal interest, a need or both along the way.

00:49:03.990 --> 00:49:07.961
So that's definitely a good one.

00:49:07.961 --> 00:49:09.525
Okay, bev.

00:49:09.525 --> 00:49:14.324
So to wrap things up and wrap up this episode, what are your thoughts, moving forward, about Muddy Paws?

00:49:14.324 --> 00:49:18.141
You've had some time to digest the fact that Muddy Paws is here.

00:49:18.141 --> 00:49:23.559
It's going to be a little bit more like this conversation, a little more laid back.

00:49:24.061 --> 00:49:26.757
Yeah, what do you think is going to happen for us in 25?

00:49:27.740 --> 00:49:28.103
I don't know.

00:49:28.103 --> 00:49:34.527
After all the episodes that you've done, after everything that I've learned in only two seasons, I can't even imagine next year.

00:49:34.527 --> 00:49:37.280
What are you going to come up with?

00:49:37.280 --> 00:49:39.842
Like, I think it's going to be great.

00:49:40.576 --> 00:49:42.282
I've already got all kinds of things in the works.

00:49:43.418 --> 00:49:44.804
I really don't know how you do it.

00:49:44.804 --> 00:49:46.302
There's always something new to learn.

00:49:46.302 --> 00:49:49.262
And I go back to the military thing.

00:49:49.262 --> 00:49:53.846
I not only wasn't concerned about it, I had no idea it existed.

00:49:53.846 --> 00:49:58.088
So there's things out there like pet nutrition and vaccinations and things like that.

00:49:58.088 --> 00:50:01.389
I didn't give it a second thought and now I have a lot to think about.

00:50:01.389 --> 00:50:06.172
So I'm looking forward to the next hundred episodes, yeah.

00:50:06.271 --> 00:50:14.606
Yeah, I kind of feel like you know number one when it comes to organizations like Mission, canine Rescue and Dogs on Deployment.

00:50:14.606 --> 00:50:22.460
You know there's a lot of organizations out there that you know they're not necessarily putting out national television commercials so that you see them on TV.

00:50:22.481 --> 00:50:33.764
There's a lot of people doing a lot of good work for animals around this country and around the world, and so you know discovering some of those, whether it's them reaching out to me.

00:50:33.764 --> 00:50:43.945
So if you've got an organization like that, reach out and let us know, or you know us doing our homework on our end to find organizations that we want to highlight and draw some more attention to.

00:50:43.945 --> 00:50:50.900
I mean that's, I think that is an untapped, probably never-ending source of episodes.

00:50:50.900 --> 00:50:54.608
And then I think you know our evolution for the pet care.

00:50:54.608 --> 00:50:59.362
I mean look how much you and I have evolved, how pet care was when we were kids.

00:51:02.146 --> 00:51:14.070
And you know, and the things that were okay to do back then and how we've evolved from there, and then everything we've learned from hearing and participating in these podcast episodes over the last two years.

00:51:14.070 --> 00:51:31.820
And the field of animal care, you know, is a multi-billion dollar industry the pet industry and so I think there's all kinds of new innovations and changes and things that we're going to see next year and beyond.

00:51:31.820 --> 00:51:33.786
So I don't think we're going to run out of things to talk.

00:51:33.934 --> 00:51:36.804
I hope not, cause I wish you all the success in the world.

00:51:36.804 --> 00:51:37.485
You're the best.

00:51:37.485 --> 00:51:38.916
Thank you.

00:51:39.097 --> 00:52:03.014
And you're my best co-host and sometimes co-host, yeah, and so you know, definitely for those of you listening just to final thoughts here if there is something that you want to learn about some organization, that you come across a product, something your vet tells you that you hadn't heard before, let us know about it because we will dig into it and we'll do an episode on it if we feel like it is of interest to the rest of our audience as well.

00:52:03.014 --> 00:52:09.110
So we look to you to help guide the future of Muddy Paws and Hairballs and, on that note, anything you want to say.

00:52:09.110 --> 00:52:15.307
So we look to you to help guide the future of muddy paws and hairballs and, on that note, anything you want to say, yeah, keep us posted on the poop and the pee in the dining room.

00:52:16.090 --> 00:52:21.420
Oh yeah, it's a constant, it's a constant, let us know who the culprit is.

00:52:22.422 --> 00:52:24.326
I know, I think I'm just going to set up cameras.

00:52:24.365 --> 00:52:25.608
That's probably the best way to do it.

00:52:25.608 --> 00:52:26.429
I have one charging.

00:52:26.835 --> 00:52:27.737
There you go, I can help.

00:52:28.038 --> 00:52:32.867
Anyway, so on that note of pee and poop and puke.

00:52:34.036 --> 00:52:37.666
We want to say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, all the best holidays and the new year.

00:52:39.418 --> 00:52:45.637
Yes, and have a wonderful new year, and we will be back with a new season of Muddy Paws and Hairballs in 2025.

00:52:45.637 --> 00:52:47.539
Thanks for listening to Muddy Paws and Hairballs in 2025.

00:52:47.539 --> 00:52:49.639
Thanks for listening to Muddy Paws and Hairballs.

00:52:49.639 --> 00:52:59.346
Be sure to visit our website at muddypawsandhairballscom for more resources and be sure to follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app so you'll never miss a show.

00:52:59.346 --> 00:53:04.248
And hey, if you like this show, text someone right now and say I've got a podcast recommendation.

00:53:04.248 --> 00:53:07.670
You need to check the show out and tell them to listen and let you know what they think.

00:53:07.670 --> 00:53:11.733
Don't forget to tune in next week and every week for a brand new episode.

00:53:11.733 --> 00:53:18.780
And if you don't do anything else this week, give your pets a big hug from us.