Speaking of Pets with host Mindy Norton is for people who care about pets and about humane treatment for animals in general, and who want to celebrate that special relationship between us and our animal companions. Saturdays 8:59 a.m. (2 minutes)

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About Mindy Norton: Well, I was born in Pasadena California on the Fourth of July! My first pet was a goldfish; my second was a turtle; my third was a duck. I was nine years old when we got a dog, which we named Scamp.  Over the years we've had both dogs and cats, including one dog that lived to be almost 20 years old, and one cat that lived to be over 20. We currently have two cats. We found the female cat in my back yard, declawed on all four paws but not spayed (of course, she has since been spayed!). Although she weighs ten pounds she manages to look dainty. The male cat found us one rainy night when he wanted to get into our house.  We let him in and he never left.  He blossomed to about 20 pounds, but the vet says he's not fat, just big.  We call him "the terrorist" because he strikes without warning and without cause.  He's really just playing, but when you're hit by a 20-pound cat it's hard to remember that. I have served on the boards of three animal welfare organizations, and was elected as president of two of them.  I decided long ago that helping one animal at a time was good, but helping lots of animals would be better.  I care about animals and believe that the way we treat them is an indication of our character as individuals, as a culture and as a society.   For seven years I did a spot called Pet Patrol on another public radio station in Birmingham.  In late summer of 1995, I began doing Speaking of Pets on Alabama Public Radio. Speaking of Pets is a spot for people who care about pets and about humane treatment for animals in general, and who want to celebrate that special relationship between us and our animal companions.