Weekend getaway season is in full swing in the city, and the Hamptons has been a favorite among city folk for a long time. By train (Long Island Rail Road), by plane (if you’re uber-rich) or highway (rental cars or the Hampton Jitney motorcoach) New Yorkers from every walk of life flock to the sandy shores seeking a break on the breakers. But even here homeless animals abound, from huge feral cat colonies drawn by the scent of fresh fish on the bustling boat docks to “vacation pets” left behind when the summer share is over. We’ll talk with Michele Forrester, director of the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons about this oft-hidden population of homeless pets in one of the richest resort areas of the country and how ARF and other organizations are trying to help.

Then, Pets In The City has weekend brunch with The NYC East Side Small Dog People Group at a great outdoor café and gets some cool tips for dining with dogs.

Finally, we’re going to ask our listeners to help us in what we think may be the first-of-its-kind radio experiment. If you’re dreading your dog’s nervous breakdown when the fireworks go off on the 4th, this is a must-download episode.

Questions or Comments? Send them to: diane@petliferadio.com.

Michele A. Forrester
Director of Operations, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, Inc.
Michele A. Forrester is director of operations at the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (“ARF”) in Wainscott, New York on Long Island’s South Fork. Founded in 1974, the no-kill shelter has placed over 13,000 cats and dogs into adoptive homes. They also provide medical care, spaying and neutering programs, community outreach and humane education, as well as coordinate a large project to trap, neuter and return (TNR) feral cat colonies throughout the Hamptons.
Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons ("ARF")

Fern Weinbaum
Founder, The NYC East Side Small Dog People Group
Fern Weinbaum founded the NYC East Side Small Dog People Group in April 2007 which now boasts over 150 members and counting. As well as being a well-known philanthropist for local rescue and adoption groups, Ms. Weinbaum and her group are also avid supporters of indoor and outdoor play space for small dogs and their people and the pursuit of efforts to convert unused park or abandoned industrial space into neighborhood dog runs.
NYC East Side Small Dog People Group

Joshua Leeds, Producer, “Through A Dog’s Ear: Using Sound to Improve the Health & Behavior of Your Canine Companion” with concert pianist Lisa Spector
 Joshua Leeds and pianist Lisa Spector say there is clinical evidence which implies certain arrangements of classical music calm down anxious dogs or dogs who are faced with stressful situations, whether at home, the kennel, or in the car.  With this in mind, they’ve created a book and CD meant to provide “sound solutions for the health & well being of canine companions.”
"Through a Dog's Ear"