Phil Fulton had a couple of cute little kittens with him when he arrived at the Global News studio in northeast Calgary.
“Henrietta and Cinnamon — two months old,” Fulton said. “Found as strays, hiding under somebody’s shed.”
As the Calgary Humane Society’s manager of community outreach, Fulton is an old pro at getting the word out on animals available for adoption.
He’s been making regular appearances on the Global News “Pet of the Week” segment since 2011.
Over the years, Fulton has brought in all kinds of cool critters.
“The majority of the animals I bring are dogs, and then cats,” he said. “Bunnies, gerbils, hamsters.”
But every time they come in from the humane society shelter, Fulton has a problem on his hands.
“Basically, any fur-bearing animal, I’m allergic to,” he said.
So before each appearance on a newscast, it’s time for a bit of prevention.
“I usually take an antihistamine,” Fulton said. “And then I’ll bring eye drops and my inhaler.”
Sitting down for a live interview with a cat in his arms can present extra challenges.
“If they start to needle you with their claws, I’ll start to get really itchy and inflamed,” Fulton said.
On top of that, he sometimes suffers from continued exposure to the animal allergens during his daily duties at the shelter.
“Yeah, it’s everywhere – in the air, it’s in the air ducts, it’s in everything in that building,” Fulton said. “So it can be excruciating.”
The segment with Henrietta and Cinnamon went smoothly, with several Global staffers gathering for the customary post-appearance meet-and-greet with the kittens in the station lobby.
WATCH: Phil Fulton from the Calgary Humane Society joins Global News with Cinnamon & Henrietta
Even after his hundreds of visits, Fulton’s allergies came as a surprise to many employees.
“That’s pretty cool how you deal with the allergies and still take care of the cats,” account coordinator Arnie Laoag said. “You’re still pushing through, that’s awesome!”
Fulton has been an animal lover all of his life and he does have a pet at home – a hairless guinea pig.
“At the end of the day, the reason I (do this work) is yes, it’s for the animals,” Fulton said. “But what really keeps me coming back is seeing the impact in people and seeing the joy that it brings.”