Radio Free Rescue

NOTE: This is the archived podcast of our interview. Please do not call in. Thank you for listening! Last Friday, August 2, 2013, we were honored to have interviewed Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the director of the Sundance Film Festival favorite documentary, Blackfish. The movie is about Tilikum, the SeaWorld killer whale favorite who has been involved in several deaths over the years, including that of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010.  The movie's release forced SeaWorld to issue a response, which -- in light of the damning facts and footage in the film about how cetaceans are ripped from their families and social groups and forced to live and train in cramped, artificial conditions, essentailly in servitude in the name of entertainment -- could only charitably be described as both ineffectual and weak.  Listen to our rebroadcast of our interview with Ms. Cowperthwaite, and then head over to their website to find out if the film is being shown at a theater near you. 

"Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s documentary Blackfish is a clear successor to 2009’s The Cove." - The New Statesman. “Blackfish is a highly compelling film that’s already being touted as a likely Oscar contender." - Salon.com. Few documentaries in the past few years have resonated with movie audiences as much as Blackfish has, and with good reason. I know of few families who haven't been to SeaWorld at least once during the kids' childhoods, including my own. And why not? There's something majestic and powerful about seeing a killer whale -- their sleek, polished beauty, their massive size leaping gracefully out of sparkling water, their sharp intelligence. Backdrop that with their cheerful, diminutive trainers trainers and all those "tricks" they perform just for us, the eager participants in this dramatic show of nature's power -- it's hard to beat that as compelling entertainment.  And then you see a film like Blackfish. It's hard to imagine why we ever thought that that could be anything but exploitation and ab

We have a very special treat this evening! We usually feature interviews and profiles with activists, volunteers, and leaders of animal rights organizations, rescue groups, and media organizations, but tonight we offer our listeners a different perspective on the animal rights movement: that of the artist. Daniel Redwood is a vegan and singer/songwriter whose latet album is called Songs for Animals, People & the Earth. Originally from Buffalo, New York, he began his artistic activism working as a volunteer with Cesar Chavez and the United Farmworkers Union in California, eventually touring coast-to-coast on behalf of the group and recording a benefit record.  For more information about Daniel and his songs, visit his website.   

Join us tonight as we interview Ms. Nancy Cu-Unjieng, president of CARA (Compassion and Responsibility for Animals) Welfare in the Philippines, one of the few national animal rescue organizations in that country.  Founded in 2000, CARA rescues dogs and cats from the streets and situations of abuse and/or neglect, and brings them into their foster program. They received global attention in 2012 when they took in nearly 230 pit bulls from what is believed to be the largest dogfighting raid in the world to date. Known as the Laguna Pit Bulls, only about 175 of them survived in the subsequent months, with many dying from their wounds and illnesses. The remaining are now being cared for by CARA's dedicated volunteers in shelter and rehabilitation facilities while they await adoption.  CARA Welfare receives all of its funding from donors and supporters from around the world, and they have an active Facebook page where they regularly post updates on the dogs and cats in their care and the often-dramatic rescues that

If you're involved in animal rescue, you've likely heard about Best Friends Animal Society, and with good reason: they're not only a leader in the No-Kill movement, they also own and manage the largest companion animal sanctuary in the country. Homeless animals -- mostly dogs and cats, but also including horses, rabbits, pigs, birds, and others -- awaiting adoption are cared for in an expansive facility that includes full veterinary care, experienced trainers, and an army of dedicated volunteers.  Best Friends Animal Society received significan press coverage in 2007 after they took in 22 of the 48 dogs seized by authorities from the Michael Vick dogfighting operation at a property the football star owned in Virginia. Ten of those 22 have been adopted. Faith Maloney is one of the original co-founders of Best Friends, which was established in its present form in 1984.