135. Pet Fire Safety, Shelter Makeovers & Wild Tales from the Vet Clinic

In this episode of the Pets Add Life Podcast, hosts Chris Bonifati and Kristen Levine explore the people, places, and everyday decisions that can make life safer and better for our pets. From transforming an animal shelter and preparing pets for a home emergency to understanding the essential role veterinary technicians play behind the scenes, this episode combines practical advice with inspiring stories from the pet community.

Story Time features:Chris shares the story of Helen Woodward Animal Center’s annual Puppy Prom, a creative fundraiser that brings pets and their people together in formal attire, contests, and plenty of fun while raising money to support animals and programs at the Center.

Kristen highlights a recent study exploring how dogs respond to human facial expressions. Using brain imaging with awake dogs, researchers found evidence that dogs process different human emotional expressions differently—including a distinct response to happy faces—adding to our understanding of how closely dogs pay attention to human emotions.

Special Guests:Art Edmonds, Host & Executive Producer of Home for Good

Art takes listeners behind the scenes of Home for Good, the renovation series airing on ABC stations nationwide that celebrates first responders, veterans, and other community heroes. He shares how the show transformed key areas of PAWS Atlanta, one of Metro Atlanta’s longstanding no-kill shelters, and explains why improving the shelter’s animal intake area could make a meaningful difference for both incoming pets and the people caring for them.

Art also shares important pet fire and emergency preparedness advice, including creating an evacuation plan, preparing a pet go-bag with medications, food and important records, making sure first responders know pets are inside the home, and never re-entering a burning building to rescue a pet yourself.

Walter Brown, Veterinary Technician, Content Creator & Wild Tails Cast Member

Walter “Skinni Go Live” Brown returns to the podcast to talk about DOGTV’s original series Wild Tails and why sharing the real experiences of veterinary technicians is so important. He discusses the vital role vet techs play in animal care, the chemistry between the Wild Tails cast, and how humor, communication and understanding pet parents can make a difference inside the veterinary clinic.

Pet Product Recommendations:TRIXIE Snuffle Mat Level 1 Enrichment Interactive Feeding Game – https://www.chewy.com/trixie-snuffle-mat-level-1-enric