Dec. 10, 2004

Contact: Susan Tabor, Audio-Reader, (785) 864-4600 or (800) 772-8898.

Audio-Reader adds animal care program for blind and print-disabled listeners

LAWRENCE -- A new animal care show will air on Audio-Reader at 8 p.m. on the last Monday of every month, beginning Dec. 27. The show will be co-hosted by Susan Tabor, assistant coordinator of volunteers at Audio-Reader, and Dr. Bill Bayouth, a Lawrence veterinarian.

Each hourlong broadcast will address listeners’ questions about animals and animal care. Brief articles related to the topic also will be read and discussed.

The show will be of interest to any person with a print impairment who subscribes to Audio-Reader and who owns a pet or who uses a support animal or a dog guide. Some topics to be discussed include the basic animal care, veterinary emergencies, how to choose a veterinarian, behavioral issues and animal safety.

Listeners are encouraged to submit questions or topics for discussion by calling Susan Tabor toll-free at (800) 772-8898 or e-mailing stabor@ku.edu.

Not intended as a substitute for regular veterinary care, the show will be an educational tool. Lack of access to printed media limits information relevant to this topic that people can obtain, and this program will provide information that will fill that void and that they can use day-to-day with their pets and with their support animals.

Audio-Reader at the University of Kansas is a service for blind and print-disabled people, meaning anyone who is unable to access the printed word for any disability-related reason, such as having a learning disability or being unable to hold a book because of physical disability. The service reads newspapers, magazines and books on a special FM-subcarrier band that subscribers can access either by a special radio receiver that Audio-Reader provides or via a call-in subscription computerized telephone service. The service is provided free of charge, though listeners must subscribe.

To obtain a subscription application, call (800) 772-8898.