Just call him the Comeback Canine. To everyone’s surprise and delight (including his owner and the show judge) "Stump", a ten year-old, a droopy-eyed, chocolate Sussex Spaniel, overcame a mysterious life-threatening illness to beat out more than 2,500 other dogs for the title of 2009 Best In Show at Madison Square Garden on February 10th. This week Diane West takes you on a behind-the-scenes, all-access radio tour leading up to and through the event, from the Westminster kick-off party to...

Can birds crash a plane? Absolutely, according to aviation experts who were watching the skies over New York City on the afternoon of Thursday, January 15th, just two weeks into the New Year. Minutes after take-off, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger of US Airways Flight 1549 made a dicey emergency landing in the Hudson River due to what is so far being called a ‘bird strike’ of both its engines by a large flock of Canadian Geese (DNA and other evidence pending.) Birds get caught in...

Pets In the City turns into the City Pound! This special once-a-month treat will feature exclusive interviews and sounds from some of the music industry’s most well-known names, including performers, DJs, artists, and other notables--with an emphasis on rock n’ roll and punk rock! Why? Turns out some of the hardest-rocking talents are also the hardest-working advocates for animals--and many of them live in New York, of course. Hear some of your favorite bands and artists talk about their...

We really step in it on this week’s episode of Pets In the City. Chances are you have, too. We’re talking about dog poop, of course. That’s right-- a whole show devoted to the poop, the power, and the passion behind New York’s thirty year-old ‘pooper scooper’ law. Don’t laugh, it’s a subject that continues to have dog lovers, non-dog-lovers, political leaders, animal rights activists, and pretty much everyone in-between asking the same question: should you really own a dog in New York...

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and perhaps this is illustrated in no better way than in the love story between Rick Caran and his wonder Yorkie, "Jilli Dog." Little did Rick know that the wet, dirty and scared little dog abandoned not far from his Long Island, New York home would lead him on the adventure of a lifetime, taking him around the world for her poker-playing abilities and general above-average intelligence. But how did Rick, who never trained dogs professionally, teach...

People love pets. And, although not all of them admit it, people love reality television. So it was inevitable there would be a convergence of the two, and now animals big and small are common ‘characters’ on reality TV. But are some of these animals unwittingly getting pulled into the ‘drama’ that drives reality shows, and are they getting hurt or even abused as a result? American Humane, the 131 year-old animal group best known for giving movie and television shows the coveted "No Animals...

‘Greatest American Dog’, a ten-week reality series which showed dogs and their people competing for a $250,000 prize on CBS this summer, captivated pet lovers who wanted to see which dog/person team would ultimately demonstrate the strongest bond between each dog and his or her person. But relationships between the human contestants were another story. Strained, tense and angry confrontations were common in front of the camera and, according to one of the shows more controversial contestants,...

The unstable economy is not just hurting workers, but their families as well -- including their pets. Unlike our suburban neighbors, who may surrender their pets to shelters or abandon them if they lose their house in foreclosure, some city dwellers are giving up their pets because they lost their high-paying jobs and the only affordable place is a "no pets" building. Jenn Bristol, head of Animal Haven SoHo, a combination adoption center and pet boutique, is finding more and more people...

The first weekend of October is generally filled with "Blessing of the Animals" ceremonies in honor of St. Francis Day, a saint who is thought to have had a particular affinity for animals in Europe many centuries ago. New Yorkers come out in droves to their local houses of worship, Christian and otherwise, with their pets to these simple, touching ceremonies to bless their pets for good health and long life for the coming year. This week we’ll talk with two experts in the field of blessing...

Many come to New York to see their dreams of fame and stardom take flight, but some visitors already have wings. WebVet.com, a new consumer-friendly veterinary question-and-answer site, invited creatures of the air to enter their 'Birds on Broadway' contest recently to sing, dance, and flap their way to stardom right on 47th Street. Pets In the City talks with WebVet.com president Hope Schultz about the unusual launch of this special contest for hopeful avian actors and the particular needs...

Diane chats with Erinlee Adamson, casting producer for Animal Planet’s hit show, "Groomer Has It." Groomer Has It is seeking competitive dog stylists who have what it takes to win! Listen and find out how to enter! Animal Planet’s newest hit show GROOMER HAS IT is a competition based reality show challenging dog groomers from around the country to be the next GROOMER OF THE YEAR and to win $50,000 cash!!" They are looking for Dog Groomers with skills, personality, competitive spirit and...

Fashionistas, buyers, models and the pet--obsessed stormed several floors of the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea on August 23 and August 24 for New York’s Third Annual ‘Pet Fashion Week.’ While the name may be misleading (the ‘Week’ is really a ‘Weekend’) there were more awards, products, grooming demonstrations, professionals and stars of the pet business world packed into two days than you can shake a tail at. From the foot of the catwalk to the trade show floor, from industry...

If you think you know all about Batman and Gotham City, think again.=2 0While there may be someone running around in a cape making blockbuster movies this summer, you haven’t seen (or heard) anything yet if you haven’t gone on a nighttime bat expedition in Central Park with the real Batman and Batgirl of Gotham City, Bradley Klein and Daniellle Gustafson, who, in conjunction with the American Museum of Natural History give annual Bat Tours each summer. Both Mr. Klein and his wife, Ms....

"Groomer Has It" may have been a hair-raising reality show on Animal Planet this season, but this week on Pets In The City we’re the ones that have the groomer- Mr. David, to be e xact. Jonathan beat out all other contestants on the show to make it to first runner-up in this fierce coffier competition. But well before "Groomer Has It" Mr. David had it all- as a well-respected groomer to the likes of Mariah Carey, Ralph Lauren, Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates, Betty Buckley, Louise Lasser, John...

"Pets In The City" travels to the heart of Times Square and into Shubert Alley, where the annual adoption event "Broadway Barks" takes center stage for it’s tenth straight year. Founded by world-renowned Broadway actress and singer Bernadette Peters and "America’s Sweetheart" actress Mary Tyler Moore, this annual event brings out all of the Broadway stars and some of New York’s most adoptable cats and dogs. We’ll talk with trainer and author Bill Berloni, who has worked with to some of...

Weekend getaway season is in full swing in the city, and the Hamptons has been a favorite among city folk for a long time. By train (Long Island Rail Road), by plane (if you’re uber-rich) or highway (rental cars or the Hampton Jitney motorcoach) New Yorkers from every walk of life flock to the sandy shores seeking a break on the breakers. But even here homeless animals abound, from huge feral cat colonies drawn by the scent of fresh fish on the bustling boat docks to “vacation pets” left...

Think the presidential race is getting tough now? Wait until you travel with us to the Upper East Side of Manhattan to witness the launch of a historical "paws-idential" campaign by a very unlikely candidate. Seems that comedian Richard Belzer ("Law and Order", "Last Comic Standing") has thrown his hat into this year's presidential election to issue all United States citizens who love pets a special challenge, endorsed wholeheartedly by three big players: the North Shore Animal League, the...

It sounds like a bizarre urban legend, but unfortunately, it is not. An increasing number of dogs--and people--are being electrocuted by stray voltage from faulty streetlights or underground wiring throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The topic first gained national attention with the tragic death of a young college student named Jodie Lane, who in the winter of 2003 lost her life on a street in Greenwich Village while walking her dog. Since then, several other incidents have been...

The Brooklyn Bridge. The Cyclone. Coney Island. Brooklyn is home to all of these, but not many know that soaring high in the skies above Flatbush, Sunset Park, and other neighborhoods in this iconic New York borough are wild green Quaker parrots from Argentina. Join “Parrot Man” Steve Baldwin of www.brooklynparrots.com on an urban safari in Brooklyn’s Greenwood Cemetery and discover the mystery of how these exotic birds came to the big city. Then, take a downtown train to Wall Street with...