One day at school, 7-year-old animal loving Georgia discovers her best friend is wearing a coat made with mink fur; with the companionship of her dog Tizzy, Georgia and her friend begin to learn about animals that live in fur farms – and that they must stand up for them.

Tizzy and Me: Fifteen Ways to Love A Mink is the lovely chapter book by NML Hazard (also known as Dr. Nadja Lubiw-Hazard), a former veterinarian turned author. Published in late 2024 by Red Deer Press with illustrations by Alice Priestly, Tizzy and Me is a wonderful story for young people and families who want to discuss issues of animal welfare, talking about difficult topics, and making an impact for animals in our lives. To discuss her unique background, what went into writing Tizzy and Me, what she hopes people learn, and some great writing tips, Defender Radio is joined by Dr. Nadja Lubiw-Hazard.

SHOW NOTES:

Dr. Nadja Lubiw-Hazard (NML Hazard): https://www.nmlhazard.com/
Tizzy & Me from Red Deer Press: https://www.reddeerpress.com/Detail/0889957509

Episode art photo of a mink by DanielLacy / Getty Images

Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio).

Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree).

I’m excited to announce season 11 of Defender Radio and The Switch is going live this month! You’ll be hearing long-form interviews from expert scientists around the world talking about wildlife behaviour, population dynamics, and the environment. We’ll be exploring ways you can reduce your impact on the climate crisis and become more resilient through bi-weekly episodes of The Switch. And I can’t wait to hear from you! Make sure you’re following The Fur-Bearers on Instagram @furbearers and find us on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn by searching The Fur-Bearers, where you can leave comments about the latest episodes, share your tips, and chat with me about upcoming episode ideas!

Remember to subscribe and follow Defender Radio and The Switch wherever you listen, and sign up to receive email updates from The Fur-Bearers to ensure you hear about each new episode! Find more episodes and how to listen at DefenderRadio.com.

We’re releasing this episode in time for International Rabbit Day – a celebration of our favourite floppy-eared lagomorphs. While rabbits do make wonderful companions, they are frequently released or dumped in the wild – and with an exceptionally quick gestation period, that can lead to a lot of domestic rabbits in the wild, really fast.

Fortunately, there are incredible people who are working to find homes for rabbits and prevent the need for dumping – like Amy McLaughin of Amy’s Bunny Barn on Vancouver Island.

A vet assistant, past SPCA worker, and passionate advocate for rabbits, Amy is providing essential education, foster care, and resources to help keep bunnies in homes with full, happy lives. To share more about what goes into caring for a pet rabbit, why dumping is such an issue, and the importance of meeting the many needs of bunnies in homes, Amy joins Defender Radio.

SHOW NOTES

The rabbit shown in the episode artwork is named Bella, and is one of many bunnies available for adoption! Visit https://www.amysbunnybarn.org/adoptables to see more.

Amy's Bunny Barn online: https://www.amysbunnybarn.org/
Support Amy's Bunny Barn with a tax deductible donation: https://www.amysbunnybarn.org/donate

Amy's Bunny Barn on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amysbunnybarn/
Amy's Bunny Barn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amysbunnybarn/
Amy's Bunny Barn on Pinterest: https://ca.pinterest.com/amysbunnybarn/
Amy's Bunny Barn on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amybunnybarn

Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio).

Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree).