Defender Radio and The Switch

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.