Dr. Rossi’s guest this week is Paul Studivant Division Chief with St. John’s County Animal Control in Florida. Paul is an 18 year veteran of the department, and shared with us many common misconceptions that people have about animal care and control. He says that it is often a thankless job, and can be very difficult, but that deep down he knows that he’s helping the animals that he works with.

His favorite task is reuniting a pet with it’s owner, and he reminds us all that micro chipping is an invaluable tool in making that happen. He also related 2 amazing stories from his long career working with animals.

In addition, he explained how the economic downturn has affected animals in his department. In the last three years, there has been a 33% increase in abandoned animals, and a 25% increase in surrendered animals! At the same time, his budget has been reduced by 25%. It was a sad and shocking reminder of how animals are affected by our politics.

Dr. Rossi also discussed homemade diets for pets, and what you need to be careful about when you make them. Then he shared a study that showed that bullying among children was reduced when dogs were maintained in the classroom. And finally, he announced the hardbound release of his latest book, “All Things Cold and Slimy.”