Episodes

  • The Human-Animal Connection 71 Whispers from the Rainbow Bridge: Animal Messages of Love

    The Human-Animal Connection 71 Whispers from the Rainbow Bridge: Animal Messages of Love
    Jul 16 2025
    Ellie Laks from The Gentle Barn and I share some of our favorite, joyful, inspiring stories about communicating with animals and discovering their rich inner lives. We don’t always realize how multi-dimensional their worlds can be. In this episode, a horse named Whisper who, has gone on to the Rainbow Bridge “appeared” – literally as a shadow that kept crossing the room (you can see this on the YouTube video podcast) – until Ellie told Whisper’s very moving story of healing and transformation. I tell a story about my cat Wolfie, who told me when it was time to pass – the exact day and time. When you open the door to animal communication, you enter a rich and delightful world that opens our eyes in so many ways. These heartwarming stories will inspire you go deeper in all your interactions with animals. And they will love you even more for joining them on this delightful journey.

    EPISODE NOTES: Whispers from the Rainbow Bridge: Animal Messages of Love

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    35 mins
  • The Human-Animal Connection 70 Animals Help Kids Find Their Gentleness

    The Human-Animal Connection 70 Animals Help Kids Find Their Gentleness
    Jul 4 2025
    TRAK which is Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids brings people of all ages together with animals for fun, comfort, healing, and education. They have four Therapy Donkeys who help kids who might be afraid of larger horses experience a taste of gentleness with a four-legged equine. They have goats, chickens, bunnies, mini horses and of course, retired racehorses for riding lessons. They have seen the transformative power of children of all abilities and adults working with animals to gain more confidence, more understanding of their own emotions – and how animals react to their emotional states. Interacting with animals is very grounding for children and helps them connect to their senses. TRAK also has senior animals there who live out there days in peace and companionship with animals and the people who love them.

    EPISODE NOTES: Animals Help Kids Find Their Gentleness

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    28 mins
  • The Human-Animal Connection 69 Animals Have Feelings Too

    The Human-Animal Connection 69 Animals Have Feelings Too
    Jun 13 2025
    Does your animal have a choice about what they do or don’t do? Retired psychology Professor, Deborah Jones has been training dogs for over three decades and has developed a philosophy and method she calls Cooperative Care. This method is about giving dogs choices whenever possible during training and in daily interactions. Although there will always be situations where the dog has no choice (such as being examined at the vet’s office!), but we can best prepare dogs for this experience by finding and training situations where they can let us know how they are feeling. By paying attention to the way they are communicating with us, we can observe and correctly interpret their feelings — are they comfortable in this situation? What is bothering them? Are they tired? Are they reacting to our tension or agenda? We can greatly improve all situations for the animals who share our lives when we respect their feelings and provide opportunities for them to choose pace, duration and timing.

    EPISODE NOTES: Animals Have Feelings Too

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    35 mins
  • The Human-Animal Connection 68 Teen Gives Booties to Homeless Doggies

    The Human-Animal Connection 68 Teen Gives Booties to Homeless Doggies
    May 20 2025
    Jordan Sucato is a sixteen-year-old high school student with her own non-profit organization. She has raised over ten thousand dollars (of her twenty-thousand-dollar goal) to provide booties for dogs who share their lives with homeless folks. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where summer temperatures can go to 120 degrees, making the pavement 140 degrees. Many dogs who share their lives with homeless families will walk several miles a day in the hot sun. Jordan loves all animals, and her life has found a total sense of purpose with her mission to provide booties for dogs who are living on the streets with their people. The stories of love and joy she tells will delight and inspire you. She tells students her age, “Don’t let anything stop you from your dream of helping animals.”

    EPISODE NOTES: Teen Gives Booties to Homeless Doggies

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    25 mins
  • The Human-Animal Connection 67 Enlightened Dog Training: Peaceful Solutions for a Harmonious Pack

    The Human-Animal Connection 67 Enlightened Dog Training: Peaceful Solutions for a Harmonious Pack
    May 9 2025
    This week on The Human Animal Connection, host Genie Joseph welcomes Jesse Sternberg, author of Enlightened Dog Training, for a thoughtful conversation about creating peace and harmony in our relationships with dogs. Drawing from decades of experience—including his early days running a doggie daycare—Jessie shares his deep understanding of pack dynamics, canine communication, and how mindful, non-coercive training techniques can transform the way we live with and care for our pets. Genie and Jessie explore the energetic influences of group settings, the subtle art of interspecies connection, and how embracing new, enlightened approaches can lead to more joyful, balanced lives for both humans and dogs. If you're curious about expanding your bond with your dog using compassionate, consciousness-based methods, this episode is not to be missed.

    EPISODE NOTES: Enlightened Dog Training: Peaceful Solutions for a Harmonious Pack

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-human-animal-connection-pet-life-radio-original--6669311/support.
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    35 mins
  • The Human-Animal Connection 66 Donkeys are the REAL Unicorns

    The Human-Animal Connection 66 Donkeys are the REAL Unicorns
    Apr 30 2025
    Discover the enchanting world of donkeys with Ellie Laks, the co-founder of The Gentle Barn, as she unveils the hidden depths of these gentle creatures. Often misunderstood, donkeys are not only kind and empathic but also surprisingly playful and soulful members of the zebra family. Ellie shares heartwarming tales of the therapy donkeys at The Gentle Barn, revealing how they effortlessly connect with humans in profound ways beyond words. Unlike many animals that resist newcomers, donkeys and cows welcome strangers with open hearts, treating them like long-lost family members. Despite enduring myths of stubbornness, Ellie's stories shatter these misconceptions, showcasing donkeys' true nature as peaceful, wise animals that prioritize safety and embody healthy boundaries. Join us for an inspiring journey into the world of donkeys, where their warm gazes and serene presence can settle spirits and touch something deep within ourselves.

    EPISODE NOTES: Donkeys are the REAL Unicorns

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    37 mins
  • The Human-Animal Connection 65 Forever Love with Donkeys

    The Human-Animal Connection 65 Forever Love with Donkeys
    Apr 16 2025
    For thousands of years, donkeys have walked beside us—carrying our burdens, plowing our fields, and offering quiet companionship in times of peace, war, and hardship. These remarkable beings are far more than beasts of burden; they are deeply intelligent, profoundly social, and, perhaps most importantly, natural healers. Their gentle, steady presence is exactly what the world needs right now.

    In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Suzanne Velasquez, Director of Forever Home Donkey Rescue and Sanctuary, a 30-acre safe haven in Benson, Arizona, where over 30 rescued donkeys roam freely, at last experiencing the love and kindness they deserve.

    Yet, the story of donkeys is not always one of kindness. Too often, they have been misunderstood, mistreated, and unfairly judged. But if you take the time to truly see them—to look into their soulful eyes—you’ll understand the truth: donkeys are extraordinary. Their ability to sense human emotions and offer comfort as therapy animals is nothing short of life-changing. Therapy donkeys can be our partners in healing. With their deep sensitivity and unshakable calm, they have an innate ability to guide people toward safety—both physically and emotionally. For those who have endured suffering and trauma, simply standing in their presence can be transformative. Donkeys show us what it means to trust, to heal, and to find peace.

    This World Donkey Day, we invite you to celebrate with us. Join The Human-Animal Connection and Forever Home Donkey Rescue in honoring and protecting these incredible animals. These stories of resilience, love, and healing will stay with you long after you’ve listened. Tune in and let the magic of donkeys touch your heart.

    EPISODE NOTES: Forever Love with Donkeys

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-human-animal-connection-pet-life-radio-original--6669311/support.
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    32 mins
  • The Human-Animal Connection 64 What a Zookeeper Learned from Animals

    The Human-Animal Connection 64 What a Zookeeper Learned from Animals
    Mar 23 2025
    What makes life in a zoo better for animals? Being able to make their own choices and bonding with individuals who care for them. In this episode we meet a warm and joyous zookeeper whose job it was among other things, to prepare crocodiles for their regular medical exams. Crocodiles, who can learn their own names, and will come when called are not only the first species you think of when you talk about “animal intuition” – but how do they know it is time for once every two-year medical exam? Learn how they knew from what shirt the zookeeper was wearing they could predict what was coming that day. What makes them suddenly disappear when it is time for a blood test? Learn all about Albert Ferraro’s experiences with these and other zoo animals, including exotic Tapers with personalities and affection, and Siamang monkeys who delighted with a handheld mirror and other joyful tales about how bonding with one special human can make

    EPISODE NOTES: What a Zookeeper Learned from Animals

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-human-animal-connection-pet-life-radio-original--6669311/support.
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    29 mins