Animals and Other Stories

Series produced by Jay Allison

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Reflections on Life, Love, and Death among the Species

This radio series is a collection of a short pieces from the 1980s reflecting on life, love and death among the species. Among these stories you will find monologues, montages, portraits and dreams. Some are funny, some are strange, some enlightening, some sobering:
* A man shelters 300 stray animals
* Killer whales seduce a woman
* A war veteran shoots a bird...and destroys his weapons
* Reptiles attack
* Chimpanzees talk
* Butterflies swarm
* Dogs dream

These stories come in various lengths and styles. Check them out. Use them like spice.

(NOTE TO STATIONS: Be sure to frame these pieces as "vintage," produced in the 1980s. While the content holds up fine, you need to note the fact that these stories were made about 20 years old, so that you don't unintentionally mislead your listeners into thinking these are contemporary voices.)

Here's a few examples of the ten stories in the series:

1. "Hide and Seek" (3:50)
Animal trainer and behaviorist, Ken Decroo, tells the story of the first he talked to a chimpanzee, and the chimp talked back. An aural metaphor ends this piece.

4. "Treeline" (3:35)
Vietnam veteran Jim McMullen tells of the he shot a blackbird outside his hometown, and was compelled to destroy his weapons forever.

7. "Subtext: Communicating with Horses" (4:41)
An animal psychologist searches for the source of one horse's ennui. The horse responds with his story of dislocation and lost youth.

10. "Cross my Path" (8:30)
Leo Grillo can't stand to see an animal suffer. So he takes them all in to his place. He's up to about three hundred dogs and cats, and if he can't find homes for them, he keeps them until they die of natural causes. Hide full description

This radio series is a collection of a short pieces from the 1980s reflecting on life, love and death among the species. Among these stories you will find monologues, montages, portraits and dreams. Some are funny, some are strange, some enlightening, some sobering: * A man shelters 300 stray animals * Killer whales seduce a woman * A war veteran shoots a bird...and destroys his weapons * Reptiles attack * Chimpanzees talk * Butterflies swarm * Dogs dream These stories come in various lengths and styles. Check them out. Use them like spice. (NOTE TO STATIONS: Be sure to frame these pieces as "vintage," produced in the 1980s. While the content holds up fine, you need to note the fact that these stories were made about 20 years old, so that you don't unintentionally mislead your... Show full description


Additional Files

10 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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One man, three hundred dogs and cats

Bought by KUT, PRX Remix, Remix Radio, KUT, and WYBC


  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 08:45
  • Purchases: 5
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The long relationship between man and dog

Bought by HowSound, KUT, KFAI Minneapolis, PRX Remix, Remix Radio and more


  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 07:42
  • Purchases: 10
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A son's love for his father and his bugs

Bought by New Hampshire Public Radio, KUT, PRX Remix, Remix Radio, The Nature Podcast and more


  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 04:51
  • Purchases: 7

  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 04:44
  • Purchases: 8

  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 02:07
  • Purchases: 5
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Taking care of sick wild birds

Bought by KUT, PRX Remix, and Remix Radio


  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 05:35
  • Purchases: 3
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A vet's story of shootng a blackbird

Bought by KUT, PRX Remix, New Hampshire Public Radio, Remix Radio, and KGLT


  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 03:40
  • Purchases: 5
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The worth, or worthlessness, of the legless reptile

Bought by The Story, KUT, PRX Remix, KUT, Remix Radio and more


  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 11:04
  • Purchases: 6
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Thoughts of cattle at the moment of death

Bought by PRX Remix, KUT, and Remix Radio


  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 04:40
  • Purchases: 3

  • Added: Jun 12, 2006
  • Length: 03:59
  • Purchases: 4