Conversations For The Animals

Join Lisa and her guests Rita Garza and Celinda Guerra of the Houston Area Women's Center as they discuss The Link between domestic violence and animal cruelty during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic Violence Hotline: (713) 528-2121 1-800-256-0551 Sexual Assault Hotline: (713) 528-RAPE (7273) 1-800-256-0661 TTY: (346) 295-8994 National Domestic Violence Hotline Call 800-799-7233 Text BEGIN to 88788

Guadalupe 'Michel' Hurtado is an Animal Enforcement Officer for BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions for the City of Houston. As an officer, she not only picks up stray, aggressive, and injured animals, she also conducts bite/rabies investigations and responds to cruelty calls. In addition to her role as an enforcement officer, Michel visits local clubs and groups to talk about animal welfare and safety, including disaster preparedness. Join her and Lisa as they talk about getting ready for the next weather emergency.

Felicia served as Chief of the Animal Cruelty Unit with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office where she trained officers on animal cruelty investigation. In 2016, Felicia was the recipient of THLN's Bull Dog Award. She is the author of Josie Dreams of Justice, a children's book that addresses issues such as bullying and self confidence while introducing children to the criminal justice system. Currently, Felicia serves as a criminal defense attorney with KCLitigation and continues to be an advocate for animal rights.

Bet Betner and Lauren Hodge are President and Secretary of the Houston PetSet Young Executives Board. They are among the very first members of this exciting and motivated group of professionals who are working to support Houston PetSet in our fundraising efforts. Learn about why they got involved, what a Young Executive Board can accomplish, and what to consider if you want to start your own!

Erica Grigg provides psychotherapy that specializes in supporting those experiencing burnout, chronic stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma/PTSD, and substance use challenges. While working through her own mental health challenges, Erica left her 20-year career as a litigator and became a licensed professional counselor. Join her and Lisa as they talk through signs and symptoms of burnout and healthy mechanisms to improve wellbeing. We hope our partners and friends will find this episode helpful as you navigate your own personal animal welfare journey. *Content Warning - Discussions of Substance Abuse and Suicide* Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Dial 988. Help is Available. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists https://ericagriggcounseling.com/

Freddy Cruz is the founder of Speke Podcasting, but the Greater Houston area has heard his voice through the radio for more than seventeen thousand hours across three decades. When he's not in the lab writing or creating auditory satisfaction, you can find him nose deep in a book, snuggling with his dog Sparrow, or jogging in his neighborhood. Freddy is a great lover of animals and has used his powerful voice on their behalf for years. Join Freddy and Lisa as they talk about advocacy and marketing for animal welfare on this episode of Conversations for the Animals.

Kelli Betner was born and raised in Midland, Texas. Growing up, her dream was to raise 300 "head of weenie dogs" on a rescue ranch to be called "The Long Dog Ranch". To this day she still dreams of that ranch! Kelli was in the U.S. Army and served a tour in Afghanistan from 2010-2011. After the military she earned her undergraduate degree from Baylor University and her Master's from New York University. Before joining Houston PetSet, Kelli worked in the corporate world, but is so glad to be a part of the HPS team!

Dr Chumkee Aziz is a first generation Bangladeshi-American and native Houstonian. She is a board-certified shelter medicine veterinary specialist and currently works for the University of California, Davis' Koret Shelter Medicine Program as a pro-bono shelter consultant. She volunteers with Houston's Street Dog Coalition chapter and supports underserved, Houston-based students who want to obtain post-secondary education training. She is an avid birder, likes to go camping, and loves movies.

Tama Lundquist and Tena Lundquist Faust are twin sisters and Co-Presidents of Houston PetSet. They have been working to elevate animal welfare in Houston since 2007 when they joined Houston PetSet's board, and have grown the small local fundraising organization into the powerhouse that it is today. In 2023 they produced and starred in For The Animals, A Documentary, bringing to light the immense toll of Houston's homeless animal crisis. They join Lisa to talk about Houston PetSet's past, present and future as we celebrate 20 years. #ForTheAnimals

Trish McMillan is a certified professional dog trainer, certified dog behavior consultant and associate certified cat behavior consultant who holds a Master's degree in Animal Behavior from the University of Exeter in England. Trish has a wide variety of experience in the animal behavior world, including seven years with the ASPCA where she helped assess and rehabilitate animals from cruelty, hoarding, and dogfighting cases, as well as pets rescued from natural disasters. Trish has a private behavior consulting company, and she founded Shelter Behavior Hub to be a behavior resource for animal shelter professionals. Join her and Lisa as they talk about addressing the animal welfare crisis and behavioral euthanasia.

Wild Tunes is a music therapy program for shelter animals started by Yuvi Agarwal, a 10-year-old animal and music lover. Each week, Yuvi goes to local shelters in Houston to play the keyboard for the animals in their care. Yuvi and his mom Priyanka are hoping to spread this local program across the country so that musicians can enrich the lives of shelter pets everywhere.

Part 4 Media Relations Laura Pennino has more than 40 years of experience as a writer, editor and public relations specialist who leverages her “Big Agency experience” and personalized approaches to support clients and media all over the world. Laura and her family have been rescuing and rehoming racehorses, dogs, cats, and goats for decades. Since August of 2020, she has fostered more than 50 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens and helped to place them for adoption with reputable rescue organizations. This is the final installment of a four-part series to help animal welfare organizations put their best foot forward. Tune in! http://www.penninoandpartners.com/

Cory Stottlemyer is a Deputy Shelter Director at BARC, overseeing the Outreach, Customer Service, and Registration teams. He also serves as the Director of Communications for the department of which BARC is a division, Administration and Regulatory Affairs. Cory began his career as a local newspaper reporter, covering the Fort Bend County area, before transitioning to municipal government, with a focus on crisis communications. Before joining the team at ARA, he served as the Public Information Officer for both the City of Houston's Office of Emergency Management and Municipal Courts Departments. A newer team member at BARC, Cory has one foster fail dog from the shelter, in addition to two other dogs and a cat at home.

Sadhvi Siddhali Shree is the first North American female Jain monk, a US Army Iraq war combat veteran, a TEDx speaker, FORBES council member, activist, and an award-winning filmmaker. Sadhvi Anubhuti is an accomplished Jain monk, filmmaker, speaker, and activist who advocates for non-violence and human and animal rights. She is the Director of Operations of Siddhayatan Tirth and holds a BBA in Marketing and a Minor in French from the University of Houston. Determined to bring about positive change and to help humans and animals who have suffered, Sadhvi Siddhali Shree directed and produced two award-winning documentaries: Stopping Traffic: The Movement to End Sex Trafficking and Surviving Sex Trafficking, and co-directed and produced For the Animals: a Documentary, which raises awareness about the stray animal and overpopulation crisis in the United States by focusing on the city of Houston. Sadhvi Anubhuti also worked on the two sex trafficking documentaries and made her co-directorial debut on For the Animals, which aims to relieve the pain and suffering of animals. Her inspiring mission has been recognized by major media outlets, including Forbes Mexico and Univision.

Crisis Communications Laura Pennino has more than 40 years of experience as a writer, editor and public relations specialist who leverages her “Big Agency experience” and personalized approaches to support clients and media all over the world. Laura and her family have been rescuing and rehoming racehorses, dogs, cats, and goats for decades. Since August of 2020, she has fostered more than 50 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens and helped to place them for adoption with reputable rescue organizations. Laura and Lisa will be presenting a multi-part series to help animal welfare organizations put their best foot forward. Tune in!

Laura Pennino has more than 40 years of experience as a writer, editor and public relations specialist who leverages her “Big Agency experience” and personalized approaches to support clients and media all over the world. Laura and her family have been rescuing and rehoming racehorses, dogs, cats, and goats for decades. Since August of 2020, she has fostered more than 50 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens and helped to place them for adoption with reputable rescue organizations. Laura and Lisa will be presenting a multi-part series to help animal welfare organizations put their best foot forward. Tune in!

Laura Pennino has more than 40 years of experience as a writer, editor and public relations specialist who leverages her “Big Agency experience” and personalized approaches to support clients and media all over the world. Laura and her family have been rescuing and rehoming racehorses, dogs, cats, and goats for decades. Since August of 2020, she has fostered more than 50 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens and helped to place them for adoption with reputable rescue organizations. Laura and Lisa will be presenting a multi-part series to help animal welfare organizations put their best foot forward. Tune in! Would it be possible to drop our watermark (attached) into an unobtrusive corner of the video for the duration?

Special Guest Amanda Hanna DVM joins us on Conversations for the animals.

Shelby Bobosky is the Executive Director at the Texas Humane Legislation Network. She and her incredible team have been hard at work during the 88th Texas Legislative Session in Austin. There are several important animal welfare bills they are working to pass, and others they are working very hard to stop. Tune in as Shelby and Lisa review the most important bills being discussed right now, and learn how you can make an impact for Texas animals.

Mary Tipton is the cofounder of K-9 Angels Rescue. They have helped rehome over 12,000 shelter animals since 2011, through adoptions and transport. She was the first rescue to be allowed to pull from the Harris County Shelter in 2011, when they still had to pay to save animals. Mary also helped create The Empty Shelter Project in 2016. TESP goes into underserved communities to vaccinate, microchip and alter owned animals for free. Since their inception, they have altered more than 11,000 animals, reducing the breeding population by significant numbers and saving tax payers millions of dollars that would have been spent on housing, feeding and caring for homeless shelter animals. In her lifetime, she hopes to see Houston's shelters completely empty of unwanted dogs and cats. Join Mary and Lisa as they talk about the vital work these organizations are doing to meet this goal.

Becky Best has nearly 30 years of professional experience serving in corporate social responsibility and public relations roles in Michigan and Texas. Most recently, she became the director of the Gulf Coast Animal Welfare Alliance, a collaborative effort to help people and pets in Greater Houston. She serves as a board member for the BARC Advisory Committee and Public Relations Society of America – Houston Chapter, and lives in Houston with her significant other Mark, three personal rescue dogs, two foster dogs, and one very angry cat. Noelle Delgado is the Executive Director of Houston Pets Alive!, a rescue committed to saving the lives of companion cats and dogs and finding them loving homes. Her work in rescue, though relatively brief, capitalizes on her greatest passion: bringing remarkable people together to support their communities. Noelle supports a team of leadership staff, managers, veterinarians, staff members, 500 fosters, 1,100 volunteers and 3,000 animals annually. Join Lisa, Noelle and Becky as they discuss the launch of the GCAWA and what it aims to achieve for animals and people in the Gulf Coast region.

Adam Reynolds is the Chief Cruelty Investigator with the Houston SPCA. He is a retired Marine with 21 years of service. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Homeland Security from American Military University, a Master's degree from George Washington University in Security and Safety Leadership, and will graduate in May from The George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University with an Executive Masters in Public Service and Administration.

Mindy Guthrie moved to Houston in 1983 and grew up near Cypress. Although a longtime animal lover, she spent most of her fundraising career in education, the arts, and health. She joined Houston PetSet in 2021 to join her love for animals with her professional expertise. The most fulfilling part of her job is matching a donor's philanthropic passion to the organization's mission and goals.

Barb Downen and Mike Allen are Harris County Animal Cruelty Investigators working in the Harris County Veterinary Public Health division. In addition to their current positions, Barb and Mike have both worked as animal control officers and bring extensive knowledge of and passion for animals to their jobs every day. Join Mike, Barb, and Lisa as they talk about the day-to-day life of a cruelty investigator in Harris County.

Sallie Alcorn was elected to Houston City Council in December 2019. As an at-large representative, she focuses primarily on citywide issues – budget, transportation, infrastructure, and public safety. She chairs city council's Regulatory and Neighborhood Affairs Committee which deals with BARC, and is on the board of the Houston-Galveston Area Council. Prior to running for office, Sallie was a longtime City Hall staffer. She served two council members as chief of staff and worked in the city's flood recovery office. She also has worked for the city's housing department. She is a community volunteer and currently serves on the advisory board of the San Jose Clinic. Sallie has a degree in finance from the University of Texas and a master's in public administration from the University of Texas. She and her husband George have been married 34 years and have four grown children.

Gloria Zenteno is a native Houstonian and grew up in Houston's East End. She founded Barrio Dogs in 2010 when she saw many homeless, neglected and mistreated animals. She is also one of the co-founders of Unity for a Solution. Gloria's attitude and drive has always been positive, despite the despair and tragedies the organizations fight to address. Her motivation is that everyone deserves equal quality of life in their community, human and our furry friends too. Join Gloria and Lisa as they discuss the needs of Houston's 2nd Ward and beyond. Learn more about the work Gloria does at www.barriodogs.org and www.unityforasolution.org

Beth Bellanti has worked in Austin, TX at Tito's Handmade Vodka in many roles over the last 20 years but has managed the Vodka For Dog People program since 2013 there. An important part of the story at Tito's is the innate connection Team Tito's has with their canine counterparts. Since the beginning, while working with Tito to bring his dream to life, they have also been committed to rescuing and protecting the animals that have come into their own lives, often serendipitously — many of whom now thrive alongside at the distillery and offices. The vision of Tito's Vodka for Dog People program is to better the lives of pets and their families far and wide through supporting non profits. Visit titosvodka.com/dogs for more info.

Caitie is a Houston animal rescuer and foster with over 8 years of experience helping Houston's pets. She specializes in fostering medical case dogs and helping them to “transform." In May of 2021, she founded her own nonprofit animal rescue, Caitie's Foster Fam, continuing to focus on “those that need them most.” With over 600,000 social media followers, she is also working to educate the public and inspire change for Houston's homeless pet population.

Dr. Albert Ahn graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine with a DVM degree. Following an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, he completed a small animal medicine residency at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine Foster Hospital for Small Animals. Dr. Ahn is a veteran of the Animal Health Industry with over 25 years of industry experience. As a passionate advocate for pets with mobility issues, Albert Ahn, DVM joined MYOS as a Strategic Adviser to guide in the development of its all natural, animal health line of Fortetropin-based, muscle health products. Join Dr. Ahn and Lisa as they discuss rescuing and adopting aging pets on this week's episode of Conversations for the Animals!

Angelita Sampaio joined Emancipet in January 2019. She has a background in oil and gas, Spanish-language television production, international healthcare program management, and foreign government trade development. In addition to serving as the Houston Vice President of Emancipet, Angelita is actively involved with other local animal welfare organizations and efforts like Rescued Pets Movement (a group she has fostered over 250+ dogs for), Big Fix Houston, and serves on the Board of Unity for a Solution. She loves spending her time with her 3 rescue dogs: Buddha, Flora, and Nena. Angelita rescued her three pups almost 16 years ago, while vacationing in Brazil. Angelita's three dogs are her greatest inspiration for her work in, and passion for, animal welfare. Angelita holds her undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico and her MBA in Leadership Management from Adams State University. Join Angelita and Lisa as they discuss the incredible work Emancipet is doing to provide low-cost veterinary care to the Houston community.

Jeanette Savage, owner and one of the founders of Pearland Parvo Recovery Center, retired in 2019 after a career in Information Technology and 20 years working in that field at a large oil & gas company. She was a registered First Responder in the state of Louisiana for over 15 years before she moved to Pearland, Texas in 2008. After retiring from her career in IT, Jeanette became interested in the rescue community in Houston and the surrounding areas. Specifically, she became interested in the effects of Parvovirus on dogs and the struggle of rescues trying to save dogs that contracted parvo. After months of research and study, in August 2019, she along with a group of women who had worked for years in the rescue community, opened Pearland Parvo Recovery Center - a center dedicated to providing low-cost parvo treatment for dogs that are under care of a rescue.

Lisa Hernandez is an anchor and reporter for KPRC2 News. While her primary duties include anchoring the morning and midday newscasts, she reports on pet adoption and animal welfare stories whenever she gets the opportunity. Lisa and her husband Joel are the proud parents of two beautiful girls, and have adopted and fostered dogs in the greater Houston area for nearly a decade together. In addition to their human kiddos, they have 4 big rescue dogs who are spoiled daily. Lisa and Lisa chat about the unique perspective of animal welfare from a media standpoint, and some of the ways Houstonians can step up and help!

Angelique Strickler founded Waiting Under the Willow Foundation after a lifetime spent rescuing animals on her own. A mother of two and lover of animals, she upended her life and quit her job to start a nonprofit to address the homeless animal crisis in Houston. In the few years since its start, WUWF has fostered and rehomed hundreds of dogs, and they're already expanding their new shelter location. Angelique and Lisa talk about what it takes to start a 501c3, and what Houston needs in order to tackle pet overpopulation.

Carlos started volunteering in 2018 at BARC animal shelter as part of the photo team. Over the years he has volunteered with many rescue organizations in the Houston area and worked closely with out-of-state rescues in Minnesota. In 2020, he joined #teamferal as a board member and continues to help hundreds of cats and dogs in need in Houston. Keri has worked in animal rescue for over a decade. Since moving to Houston, she has focused on fostering, outreach, and education in Houston and the surrounding areas with emphasis on spay/neutering and TNR (trap/neuter/return).

Mary Warwick is the Executive Director of the TWRC Wildlife Center. She has been rehabilitating Texas wildlife for 40 years. She started her journey as a rehabilitator at the Houston Zoo. She worked in the Special Care building, where all babies born in the zoo were cared for. They also took orphaned native wildlife from the public. Mary taught briefly, then got her master's degree in environmental science and worked for a non-profit on Galveston Island. She became director of TWRC in 2019.

Shelby Bobosky is the Executive Director at the Texas Humane Legislation Network since October 1, 2019. She began her service as a volunteer with THLN on January 1, 2011. Since 2011 and under her leadership as President, Vice President and Legislative Chair, the organization has had multiple successful legislative sessions wherein THLN successfully passed the Anti-Gassing Law (passed in 2013), the Mandatory Canine Encounter Training Law (passed in 2015) and the Animal Cruelty Enhancement Law (passed in 2017). Ms. Bobosky most recently helped pass SB5, the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, and the new City of Houston ordinances banning the sale of puppy mill dogs in pet stores. Learn more at www.thln.org

A native of Brownsville, Texas, Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. began his public service in 1971, when he was elected Cameron County Treasurer and later Cameron County Commissioner. He served for two consecutive terms in the Texas House of Representatives until he was elected to the Texas Senate in 1991. He has served as State Senator of Senate District 27 ever since, and is currently third in seniority in the Senate. Senator Lucio Jr. authored SB5, the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act that passed during the last session and outlaws the use of chains for tethering dogs.

Dr. Katie Eick, Founder and CEO of Rockin' Pets, Rollin' Vets, is a 1998 Graduate of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. Having had the benefit of working in so many different aspects of veterinary medicine, Dr. Eick saw a real need for at home vet care. In 2016, she launched her full- service mobile veterinary practice, South By South Vets, which is now known as Rockin' Pets, Rollin' Vets. Dr. Eick joins Tama and Tena to talk about the benefits of mobile veterinary care, and how Rockin' Pets, Rollin' Vets is working to support nonprofits like Houston PetSet.

Council Member Amy Peck was elected to Houston City Council for District A in 2019 and is currently serving her first term. She was a major supporter of the recently-passed Houston city ordinance banning the sale of puppy mill dogs in pet stores, and requiring the use of microchips to register pets. Council Member Peck joins Tena and Tama to discuss the impact of the ordinance on her district, as well as other initiatives she has taken with great results already!

Dr. Pearlman has a B.S. in Biology and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 2016. Although she was always drawn to veterinary shelter medicine, she found the impact of veterinary forensics on animal cruelty cases to be inspiring. Following graduation from veterinary school, Dr. Pearlman practiced as a small animal emergency veterinarian in Indianapolis, followed by a year as a staff veterinarian for the Houston SPCA. In the summer of 2018, she joined The ASPCA full time as a forensic veterinarian. Dr. Pearlman is passionate about veterinary forensics and teaching. She discusses animal cruelty trends in Houston with Tama and Tena in this week's episode.

Janis Bradley is a science writer, specializing in the role of bias, particularly related to breed, and in policy making regarding canine/human relationships. She maintains a research library for the National Canine Research Council for use by academics, dog professionals, media, and the public. From 2000 to 2009 she taught and certified more than 450 professional dog trainers at the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers which was at its inception, the only such science-based school for dog trainers in the country. She also maintained a private behavior modification and training practice for many years. Janis joins Tena and Tama to discuss breed identification and bias in this week's episode.

Trish McMillan is a certified professional dog trainer, certified dog behavior consultant and associate certified cat behavior consultant who holds a Master's degree in Animal Behavior from the University of Exeter in England. Trish has a wide variety of experience in the animal behavior world, including seven years with the ASPCA where she helped assess and rehabilitate animals from cruelty, hoarding, and dogfighting cases, as well as pets rescued from natural disasters. Trish has a private behavior consulting company, and she presents seminars and webinars all over the world. Join Tena and Tama as they talk with Trish about the great "nature vs. nurture" conundrum and the difficult subject of behavioral euthanasia.

Sir Darius Brown has a heart of gold. He is a powerhouse teen social entrepreneur, speaker, shelter pet advocate, philanthropist, a recipient of the Global Child Prodigy Award, and the Founder & CEO of Beaux & Paws where he designs and creates handmade stylish bow ties. Sir Darius talks with Tena and Tama about what inspires him and how he hopes to help homeless pets.

Heather Crane is the owner of Sea Dog Animal Training in Houston. She has a Master's Degree in Wildlife Science, and before training domestic pets, she worked with wild animals including sea lions and seals. Heather discusses humane husbandry and how pet owners can ensure their pets are living enriched lives.

Dr. Jonathan Cooper, veterinarian and co-owner of Westbury Animal Hospital in Bellaire, speaks to Houston PetSet about the current state of the veterinary industry. With a shortage of veterinarians and an abundance of compassion fatigue, learn about what it will take to support veterinary professionals in their quest to care for our pets.

Tena and Tama sit down with Nicole Passmore Cohen on the finale of Season 1 of Conversations For The Animals!

Caroline is a cancer survivor who writes and speaks about her love of animals, her relationship with her dog Riley Rose, and the emotional roller coaster of being a mom, wife, mother, marathon runner and cancer survivor.

Pete Paxton is an undercover investigator for the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS). Over the years he has investigated hundreds of puppy mills and pet shops. Evidence from his investigations has been used by CAPS to shut down atrocious animal breeders and create new laws that protect animals. Listen to this week's episode of Conversations For The Animals to learn more about Pete's lifesaving work.

When Genevieve Frederick was walking in New York City and saw a homeless man with his dog, she began wondering how many people and pets were experiencing homelessness together. As a result, Genevieve founded Feeding Pets of the Homeless, the first and one of the few national nonprofits providing pet food and emergency veterinary care to pets that belong to homeless people.

Did you know that two animals and their offspring can produce more than 2 million animals in eight short years? In this episode of Conversations For The Animals, podcast hosts Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist speak with Lisa Wysocki, the Co-Founder and Director of Fido Fixers, a not-for-profit corporation that provides no- or low-cost spay and neuter services for dogs and cats in economically distressed areas. Since partnering with Fido Fixers at the beginning of 2020, Houston PetSet has spayed/neutered more than 2,900 animals at no cost to their owners.

Topher Brophy (@topherbrophy) is a New York-based Dog Dad artist who gained international attention due to the socially conscious and wildly imaginative photos of him and his son, Rosenberg The Dog (@rosenbergthedog), in elaborate matching outfits. Before he became a father, Topher had been going through a difficult time. He realized his emotional void was caused by a desire to care for someone else, which is when he adopted Rosenberg, who, unknowingly, bore an uncanny physical resemblance to him. On this episode of Conversations For The Animals, the dynamic duo join podcast hosts Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist to discuss the meaningful connection between humans and animals.