Why Do Pets Matter? Hosted by Debra Hamilton, Esq‪.‬ Debra Hamilton, Esq.

Domestic violence can be an incredibly difficult and isolating experience, and it can be even harder for pet owners who may be afraid to leave their beloved pets behind. Did you know that there are resources available to help keep both pets and their owners safe? 
During this segment of "Why Do Pets Matter?", my dear friend Elizabeth Cronin, Director of the New York State Office of Victim Services, will be discussing some of the organizations and programs that provide support and resources for pet owners in domestic violence situations. 
Resources Mentioned During The Show
Urban Resource Institutehttps://urinyc.org/
PALS Program (People and Animals Living Safely)https://urinyc.org/uripals/
WILLOW Domestic Violence Centerhttps://willowcenterny.org/
More About Elizabeth
Elizabeth Cronin is Director of the New York State Office of Victim Services. She was appointed in 2013 by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.
Previously, she was the Director of the Office of Legal Affairs for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In that capacity, she was responsible for the operation of the Staff Attorney’s Office and Office of Staff Counsel (Circuit Mediation) and overseeing all of the legal work produced by the Office.
In addition, Elizabeth is a published author and frequent public speaker on legal and administrative topics, including prosecuting domestic violence cases, immigration law, and evidence, among others. She served on a number of advisory groups, including for the Administrative Office for the U.S. Courts. She is a past president of the National Association of Appellate Court Attorneys.
She also was an adjunct professor in the Criminal Justice and Sociology Department at Pace University and taught classes to graduate and undergraduate students in the subjects of domestic violence, criminal justice, criminal law, and law enforcement ethics. She also holds two certifications in coaching.
 
Connect with Elizabeth
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-cronin-b1b505a/

Dawn Secord is our special guest today. She's an award-winning author, artist, and illustrator whose love for animals shines through in everything she does. 
Dawn is passionate about sharing her love of animals with children. And through her educational children's book series, she's bringing back the old-time values of reading actual books and spending quality family time together.  
Why do pets matter to Dawn? In her own words: "Pets matter on so many levels.  They are companions, comforters, protectors, and our family members.  My husband loves to say that our pets are a window into what heaven will be - unconditional love.  
My pets as companions allow me always to feel not alone.  Even when surrounded by other people, we can still be alone.  When I'm sad or happy, my pets react to my emotions. They celebrate with joy when I am happy, and if  I'm unhappy, they become my comforters. It is amazing how much pets comfort us when we need it most. 
They protect us.  Dogs bark and are considered by many sources to be a great crime deterrent.   I have a cat that growls when she sees someone approaching the front door.  Years ago, I read of a macaw (parrot) that attacked an intruder and saved its owner.  
Pets are my family members.  With all they do for me, how could they be any less than a family member?  Their love for me is unconditional, and my love for them is just as strong."
I can't wait for you to hear all about Dawn's amazing new children's book -- "No Ghoulish Green Monsters Here."
 
Get The Book
Amazon
No Ghoulish Green Monsters Here:https://www.amazon.com/No-Ghoulish-Green-Monsters-Here/dp/1734003901/
 
Bling's Website
https://www.adogbling.com/awards-reviews
About Dawn Secord
Dawn is a professional author, artist, and illustrator.  She has won numerous art competitions, juried into museum and international exhibitions, and been featured in numerous magazine articles and magazine covers.   She had a pet-sitting business for 22 years and was named Pet Sitter of the Year by Pet Sitters International.  She is currently working on the next book in her children's picture book series - A Dog Bling.
Connect with Dawn and Bling
https://www.facebook.com/adogbling/https://www.facebook.com/dawnsecordarthttps://www.adogbling.blogspot.com
https://www.artofthedog.blogspot.comhttps://twitter.com/DawnSecordhttps://www.instagram.com/dawn_secordhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-secord-250108b3

Becky Shuttle worth is a canine communicator. She takes those really hard-to-place dogs and helps them live a better life by either staying with her or fostering them until they are ready to be rehomed. She also works one on one with dog owners who are having aggression or anxiety issues with their pets.
In this podcast, she shares some great insights into understanding and managing the things that trigger a dog's "naughty" behavior. She discusses her holistic approach to getting to the root cause of the issue and how to support an animal through it.
 
More About Becky:
Becky Shuttleworth communicates with dogs. She left a career in 'behavior" and moved into animal communication, where she now helps dog owners understand what their dogs really want and need. She provides the link for better communication between dogs and humans.
 
Connect with Becky:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/becky.shuttleworth.52
Email: therapy4doggos@gmail.com

If you're a veterinary professional looking to improve your communication skills and overall job satisfaction, or if you're a pet owner interested in learning how to build a better relationship with your pet's healthcare team, this episode is meant for you.
Pet owners know how important it is to have a strong and trusting relationship with their pets' healthcare providers. This relationship not only ensures the best possible care for our animals, it also helps us to better understand what that care truly entails.
In this episode, Dr. Peter Veinstein and I explore how veterinary teams can create meaningful relationships with their clients through effective communication and collaboration. We also discuss the benefits of a relationship-based approach, such as increased client satisfaction, improved pet health outcomes, and better job satisfaction for veterinary professionals.
More About Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA
As the owner of PAW Consulting and president of Simple Solutions for Vets, Dr. Peter Weinstein provides business consulting services to veterinary practices nationwide. He speaks and writes extensively on practice management, team building, leadership, collegiality, marketing, and other topics focused on improving veterinary practices. Most recently, he co-authored with Michael E. Gerber “The E-Myth Veterinarian - Why Most Veterinary Practices Don’t Work and What to Do About It”.
Dr. Weinstein is executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association (SCVMA), and a past president of both that association and the California Veterinary Medical Association. He also served as president of VetPartners, a nonprofit association for veterinary business specialists.
After receiving his DVM degree from the University of Illinois, Dr. Weinstein earned his MBA from the University of Redlands while managing his own practice and practicing veterinary medicine full time. As a result of his business acumen and financial success, he was able to expand and ultimately sell his practice to a corporate consolidator. Since then, and for more than 20 years, he has been providing small business and corporate consulting services to veterinary practice clients around the United States.
Connect with Dr. Weinstein
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pawdr/https://simplesolutionsforvets.com/

Integrative Veterinary Medicine and The Benefits of Real Mushrooms for Pet Health
Integrative Veterinary Medicine and The Benefits of Real Mushrooms for Pet Health
Have you heard of integrative medicine for pets? It's a holistic approach to pet healthcare that combines conventional veterinary medicine with complementary therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine, supplements and nutrition.
One complementary modality that has been gaining popularity in recent years is the use of mushrooms for pets. Mushrooms have been found to have numerous health benefits for pets, including boosting their immune systems, reducing inflammation, and even potentially fighting cancer.
If you're interested in learning more about incorporating mushrooms into your pet's diet, listen to this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?". 
Dr. Rob Silver, DVM, Joni Kamlet and I are talking about integrative veterinary medicine and the benefits of giving your pet real mushrooms to help support their health and well-being.
More About Dr. Silver:
Dr. Rob Silver was raised in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. He attended Columbia University and earned a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, a Master's Degree in Cardiopulmonary Physiology, and his DVM from Colorado State University. After graduation, he worked as a relief veterinarian in the Denver, Colorado area and taught in a veterinary technician program as well.
After relocating to Colorado Springs, Colorado to work in an Emergency Practice, he started a House Call practice that evolved into a brick and mortar practice. He started prescribing his patients home cooked diets and herbal medicines. He was certified by IVAS in 1993 and began teaching Chinese Herbal Medicine courses with Jake Fratkin and Dr. Shen Xie. That same year he also relocated to Boulder, Colorado, opening a new practice, Boulder's Natural Animal.
In 1994 Dr. Silver became the Chief Medical Officer for Rx Vitamins, where he formulated 40 products for the veterinary market. He sold his practice in 2013 and the next year launched the Well Pet Dispensary website, which is still in operation. He also served as Chief Veterinary Officer for Folium Biosciences, a vertically integrated Hemp Company.
In 2015 Dr. Silver published the ground-breaking text "Medical Marijuana and Your Pet," which has served as a guide to both veterinarians and animal caretakers alike since it was published.
Dr. Silver has served as a Board Member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and the President of both the Veterinary Botanical Medical Association and the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine. He is also an Adjunct Faculty member at both Lincoln Memorial and Chi University.
He is enjoying his new position as the Chief Veterinary Officer for Real Mushrooms.
Learn More About Real Mushrooms:
Website: https://RealMusrooms.com
Facebook Group and Monthly Live Q & A   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1699109103787660
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real_mushrooms/

As pet owners, we want the best care for our furry friends, and good communication with our veterinarian is essential to achieving that goal. 
In this episode of "Why Do Pets Matter?" Dr. Deborah Thompson, DVM and I discuss the challenges faced by both veterinarians and pet owners in communicating effectively and offer some practical tips to help improve the dialogue between them. 
We'll also explore the benefits of better communication, including improved pet health outcomes, increased client satisfaction, and stronger relationships between veterinarians and their clients. 
So, whether you're a veterinarian or a pet owner, join us as we explore how to improve communication and promote the best possible care for our beloved pets.
More About Deborah Thompson, DVM
Dr. Deborah Thomson is a veterinarian and One Health expert who started teaching in 2001. Since then, she has served as a Science Policy Advisor in the United States Senate; has founded and led a global organization that inspires children and adults to value the interconnection between human health and the health of the environment, plants, and animals (called One Health Lessons); has practiced clinical veterinary medicine in emergency departments, animal shelters, and general practices; has taught thousands of children about One Health; has worked as a One Health Expert Consultant in multiple global nongovernmental organizations and universities including the One Health Institute at the University of California–Davis; has served as an external member of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s One Health Work Group; has created internationally-acclaimed science lessons that are being translated into over eighty languages; has been running a Science Communication Training program with over 800 global participants; and is currently the Chair of the World Veterinary Association’s One Health Education Subgroup and ad-hoc member of its One Health Subject Focus Group.
In addition, she has won multiple public speaking competitions, has spoken in over a dozen countries, and has most notably been an invited speaker at events associated with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Global Health Security Agenda, the US Agency for International Development, the US Department of Agriculture, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the World Veterinary Association, and the One Health Action Collaborative, an ad hoc activity associated with the Forum on Microbial Threats at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Dr. Thomson has been recognized as a Global Goodwill Ambassador, a distinction reserved for humanitarians, as well as an Impact Leader and an Excellence in STEM Inspiration Honoree. Her articles have been printed in multiple publications, including The Lancet Planetary Health.
Aside from writing and working on these worthy projects, she enjoys playing music, traveling, learning languages, and being outdoors. She lives in the Washington, DC area.
Resources Mentioned During The Show:
Dr. Thompson's Book: 
The Art of Science Communication: Sharing Knowledge with Students, the Public, and Policymakers
Connect with Dr. Thompson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahthomsondvm/