(Animal Radio® Newsroom August 19, 2010) Comedienne, children's book author and co-host of The View, Joy Behar is back on Animal Radio®. The charismatic comic pulls no punches when talking about her furry-family on this special national radio broadcast.

When Joy Behar isn't making us laugh, you might find her cuddled up with her Shitzu's. She says that the person who sold her the dogs said they were Shitzu, "but there's nothing Shitzu about them," she raves.

Joy lives in a tenement style setting. Family is apparently an important priority for the television host.
"My daughter and her husband share custody of two mutts (Gracie & Tallulah) and a cat that weighs as much as the dog," says Behar. "Benito (her cat) likes to wake me up out of a dead sleep at 5 in the morning."

Her pets roam the house as if it were their own. She says despite what dog trainers say about letting your dog sleep in bed, her dogs are always welcome. "You can always find an marriage counselor that says 'don't let your husband in bed.'"

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America's Talk) Saturday August 28th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday August 29th at 5pm EST.  Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at http://AnimalRadio.com

Since 2003, Animal Radio® is the "most-listened-to" animal programming in the U.S.; created to educate, reduce surrenders and to help animals live long, healthy and happier lives.

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- People with city backgrounds tend to see their pets as family members while those with rural backgrounds tend to see pets as animals, U.S. researchers say.

"Which makes sense given the utilitarian relationships people in rural areas are more likely to have with a range of different animals -- from farm to wild animals," David Blouin of Indiana University South Bend says in a statement. "People who think of their pets as their children often re-evaluate this thought when they have human children of their own."

Whether the pet was seen as a child, a companion or just another animal, albeit a useful one, affected the frequency of owner-pet interactions and veterinarian visits, Blouin says.

Veterinarians were visited at least yearly by 93 percent of dog owners and 77 percent of cat owners, and pet owners spent 2 or more hours daily were with their pet by 81 percent of dog owners and 67 percent of cat owners, the study finds.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.

(By Patty Khuly) Ever walked into a vet's waiting room only to run smack into an aggressive dog straining against the full length of his retractable leash? Or seen a pet owner holding her cat in her lap, otherwise unrestrained? How about the pet owners who insist on bringing six pets at a time, unable to control them all? Or the parent whose four children run amok in the small space?

As with everything in life there is a right way and a wrong way to approach it. The veterinary waiting room is no different.

Sure, veterinary hospitals need to make their waiting areas hospitable, manageable and safe. And when they have little space to work, with the staff should offer alternatives for pet owners whose pets are anxious, aggressive or poorly contained. But that doesn't mean you get a pass when it comes to exercising some common sense and exhibiting basic courtesy at the vet's place.

PAW PRINT POST: 10 questions to ask your vet about pet meds

But it's true that one man's common sense and concept of courtesy is another's opportunity for genuine cluelessness. We don't all know what's expected of us. That's why I've put together this quick list of what NOT to do in your veterinarian's waiting room.

No. 1: Don't fail to contain your cats. Even if your cat is the sweetest thing on record, some other animals may not agree. The last thing we want is to see in our lobbies is an altercation in which one animal dies. Cat carriers are cheap and widely available. Use them.

No. 2: Don't give dogs free reign. The business end of the leash should be in your hands, not at your dog's head. If you can't keep him close and controlled then it's time to ask the receptionist if there's a better place for your pet to wait.

And here's an important corollary: Don't use retractable leashes! These tools have their place, but it's not in a veterinary hospital. If you must use one at the vet's, make sure you know how it works and keep your pet perma-locked on the shortest setting.

No. 3: Don't bring in animals you cannot personally control. Not unless you've made arrangements for direct assistance. It may seem convenient to bring all of your pets in at once for basic care but that's NOT what's safest.

No. 4: Don't do the puppy park meet-and-greet thing. The vet's is not the dog park. It's a strange environment in which pets don't always act the way you expect them to. Moreover, in a veterinary hospital the onus is on us to keep your dogs safe. Legally, we're liable if your dogs fight. Please keep all pets apart. After all, no matter how well you know your pet, can you honestly say you know someone else's?

No. 5: Don't pet other pets without asking first. Again, the vet's place is a strange and stressful environment. And yes, if you get bit it's on our dime––not to mention our conscience.

No. 6: Give the cellphone a rest. In a place as potentially anxiety provoking as the vet hospital, cellphones can be a hazard. Even if you don't feel the anxiety your pet certainly does. She deserves the comfort of your undivided attention for her safety and her stress level. And those around you don't want to hear your life's details, anyhow.

No. 7: Don't walk a dog into a packed waiting room. If the lobby is crammed wall-to-wall with pets, don't chance it. Ask someone to let the receptionist know you're waiting outside. Or use your cellphone for something really useful, for once.

No. 8: Don't fail to tell the receptionist ahead of time if your pet is severely anxious or aggressive. All hospitals appreciate the warning when you make your appointment. It gives us a chance to offer you back-door alternatives or other concessions to your pet's unique behavior issues.

No. 9: Don't bring small children unless you can't help it. A busy animal hospital is tough on small kids. They're not old enough to benefit enough from the educational experience relative to their risk of getting hurt.

No. 10: Don't be rude. Courtesy is king. Kill them with kindness. Etc. I shouldn't have to offer you so many versions of the same cliché, but the fact that they all exist is fine testament to their utility ... or perhaps to their futility. Hmmmm ...

By DAVID KOENIG (AP) FORT WORTH, Texas — Heat might have killed seven puppies that died in the cargo hold of an American Airlines jet this month.

American Airlines spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said Tuesday that necropsies on the puppies were inconclusive but found that heat "may have been a factor."

The puppies died soon after the flight from Tulsa, Okla., landed in Chicago on Aug. 3. Cargo handlers in Chicago noticed they were lethargic and took them to a veterinarian's office.

Fagan said the flight complied with company policy that prohibits shipping animals when outside ground temperatures exceed 85 degrees.

The National Weather Service recorded 86 degrees in Tulsa while the plane, which was delayed from taking off for an hour, was still on the ground at 8 a.m. But American relies on temperatures reported by The Weather Channel's website, and Fagan said those readings "at loading, pushback, take-off and arrival" were within the 85-degree limit.

Fagan also said the puppies that died might have had other health problems because 17 other dogs survived the same flight. The seven who died were among 14 puppies put on the plane by a shipper that the airline declined to identify.

American declined to release the necropsy reports on the dead puppies. The airline said it carries more than 100,000 dogs a year.

The puppy deaths outraged animal-rights groups. The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Legal Defense Fund called on government officials to investigate whether the airline violated federal rules on shipping animals. In 1994, the U.S. Agriculture Department fined Delta Air Lines $140,000 after 32 puppies suffocated in the cargo hold of a jetliner that was delayed for two hours.

The U.S. Transportation Department said last month that 122 dogs have died while being shipped on planes since May 2005, when airlines were first required to disclose the deaths. Animal-rights groups say the numbers vastly understate the problem because airlines only report pets that are killed or lost — not animals shipped by breeders, as was the case on American.

Last week three U.S. senators asked the Transportation Department to require airlines to report all deaths of dogs and cats, including those shipped by breeders and handlers.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends that owners avoid shipping pets in the cargo hold. Most airlines, however, will only allow pets in the passenger cabin if they are small enough to fit in a carrier under a seat.

CHICAGO - We've heard a lot about the dangers of driving while texting or talking on a cell phone.

Now safety experts are warning that driving with your pet is a major distraction that could be deadly.

Twenty-one percent of those questioned for a new survey of dog owners who've driven with their pets say they've held their dogs on their laps, and 55 percent say they've pet their dogs while driving.

Seven percent have given food and water to their dogs while driving, and five percent say they've played with their dogs while behind the wheel.

Safety experts say most drivers don't realize that a dog moving around the car, or sitting on someone's lap, can injure or kill people in the car during a crash -- especially if an airbag deploys.

An 80-pound dog left unrestrained during a crash at 30 mph exerts 2,400 pounds of force in a vehicle, according to Motivation Design LLC, a company that manufactures pet travel products, including restraints, under the brand name Kurgo.

The company says it can be dangerous for the dog and anyone in its path.

The AAA organization and Kurgo were partners in the survey of 1,000 dog owners who have driven with their pets in the past year.

Illinois state troopers say dogs often become territorial and protective of their owners when police and emergency responders try to rescue people inside wrecked vehicles.

Rescuers sometimes have no other option than to shoot the animal in order to help the driver and passengers.