My Rescue Rocks with Rebekah Nemethy

Get links to everything we talked about at http://myrescuerocks.net/45 Welcome to the season finale of My Rescue Rocks! It’s kind of become the tradition for each season to end with a conversation, and today’s conversation is all about a powerful concept that’s totally changed my life over the past few years. In 2010 I was working hard to establish myself as a professional photographer, I was building my portfolio, working any and all photo-related jobs from portraits to products. For most of that year it was all work and no play for me… I’m not sure what first inspired me, but a holiday was coming up, Nick was going away, and I found a bag full of Yoshi’s beautiful feathers that I’d collected over the years… he’s an orange-winged amazon, so his feathers are really colorful and unique. Somehow, free time and inspiration collided and I found myself playing with my camera. I got two really beautiful photos out of my playtime, but more than that, I felt really charged and refreshed and I wondered why I didn’t play with my camera more often. So I decided that I would. This is essentially the story of how I became an artist, but I don’t want you to zero in on the artist outcome, what’s more important than that, and what I want you to know is, that this is also the story of how I recognized that I was creative. My point being, not everyone wants to be an artist, I know that, but everyone is creative in some way, and everyone can really benefit from having creative play in their lives. So, after playing around for awhile, I showed one of my flower photos to a photographer I assisted, and he told me that it reminded him of Georgia O’Keefe. I was floored, he was comparing my photo to a real artist, a real and quite famous artist. It might sound silly, but before I had that validation, I always told myself that I wasn’t creative. In fact, if I knew that photography could be so creative, I probably would’ve been afraid to pursue it. But to make a long story short, that was the spark that inspired me to keep making art and to figure out what it would take to become an artist. And that, my friends, is how I discovered today’s guest. I assume I Googled “how to become an artist,” or “how to sell art,” and I came across an online course that would teach me all about it. The course had two teachers, one taught all the tactical approaches to running an online art business, and the other taught us how to overcome the mindset issues that plague us in the pursuit of creativity. Both teachers gave us so much value, but being able to recognize and put a stop to all the negative voices in my head is the skill I value most these days, and I’m not sure I would have developed it at all if it weren’t for Melissa Dinwiddie. That course doesn’t exist anymore, but I’ve followed Melissa ever since. Her blog, and now, her podcast too, have inspired and empowered me over the past few years, and I’m honored to be able to bring her into your ears today. And, because this is a podcast about adopted pets, I asked Melissa to share the story of how she met her soul-kitty, because I knew you’d enjoy it. But this episode is more about you, and we quickly move into the fascinating ways that creative play can make your world a better place. Ok, here we go, I hope you enjoy our conversation. Get links to everything we talked about at http://myrescuerocks.net/45 Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Get all the spooky stuff we talked about right here: http://myrescuerocks.net/44 Happy Halloween!! Well if you’re listening to this on the day it goes out that is, if not well you’re about to regress a little bit, because this is a Halloween special and things are about to get spooky. Back when Britany and I were making plans to do these Q&U shows together I sent her a list of possible questions I wanted to send out to you and when she told me that her favorite question was the same as mine, I got so excited, because it was my favorite question too! We wanted to know if your pets have ever done anything to make you believe in their 6th sense. We got a few intriguing answers, too. Animals are so amazing… The other thing that made me giddy about this episode, is that Britany spent some time as a paranormal investigator, so we dig into a bunch of her creepy and strange experiences with the supernatural, as well as a couple of ghost stories of my own… Some spooky stuff has been going on in our new house… So, here we go, there’s a few minutes of behind the scenes, podcasty, technical talk in the beginning, but that’s just what happens when you try to be real… I hope you enjoy our conversation… it’s a little spooky, but all true! Get all the spooky stuff we talked about right here: http://myrescuerocks.net/44 Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Get the show notes at http://myrescuerocks.net/43.  Ya know, even though I’ve been involved in animal rescue for a few years, I feel like the rabbit hole is never ending. It’s more like a black hole than a rabbit hole, because ever since I dipped my toe into the inky blackness I got totally sucked in and I haven’t been able to climb back out… not that I want to climb back out. No, I’d rather know the truth, which is another funny thing because I used to live by that whole ignorance is bliss rule, and while that expression might still be true, ignorance is also just ignorance. Ever since I started this podcast, I feel like I’ve been on this journey and it’s taken me places I never expected to go. I mean, I have to give you credit, because if I didn’t have anyone listening I probably wouldn’t dig nearly as deep as I do… making these podcasts propels me more than anything else has so far. And, I thank you for riding along with me as I learn and grow. So, I was introduced to today’s guest by the Debs, and if you haven’t listened to our past two storytellers I highly recommend you check out episode 39 and episode 41. They are two of the most courageous stories I’ve had the pleasure to share on this show. They told me they had a friend who runs an animal sanctuary who’d love to share some stories on the show. Today’s guest discovered her passion for animals with the same gateway drug I was always high on… dog love. I’m honored to introduce Sandra Cordero and this is her story…  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/43. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Get the show notes at http://myrescuerocks.net/42 A couple of weeks ago we learned all about how we can overcome some of the challenges Pit Bull parents face… and even though it is Pit Bull Awareness Month and I mention that particular label quite a bit in this show, Pit Bulls are not the only dogs who get stereotyped. I’ve seen more than one rental property ad that listed Rottweilers and Dobermans and even German Shepherds as banned breeds. These dogs are thrown under the “dangerous” category, while other breeds are automatically labeled as “safe” or “friendly.” These stereotypes are accepted subconsciously by many of us – our conditioning simply a product of too much faith in the mass media, in my opinion anyway. But when you take a minute to think about it, dog breed stereotypes are just as ridiculous as labeling any one race of human as dangerous or safe. We are individuals and so are dogs. “Dogs are individuals.” I say that in quotes because I can’t take credit for this simple truth… I see it on bumper stickers all the time now, because this is actually the slogan of Animal Farm Foundation, which is a local animal shelter that’s been educating the public on breed equality for the past several years. Today’s guest was the assistant director of Animal Farm Foundation until 2015, and she continued to speak on their behalf even after she moved onto her dream job… as you’ll soon hear she now works as the Director of Operations at HeARTs Speak, and it’s through HeARTs Speak’s Perfect Exposure Project that I got the chance to bond with her this past spring. And just in case you’re new here, or you need a little refresher, the Perfect Exposure Project is a 2-day photography and marketing workshop that has visited shelters all over the country. It’s also through HeARTs Speak that I was guided to a post on the Animal Farm Foundation blog that totally intrigued me, it was called “Breed Labels: When Guesses Turn into Predictions.” That’s the issue we’re talking about today, and my lovely guest, Caitlin Quinn, is here to tell us what some shelters are doing to fix it! To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/42 Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it!   You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/41.  I’m super excited about today’s show not just because it’s an amazing story, but also because we’re breaking the paw barrier with this episode, that’s right, no dogs or cats in today’s story… nope, today we have a story about saving piggies! Two weeks ago, Deb Ozarko shared her story with us, and our storyteller for today was actually her partner in crime in the puppy rescue she told us about. I also told you about her book, and one of the tear-jerkers inside, was a touching story, about a pivotal time in her partner’s life. This woman both stunned and inspired me with her impulsive nature… I was really intrigued about how she was able to practically flip a switch and change everything about her life. It wouldn’t have shocked me if she did it for money or fame… people chase these dreams anywhere… but no, today’s guest was changing her entire life for love and love alone. Love for herself, love for her partner, love for animals, and love for this planet. I found out later on, that shortly after she moved on from her previous life, our storyteller also spent some time working for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and rescuing animal victims of natural, and not-so-natural, disasters all over the world. I’m thrilled to present to you, Deb Gleason… and this is her story.  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/41.  Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Get the show notes at: http://myrescuerocks.net/40  It’s October, and that means it’s also Pit Bull awareness month, so we’re mixing it up a little bit! Instead of our regularly scheduled Q&U episodes, I thought it would be great to bring a couple of experts onto the show to talk about some of the issues that are near and dear to my heart.  If you’re new to this show you might not know that my soul mutt is a short-haired, stocky girl with droopy jowls and a block for a head. Her head might be big, but it’s tiny when you compare it to her heart. Ever since we adopted her I’ve been rudely awakened to the stereotypes that surround dogs that look like her, and some other breeds of dogs that have been classified as quote on quote dangerous. If you’ve ever struggled to find a place to live or an insurance company that would cover you because of your dog’s appearance or breed, this episode is going to give you resources and tactics that’ll help. There are even a few tips here that are gold for ALL dog parents… so even if you’ve never dealt with breed discrimination, I hope you’ll still listen, learn, and help to spread awareness about this issue. I met today’s expert on Instagram, someone tagged her on an old Q&U question when I asked the rescue community what steps we could take to get rid of breed specific discrimination. That particular episode had already been recorded, but she had a ton of info on the topic, specifically on finding housing. At the time, my housing crisis was still fresh in my mind. My boyfriend and I had struggled for nearly a year to find a place that would accept our whole family, and that deal almost fell through because of the Pit Bull stereotype… I knew I wasn’t alone, and I knew this topic deserved it’s own show, and so here we are today! Today’s expert is not only the Executive Director of My Pit Bull is Family, she’s also a burlesque dancer, a grad student, and, of course, a proud rescue momma… I’m so excited to share with you my conversation with Shannon Glenn. To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our expert, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/40 Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it!  You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/39. I’m so excited to introduce today’s storyteller, not only because of her fascinating and slightly shocking, story, but because she’s not afraid to follow her heart, like so many of us are, myself included. I actually have to thank Sean Howard, from episode 13, for introducing me to the Unplug Podcast, which is produced by today’s guest. He told me all about this compassionate rescue advocate he was friends with and so I listened to his interview on the Unplug Podcast first, and then I started binge listening to all the other shows. Looking back at my first impressions about this passionate lady, what really sticks out is how she said she’d never take on any sponsors for her show. To me, that was huge, and it made me instantly trust every word out of her mouth. As it turned out, around the same time that I started listening to her show, she was having a really hard time with the loss of her soul-dog Jesse. When I reached out to her about sharing her story here, it was kind of surreal to me, it was like I was talking to a future version of myself, a much kinder and more authentic me… at least the me I wish I could be. Well as you all know, I like to start from the beginning, and, as a side note the real beginning of our recording, was too hilarious to not include somewhere in this show. So if you listen past the music at the end of this episode, you’ll hear a behind the scenes clip of our conversation about cat poop and what vegans feed their pets. Alright! Here we go, I am thrilled to introduce you all to the passionate, purposeful, and worldchanging, Deb Ozarko. This is how Deb’s lifetime of love got started:  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/39. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/38. As animal lovers we have all had our share of meeting distressed animals in the wild. This episode shares listener wild animal rescue stories as well as a few tips about when you should rescue and when you shouldn’t. There are a few other things I added in this off the cuff episode… but you’ll have to listen to find out what! To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/38.     Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it!   You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/37. Sean O’Daniels has been a concept artist for video games and movies for most of his artistic career. And, in case any of you are wondering what exactly a concept artist is, it’s basically a designer who creates the look and feel of environments and characters in movies and games. More recently, though, Sean’s work has evolved into something else, and his inspiration is, not surprisingly, his rescue dog, Rocky. Before we go any further I just have to tell you that Sean’s dog art is, not only beautiful, it’s fun too! His latest series is dubbed YappyHour and features dogs next to their owner’s favorite drinks. My favorite, is this little Chihuahua next to a cosmo… it’s actually titled cosmo if you want to look for it later in Sean’s store… But I’m getting ahead of myself, because none of this happened until Sean met Rocky… To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/37. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/36. The Q: What has your rescue pet trained you to do? We're always talking about how important training is to any successful pet relationship... because, as I'm sure many of you know, training issues are one of the top reasons pets (at leasts dogs and cats) are surrendered to shelters. As I'm sure you also know, training isn't just getting your pets to do what you want, it's a way to communicate with them so they can understand you... and many times the training roles end up getting reversed and our pets start training us! I’m grateful to have this episode of My Rescue Rocks co-hosted by adventurer, fellow rescue advocate, and fellow podcaster Britany Felix! We got so many great responses from all of you and it made for quite a hefty episode, so let’s get right to it, shall we? Here we go! To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/36. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/35. As a storyteller, and an accidental journalist, it’s easy to find stories that grab me, but they don’t always fully satisfy my curiosity. Sometimes the stories I discover were never written down, and sometimes they’re just short online posts that just fill me up with more questions than they answer. When I found Seamus’s story, though, I soon realized that it was all already there, and there was really nothing I could do to make it any better, and why try? So today’s guest was willing to share his amazing story with us as it was first published on his blog, and I’m so grateful for this! I have to also just shout out Amy Dalton from episode 33 here too, because even though I didn’t mention it, she surprised me with a prepared story for her interview, and made me realize how nice it is to have it all laid out for me already. I have to say I’m feeling a little spoiled with how little editing I’ve had to do lately… but anyway… Today’s storyteller is an actor, a professor, a director, a writer, and, of course, an animal lover… this is Scott Plate, and this is his story:  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/35. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/34. The Q: What’s your biggest takeaway from becoming a rescue parent? What have you learned? Ever since I was first initiated into the rescue community it's been a non-stop learning experience. I'm so grateful for the many people who've taught me what's going on in the world AND for all the animals I've had the opportunity to meet and work with. I'm really excited to share what you've learned from your experience in the rescue world! I’m also thrilled to be sharing the mic with my season 3 co-host, Britany Felix, from the Living Unconventionally podcast. But before we get to our conversation I just wanted to rewind for a second, because I kind of threw Britany into the show without an explanation, and I totally meant to give you one. If you’ve been listening since the 1st episode you already know that I intended these Q&U episodes to be unedited and “conversational” which I’m saying in air quotes, because I only ever intended to talk to myself in these shows. Of course, I’m actually talking to all of you, but it’s not much of a conversation if you can’t respond to me immediately. It’s also not much a of a conversation if I prepare my answers, and, the truth is that, even though the Q&U episodes were a bit more casual, I was editing the shit out of them. I was reading your comments over and over again, and calculating my responses, and if I sounded awkward I’d just start over and delete the awkwardness… can you guys tell I have a love hate relationship with perfection? I want to be this perfectly real person, but there is no such thing. It’s an oxymoron. The only way for me to stop being so conscious of how imperfect I am is to actually get into a real conversation, plus I figured you guys could use some new stories and a fresh perspective, and what better way to do that then bring on an adventurer who is passionate about the cause? Speaking of which, don’t forget to check out livingunconventionally.com to follow Britany & Brian’s RV adventures; every Friday is the adventure update, and I look forward to hearing this episode most of all each week. So I hope you will enjoy our conversations and appreciate every ah, um, and like we stutter and stumble through… we’re keeping it real. To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/34. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/33. Our storyteller for today actually reached out to me by leaving a voicemail on the website, which reminds me, have I told you guys that you can do that?! If I did it was probably ages ago, because I don’t remember it. It’s actually pretty simple, especially if you’re on your phone more often than a computer, instead of typing up an email you just visit myrescuerocks.net/contact and scroll down past the contact form and click on the big green button that says start recording. You get 90 seconds to leave me a voicemail, you can even review the message before you hit send, it’s pretty cool! You can use this feature like today’s guest did, to give me the twitter version of your rescue story, if you’re interested in sharing it, you can also drop me a line to tell me what you think of the show, or to submit your response to any questions I put out there. You have 90 seconds, say whatever you want! If you take the time to leave me a message I’ll probably share it in a future episode! So go ahead, visit myrescuerocks.net/contact and let me listen to you for a change! Here’s the teaser I got from today’s storyteller: Amy’s recording transcript: Hi Rebekah, my name is Amy Dalton and I would like to tell you the story of my 3 rescue dachshunds. I grew up with labs and golden retrievers, but one day I got a dachshund puppy, rescued one from a gentleman living in a single-wide trailer. And that first dachshund rescue led to a second one that I got from a rescue organization, which led to a third one, that is probably the best story of all. I would like to share that story with you. So if you want more information, I’m absolutely willing to write it up, or talk with you on the phone. I enjoy your podcast, thank you. Well I cut out some of the juicier details in this clip because I didn’t want to spoil the story… but let’s just say, I was intrigued. So I immediately got in touch with her about coming on the show. This is Amy Dalton, and this is her story…  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/33. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it!  You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/32. The Q: What do you do to de-stress from the hectic nature of rescue work? This is the 1st Q&U episode of season 3 and I have a little surprise for you… we have a co-host for the upcoming Q&U episodes in season 3! If you’ve been listening for awhile, you’ll recognize today’s co-host, Britney Felix, as our storyteller from episode 23, and that one’s called, Saving a Muttley Crew, when she told us all about how her favorite rescue ended up needing a rescuer! You might also remember that she was getting ready to quit her job, sell her house, and take off in an RV, on an adventure around the U.S. with her hubby and their 2 rescue dogs. Well they finally hit the road and I’ve been following the progress from the beginning on Britany’s podcast, Living Unconventionally. I thought her perspective would bring some fun new stories to the Q&U episodes and I think you’re going to agree once you dig into our conversation. We’re also going to be mixing it up a little bit this season, and I have a few expert interviews scheduled for October in honor of Pit Bull awareness month, so those will be going out in place of the Q&U episodes… and I might be bringing more experts on in the future, so if you have any topic requests for future expert interviews, be sure to let me know. So today Britany and I are talking all about compassion fatigue and how to destress in the hectic world of rescue. Have you ever been overwhelmed with stress or felt lost and hopeless, and maybe felt guilty when you realize you can’t save every animal that pops into your facebook feed? You might be suffering from compassion fatigue… and if you are it’s time to pamper yourself a little bit. Big Thanks to everyone who participated and submitted answers. I love all of your answers! Hugs and kisses to you all. Ok, so here we go, enjoy the show! To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/32. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/31. I can’t believe it’s August already, and that means two things, 1) season 3 is here! And 2) this podcast is officially 1 year old!  With a new year of stories ahead, My Rescue Rocks just got a new look to go with it! Have you noticed our new cover art for the show? A big thank you to Zach from podcastdesigner.com for that amazing birthday present! We’re kicking off season 3 in style! I know I’ve mentioned it before, but one of my favorite podcasts is NPR’s Snap Judgment, and it’s in a tiny, 5-minute story I heard over there, that I discovered today’s guest. That story was actually one of the inspirations that led me to create My Rescue Rocks; when I heard how one dog’s story actually changed laws that affected dogs across the US, I realized just how powerful stories could be. Have you ever heard of Daniel: The Miracle Beagle? If not, you still may have heard his infamous story of survival, and you might already know how he escaped an Alabama shelter to become an ambassador for change with celebrity status. If none of that sounds familiar, though, don’t worry, because Daniel’s dad, Joe Dwyer, is going to tell us all about it, and although the infamous “Miracle Beagle” is his most well-known rescue dog, he certainly wasn’t his first. I’m excited to be able to dig in deeper and put a spotlight on more of Joe’s story and bring to light some of the other dogs that have inspired him to help make an impact on homeless dogs all over the country.  Joe’s love for dogs was always apparent, even in his earliest childhood memories…  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/31. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it!  You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

This question was shamelessly stolen from my rescue friends over on the west coast. Harold asked me this question once on his podcast and I thought it would make a fun episode… and he agreed! To access links to all that I mentioned in this show visit http://myrescuerocks.net/30.  Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/29. I found today’s guest, Kim Kavin, with a simple search at my local library. I searched “rescue dog” and a book popped up with the most adorable face on the cover. He had floppy ears, big brown eyes, and he was the same bluish brindle color that always fascinated me about my own dog. I checked out Little Boy Blue right away, and I knew, well before I had finished reading, that I would be getting in touch with Blue’s mom…  When I first contacted her this past summer, I really wanted to dig into Blue’s story here on the show, but what I didn’t know was that she was already fully immersed in her newest book, The Dog Merchants, and, naturally, that’s what she wanted to talk about. At 1st I wasn’t really sure that talking about Kim’s new book was something I wanted to do here. You guys know that I like to zoom in on the individual stories of our rescue pets, and with no central fur-figure in the book, I couldn’t figure out a way to insert The Dog Merchants into the box I’d carved out for this podcast, so I almost disregarded it. Months later, though, something reminded me to check up on Kim’s site and see what was going on with her new book, even though I was still secretly plotting out a way to convince her to come on and talk about Blue. That’s when I discovered that Kim wasn’t only about to put out a new book, but she was also in the throes of launching a website that, I think, has the potential to really make an impact on dog welfare. I also found out that Kim had gotten inside the largest dog auction in the U.S., as well as one of the larger commercial breeding facilities, both of which were places where no other journalists had gone before. I was intrigued… I reached out to her to get my hands on a copy of the book, and once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. Author, journalist, and rescue mom, Kim Kavin, tells us the story of what led her to writing The Dog Merchants, and how she formed the idea for a website that could really get us all on the side of the dogs!  Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

The Q: Are you a foster failure? If so, what made you foster fail? It’s the most joyful failure of all, and I know I’m not the only rescue chick that’s proud to have that failure under my belt! It’s not uncommon to fall in love when you bring an animal into your life. Sometimes we fall fast, other times it takes a little longer, but the only thing I’m sure about is that you can’t control love. Love happens with or without your consent. Thanks to all of you who shared the love stories behind your foster failures! To access links to the resources and photos mentioned in this episode, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/28. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

I met today’s guest when I first got involved with Pets Alive. Everyone was always praising this volunteer groomer who worked wonders on the dogs and I had to find out more. She was like this mystical creature to me, because, unlike most of the volunteers there, her work was usually done in her shop and so I never had the chance to meet her in person. So I stalked her on Facebook and asked her if I could take before and after photos of her at work, she seemed just as excited as I was, and soon enough I headed over to Flawless Paws Pet Grooming to meet her. I got to experience her love and patience for animals first hand for several hours that day and so I’m excited to be able to bring her to your ears today. This is Shay Roda and this is how her story began…  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/27. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

The Q: Who is your rescue role model? It can be anyone from a compassionate volunteer to a celebrity animal advocate. I was excited to ask this question, but I was even more excited when the answers started rolling in. I knew you are all great people doing wonderful things for animals, but it’s so nice to find out how supportive you are of each other! It was a pleasure to read your stories and share your favorite rescue advocates in this episode! To access links to all the role models we mentioned, who inspire other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/26. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Guess what?! Today, we’re finally bringing cats back on the show… I hope I didn’t lose all you cat lovers out there with an overdose of dog… yeah right, that’s not even possible is it? There’s no such thing as too much dog!  And if it weren’t for my brief time fostering for Karuna Bully rescue, which, as you may remember, is the pit bull rescue I got Gracie from, if it weren’t for Karuna Bully, I never would have had the opportunity to chat with today’s guest. Mick Teti-Beaudin was a fellow volunteer at the rescue, and I was always amused by the photos she posted on facebook. There’s Angus her pugle and Jakey, her pit bull, who Mick’s always proud to show off as an amazing advocate for his breed. She may have posted her cats here and there, but I had no idea she was such a cat lady until she started fostering for Andy’s friends and her Facebook feed went feline. Turns out Mick was always crazy about cats, ever since she was a little girl…  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/25. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

The Q: What can we do to help rescue more animals? I originally set out to come up with 101 ways to help rescue pets, but after several months my mind was coming up blank, so when I finally hit 50, I figured it’s better than nothing. A list of 50 ideas can’t help animals at all when it’s sitting all alone in my notebook, so I thought maybe you can help me grow it! If you have any ideas that I missed, please leave me a comment on http://myrescuerocks.net/24. Help me get to 101 ideas!!! This is also where you can access links to all the resources I mentioned in this episode. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Our guest for today’s show has a personal history that I can really relate to. Nearly everyone I’ve interviewed so far has seemed to have been born a rescuer, there was never anyone who shared their “before-I-got-into-rescue” stories, there never even seems to be a “before.” I don’t know, maybe I’m just not asking the right questions… You might know how I was introduced into the rescue world, but I’ve never told you that my life before that was overflowing with store-bought pets, and a few that were bought from breeders. Except for the cats, of course, because of all the strays in our neighborhood… does anyone actually buy cats? Anyway… I remember at least one dog and countless cats that were never even allowed to come inside throughout my childhood… was it my fault… no… but the memories still make me sad and for some reason, they still make me feel guilty. So that’s why I want to give a huge thank you our amazing storyteller, Britany Felix, for telling it like it is – I appreciate it more than you know.  In this week's rescue story, Britany Felix talks about how her soulmutts came into her life and how her favorite rescue ended up needed a rescuer themselves!  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/23. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!  

The Q: What’s the craziest thing you do to spoil your rescue pet? Another question for, you, my crazy rescue friends. And when I say "crazy" I don't mean you or I would think it's crazy, but maybe your non-pet-obsessed friends think it's a little over the top. This episode is another fun show full of mini stories from My Rescue Rocks listeners like you!  To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/22. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Back when this podcast was nothing more than a daydream I came across an article about a man who had rescued thousands of dogs. By taking a nearly week-long trip that spans 4,200 miles, from Ohio, down into Texas, and then back up towards the northeastern states, this guy has racked up well over one million miles of rescue transportation. He makes the trip every other week, picking up dogs along dozens of stops in the deep south, many who were almost certainly facing death, and delivering them to the arms of eager forever families along the route back home. This is the story of Greg Mahle and how he first hit the pavement with Rescue Road Trips... listen in to get the whole story. To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit myrescuerocks.net/21. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

The Q: What’s the best thing about your rescue pet? Sometimes the best resource is love! Might sound cheesy but it’s true. That’s really the only resource we all shared in this episode, but isn’t that enough? This episode features listener submitted mini stories that highlight the best qualities in our rescue pets! I really can’t tell you how much I love reading and sharing these comments, and I was even more excited by the fact that most of you submitted such adorable photos for me to share too!   To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/20.   Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it!   You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

I was absolutely thrilled to get an email from my new rescue friend Amber Mosley, and I was even more thrilled when she agreed to come on the show and share some more details about her amazing story. On the night of April 27th, 2014 a ½ mile-wide tornado ripped through the small town of Mayflower, Arkansas and displaced over 100 pets… listen in to get the rest of this story. To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit myrescuerocks.net/19. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

The Q: What's the word that makes your rescue pet go bonkers with excitement? This is another one of those fun-filled episodes where I got to talk all about your pets' quirks! Our pets really do understand so much of what we say, and I loved learning your dogs' and cats' favorite expressions and why. I know that you know how to get those tails wagging and those ears perked, and I bet, most times, you can do it with just a couple of words. Listen in to hear silly stories about the simple things in life that give our rescued pets such joy. To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/18. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!  

You might remember, at the end of the 1st season, I said that I wanted to focus in on some of the not-so-tragic stories about rescue. I don’t know why it is that the horror stories are the ones that stick in our heads, but not all rescue pets come with such heavy baggage. In fact, I’d put my money on the truly tragic rescue stories being the minority. I admit, there’s a sad element to each of these stories, if only because each pet is always homeless in the beginning, but that’s why I’m doing this… to show you a close up of each happily-ever-after story, so that maybe you might want to write your own fairy tale one day. Piper’s real life rescue could have been the first few pages of a story book… but let’s go back further than that… To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/17. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!  

The Q: What's Your Favorite Movie or Book that Stars a Rescue Pet? I truly believe that stories can change lives, and there are a ton more stories out there that I've never heard of, which is why I put this question out there. I've added a bunch of these to my list and I'm excited to dig in. Below, I've listed all of your submissions (thanks guys! what would I do without you... I wouldn't have a show that's what!) and if you're coming upon this page and you have a recommendation, please leave us a comment! For the full show notes page visit myrescuerocks.net/16 Please Help Us Spread Our Rescue Stories Share this show with a friend, pawlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also subscribe to the show on iTunes or Stitcher… and if you like it, I’d absolutely love a rating and review!

If you've ever had the urge to foster, but you just didn't think you could handle it, for one reason or another, the guests on this episode are bound to inspire you! Harold and Nancy Rhee share some stories about their experience fostering over 50 dogs! Fostering just one seems a whole lot more achievable now, doesn't it? See? I bet you haven't even hit play yet, and you're already inspired... so what are you waiting for? To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/15. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

The Q: How can we stop breed specific discrimination? Visit the full show notes page at myrescuerocks.net/14 This Q&U turned a little into a Q&ME, so if you guys don't want me to ramble on about Gracie Lou in the future, then you gotta gimme more of you! Well I shared our story about finding a house to rent with a pit bull (that's her cutie patootie butt all dressed up for Halloween or should I say Howloween?). A few of you left your ideas about what we can do and then it was time for the much anticipated raffle!! Winners are listed below. If you didn't win, don't fret, you can still grab my 2016 pet calendar and my 2016 art calendar for free! It's just a way for me to say thanks to all of you who have given my show a rating & review, so thanks!!! Thanks to Candice for your ideas and to Carol for your photo submission (I added a few more of Luna here too)! Share this show with a friend, pawlease, I'd really appreciate it! You can also subscribe to the show on iTunes or Stitcher... and if you like it, I'd absolutely love a rating and review!

***There's a little cursing in this episode - just a warning in case you don't like that kind of thing =)*** Today I have a really amazing guest to introduce to you, and if I had to give him a job title I’d have to say he’s an inspirist, because no matter what hat he happens to be wearing, this guy will inspire you. Right now he’s a fine art photographer, a writer, a podcaster, and a consultant to people who are striving to live more passionate, meaningful lives. I met him on Facebook when I asked a desperate question to one of my artist groups about starting this very podcast and his encouraging response was the only one I got that day. He thought it was possible, he thought I could do it, and I know it’s a little silly on my end, but the fact that a complete stranger believed in my dream was really validating. So I went right to his website, signed up for his newsletter and eagerly awaited the arrival of his free eBook, Creators 2.0 How to Find Your Purpose, Build Sustainable Growth, and Change the World, which is exactly what I’m trying to do here, with your help of course. Soon after, he signed up for my art newsletter and we became email buddies, but it wasn’t until he asked me to come on his podcast, Taking the Leap, that I discovered he was also a rescue advocate and had spent some years as a dog trainer. Isn’t it crazy how the universe just lines things up sometimes? Well today to share with you his journey through the rescue world and the story of how he met a very special dog named Mikka. Ladies and Gentleman, I give you Sean Howard… Subscribe to the show on iTunes... and if you like it, I'd absolutely love a rating and review! This is THE best way to support this show.

The Q: What's Your Favorite Rescue Fundraiser of the Year? Not only is this a list of fundraisers and events, but I think it might spark a couple of ideas that you can use to help your rescue. If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review on iTunes or Stitcher.

Today I’m excited to introduce a woman that we can all take a lesson from. As rescuers, we often take on the pets we’re afraid the average adopter would shy away from or at the very least would label as a challenge. I’ve found this over and over again when meeting you really dedicated volunteers out there, but today’s guest takes on rescues that even the most dedicated advocates would hesitate on.   Patti Meyers cares for senior pets and terminally ill pets that don’t have much time left. I hear so many people say that they could never adopt a dog or cat just to lose them so quickly, those same excuses have come out of my own mouth, so that’s why I’m in awe of what Patti does, totally humbled would be a better way to describe it.   If you enjoy the show please leave a rating and review on iTunes or Stitcher.

The Q: What's a Silly Habit Your Rescued Pet Has? I had so much fun with this episode! We got so many answers this week, you'll be sure to come across a story that makes you giggle here. Of course... Gracie Moo stories are shared here too and this week, she's my co-host too!

Today’s storyteller has a story that’s just as inspiring as her dog’s is. Five years into her PHD program at Harvard, she made the courageous decision to leave school and pursue her dreams of becoming an artist.   It wasn’t easy, and it was during the beginning stages of this transition that she became depressed. She was still in school, miserable, and longing to pursue a different path. Her boyfriend at the time, wanted to cheer her up, and he knew, like most of us do, that there’s no better therapist than a dog.   I’m thrilled to introduce Nina Huang with the story of how she met Apollo… listen in to hear it!

In this episode you'll find out about kewl pet and rescue products to make your life easier AND support your favorite cause.

Bonnie-Jill Laflin is an animal rescue rock star! Listen in, as she tells us about her dog, Asur, the canine veteran who went blind and almost got left behind.

The Q: What are the best children's books out there that teach about animal rescue? How can we best educate future rescuers? Why not with some fun rescue books to help kids to form a healthy bond with both books AND animals, sounds like a win-win to me.

Sometimes the stories that teach us the most, are the ones we don't want to hear. Audrey Lodato is not easily shocked after her many years of working in rescue... but when Pets Alive was called to help save nearly 50 neglected animals, what they found shocked them all. Find out what happened and find out what we can do to heal hoarding in the future.

The Q: What's the story behind your rescue pet's name? This episode is full of fun stories submitted by other rescuers like you!

If you listened to my introduction episode you’ll recognize today’s storyteller as the photographer who first made me aware of animal rescue in general and inspired me to start volunteering. It’s an overused expression, but we all know that a photo is worth 1000 words, right? Well today’s guest recognized that what a photo says with all of those words could mean the difference between an animal that gets adopted and one that gets left behind.

Question of the week: To all my vegan and vegetarian friends: what was the catalyst that convinced you to change your eating habits? I read your answers in this episode.

Joseph Knipp has a history of befriending disabled dogs, so it was natural for him to fall for pets with special needs. Intrigued by his ability to bond with dogs that most people wouldn't look twice at, I asked Joe to share the story of how his happy family came to be.

Before we get into the first official episode of My Rescue Rocks, I thought you might want to get to know me a little, so this is my story and an introduction to the podcast you’re about to hear.