with Bettina Lori from Norris Point
Moderator of the radio show “Pets and Beyond” on the Northern Peninsula:
“Pets and Beyond” every Monday at 5 p.m.
Bettina Lori from Norris Point with her dogs Pishum and Iijatsuk (now deceased) Photo Calonego
Bettina Lori is co-owner of the hotel Neddie´s Harbour Inn in Norris Point, she is a former journalist from Switzerland who emigrated to Newfoundland.
She is a certified trainer for Search & Rescue dogs and moderator of the weekly radio show “Pets and Beyond” on the community radio “Voice of Bonne Bay” (www. voiceofbonnebay.org) in Norris Point.
You can be on the radio, too! Just contact Bettina at voiceofbonnebay@gmail.com.
She would love to hear from you.
Wouldn`t it be fun for your family and friends if you were on the radio and talked about your pet?
Don`t be shy, Bettina needs you for making an interesting show.
Bettina, in a recent radio show of “Pets and Beyond” you mentioned the old tale of animals that are able to talk at midnight of Christmas Eve. Do animals talk on your radio show, too?
If only they could talk! What would they tell us? No, in front of my microphone they are silent. But I am trying to be their voice.
How come you moderate a pet show on the radio of Norris Point?
We have a community radio here, the “Voice of Bonne Bay”. They were looking for volunteers. I was a radio journalist in Switzerland.
Why did you create the show “Pets and Beyond”?
I had this idea because I always thought it would be interesting. And it would give me a chance to do some education about pets as well. I also hoped to have kids on the radio who would talk about their pets.
How did that turn out?
So far I have not had many kids on the show but I will try to contact the schools again. My show should also be a platform where people can exchange services like walking dogs or finding somebody who looks after their pet while they are away. It has not really taken off yet but I hope people will eventually do it.
Bettina Lori`s dog Pishum who is a trained Search & Rescue dog (photo Bettina Lori)
What else do you have on your radio show “Pets and Beyond”?
I do interviews with pet owners around here about their pets. Recently I had somebody who talked about fish in the aquarium. I also had a lady with a therapy dog, a program that has started here. Another person talked about a guide dog for the blinds. I even did an interview with a psychologist in the States about therapy dogs.
People who own a farm in Norris Point were also on my radio show, and a person from the SPCA and a vet.
This gives me a chance to bring people in with knowledge so that I can spread it.
What kind of knowledge needs to be spread?
That a pet is not just a furry kid. You have to realise that you cannot blame pets for things they cannot do.
A big problem is how people communicate with their pets, how well they understand their pet. They assume a lot of things that might not be true.
The pet usually knows the owner very well because it observes her or him all day long. We are not always aware of our pet`s needs.
Experts can explain on the radio what to do. I have a good friend who is the best dog trainer I know. I do phone interviews with her on my show. She really could help people because we had positive feedbacks.
Do you have a lot of feedback from pet owners?
Sometimes. Not a whole lot. I wish there was more!
What other wish do you have for 2013?
I would like to involve children more – and the local people. But especially children. They are the ones who learn about pets, they are the next generation. They take back the information to their homes.
My radio show also should be a platform for the exchange of services, advice, opinions, for lost and found pets.
I would also like to make people aware what is around, interesting animals, useful services.
Ordinary people can have a therapy dog or have their dog trained as Search & Rescue dog.
I want people to have fun!
If pets cannot talk on your show, do they sing?
That would be fun! I always try to have songs about animals, like the song about my dog Iijatsuk that has died, “Iijatsuk”, by the local singer Shirley Montague.
But it is getting more and more difficult to find these songs. If anybody knows a song about an animal, please let me know!
Can people in our area talk on your radio show, too?
Yes, of course. Anybody from the Northern Peninsula can contact me at voiceofbonnebay@gmail.com and be on the show. I do a lot of interviews over the phone. I would love to hear from as many people as possible!
Thank you, Bettina, for this interview!
You can listen to the Voice of Bonne Bay, too!
You can listen to “Pets and Beyond” with Bettina Lori every Monday at 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
On the radio 95.9 FM for people in Norris Point and Woody Point.
For people in Rocky Harbour: 98.1 FM
For anybody else on the Northern Peninsula: Go to to the internet to www.voiceofbonnebay.org.
Click on “Listen now!” on the left hand side. “Pets and Beyond” every Monday at 5 p.m.
