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November 24, 2009 What Holds Back The Elephant: Julie Woodyer Discusses the Ongoing Case Of Lucy 
The ongoing case of Lucy the elephant is perhaps one of the most well-known animal advocacy campaigns in Canada. Confined at the Edmonton Valley Zoo for over 30 years, Lucy’s story is a tragic case of neglect and abuse, as the normally far-ranging and very social elephant continues to be kept alone, in an inappropriate climate, in quarters that amount to no more than 1/4 acre. As a result of her confinement, Lucy has suffered depression and numerous health problems. Zoocheck has been one of the organizations that has taken up Lucy’s cause, and is still pushing hard to get Lucy out of the Edmonton Valley Zoo and to a sanctuary in the US where she can stretch her legs, browse on good food, and be around others of her own kind. Tune in to hear about the past, present, and future of the Lucy case, and to find out how you can help. News links:
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Captivity
July 15, 2008 Animals Asia Foundation: Sanctuary and the Struggle to End Bear Bile Farming 
Photos from animalsasia.org Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of Animals Asia Foundation, joins us from Chengdu, China. Tune in to hear Robinson describe her work with Chinese and Vietnamese animal activists to provide sanctuary for moon bears (Asiatic black bears), and their efforts to stop bear bile farming. Robinson provides detailed first-hand accounts of bear rescues, painting vivid pictures of the farms and the conditions that the bears endure. From mutilations and physical pain, to emotional and psychological damage, rescued bears face significant challenges in their recovery. Some do not make it. Others manage to thrive at the two Moon Bear Rescue Centers, one in Tam Dao, Vietnam, and the other in Chengdu, China. Listen in for some of the bears' stories. Also in this interview, Robinson outlines the economics of bear bile farming, traditional medicines (TM), successful lobbying techniques, and the stumbling blocks the Foundation works to overcome.
One of our favourite interviews to date!
Download mp3s of the interview: May 29, 2007 Different Ways of Knowing: Birding, Aquariums, and the End of Suffering? Part II 
Photo © LexnGer Traci Warkentin and Gavan Watson join us in studio again for Part II of "Different Ways of Knowing: Birding, Aquariums, and the End of Suffering?" In this conversation, Traci and Gavan describe the work of some of their influences, including environmental philosophers Neil Evernden, Val Plumwood, Donna Haraway, David Quammen, among others. They also provide a brief introduction to sensual world of phenomenology. Gavan and Traci stress the importance of staying open and attentive to animals, and talk about how we might meet animals like squirrels on their own terms. Turning to a discussion about "trash animals" and "food animals", they draw together such themes as contamination, invisibility, and Otherness. Gavan ends with a description of his challenging work on the Ring-billed Gull, and Traci closes with a question to our listeners: Do we have a moral imperative to support the genetic engineering of industrial "food animals" if it means they will suffer less? News links:
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Animals in Entertainment | Captivity
April 24, 2007 Different Ways of Knowing: Birding, Aquariums, and the End of Suffering? 
Between peering into binoculars and keeping meticulous checklists, for some outside the activity, bird watching may seem perplexing. Why do people enjoy it, and what does the practice reveal about human-animal relationships? Or, consider aquariums, with their carefully choreographed performances and animal-touching activities. What ideas about animals and conservation are encouraged through such institutions, and what insights might be drawn from academic critique? Join us as we explore these, and other questions, with Traci Warkentin and Gavan Watson, doctoral students in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University. Including themes of ethics, representation, and phenomenology, Warkentin and Watson's respective research is both challenging and engaged. Watson, a naturalist, works at the intersection of animal studies, environmental education and natural history, while Warkentin's scholarship draws together environmental ethics, education, and animal geographies from a feminist and interdisciplinary approach.
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Animals in Entertainment | Captivity
August 30, 2005 
Richard O'Barry 
This week, we'll be setting the stage for the international day of protest against the dolphin slaughter in Japan. Every year from September through April, fishermen in Japan hunt and kill about 20,000 dolphins and other whales in the largest dolphin slaughter in the world. The hunt is vicious but is justified for many reasons including "pest control", it is tradition, and marine theme parks pay well for capturing star attractions. Joining us to share their first-hand accounts of the hunt are two of the most outspoken activists against the dolphin slaughter, former dolphin trainer turned advocate Richard O'Barry and, speaking from Japan, author and environmentalist Sakae Hemmi/Fujiwara. We'll learn more about the industry, the dolphin hunters, why the hunt continues, and why we need to stop it. Help send a powerful message to the Japanese dolphin hunters and their government and let them know the world is watching on October 8th. Click here for photos from the protest in Toronto. Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (3.84 MB) and part 2 (2.98 MB) April 19, 2005 Captivity, a Captain, & Some Sage Advice 
As the weather warms, many people emerge from hibernation in search of summer fun, including trips to the zoo. But what are animals' experiences of captivity? Tomorrow we'll hear from Rob Laidlaw (Zoocheck) about the physical and psychological effects of confined living. Then Pat Tohill (WSPA) will shed light on the dismal state of Ontario's roadside zoos. Next, Lawrence Carter-Long (IDA) will give us the details about this year's World Week for Animals in Laboratories, which begins April 23. He'll give us a vivisection primer (types of experiments, rationales for use, etc) and poke a big hole in the myth that animal testing is necessary to combat human disease. As Carter-Long writes, "As a former poster child for cerebral palsy research I've personally exposed the flaws of animal research in media interviews and debates against those in the vivisection industry." Lastly, barring another bad storm, we'll connect with the Captain of the Farley Mowat, Sea Shepherd's very own Paul Watson. Get his first-hand account of the seal hunt, and his take on the controversies surrounding him and his crew. Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (4.04 MB) and part 2 (2.1 MB) October 26, 2004 Marine Mammal Captivity, the Seal Hunt, & Foie Gras We'll be discussing 3 of the past week's top news stories concerning the animal rights movement starting with how West Edmonton Mall reneged on their pledge to replace Howard the dolphin with human performers following years of protest and Howard's recent relocation. The Mall has now imported 3 sea lions from Scotland to be their main aquatic attraction. Tove Reece, founder of Voices for the Animals in Edmonton will tell us what their plan of action is regarding West Ed's decision and she'll also give us a glimpse into the Edmonton animal rights community. Then we'll hear from the former campaigner for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Rebecca Aldworth, about her new role as Director of Canadian Wildlife Issues for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). This initiative marks a bold step in increasing international pressure to end the Canadian seal hunt, the largest mass slaughter of mammals in the world. Rebecca will discuss why HSUS is investing in Canada, why Canada's animal rights groups typically seek help beyond its borders, and what her next steps will be to ending the seal hunt. Finally, we'll hear from Sarahjane Blum, media spokesperson and campaign manager for GourmetCruelty.com, who has been charged with felony burglary for rescuing injured ducks from New York's Hudson Valley Foie Gras factory farm. Along with campaign coordinator, Ryan Shapiro who was arrested last week, she faces 7 years in prison. We'll hear what exactly led to the charges, about their undercover documentary Delicacy of Despair: Behind the Closed Doors of the Foie Gras Industry, and what the implications of California's 2012 ban on foie gras could mean for their case. *Charges dropped! Read about it here. Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (3.55 MB) and part 2 (1.81 MB) September 14, 2004 Film, A Peaceable Kingdom. Plus, Marineland sues nonprofit for $250,000 
Interviews with Dan Wilson of Niagara Action for Animals (NAfA) and the folks who brought us the powerful documentary, Peaceable Kingdom: Director, Jenny Stein; Producer, James LaVeck; and former rancher turned animal advocate, Harold Brown who is featured in the film. The non-profit organization, NAfA, is being sued by Marineland, who is seeking $250,000 (CDN) in damages for "libel, intentional interference, punitive damages" among other charges — all because of a letter sent by NAfA a few years ago. Dan will give us the scoop on Marineland, how its animals are dying prematurely in captivity, and the details of this bizarre case. Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (2.63 MB) and part 2 (3.06 MB) September 12, 2002 Randy Malamud, author of Reading Zoos: Representations of Animals and Captivity Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (3.74 MB) and part 2 (1.81 MB) Tags: Captivity
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