Speaker 1
I am an immigrant. I came here from europe in 2004. I am in the tech industry and work on software solutions. I love dogs and have fostered several of them. I run in half marathons.
Speaker 2
I work in the zoo as a zoo keeper. I have a pet racoon and a bearded dragon. I love flying kites during a windy day. My brother owns a grocery store. I own 2 cars and both are mustangs.
Speaker 1
I do not have pets. I foster dogs. I do software solutions for technology companies.
Speaker 2
I have a raccoon and a bearded dragon as pets. I am a zoo keeper. I have a brother who owns a grocery store.
Speaker 1
Hello how are you?
Speaker 2
Good, I just fed my pets!
Speaker 1
What kind of pets do you have?
Speaker 2
I have a raccoon and a bearded dragon. Do you have any?
Speaker 1
I foster dogs till they find a forever home, but none that stay with me permanently.
Speaker 2
Gotcha, that is a great thing to do!
Speaker 1
Yea, I hope more people adopt! What do you do for a living?
Speaker 2
I work at the zoo.
Speaker 1
That sounds very fun and rewarding, do you enjoy it?
Speaker 2
I love being a zoo keeper. What do you do for a living?
Speaker 1
I do software solutions for tech companies. Nothing as exciting as working in a zoo.
Speaker 2
Well, I imagine your job is more useful for most people.
Speaker 1
Most days it is just "did you try turning it on and off again?".
Speaker 2
My bro owns a grocery store and he says people are dumb there too.
0
Speaker 1
I do not have pets. I foster dogs. I do software solutions for technology companies.
Speaker 2
I have a raccoon and a bearded dragon as pets. I am a zoo keeper. I have a brother who owns a grocery store.
Speaker 1
Out of curiosity, what do you feed your raccoon and bearded dragon?
Speaker 2
My bearded dragon eats insects often crickets or meal worms and My raccoon Bandicoot eats a variety of food mostly dog kibble coupled with fish and egg!
Speaker 1
How long have you had them? 
Speaker 2
Bandicoot is 3 and my bearded dragon Bob is 7 months old.
Speaker 1
Have you had Bandicoot since he was a baby too? 
Speaker 2
Yes, he was a rescue, but he and I work at a Raccoon Cafe so he's been there since he was a baby and I take care of him when he isn't working.
Speaker 1
That's so cool. I love raccoons but have never gotten very close to one. I see wild ones occassionally. 
Speaker 2
Wild ones can be very ornery they always come around trying to steal the working raccoons food! Such intelligent creatures though, very funny little animals. 
Speaker 1
They are, we have to make sure the garbage is raccoon proof but they still figure out how to get in most of the time haha
Speaker 2
Yeah, it's those little thumbs I swear, they are master escape artists.
Speaker 1
For sure, but cute little escape artists! Have you had Bob for long? 
Speaker 2
I've had him only about a month now!
6 days
Speaker 1
I do not have pets. I foster dogs. I do software solutions for technology companies. I love raccoons but I have only seen wild ones. I have to raccoon proof my garbage.
Speaker 2
I have a bearded dragon as pets who eats crickets and worms. I am a zoo keeper. I have a brother who owns a grocery store. I have a raccoon who eats dog kibble, fish and eggs among other things. My raccoon is named Bandicoot.  He is 3 years old, and my 7 month old bearded dragon is named Bob. I have had Bob for 1 month. I work at a raccoon cafe with bandicoot. My raccoon was a rescue.
Speaker 1
I visited the pet store yesterday and saw a bearded dragon.  It was my first time seeing one up close.  How big do they get?
Speaker 2
That is cool you saw one. They can get up to about 24 inches. Quite big really but does happen slowly over the years. Would you like to get one?
Speaker 1
I don't know , with my fosters dogs, I don't think it would be a good idea. Each case is different, I don't want to stress them more with a reptile. How your racoon is dealing with you bearded dragon ? 
Speaker 2
If you think your foster dogs would become stressed by the dragon then it is probably a good idea not to get one. My raccoon is quite relaxed and isn't bothered at all by the bearded dragon. It helps because it doesn't make much noise so I don't think it notices that it is there.
Speaker 1
Do you think it could eat your bearded dragon ? To me, racoons  seem to eat everything.
Speaker 2
Bob is in a cage so Bandicoot cannot get to it. He is fine and soon he grow bigger. Raccoons like to eat small creatures. Once it gets to a certain size Bandicoot will leave it alone.
Speaker 1
I hope soo, some racoons can be very territorial, every four-five night I hear a racoon and a cat fighting in my neighborhood. 
Speaker 2
They can be. Especially wild ones. Now my raccoon has been with me for over a month it has grown to me and is quite relaxed and behaved around me. I think it would be interesting to research whether racoons could be trained.
Speaker 1
Do you think they would make great pet ? Do they stink ? I know ferrets can smell and foxes literally stink. 
Speaker 2
No they don't stink really if you feed it correctly. But I am used to the smell really now being around so many of them. Maybe to others they might. I think they make a good pet, but only if you have time to really look and care for it.
Speaker 1
But aren't they considered wildlife by the law ? So they can't be legally pets, if so some pet shops would sell them, like ferrets.
Speaker 2
That it true. Yes we cannot sell them. But we can rescue them and take care of them before releasing back in the wild
10 days
Speaker 1
I do not have pets. I foster dogs. I do software solutions for technology companies. I love raccoons but I have only seen wild ones. I have to raccoon proof my garbage. I went to a pet store yesterday. I saw a bearded dragon for the first time. I hear a raccoon fighting with a cat in my neighborhood.
Speaker 2
I have a bearded dragon as pets who eats crickets and worms. I am a zoo keeper. I have a brother who owns a grocery store. I have a raccoon who eats dog kibble, fish and eggs among other things. My raccoon is named Bandicoot.  He is 3 years old, and my 7 month old bearded dragon is named Bob. I have had Bob for 1 month. I work at a raccoon cafe with bandicoot. My raccoon was a rescue. I have had my raccoon over a month. I am used to my raccoon's smell. I think raccoons make a good pet. We cannot sell raccoons.
Speaker 1
One of my foster dogs is going to her forever home tomorrow, I'm excited for her but will be sad to see her go at the same time!
Speaker 2
I understand, it must be tough to give away a dog you have fostered for such a long time. Surely you still have other dogs to foster that have yet to be adopted?
Speaker 1
They always come and go. It's sad, but I am a little used to it. But you're right, I'm sure by next week another cutie will be joining me. You should bring bandicoot over!
Speaker 2
I'd be happy to do so, he would love the extra company and attention. Would you ever consider fostering other types of animals other than dogs, such as cats?
Speaker 1
I'm allergic to cats. That's why I don't foster them. Has he ever met a dog before?
Speaker 2
He has, he mostly is friendly around them, although I can't say many dogs are friendly around bandicoot. I guess dogs in general aren't really used to seeing racoons at times.
Speaker 1
Probably not. Or maybe they see them, and worry they are going to steal their food next!
Speaker 2
That is true of other racoons, but Bandicoot seems to play fair. Speaking of which, have you been able to handle your raccoon problem?
Speaker 1
Not yet. I need to buy some aluminum sheeting I think. To cover the holes up from the inside. Those raccoons are too smart
Speaker 2
True, racoons are much more craftier than you think. Has any other types of animals tried to enter your garbage, or is it mostly racoons? I would be scared if a bigger animal like a bear was attracted to my garbage.
Speaker 1
Luckily we don't have bears around. The other animals don't seem interested in the garage though.
Speaker 2
Good to hear, then aluminum sheeting should be able to handle just the raccoons then. My garbage has a lock, helps keep it shut especially when it gets very windy outside.
10 days 2 hours
Speaker 1
I do not have pets. I foster dogs. I do software solutions for technology companies. I love raccoons but I have only seen wild ones. I have to raccoon proof my garbage. I went to a pet store yesterday. I saw a bearded dragon for the first time. I hear a raccoon fighting with a cat in my neighborhood. I am allergic to cats. I don't foster cats. I have a raccoon problem. I am trying to solve it. The raccoons are getting into my garbage. I find it difficult to see the dogs I foster come and go, but I enjoy fostering dogs. 
Speaker 2
I have a bearded dragon as pets who eats crickets and worms. I am a zoo keeper. I have a brother who owns a grocery store. I have a raccoon who eats dog kibble, fish and eggs among other things. My raccoon is named Bandicoot. He has met dogs and is friendly toward them. He is 3 years old, and my 7 month old bearded dragon is named Bob. I have had Bob for 1 month. I work at a raccoon cafe with bandicoot. My raccoon was a rescue. I have had my raccoon over a month. I am used to my raccoon's smell. I think raccoons make a good pet. We cannot sell raccoons. I keep my garbage locked to keep the animals out and the wind from blowing it open.
Speaker 1
I was able to get the aluminum sheeting for my garbage. I'm going to install it today and I'll let you know how my raccoon problem goes. 
Speaker 2
I hope it goes well for you. How come you don't just leave small bowls of food out and befriend the raccoons? It would solve your problem a lot faster, especially because raccoon's are so smart. Bandicoot knows how to open and unlock so many things, it's makes it difficult to keep him out of trouble. Which is why I take him to work with me.
Speaker 1
Ohhh.  That would be bad. I really do not want more raccoons or other animals coming around.  I like them OK, but I do not want to have some diseased ones get close to the house. 
Speaker 2
Understandable. Have you ever tried contacting animal control? That's how I got Bandicoot. I was working that day and animal control came by explaining about needing fosters for raccoons. I thought it was weird, so I did it and began to work at the small raccoon cafe that is part of the zoo. I love it. 
Speaker 1
That is a good idea.  Maybe they could help move them to a safer area.  I have a lot of traffic around and they could get hit if they are coming to my place all the time.  Have you been able to teach your raccoon any tricks?
Speaker 2
The only trick I was able to teach him, that I deeply regret, was how locks worked. I thought it was cool at first, you know, to see a raccoon unlock a door. And now, I regret it so much. I've had to change the layout of my apartment and put deadbolts on my doors so that Bandicoot can't get out. And, he is sneaky about it. One time, he unlocked the pantry and was eating some cookies! It's like having a toddler that never grows up.
Speaker 1
That is bad I guess.  Do you keep all of your chemicals, poisons, and medications up and locked?  I would hate to think what might happen if Bandicoot got into any of that.  Hey, when you drive do you lock him up in a cage or let him wander around in the car?  That could be dangerous for you driving and he freaks out.
Speaker 2
All the chemicals and poisons are in a gated lock in the basement. The lock requires a specific key, which I have hidden in my drawers. For medication, I have a small box that I also keep locked up, but it's a combination lock, so Bandicoot isn't able to get into it. For driving, I bought a harness that keeps him strapped in the back seat, he can move a bit, but mostly sturdy. I put blankets down and his favorite toys so that he stays calm. Sometimes, I'll pass small snacks to keep him occupied. I also take the side streets to work so that it's not too much for him. What about you? When you foster dogs, do you put them in a cage when you drive?
Speaker 1
I do keep the dogs secured. You never knwo how they are going to react.  Most of them I only have for a few days, so I really do not get a chance to see how they will act in all situations.  
Speaker 2
Oh, does that make you want to adopt a dog? I know you said it makes you sad to see them come and go, so why not adopt one?
Speaker 1
It easer to foster them right now.  If I go out of town for a few days and I had my own dog, I might not be able to take it with me.  So the foster stuff is best.  I can take in a dog for only the time I can spend a lot of time with it.  I think this is best for the dog.
Speaker 2
Oh, I see. Do you get paid to do this, or at least do they provide the food and what not? For Bandicoot, they provide his meals and insurance for any damages he may do to my house. I use to only feed him what they gave, but then, I began to spoil him.
13 days 2 hours