We’re all about raccoons this week, now that spring is on the way – and some horrific news arose out of White Rock, British Columbia.

As the weather warms – albeit a little too slowly for some of us here in Ontario – the behaviour of our wild neighbours will also be changing. Primarily, they’ll be looking for safe places to raise their newborn family members. Raccoons and squirrels seem to like our homes – they are, after all, warm and safe. But the presence of raccoons and squirrels, including their young, can be a hazard for homeowners. Canada’s leading humane wildlife removal expert, Brad Gates, will join us to discuss the ins and outs of home safety with wildlife in the spring.

But it’s not all good news this week. As documented through our blogs and social media, a single raccoon caught in not one, but two leg-hold traps in the quiet city of White Rock, has created an outcry. Frank Goff, the man who first witnessed the suffering animal and brought it to the attention of the media, will join us to discuss what he saw – and what the future holds for wildlife in White Rock.

Working to protect animals isn’t always a clear cut job – and sometimes, it’s things you’d least expect that require a bit of extra attention. This week we’re hearing from two individuals who are working on issues that aren’t as visible as many others.

First we’ll hear from Lucas Solowey, an advocate who works with The Fur-Bearers, who’s helping out coyotes by organizing a demonstration at a conference where a Canada Goose Executive is speaking this week.

Then we’ll turn it over to Gwen Barlee of The Wilderness Committee in British Columbia, who is working to put a true endangered species policy in place in the province that prides itself on eco-tourism.

How do beavers revive watersheds and help combat climate change? Those were the questions poised to experts and advocates at the recent State of the Beaver conference in Oregon.

Hosted by the South Umpqua Rural Community Partnership, the 2015 State of the Beaver Conference brought together a slew of experts – from advocates to flow device experts like Mike Callahan and geography professors to in-the-field ecologists. Included in that lineup was Dr. Heidi Perryman, a friend of The Fur-Bearers and the advocate behind the Worth A Dam podcast and blog at MartinezBeavers.org.

Heidi joined Defender Radio to discuss the pressing issues presented at the conference, the lessons learned and what it all means for the future of beavers in North America and abroad.

March is gearing up to come in like a lion for the Fur-bearers. The ongoing attack on advocacy by the Harper government picked up last week with new claims in the House of Commons, leaked reports from the RCMP and the staggering introduction of bill C-51. But a lion-like March isn’t always bad news – we’re teaming up with a fantastic ethical business for a month-long fundraiser that’s sure to put a smile on your face.

This week we’ll hear from Camille Labchuk, one of Canada’s leading animal rights attorneys, who discusses everything from politics to terrorism laws and how we can each make a difference come election time. Following that, Shana Victor will connect with Defender Radio to talk about how her ethical business will be supporting The Fur-Bearers throughout the month of March – and how you can end up with beautiful jewellery, clothing and accessories while supporting the Fur-Bearers, too.

Making humane choices can be difficult at times – but when you know where to look and what questions to ask, it can be surprisingly easy and satisfying. This week we’re talking with two individuals who have made significant strides in operating humane businesses and have also been stalwart supporters of The Fur-Bearers.

We’ll first hear from Brad Gates, owner of AAA Gates Wildlife Control. As an animal lover and honest businessman, Brad has done wonders for educating the public on humane wildlife removal and is leading the pack at reforming his own industry to be even better for the animals. Following Brad we’ll touch base with Alycia Gemoya-Allen, manager of a LUSH Cosmetics store in Indiana that had the largest success in the Make Fur History campaign last fall.

We regularly speak about the direct implications of actions against wildlife – from full on culls to the trapping and disruption of family units. But there is a lot more happening in our country that’s putting wildlife at risk, and not all of it is visible or obvious. This week we’re exploring the unintended consequences of human activities.

Secondary poisoning is a serious concern – and the Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia deals with it regularly. We’ll hear from Janelle _ who sees the consequences of poison used on rodents and how it impacts predatory birds and other animals.

The hot topic in the oil sands right now is the truly frightening tailings ponds and their potential consequences for the ecosystems they’re built in. We’ll be joined by Dale Marshall of Environmental Defence Canada, one of the leading organizations fighting to uncover the truth about these eco-bombs waiting to happen.

The news this year has all been about the cousins of our domestic dogs, wolves and coyotes.

Increased sightings of coyotes throughout areas of Ontario have caused a spike in complaints, heightened fear of predators and even lethal action. Our friends at Coyote Watch Canada, however, have been working non-stop since December to show the media the truth about coyotes and how we can live with them.

Further west, wolves are in the crosshairs in both Alberta and British Columbia as governments scramble to find ways to protect endangered caribou herds in both provinces. Even though science and public opinion is against them, the kills are well under way – and it’s coming down to wolf experts like Paul Paquet to speak out against them.

From the name of a winter pastry to the back of our five cent piece, the beaver is everywhere in Canada. But few people know the true history of beavers – that they were nearly wiped out by trapping; that they play an integral role in our ecosystems; and that they are still trapped every day from coast-to-coast.

So this week we’re exploring the beaver in two very different but important ways.

First we’ll hear from University instructor, naturalist, photographer and author, Michael Runtz, about his new book - Dam Builders: The Natural History of Beavers and Their Ponds.

Then we’ll talk with Dian Murrell of the Alouette Valley Association, whose frustration with the beaver-trapping ways of her municipality led her to working with APFA to find non-lethal solutions to potential conflict.

To start out the new year we’re taking a look at some serious news – Canada’s failing grade for animal welfare and protections.

Late last year, World Animal Protection unveiled their first ever API – or Animal Protection Index – an ingenious way of measuring individual nation’s efforts at protecting animals. Canada received a failing grade – lower than some third world countries – causing a media firestorm. Also late in 2014, the International Fund for Animal Welfare announced that Canada was failing to meet its international obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. This was incidentally timed with a study from Canadian scientists showing that our country's efforts to protect already at-risk or endangered species are critically failing.

As things started to wind down at the Fur-Bearers office last week, we received a surprising piece of mail.

The letter was addressed to Adrian Nelson, our Director of Communications. He wasn’t sure from whom the letter came, as the return label was only a postal code – H0H0H0. He later said that the letter also smelled faintly of candy canes and gingerbread, but didn’t think much of that.

Signatures that appeared to read S. Claus, M. Claus, R. Deer and F. Jingles were listed.

As a group, we discussed what this letter was. A trick from the trappers? A trap from the tricksters? A ruse by Prime Minister Harper (known universally to be on the naughty list)?

While the discussion went on, Defender Radio host Michael Howie decided to don his old investigative journalist hat and make a few phones calls. What you’'ll hear on this week's episode is the unedited recordings of the evidence collected with a few well-placed phone calls.

Last week we told you the story of Bella and the Pelley family of Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Labrador. Bella, a five-year-old lab mix, was caught in a terrifying leg-hold trap within the town limits while out for a walk with Peg Pelley and the family’s other dog, Whiskey. Bella damaged 17 of her teeth and severely bruised her paw why desperately trying to get free of the trap. A Good Samaritan was able to get Bella loose, and the Pelley family immediately sought out veterinary help.

To get the specialized dental care, Peg, her daughter Megan, and Bella had to travel to Montreal – hundreds of kilometres from their home. The night before the surgery, Peg spoke with Defender Radio about the harrowing ordeal, the treatment needed for Bella, and the support she has felt from both her local community and animal lovers across the country.

It gets frustrating for us animal lovers – the apparent lack of change, the ongoing suffering. But the times, they really are a changing.

This week we’re talking with two people involved in the process of change. First is Mario Canseco of Insights West, who conducted a poll on Canadian’s attitudes about fur and is an expert on consumer behaviour.

Following Mario is Camille Labchuk, the animal rights attorney well-known by our supporters. In her work with Animal Justice, Camille has played an important role in the development and release of the Animal Charter of Rights & Freedoms.

The weather last week across most of Canada sure was frightful – snow, sleet and icy winds let us know that winter had officially arrived. Even in Vancouver, where most of the APFA team is likely lounging about in swimwear, temperatures took a dip. Here in Southern Ontario we received several inches of snow and a whistling wind for days on end.

But while we were all huddled up in warm layers and heated homes, our fur-bearing friends weathered the storm without assistance. And that’s what we’re focusing on this week.

Brad Gates of AAA Gates’ Wildlife Control will discuss the changing temperatures – and how they influence the behaviour of wildlife in urban areas, and what that means for homeowners. Then we’ll hear from Linda Bakker of the Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia who will let us know what to look for in birds and other animals who may be injured as winter progresses.

This week we’re diving into one of the most contentious issues of Canadian culture: the seal hunt. For a long time, the hunt was a necessary way of life for aboriginal peoples as well as those who sought fortune and subsistence on this land. But we contend that today it is unnecessary and cruel. To explore this issue with us, we were recently joined by Sheryl Fink, Director of Wildlife Campaigns for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

For more than a decade, Sheryl has worked on the seal hunt issue, which included witnessing and recording the hunt, working with international partners and developing strategies to bring it to an end.

Our conversation delved into the history of the hunt, the evolution of attitudes, the role the fur industry plays in the modern seal hunt, and what people can be doing to voice their concerns.

You’ve been hearing a lot about our #MakeFurHistory campaign in the last week and a half – and sharing it with your friends, family and neighbours. We’re seeing a huge influx of support as a result and can’t thank you all enough. This week we’re taking another look at the fur industry and why fur is still fashionable with a top designer, professor and blogger: Joshua Katcher.

Editor and founder of the Discerning Brute blog, designer of the Brave Gentleman fashion line and an adjunct professor of fashion at Parsons, Joshua is widely regarded as an expert on sustainable and humane fashion.

In a recent conversation with Defender Radio, Joshua not only touched on his background and interest in humane fashion, but looked at the history and evolution of fur, the cultural symbolism it continues to represent and how we might fight the fur industry by using their own tactics against them.

Late last week we unveiled our latest – and largest ever – campaign: Make Fur History. On this week’s episode of Defender Radio, we’ll be telling you more about the campaign, how it was developed and the realities facing mink and fox on today’s Canadian fur farms.

We'll hear from Tricia Stevens of LUSH Cosmetics on why the international make up company decided to get behind the campaign.

One of our partner agencies, the Montreal SPCA, has done intensive work looking at the legislation surrounding animals on fur farms and what it means in the big picture. Alanna Devine of the Montreal SPCA will speak about this unsettling issue.

To learn more about the #MakeFurHistory campaign, please visit www.MakeFurHistory.com and take the pledge, share with your friends and help us make fur history.

The Living With Wildlife 2014 conference was a resounding success! Nearly 100 guests and speakers arrived at the Holiday Inn Carlton in Toronto on October 17 for a day of seminars, education and networking.

Topics of the day covered everything from animal laws to rehabilitation of bears, and municipal wildlife strategies to living with coyotes.

In this week's episode of Defender Radio we're bringing you highlights from two of our speakers: Donna Doyle of the Town of Oakville, who explained the importance of a municipal wildlife strategy, and Mike McIntosh of Bear With Us Rehabilitation and Sanctuary, who detailed the vital need to understand bear language and how we can peacefully live among them.

The Living With Wildlife 2014 conference was a resounding success! Nearly 100 guests and speakers arrived at the Holiday Inn Carlton in Toronto on October 17 for a day of seminars, education and networking.

Topics of the day covered everything from animal laws to rehabilitation of bears, and municipal wildlife strategies to living with coyotes.

In this week's episode of Defender Radio we're bringing you highlights from two of our speakers: Erin McCance, who discussed white-tailed deer and urban management issues in Winnipeg, and Brad Gates of AAA Gates Wildlife Control, who entertained and educated the group with discussions of wildlife proofing homes.

We can barely believe it’s been a full year since this project first started. In that year we’ve had dozens of interviews with internationally-recognized scientists and advocates. We’re heard one-on-one interviews with those who have witnessed tragedy and those who have stopped cruelty. We’ve worked with great people Psychologist and beaver believer Dr. Heidi Perryman, rock star and animal lover Bif Naked, photographer Jo-Anne McArthur and Lesley Sampson of Coyote Watch Canada. We’ve talked about issues ranging from wolf ecosystem protection and the natural history of beavers to keeping squirrels out of attics and how to talk about co-existence with your schools. And through it all, we’ve had you, our incredible supporters, listening in.

And what better way to start Season Two of Defender Radio than with two of our absolute favourite guests?

We’ll be hearing from Brad Gates, owner of AAA Gates Wildlife Control on raccoons in Toronto – why they’re here and how we can live alongside them, as well as Dr. Marc Bekoff, discussing his upcoming book, Rewildling Our Hearts.

Let’s get started with season two!

It’s been a long week for us at APFA – the celebration we were having over the RCMP’s decision to ditch their muskrat fur hats for their regular cold weather uniform was brought to an abrupt halt. The Conservative government stated they would overturn the decision in order to protect the fur industry.

You’ll hear more about this from one of our guests this week, but to get the details and sign the petition asking the government to honour the RCMP’s decision, check out FurBearerDefenders.com or visit us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FurFree or Twitter with @FurBearers

In addition to the media hoopla caused by the government’s decision, we’re also busy getting ready for the 2014 Living With Wildlife conference in Toronto. And this week, we’re bringing you interviews from two of our speakers.

Camille Labchuk, a former Green Party candidate and animal rights lawyer, will be presenting at the conference on October 17. She recently joined us to talk about her work using the law for the animals, as well as how she’s fighting the government’s overruling of the RCMP decision.

Following Camille will be Donna Doyle of the Town of Oakville’s Environmental Policy department. Donna has played a vital role in the development of a wildlife plan, an environmental plan and most recently a road ecology plan, leading the Town of Oakville to a higher standard of living for animals.

The shocking news out of Saskatchewan that an additional 100 permits for hunting and trapping wolves in Wildlife Management Zone 49 made a splash across our social media platforms last week. In our blog, we told you that the Ministry of Environment is responding to an alleged increase in livestock predation from wolves and that population control was their only choice.

We disagreed.

We have long stated that co-existence is possible – be it with coyotes and raccoons in downtown Toronto or bears and wolves in rural Alberta. And this week, we’re bringing you two experts who will help us with that argument.

Louise Liebenberg, owner of The Graziere ranch in Alberta, will chat with us about Livestock Guardian Dogs – one of the oldest co-existence methods around, dating back hundreds of years in Eastern Europe. We’ll also hear from wolf expert Sadie Parr of WolfAwarenessInc.org about the realities of culling wolves and the implications it has for the ecosystem, as well the governments and landowners who stand behind the guns and traps.

We’re continuing our back to school series – focusing this week on the two-legged young who are eager to learn.

This week we’re happy to bring you two top humane educators. First up is Zoe Weil, co-founder and president of The Institute for Humane Education, who will share her thoughts on the importance of humane education in homes and classrooms, as well as the best way to get teachers on board with the rapidly growing demand for such lessons.

Following Zoe is Paula Neuman, Manager of Humane Education for the BC SPCA, who will talk about the success the west coast organization has had in teaching children – some of whom are today staff at the BC SPCA – what it means to be compassionate.

We know that many parents in British Columbia are struggling with keeping their children busy – and entertained – during a prolonged labour dispute between teachers and the province. We’re happy to inform you that our own lesson plans – with content ranging from K to 12 – is available to freely download at FurBEarerDefenders.com. These lessons can serve as a great way to keep your children thinking and learning while awaiting their return to the classroom.

Education is part of the foundation of a solid democracy, and in Canada we take that responsibility quite seriously. We have some of the best elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools in the world – and millions of young Canadians are back to the books this week. But every day we have important lessons to learn outside the classroom, as well.

This week we’re taking a look at two different – and equally important – types of education.

We’ll be joined by Tyler Jamieson, an Ottawa-area advocate who last year ran a series of successful demonstrations promoting the fur-free message at college and university campuses. Then we’ll hear from Coyote Watch Canada’s Lesley Sampson who will tell us how coyotes are going back to school, too.

It’s been a long summer for those of us in the fight against the fur lobby – particularly after the events at a Quebec fur farm. The Montreal SPCA is in a battle of political will and legislative authority with the province’s Ministry of Forests, Fauna and Parks who have not acted on allegations of neglect and cruelty.

To bring us up to date on the investigation of the Quebec fur farm, the report and concerns of wildlife experts and veterinarians, and the possibilioty of legal action against the provincial government is Montreal SPCA spokesperson Sophie Gaillard.

We also have a special feature on this week's episode: behind the fur industry spin, breaking down a media interview from the Fur Council of Canada.

As animal advocates, we often feel frustrated, despondent and outright angry at the world around us – and that’s a healthy, normal response. But sometimes those feelings can overwhelm us and influence our ability to help wild life and be happy, healthy individuals.

You may know Dr. Heidi Perryman as the beaver believer from Martinez, California, or the defender who hosts the MartinezBeavers.org Worth a Dam website and podcast series. But between her evenings of working with municipalities, landowners and the general public on beaver protection, she’s a successful clinical psychologist.

Dr. Perryman joined Defender Radio for a unique conversation on these emotions, what they mean to us and how we can manage them in our day-to-day lives as advocates.

In recent weeks you’ve seen us on the news, read about us in newspapers and heard us on the radio talking about beavers and trapping in Calgary. Now we’re bringing the story back to the woman who started it.

In mid-July, Linda Lelonde and her husband were walking in a park when they came across a beaver, later discovered to be caught in an allegedly humane Conibear trap. The trauma of the event shook Linda – and the entire animal-loving community of Calgary. With her compassion and perseverance, the issue became a major talking point in the city. APFA got involved, offering our assistance in building and installing flow devices so that beaver trapping in the city could end.

We finally caught up with Linda last week and are now bringing you her own account of the incident, what has happened since that fateful day and where she hopes to see the City of Calgary’s beaver management program end.

In late January 2014, Paula Tough had been out with a friend and their dogs near Algonquin Park when they came across what appeared to be a wolf caught in a snare. The wire had cut into the animals’ leg deeply, and the nearby damage and scat showed he had been caught for at least three or four days.

Paula took extraordinary action – with the help of a friend, she was able to cut the snare, load the animal into a crate and drive it straight down to Aspen Valley Wildlife Centre.

The initial outlook was not good for the animal, who was eventually discovered to be a young Algonquin coywolf. His leg had to be amputated due to the severity of the injury.

But with the hard work of volunteers and staff at Aspen Valley, as well as a whole lot of guts on the part of the coywolf, he was successfully released in the first week of August.

Julie Woodyer of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary joined Defender Radio to discuss the rehabilitation of the coywolf, his release, and what it means for the future of injured wildlife.

Once upon a time, Rob Laidlaw was a young man who wanted to protect animals. Today, Rob has become an animal advocacy powerhouse as the head of Zoocheck Canada, frequent speaker, and most recently, author of a series of best-selling and award-winning children’s books.

Titles such as No Shelter Here and Saving Lives and Changing Hearts have won multiple awards, been translated into numerous languages and hit the shelves of schools and libraries from coast to coast. It has also catapulted Rob’s career in a direction he never expected.

To celebrate the release of his latest book, 5 Elephants, Rob joined Defender Radio to talk about the path that led him to becoming a best-selling children’s book author, learning how to be an advocate and what young people – as well as their parents – can be doing to better the lives of animals around the world.

As summer is coming to its peak, so are the thousands of wild babies from coast to coast. While APFA works hard to protect them through education, advocacy, by-laws and policy, much effort is still needed on the front lines. And those who stand in the trenches are wildlife rehabilitators.

In Burnaby, BC, the Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia takes in several thousand injured, orphaned or sick wild animals every year. Their team of rehabilitators work tirelessly to provide care, comfort and a second chance for animals who have been wrongly injured or taken from their homes.

This week, we’re hearing from two staffers of the WRA – Karen Becker, a wildlife rehabilitator, as well as Yolanda Brooks, Communications Manager. The two sides – front office and back care rooms – will be explored in these interviews.

On the central coast of British Columbia sits the traditional lands of the Heiltsuk First Nations people. In their language, Heiltsuk means to speak and act correctly, and this concept is an important part of their culture. The Qqs (pronounced Kuks, meaning eyes) Projects society was formed to support Heiltsuk youth, culture and environment and ensure a vibrant, strong future for the people. As part of this, the Qqs Projects Society joined with major academics from across North America to launch a study of the grizzly bears that call the Koeye River home, or at least a popular feeding ground in the right season.

Protecting these bears and their habitat is of vital importance to the Heiltsuk First Nations. We were recently joined by William Housty, a Director of the Qqs Project Society who is noted as having an unparalled knowledge of Heiltsuk stories, songs and ceremonies – as well as a degree in environmental sciences.

To learn more about William Housty, the Qqs Project Society or the Heiltsuk First Nations, visit Qqsprojects.org.

We in Canada may look upon Montana as the last vestige of the wild west – and in many ways, it is. Ranchers, landowner’s rights and the old American west live on in the Northern state. But not everyone wants to hold onto every bit of that tradition.

Montana is filled with trappers and their cruel devices. Standing against them is Footloose Montana, a registered charity that is looking to end the reign of terror trappers leave in their wake. From hosting trap-release seminars to beginning legal action, Footloose Montana is doing what they can to combat trapping.

Joining us this week is the new executive director of Footloose Montana, Christopher Justice, who will share the group’s vision of a trap-free Montana.

Perhaps the most mystic – and most feared – wildlife in Canada, wolves are making a comeback. Throughout the western United States, wolf populations are beginning to re-emerge after a courageous plan to reintroduce them to Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s. But along with their reintroduction has come ongoing fear, paranoia from ranchers and the happy trigger fingers of hunters and trappers.

Add that to the ongoing persecution of wolves in Canada and the species is by no means free of their one-time endangered status.

But this has also created a unique and historic opportunity to study wolves and how they affect ecosystems. Two recent studies have identified and are extrapolating what is becoming known as The Wolf Effect.

We’ll hear from two leading scientists who have examined this phenomenon; first is Dr. Thomas Newsome, who has worked with a team that is exploring how wolf populations affect the populations of foxes and coyotes. Then we’ll be joined by Dr. Mark Elbroch, who is part of one of the longest-standing cougar studies in North America and has fascinating details on how wolves are impacting cougar populations and territory selection.

It's our Canada Day special!

To celebrate the 147^th birthday of our great nation, we’re bringing you the best of beavers from Defender Radio’s first season.

You’ll hear from some world-renowned experts, film makers and even some of APFA’s own staffers in this look back, along with a couple of new clips from our friends who love beavers, too.

Intelligence means different things to different people. To an anthrozoologist or biologist, it can be the measurement of intellect or sentience in a living being. To someone in law enforcement, it’s the product of analyzed data. And both versions are what we’re discussing on this week’s episode.

Andrea Crosta, a security expert who has worked with the likes of Homeland Security, has taken his experience and changed his focus to the illegal wildlife trade. Head of the Elephant Action League, Crosta recently opened the floodgates on WildLeaks – a crime fighting tool to protect the people and animals involved in the illegal trade worldwide.

Our good friend and internationally-renowned animal expert Dr. Marc Bekoff says that all animals live emotional lives – even crayfish. A recent study shows that crayfish, a low-order invertebrate, has the same chemical reaction to stimuli and serotonin as humans. The implications of this are profound – and Marc will share his thoughts.

Every day, life happens around us: from viruses multiplying to humans launching rockets into space - the need for growth forces change. Yet despite these clearly understood needs, we often have difficulty understanding the millions of lives surrounding our own.

The quest to understand what animals think and feel is one that may never be complete; but there are ways for us to understand what motivates them and why it is important to work to ensure their protection.

On the west coast, thousands of people are working to protect grizzly bears – apex predators essential to the survival of ecosystems. Included in those ranks are professional bear guides from the Coastal First Nations who want hunters to take a shot – but with cameras instead of guns. We’ll be joined by expert bear guide Douglas Neasloss who explains what the Great Bear Initiative means and how it may save the bears of the west coast.

Out east, tragedy struck Moncton as three RCMP officers were killed and others injured when a madman opened fire upon them. As the case unravelled, the suspect was caught and will face justice. From that story, however, erupted heart-wrenching photos of a police service dog, Danny, whose partner Constable David Ross was killed in the gunfire. We’ll speak with Yvette Van Veen, a dog behaviourist and science-based trainer to try and understand what emotions Danny may or may not have felt when the iconic photos of him sniffing his partner’s Stetson were snapped.

We’re celebrating beavers this week and asking you to become a beaver believer.

We’re happy to bring you two great beaver stories. First up is Simon Jones of the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Simon joined us from across the pond to talk about the reintroduction of Eurasian beavers to an area of Scotland after a 300-year absence.

We’ll also be talking with Sarah Koenigsberg, who is producing and crowd-sourcing a film about beavers and their role in ecosystems and climate change. The film is aptly titled, Beaver Believers.

An update on our 2014 Ontario Beaver Tour is also to be heard on this episode.

We’re all about Marcy this week. Marcy Potter is our newest team member at APFA, our Office and Database Administrator.

She is an animal advocate, trained rehabilitator and an absolute machine at organizing our office, our databases and, frankly, all of us.

Marcy joined Defender Radio recently to talk about her past, her future and what people need to know about finding wildlife near their homes.

This week we’re celebrating victories across North America.

We’ll hear from Sheryl Fink of the International Fund for Animal Welfare who will explain why the World Trade Organization upheld a European Union ban on the importation of Canadian seal products – and what that means for Canada and our seals.

Then we’ll be talking with Tara Zuardo of the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington, D.C., who will share her experiences protecting North Carolina’s red wolves from coyote hunters.

We're also thanking sponsors from two recent events - one in Calgary (Celebration of Wildlife:photographers Jason Bantle, John Marriott and Kerri Martin, along with Alberta Skydivers and White Lotus Jewellery) and one in Vancouver (Discover Dogs presents a Fur-Bearer Mingler: artists Adelle Airey, Vicki Lynn Rae, Tracey Tomtene, Jesse Toso and Rod Preston as well as thank Discover Dogs, the Vancouver Canadians, Just Beef and Nothing But, The Honest Kitchen and Zimt Artisan Chocolates).

For nearly 80 years, The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals has tried to find ways to stop the use of fur and end trapping. While many of our traditional methods – letter-writing, campaigning, advertising and others – have worked well in many areas, our co-existence program has yielded the greatest results.

The concept of co-existence stems from understanding the wildlife in an ecosystem and finding steps that can help prevent conflict. This week, we’re hearing from two experts.

First up is Adrian Nelson, my colleague at APFA who is also our urban wildlife conflict manager. For the last several years, Adrian has headed up our Living With Wildlife beavers campaign to great success – and he’ll be sharing how the program works and what you can do to get involved.

Following Adrian will be Sara Dubois, Chief Scientific Officer at the BC SPCA who will discuss a recent study out of Africa illustrating that not only is co-existence better for the environment and animals, but better for the economy.

The Ontario spring bear hunt has begun. After a long battle, advocates have been unable to reverse the government’s vote-grabbing plan to open up the hunt, which was closed more than a decade ago. The reason the hunt was ended was simple:  bear cubs were being orphaned by the hundreds. But in a desperate bid to please northern voters, Minister of Natural Resources David Orazietti ignored his own department’s scientific reports and launched a pilot project of the hunt, which began on May 1.

In past episodes, we’ve learned why the original hunt was cancelled and what the possible repercussions could be if it was reinstated. Now we’re learning what is being done to prepare for those repercussions.

We’ll be hearing from Mike McIntosh of Bear With Us Sanctuary, where many bear cubs – if found in time – will go to be rehabilitated, raised and eventually released into the wild. We’ll then talk with Julie Woodyer from Zoocheck Canada, who is part of an initiative to encourage residents of Northern Ontario to report orphaned cubs so that they have a better chance of survival.

One year ago a small budget documentary was premiered at the HotDocs film festival in Toronto. The film followed the journey of a photographer – Jo-Anne McArthur – as she explored the exploitation of animals in modern society.

In the year that passed, The Ghosts in Our Machine has become a staple in the work of advocates everywhere. With harrowing – yet not gruesome - scenes inside factory farms and fur farms, Ghosts is a powerful yet palatable look into a world many try to ignore. 

To celebrate this one year landmark and the release of The Ghosts on DVD and the iTunes Store, Jo-Anne McArthur joined Defender Radio for a candid conversation.

On April 12, APFA converged on Calgary, Alberta to host A Celebration of Wildlife. Nearly 100 wildlife lovers joined us at the Hotel Alma at the University of Calgary for this half-day event, which featured experts from across the province.

Included in that list was Predator-Friendly Rancher Louise Liebenberg and the University of Calgary’s Dr. Shelley Alexander.

In this week’s Special Report we’re bringing you highlights from the presentations of these two leaders.

More from the event can be found on the Celebration of Wildlife page, including videos, by clicking here.

This week we’re continuing to look at the subject of humane education with one of the biggest names in the business: Zoe Weil of the Institute for Humane Education.

The co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education, Zoe is an award-winning author of six books, educator and speaker. She designed the graduate certificate programs for the Institute of Humane Education and is noted by many as a leader in the field of animal welfare and education.

We recently spoke with Zoe about her work at the Institute of Humane Education, the importance of humane education in today’s world, and how it can improve not just animal welfare, but the quality of life for everyone.

This week’s episode is the first of many to come that will focus on a subject of the utmost importance to us – humane education.

Compassion and respect for animals is something that is taught and learned. The lessons we all have learned on our own journeys to understanding stem from somewhere, be it classrooms, books, movies or even podcasts like this one. In episodes throughout the coming months, we will be taking a look at how humane education can grow, impact our society and why it matters.

To kick off this ongoing theme we’re taking an adventure to the past. The National Museum of Animals and Society opened their doors last year in Los Angeles California. Executive Director and Founder Carolyn Mullin will speak to the history of the museum, its foundations and how it will help create a more humane world.

We’ll also be hearing from Dr. Keri Cronin, a professor of visual arts and art history at Brock University. Dr. Cronin is the curator of an online exhibit at the National Museum of Animals and Society titled Be Kind: A Visual History of Humane Education 1880 to 1945. Dr. Cronin will explain the significance of this exhibit, as well as her own path to discovering the history of humane education.

A hot topic these days is the BC government’s wolf management plan. Or, more particularly, it’s the lack of information about the plan.

This week we’ll hear from two people who have followed this story closely. Up first is Andrew MacLeod, a reporter with online news magazine The Tyee. Andrew filed numerous Freedom of Information Act requests with the BC government to find the facts behind the wolf management plan – and was shut down repeatedly. Then we’ll talk with Sadie Parr, the advocate behind Just Beings, who has numerous projects in British Columbia and western Canada and works towards understanding and coexistence with wolves.

Please remember while you listen to this episode that the government has still not released their plan and many questions remain unanswered.

We’re always trying to discover new ways to spread our message – whether it’s to go fur-free, coexist or simply be more compassionate. This week we’re chatting with two people who are working toward similar goals with different approaches.

We’ll hear from Kim Elmslie, Communications and Advocacy Manager for The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, who will chat with us about their upcoming National Animal Welfare Conference in Toronto.

Then we’ll talk with recording artist Gaiaisi, a supporter who was inspired by one of our campaigns and wrote a song – for which he also created a music video – about the fur industry. Recently it was added to Upworthy and is quickly gaining popularity.

Animal Advocacy Camp is a two-day 'un-conference' that will bring together advocates of all volitions to support, share and learn together on March 22 and 23.

In episode 123, Defender Radio interviews Animal Advocacy Camp host Glenn Gaetz, who explains how he developed the conference, who will be speaking and what guests can expect. We also hear from Sara Dubois of the BC SPCA, who is slated as a speaker at the conference. Sara will explore her new position of Chief Scientific Officer at the BC SPCA and give our audience an idea of what she will be presenting during her time at the conference.

APFA is a proud supporter of Animal Advocacy Camp and encourages all our members to attend if they're available. To learn more about the event, visit animaladvocacycamp.ca.

This week we’re taking a break from wildlife news to bring you information on a disease spreading from coast to coast to coast in our great nation. SLAPP suits.

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation are plaguing traditional and new media and stand as major threat to freedom of speech and all social movements.

We have two guests who will help us bring awareness about this disturbing legal trend. Cara Zwibel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association will discuss the ins and outs of SLAPP suits from a legal point of view and Dylan Powell of Marineland Animal Defense will share his story of facing a multi-million dollar suit and how supporters can help fight back.

We’re going to be focusing on conservation this week, taking a look at two areas that are of regular interest and importance to us and our membership.

First up in our interviews is Rob Laidlaw of Zoocheck Canada, who will take us through a discourse of the role zoos play in species conservation following a report on The Public Library of Science indicating that zoos just aren’t doing their part. Then we’ll be hearing from Heidi Perryman of the Give A Dam website who will be telling us how beavers she helped to protect in Martinez, California nearly a decade ago are now keeping an entire ecosystem thriving while the rest of the state suffers through drought conditions.

This week’ we’re focusing on predators with two internationally-recognized scientists, Dr. John Laundre of Oswego University in New York and Dr. Euan Ritchie of Deakin University in Australia. Between these two professors, the clear case for protecting predators not just at home, but around the world, will be made clear and our listeners will learn what they can do to help.

We'll also update you on our first advertising campaign of 2014.

This week we’re taking a look at bears, with interviews outlining two different and unfortunate circumstances.

First, Mike McIntosh of Bear With Us Sanctuary and Rehabilitation joins Defender Radio to update us on the return of the Ontario spring bear hunt, what it means for bears in the province and what every single one of us can do. Following that, we’ll hear from Bev McMullen, a photographer who was both eyewitness and ultimately the avenger of a bear who was beaten to near-death with a rock in Northern Ontario. The bear was later found, unfortunately deceased. But thanks to the photographs Bev was able to snap, a man is now facing charges.

We’ll also be joined by Brad Gates of Gates Wildlife Control to answer one of the most common questions raised during wildlife conflict in the home.

This week, we’re taking a look at a single incident which has captured the eyes of the world: a wolf whose leg was caught and nearly severed by a legal snare in northern Ontario. Paula Tough, a resident in a small town north of Huntsville and bordering Algonquin Park, came across the wolf, who was severely injured and in a snare. While many others passed by and did nothing, Paula refused to give up; she went home and got supplies to free and transport the female wolf and assisted in getting her into the care of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.

The story first came to light in a local paper. When APFA was contacted by Paula, we posted a blog. That blog has now been read thousands of times and shared around the world.

Paula, a registered nurse and mother, joins us now to share her harrowing tale.

It may be warm and sunny on the west coast, but throughout much of Canada and the United States it’s howling cold – so we’re taking this opportunity to make a bad pun and bring you an episode exploring our relationships with coyotes.

We have interviews with some great experts this week, including Phil Carter of Animal Protection of New Mexico; Lesley Sampson of Coyote Watch Canada; and Professor Sara Waller from the University of Montana. We’ll also be presenting a new segment of wild in the city with Brad Gates of Gates Wildlife Control.

We're also proud to bring you news of our recent trip to Cornwall, Ontario.

At APFA we spend a lot of time behind the scenes, working with municipalities, providing literature to other groups and individuals and being animal advocacy ninjas, in general. Sometimes it feels like our work is a little underwhelming – we don’t have huge victories to celebrate, as the political machines of Canada are slow to move. But every day we do see change – big and small – and it’s time for us to celebrate that. This week we’re speaking with some friends, supporters and partners who have affected real change in the world around them and hope that it will serve as a reminder that every single voice can create change. Joining us this week are Jasmin and Mariann from Our Hen House; Danielle Legg, whose petition convinced Willie Nelson to cancel his SeaWorld show; Jasmine Polsinelli, whose anti fur campaign saw real results; and Sarah, a long-time member whose discovery of fur in the workplace led to a success.

Being fur free can be easy, but it isn't always, if you don't have the right information. This week, Defender Radio is bringing you three industry-experts that play a role in our fur free world. Brandon Forder, VP of Canadian Pet Connection, who thoroughly investigates all toys to ensure they are fur free and meet his personal ethics; Kemp Edwards, owner of Ethical Profiling, who provides ethically-sourced and cruelty-free products to clients, ranging from clothing to office supplies to trade show giveaways; and Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart, owner of Vaute Couture, whose fur-free fashion line has been a favourite of advocates the world over.

APFA is getting ready for 2014 - we're prepping all kinds of great messaging, fundraising, literature and campaigns. To get you through the next two weeks we're bringing you the best of Defender Radio 2013. Please sit back and enjoy these interviews with Brad Gates of Gates' Wildlife Control, Mike McIntosh of Bear With Us Rehab and Sanctuary, and Dr. Carrie Packwood Freeman.

APFA is getting ready to go full strenght in 2014, and we're bringing you some of our favourite interviews from 2013. Please sit back and enjoy these chats with Dr. Aysha Akhtar, Brad Gates of Gates' Wildlife Control and Bif Naked.

This week we’re celebrating the Christmas season with our good friend Brad Gates of AAA Gates’ Wildlife Control, APFA Board President Irene Griswold, Canadian Pet Connection Vice President Brandon Forder and some tips on saying no to furry gifts from some of the retail industry’s leading experts.

Be it the Royal Botanical Gardens in Ontario, provincial parks in Alberta or Oak Bay in British Columbia, people are killing deer. It’s not for sustenance; it’s for an alleged overpopulation. Defender Radio this week is focused on the subject of deer culls and coexistence strategies, with interviews from Liz White of Animal Alliance of Canada, Rick Kubian of Parks Canada and Sara Dubois from the BC SPCA.

Margaret Atwood once said that Canada was built on dead beavers. She couldn’t have been more right. Since the time of first contact, beavers have been persecuted for their fur and out of fear of their ingenious engineering skills. But the tide is changing: municipalities, homeowners and even businesses are recognizing there are better solutions available for preventing beaver conflicts and they’re recognizing the ecological benefits beavers present.

In this week’s episode we speak with our own Adrian Nelson, Director of Communications at APFA, who is our in-house beaver expert and lead on our beaver coexistence program; Dr. Heidi Perryman, the woman behind MartinezBeavers.org; and Mike Callahan, owner of Beaver Solutions in Massachusetts.

Talking about wildlife and animal welfare isn’t always enough; we have to do it effectively. Whether it’s working with the government, getting through to the media, or helping others get through the media spin, communicating effectively is paramount. In this week’s episode of Defender Radio, we’ve brought together a collection of experts to help us do just that.

Mario Conseco of Insights West research shares the remarkable data from a recent poll of British Columbians that could help turn the tide of the government’s attitude about trapping. Professor Carrie Peckwood Freeman shares the lessons a career in communications has left her about the media, as well as her paper, ‘Giving Voice to the Voiceless.’ And IFAW’s seal hunt expert, Sheryl Fink, gives a brief history of the exploitative hunt, the importance of the recent WTO decision on the EU ban of seal products and how the media is being fed a government and industry spin on the story.

As an organization we seek to promote the protection of fur-bearing animals. But we can’t do it alone. We partner with volunteers, donors, private companies and municipalities regularly to bring forward our vision. This week, we’re taking a look at the partnerships that make all of our work possible. We’ll be hearing from Brad Gates, owner of Gates’ Wildlife Control, who forms a partnership with every community, humane group and client he meets; Tricia Stevens of LUSH Cosmetics, who will share the story of the philanthropic company and highlight the teamwork APFA has accomplished with their assistance; and Fred Pattje, a Councillor in Nanaimo, who has helped to bring an end to trapping in his community.

Misinformation and lobbying has resulted in the return of Ontario’s spring bear hunt. The hunt was originally cancelled in 1999 after science and reports from the Ministry of Natural Resources showed no results in preventing nuisance bear calls and led to the known orphaning of over 270 cubs. But it seems politicians have short memories – or are desperate for votes. APFA, in conjunction with several other animal advocacy groups, are standing strongly against this hunt, noting that it will not solve any nuisance problems, that it will result in the orphaning of cubs, and that the baiting and hunting of bears is an unsafe practice.

In this week’s edition of Defender Radio, we are focused on this subject, bringing you two interviews with Mike McIntosh, President of Bear With Us Rehabilitation and Sanctuary, opinions from host Michael Howie on the media portrayal of the bear hunt, and expert analysis of a recent poll done by Paul Seccaspina of OraclePoll Research.

The written word is powerful. Be it a collection of ideas, a policy or a dire warning, words can change the world. In this week’s episode of Defender Radio, we bring to you interviews with Toronto City Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, who updated city policy to protect coyotes; Dr. Aysha Akthar, a medical doctor who has written a book warning the world of the consequences of continuing to abuse animals; and Dr. Marc Bekoff, who recently released a collection of his popular Psychology Today essays in a new book.

Whether it’s a cull, mistreatment of wildlife or environmentally unsafe decisions, we need to make our voices heard. But sometimes, it’s just as important to offer an alternative solution to address whatever potential problem exists.

On this week’s Defender Radio, we spoke with Rob Laidlaw of Zoocheck, who works with municipalities, zoos and aquariums to benefit the welfare of wild animals in captivity; Brad Gates of Gates’ Wildlife Control, whose business is not only based on humane care for wildlife, but on the health and safety of his employees and homeowners; and APFA’s own Adrian Nelson, who has successfully been providing coexistence solutions for managing beavers for more than four years.

Advocates are exposed to horrendous truths. Injured, abused, neglected and tortured animals become a part of a daily routine for those seeking justice and coexistence. It can wear down even the strongest willed, threaten the spirit of the most determined. But there is always hope.

This week we speak with Tyler Jamieson, who organized a group of advocates in Ottawa to spread the message of going fur free; dog rescuer and counsellor Darlene Grady-Lunn, who explores the emotional risks of advocacy and how hope can be found; Kelli Polsinelli, operator of Wild Earth Refuge, who creates hope for injured animals; and rock star Bif Naked, who despite personal hardships, continues to believe in a better future for humans and non-human animals alike.

Getting through the spin in marketing and media isn’t always easy. But with this week’s group of experts, we’re hoping to give you a helping hand. Talking about the history and realities – not the hunters’ spin – of the spring bear hunt in Ontario and its proposed return is Liz White of Animal Alliance of Canada. Brad Gates, owner of Gates Wildlife Control, shares his personal journey to becoming a world-class humane wildlife removal operator and the disturbing secrets of others in his industry. The University of Calgary’s Dr. Shelley Alexander discusses her media content analysis study and the impact the media has had on coyotes in Canada. And Sylvia Dolson, Executive Director of the Get Bear Smart Society, tells of how communities faced fears and learned to live peacefully with bears.

A funny thread emerged when we compiled this week's episode of Defender Radio: the lines in our lives. While listening to the interviews, we realized that there are so many crossovers when discussing animal welfare, advocacy and activism. Cary Rentola of the WOLF Sanctuary draws a line between wanting to be close to nature and bringing it too close; Dr. Hal Herzog explores the lines we set up between the pets in our lives, the wildlife we protect and the animals many continue to eat; and Dylan Powell discusses the lines we sometimes must draw to protest wrongdoings.

Defender Radio is presented by Gates Wildlife Control and The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals.

It’s finally here! After a great deal of quiet background work, we’re pleased to launch this first official episode of Defender Radio, a new podcast that focuses on the fur industry, wildlife, advocacy and everything animal related. We also must thank Brad Gates of Gates Wildlife Control in Toronto who has been a strong supporter of APFA and has signed on as the title sponsor for Defender Radio.

In this inaugural episode hear interviews from Dr. Marc Bekoff, Brad Gates, Jasmine Polsinelli and Jo-Anne McArthur.

In this special report, Defender Radio brings you the entire presentation of Mike Badry, Wildlife Conflict Prevention Coordinator for the BC Ministry of Environment, as heard at the 3rd Annual Living With Wildlife Conference on September 20, 2013.

In this special report, Defender Radio brings you the entire presentation of Sara Dubois, Manager of Wildlife Service at the BC SPCA, as heard at the 3rd Annual Living With Wildlife Conference on September 20, 2013.

In this special report, Defender Radio brings you the entire presentation of Sylvia Dolson, Executive Director of the Get Bear Smart Society, as heard at the 3rd Annual Living With Wildlife Conference on September 20, 2013.

In this special report, Defender Radio brings you the entire presentation of Louise Liebenberg, owner of the Predator Friendly certified Grazier Ranch, as heard at the 3rd Annual Living With Wildlife Conference on September 20, 2013.

In this special report, Defender Radio brings you the entire presentation of Dr. Shelley Alexander, Professor at the University of Calgary and internationally recognized canid expert, as heard at the 3rd Annual Living With Wildlife Conference on September 20, 2013.