Everything you always wanted to know about animals — and probably a lot of interesting information you didn’t even know you wanted to know — is coming over the air in Pets and Their People on 920AM The Voice.
Broadcast every Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., the show, sponsored by Dogs and Cats Rule pet stores, just celebrated its 100th episode, discussing everything animal-related from puppy mills to therapy dogs to a mountain lion that climbed a telephone pole, a zoo visitor who decided to pet a polar bear, and a dog who suffered predictable consequences when he chose to confront a porcupine (last three incidents did not actually take place in the studio).
Of all the many visitors to the show, Bocker the Labradoodle (combination Labrador and poodle), a celebrity therapy dog, boasted the most impressive resume. Featured in many different TV commercials and movies, he’s listed as the author of a book and a coloring book, and he’s been on the cover of the Tommy Hilfiger Magazine, and appeared in Target Magazine and Animal Planets Dogs 101.
Frequently on the job, Bocker has visited hospitals and assisted living facilities and made several trips to Sandy Hook, Connecticut to comfort children dealing with the school shooting there. As a Tail Wagging Tutor, he has helped many students learn to read. Bocker recently overcame lymphoma and has become a “spokesdog” for combatting canine cancer.
Other recent highlights of Pets & Their People include Harley, a puppy mill survivor and the 2015 American Hero Dog Award Winner who has given his name to a non-profit organization seeking to abolish puppy mills; Southeast Pet Rescue Railroad; the Squeaky Dog Question; W. Jean Dodds, renowned holistic veterinarian; the Swedish puzzle lady Nona Ottosson, who has developed an array of dog games and and puzzles to “keep your dog’s brain busy;” Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert, who spoke about her dog-friendly town with its accommodating businesses; a representative of Red Paw Emergency Relief Team, a 501c3; a one-woman guinea pig rescue operation; and the weekly “squeaky dog question.” For Halloween, the subject was New Hope ghost tours for dogs.
“Lead dog” of this enterprise, based at the 920AM The Voice studio on Alexander Road in Princeton since November 2013, is George Parente, who shares the microphone with co-host/soundboard expert Dave McKaye. When not on the air gathering and dispensing animal wisdom, Mr. Parente presides at Cats and Dogs Rule, which has outlets at Windsor Green shopping center on Route One, in Pennington on Denow Road, and also in Newtown and Maple Glen, Pennsylvania.
“If it has to do with animals, no subject is impossible,” Mr. Parente stated, describing his ongoing search for fresh material.
Upcoming shows will include a special on military dogs this week in honor of Veteran’s Day, then, on November 20 and 21, two representatives from Housepaws Mobile Veterinarian Services.
Pets & Their People recently obtained four social media partners, including Facebook, to help increase their following through online podcasts. According to Nielsen radio show tracking, each episode currently has about 600 followers, a total of 1800 every week.
“It’s important to educate people about pets,” stated Dylan DiMeglio, producer of the Pets & Their People show. “When people are uneducated, pets end up in shelters. There’s so much to learn. Animals can do a lot more than you think.” Mr. DiMeglio explained that the Featured Pet segment of the show, in which a local rescue facility presents a pet, has so far succeeded in finding homes for several different animals.