About
The Animal House is a weekly discussion that explores the latest in animal science, pet behavior, and wildlife conservation. We hope to deepen human understanding of animals and explain the powerful bonds that link us to the animal world. Our goal is to be fun, substantive, and appealing to a broad audience -- both those with pets and those without them.
The Animal House will go from the bat caves of northern Virginia to the big game reserves of Botswana as we discuss the latest in animal-related news. And each week, you can count on expert advice about all your pet-related questions from Dr. Gary Weitzman, veterinarian and president of the San Diego Humane Society.
Staff
Sam Litzinger, Host
When he's not in The Animal House, Sam -- a broadcaster for 35 years and counting -- is an anchor and reporter at CBS News. He also hosts and produces the radio series Sound Sessions from Smithsonian Folkways, and he's currently working on a series of radio shows on the history of journalism for the George Washington University's Global Media Institute and the Newseum. Sam sometimes fills in for Charles Osgood on The Osgood File on the CBS Radio Network.
Gary Weitzman, DVM, MPH, CAWA
Dr. Gary Weitzman has more than 20 years experience in veterinary medicine. He became the president of the San Diego Humane Society in May 2012 after serving as C.E.O of the Washington Animal Rescue League. During "Dr. Weitzman's tenure at WARL, it became a national resource for disaster and puppy mill rescues and a recognized leader in animal physical and behavioral rehabilitation. Dr.Weitzman’s background also includes serving in the U.S. Air Force, non-profit sector work in both human and animal public health and extensive training in international public health.
Mark McDonald, Executive Producer
Mark McDonald is WAMU 88.5's Program Director and a golden retriever fanatic. Originally from Liverpool, UK, Mark got his start on the local radio station there before moving into BBC Television in London, where he produced stories for the main evening news. He moved to New York in 1995, where he was BBC's news producer, and became managing editor for news at New York public radio station WNYC in 1999. Mark is delighted to be a part of the team producing the only public radio program in America devoted to animals.
Steven Williams, Managing Producer
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Steven is a veteran radio producer, scriptwriter and voice artist; his resume includes production work at WCBS - New York, KGO - San Francisco, WDET - Detroit, Sirius Satellite Radio and United Nations Radio. He joined WAMU 88.5 as a Special Projects producer in 2009; he's been working with The Animal House since March of 2011. Over the years, Steven has been the proud companion of a wide variety of pets, among them several dogs and cats, freshwater and salt water tropical fish, a turtle and an iguana. Steven welcomes listener suggestions and story ideas – please email him at stevenw@wamu.org.
Karen Munson, Producer
Karen Munson produces segments for The Animal House and is the voice of the Animal House Dateline. She has worked at WAMU 88.5 since 2001, during which time, she served as traffic manager in the programming department and producer of American Forum, a collaboration with American University's School of Communication. Currently, Karen is Manager of WAMU 88.5 Content Operations, overseeing the scheduling of all underwriting and promotional products for WAMU 88.5, WAMU's Bluegrass Country, and Intersection 88.5 HD3. She also serves as the daytime host for Intersection 88.5 HD3.
