An ode to our non-human friends
FRIENDS is sharing recommendations for great Canadian content to lighten the load of our shared experience during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Sign up here to get these recommendations by email.
Today's recommendations are an ode to our non-human friends. For many of us, regardless of who we share our homes with, pets often provide the kind of companionship that humans can't. Now, we may be relying on them more to alleviate our daily stresses as we settle further into a new norm of living with little to no physical contact with other people. On the plus side, if you're typically out of the house for most of the day, your pets probably enjoy having you at home more than usual!
You don't need to be a cat lady to enjoy this light-hearted documentary, but it helps. In Catwalk: Tales from the Catshow Circuit, you’ll meet beautiful felines like Oh La La, a Red Persian poofball, and Bobby, a white Turkish Angora, as they are shuffled from one small-town showcase to another by competitive owners vying for the title of Canada’s Best Cat. As with most beauty pageants, there's plenty of eye candy on stage, and drama behind the scenes. But in the end, Catwalk is mostly a warm and fuzzy reminder of just how wonderful relationships between people and our domestic companions can be. — Liisa Ladouceur
Catwalk gets a repeat broadcast on CBC TV's POV Docs, April 5 at 8pm EST, or can be streamed on demand on CBC Gem.
Branchez-vous à votre culture en vous abonnant aujourd'hui!
Isolation doesn't have to be isolating. Sign up and be part of the movement.
This film is a treat for the eyes as it follows the journey of the Xeni Gwet'in Riders across B.C. on a 200km trek by horse and wagon. The Xeni Gwet'in First Nations have a long tradition of taming wild horses, and its annual youth wagon trip aims to restore that tradition among its younger generation. While Canada's history of residential schools caused Indigenous peoples to lose their connection to their lands and traditions, this film provides a glimmer of hope that some of the damage is being remedied. As they traverse the breathtaking landscape, the Xeni Gwet'in youth learn to connect with their traditional lands, as well as the majestic beasts that are the pride of their nation. — Shazlin Rahman
In this episode of CBC's The Nature of Things, environmentalist David Suzuki takes us on an exploration of play, specifically through the science of animal behaviour. As someone who grew up surrounded by pets—budgies, rabbits, hamsters, fish, cats, and even jungle fowl—I've often wondered about how animals fulfill their emotional and psychological needs through their interaction with humans. Whether a dog is playing fetch with its owner or chasing another canine in the park, studies indicate that playing is as important to their psyche and body as sleeping and eating are. More importantly, the science of animal play can give us insights into how to reprogram human behaviour as a way to cure, for example, phobias. — Shazlin Rahman