July 10, 2009

Mission Accomplished: Thanks to the Dog!

You may have heard of seeing eye dogs but did you also know that dogs serve people by acting as grief counselors, avalanche rescue workers and illness detectors? This week you will hear about dogs that perform all types of highly unusual jobs as Linda Anderson, co-founder of the Angel Animals Network and co-author of Angel Dogs with a Mission tells you the stories of pooches who use their canine skills in extraordinary ways to help people in extraordinary circumstances.

Episode Segments:

Wild About Pets: The Emotional Needs of Dogs Linda Anderson explains how she discovered the emotional and spiritual depths of dogs, why they NEED tasks to accomplish and how they can help humans in many ways we may have never thought of.
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Wild About Pets: Amazing Dog Stories Susan and Linda talk about some of the specific stories of dogs, including one that paints pictures with its tail, and another that assisted with grief counseling in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings.
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Wild About Pets: The Mission of Angel Animals Linda shares the story of a dog who was able to detect cancer cells. Linda explains how she think it is possible for dogs to do so many seemingly inexplicable tasks. She also explains the mission of the Angel Animals network.
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Links to Related Websites:

Look While You Listen! Visit the Wild About Pets official web site and view the pictures Susan and her guest(s) are discussing.

Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Linda Anderson Linda Anderson is an internationally recognized bestselling author with her husband Allen Anderson. The Andersons have written a series of eleven popular pet books and are inspirational speakers about the benefits and complexities of human-animal companionship. Linda uses her professional experiences as a small business owner, educator, consultant, and media specialist to inspire readers and audiences with stories and information about the needs, interests, and priorities of millions of people who love their pets. She also teaches writing at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. The Andersons were each awarded Certificates of Commendation from the governor of Minnesota in appreciation for their contributions as authors to the state. They received the American Society of Journalists & Authors Outstanding Book Award in 2007 for their book, Rescued: Saving Animals from Disaster. As a seven-year breast cancer survivor, Linda knows the value of pets for bringing healing and comfort, because her beloved pets were there for her through one of the most challenging and painful periods of her life. As a trained animal rescue volunteer, Linda raises awareness of the need for individuals and societies to protect and save animals. Linda and Allen donate a portion of proceeds from their work to animal rescue organizations and they do fundraising activities. Click here to visit Linda's Website