Paws, Pets & Metal is Metal Insider’s newest column on bands with pets, discovering who watches them on the road, and more. Get to know more about these metal furbabies. We caught up with Pistacia vocalist Vic Gregg as she revealed her dog prefers goregrind over metalcore.

Tell us more about your pet(s) and their names?

I have a dog named Chowder and he is the sweetest, funniest little monster you will ever meet. He is a chiweenie so half chihuahua and half dachshund. He is a year and a half and his birthday is the day before mine so we like to have combined birthday parties. His favorite snacks (that he is NOT allowed to eat) are dirty paper towels, used earplugs, and rabbit poop. He likes to play so much that he will use his paw to open your hand and place a toy in it in hopes you will throw it for him. He loves naps so much that he knows what the word means and will start to head upstairs if you ask him “want to take a nap?” Overall a very good boy just a weirdo like his parents. 

Have you ever taken your pet on tour?

He loves car rides and has been on trips before but I think he will be too excited if we take him to a gig let alone on tour.

Who looks after your pet while on the road?

We have really close friends, the Osbornes (not those ones), that Chowder adores and loves spending time with and vice versa.

What’s your pet’s favorite song or album?

Chowder doesn’t like our band because he thinks metalcore is lame. He is a borderline elitist and mostly listens to goregrind. His favorite band right now is Fluids and his favorite song is “Coerced” by them. 

How did you introduce your pet to metal?

Oh, I didn’t. He got ME into metal. I was a poser before he introduced me to the classics like Cannibal Corpse and Bathory. He makes fun of me for still listening to Pierce the Veil but he secretly blasts “Bulls in the Bronx” when I’m not home.

What animal charity means most to you?

There are a few charities with a similar vision but Pets With Disabilities has always stood out to me. Oftentimes, disabled or elderly animals are overlooked in shelters and are left to be euthanized because people see them as a burden. PWD takes care of blind, deaf, three-legged, dogs, and even dogs in wheelchairs. They give them a good home and raise them like their own. Another organization similar is Handicapped Pets Foundation. They donate wheelchairs to pets that need them to move around to improve their quality of life.