May is National Pet Month, so here is a pet-themed podcast list curated by School Library Journal:
Eat Your Spanish: Lesson 8, Pets
Ages 5-12: Bilingual musicians and former Montessori teachers Evan and Vanessa speak mainly in English but select a couple of Spanish words to practice based on a theme. Here, they include words for common pets, including cat, dog, fish, and hamster, repeating them to help listeners retain knowledge. This show will help kids stay on top of their language skills while having a blast with the featured jolly, warmhearted songs.
ExtraBLURT: The Pets We Get
Ages 8-12: Extra Blurt is a fast-paced game show that tests your knowledge of a variety of popular kid-centric topics like sports, Harry Potter, outer space, pets, and much more. This episode will appeal to factoid-loving animal aficionados. It’s highly interactive, with pauses and timers that keep you guessing. The grown-up game show hosts, Charlie and Aleah, tell jokes between episodes while delivering animal terminology and facts.
This Podcast Has Fleas: Sleepover
Ages 5-12: This comedic, scripted podcast for kids includes professional actors, including Alec Baldwin, voicing household pets. The crux of the episodes usually pits Waffles the dog against Jones the cat, leaving other pet characters to choose sides. In this one, Waffles can’t believe Jones “stole” her idea to start a podcast and is rather upset—especially when other pets make guest appearances on Jones’s show. It all unfolds during a sleepover party where the pets are vying for snacks.
Storynory: Jana’s Studio Interview About Show Dogs
Ages 5-12: In this production for young kids, Storynory host Jana Elizabeth talks with Anita Mitchell, owner of show dogs Dolly and Mabel, both west highland white terriers. Listeners learn about grooming and training routines, while Mitchell responds to kids’ questions such as, “Have your dogs ever had an accident in the ring?” She talks about how to get involved in showing dogs and what she has learned about calming nerves while preparing for serious competitions over 25 years.
Story Pirates – Secret Life of Pets: The Knight’s Pet Dragon / Turtle Beach
Ages 5-12: In this episode of the humorous series voiced by skilled actors, the Story Pirates reveal the winner of The Secret Life of Pets 2 contest, focusing on “What happens when pets are left alone?” The answer involves a disobedient dragon and singing turtles.
Short & Curly: Pets, Pests, and Farm Animals, Why Do We Value Them Differently?
Ages 8 to 12: This Australian podcast takes on the challenge of explaining ethics and philosophy to kids and does so in engrossing ways. Host Carl Smith, a science journalist, focuses on helping kids think more deeply about the names we give to animals and how that impacts how we treat them. Interview snippets feature kids who live on a farm and public school students. Excellent for students and families working on their critical thinking skills. Warning: This episode does talk about farm animals dying and being killed.
Working Like Dogs: Making The World a Safer Place
Ages 9-17: Podcaster Marcie Davis co-hosts this episode with her assistance dog, Lovey. She interviews people who work with all types of working dogs—guide, search and rescue, police, and more—and share the best ways to care for them. This show includes an interview with Paul Hammond, who served as a senior working dog advisor for military, defense, and research agencies. It is full of captivating information about how military detection dogs are keeping the world safe, with riveting examples from around the United States and the world.
Working Classics: How Does An Aquarium Veterinarian Work?
Ages 9-17: Listen to veterinarian Leigh Clayton from Baltimore’s National Aquarium as she dives deep into the challenges of looking after over 1,500 animals. Host Jacob Brogen asks insightful questions about animal procedures and the decisions involved in keeping them thriving and ensuring the aquarium business on track. That’s just one of the absorbing, behind-the-scenes career interviews included in this podcast.