Raise The Woof

Kitticcino Charities provides low-cost veterinary services to under-served communities and rescue groups, in addition to providing employment opportunities for survivors of violent crimes and at-risk youths. Founders Breona and Rachel join me!  For more: https://www.kitticcino.org/

Rats! There is so much to know about them and my guest Niki is a Rat Extraordinaire!  For more on rats or to foster or adopt: nmgianni@gmail.com  

When an undercover animal abuse investigator with 20+ years of experience says something bothers him, you know it is legit. Many years ago, the practice of luring racing greyhounds with live rabbits was investigated and many swept the practice under the rug or claimed "it did not happen." Cue investigator Pete Paxton, who conducted an undercover investigation in partnership with Grey2k USA. What they found was beyond shocking and their investigation, with your help, will hopefully lead to a federal bill called the Greyhound Protection Act.  More here (NOTE: this is not for the faint of heart): https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/07/26/a-culture-of-cruelty-an-exclusive-look-inside-the-secret-world-of-greyhound-training/

This podcast has always been about learning more about animals and to say this particular one opened up my eyes is an understatement. Cailen LaBarge is the Co-Founder of SEED: Strategies for Ethical and Environmental Development. Before the pandemic, they investigated a dairy auction in Texas that revealed far more than they expected. The findings, as shocking as they may be, are so important, especially in this day and age.  For more information: https://www.seedundercoverinvestigations.com/

"He came to the door naked with a gun. We ended up with 63 snakes."  Cindy Steinle has had a LOT of experience with reptiles and while many people may be nervous around them, Cindy shares some amazing reasons why we should embrace snakes, alligators and more.  For more information or ways that you can help:  www.chicagoherp.org https://www.facebook.com/smallscalereptilerescue/  

Molly Downing is the Recreation Coordinator at SEASPAR and created a Pawsitive Pet Therapy program that brings smiles to faces of the participants.  SEASPAR is committed to the mission of providing dynamic recreation programs and quality services for residents with disabilities. More here: SEASPAR.org

Rachel Jensen is the Founder of Pleasant Heart Pet Food Pantry in Michigan. As a former Animal Control Officer, she saw a need in her community and immediately went to work to help by building a non-profit.  https://www.pleasantheartspetfoodpantry.org/

I always believe people. I give them the benefit of the doubt. I am a helper. I run to the bad when others may be running away.  When I woke up on Sunday with overflowing email, I was like wow, this is great. Then I realized something was really wrong.  This is the story of a how a selfish company mysavings.com took advantage of a small 501c3 and has ZERO apologies or regrets for what they did. They have done irreparable damage during our busiest time of the season. 

Comfy Carepacks are given, free of charge, to benefit pets of individuals experiencing homelessness in the Los Angeles area. Vice President Deborah joins me to chat about this amazing organization. https://www.comfycarepacks.org/

When Carolyn Alonzo lost her beloved Obi in May of 2020, she immediately went to work creating "Obi's Pet Pantry." A story of love, hope and passion to help others. https://www.obispetpantry.org/

SOUL - Sharing of Unconditional Love. Jodie Diegel, the Founder and President of Soul Harbour Ranch joins me. The SOUL Harbour Ranch Animal Therapy Program, located in Barrington, Illinois, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to enrich lives by promoting the unconditional love and healing of the human-animal bond, while advocating for animal therapy standards of excellence. We offer the Barrington-area’s most experienced and comprehensive animal-assisted therapy teams, which includes registered therapy dogs, registered miniature therapy horses and miniature therapy donkeys. Our registered therapy dogs started visiting as early as 2010, and our registered miniature therapy horses started visiting in 2012. https://soulharbourranch.com/

West Suburban Humane Society just opened their brand new building in March and unfortunately the pandemic has hampered their plans, but they are still rescuing and still adopting animals out! Christina Morrison, the Director of Development joins me to talk about rescuing animals from rural areas, tips for adopting an animal and much more! https://www.wshs-dg.org/

Paws with a Cause custom trains assistance dogs for people with a disability. Public Relations Coordinator Cara Conway joins me to talk about their service,hearing, seizure response and autism dogs. Great stories!      https://www.pawswithacause.org/  

Compassion Fatigue comes up over and over in this podcast and I am honored to be joined by an expert in the field, Jessica Dolce. She is the Founder of The Compassion in Balance Program and educates people who work with animals. https://www.compassioninbalance.com/

Camp Dogwood is a paradise for humans to get away with their dogs and partake in activities that surround their animals. The unique camp has grown in the last 20 years and Alysa Sly has done so much work and research making it a destination for dog lovers. For more: https://www.campdogwood.com/

Bailing Out Benji is a non-profit that is dedicated to educating people about puppy mills by using data and sharing stories. Nikki and Raquel join me to break down the difference between breeders and mills and much more. For more: bailingoutbenji.com 

Mobile dog grooming is a great concept for animals that may be nervous going to get a hair cut or a nail trim and Kirsten Nuffer took the leap into her own mobile grooming venture and never looked back. 

Jenny Leech started fostering not long ago and has taken in some very broken and injured animals. She also has 2 dogs that are frequently seen on viral videos! Big Ben and Tiny Tim have become best friends and their relationship is the cutest: facebook.com/bigbentinytim

Felines and Canines started as just felines and then added the canines. For 42 years they have been saving lives! Abby and Kelly join me for a frank conversation about rescuing outside of Illinois and what it takes to run a rescue 24/7. A view from the inside...   felinescanines.org

Sorry for being MIA! I am back! Listen to hear what is new! 

“It was a feeling like you wanted to protect the land and the dogs still buried on the property.” Rescuer and author Tamira Thayne transformed Michael Vick’s dog fighting compound into a rescue center for chained and penned dogs. Now, in her new book she reveals what they found inside those black sheds and how her life was affected by what she saw. For more about her book: www.whochainsyou.com

Why donate to Live Like Roo on Giving Tuesday? Because a moment of happiness matters for everyone.    Because when no one else is there to help, we are.    Because a cancer diagnosis should not mean the end of life.    Because when there is no hope, we provide a glimmer of it.    Today, on Giving Tuesday, choose Roo. #GivingRoosDay   https://www.ilgive.com/organizations/live-like-roo-foundation

When Michele rescued Aladdin, he was completely broken. Little did she know, she would have to do everything in her power to save his life again. Recently, Aladdin was very sick and Michele and I crossed paths when he was diagnosed with cancer. He is an ambassador for the breed and is an inspiration to everyone.  https://www.facebook.com/aladdinnation/ Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care of Chicago. For more information: fetchpetcare.com. 

CBD is such a hot topic. I brought Andreana on from Blooming Culture, who makes AMAZING CBD Oil products that have changed my life and my dog's life. I know you all have questions. about it and Andreana is an expert!  Use code LLR10 to order your own here: https://bloomingculture.com/collections/all More here: https://bloomingculture.com/pages/stockist

Pam Kaplan's personal experiences have led her down a path that many people desperately need. As a pet loss grief coach, Pam helps owners who need advice and support during one of the toughest times in their life. There is no "it's just a dog" here. Pam has written an amazing book where you can also journal about your own experiences.  www.pawstocelebrate.life When you buy a book, you get a free gift and Live Like Roo Foundation gets 20% of the proceeds. 

As there has been a boom in the pet industry, farm animals are also getting a lot of great exposure for how they are raised and farmed. Most people know Esther the Wonder Pig, but did you know about the sanctuary created in her honor? The secretary of the board for Happily Ever Esther Sanctuary visits with me and she was so great. 

Never has a book inspired a change in me more than this one...

"It helps us to scrub off all those layers of bs." Mary is such a great person and she is always finding way to give back. An old soul with a lot of ways you can improve your own life. I love how at such a young age, she keeps reinventing herself.  More about Unleashed Life and how to join: www.myunleashedlife.com Info about the event that benefits Live Like Roo Foundation this weekend: https://www.facebook.com/events/514665152616221/ A great blog: https://unleashedlife.simplero.com/page/123741?fbclid=IwAR2-aJqms_WqgBmVo9SibNxVfpoHAypjyvSid8szewpjty9NbKOhDgKhXUg  

Animal-lover and advocate Pete Paxton has visited over 700 puppy mills. He has gone undercover at puppy stores and done amazing work bringing some real issues to the forefront. Now, he has a new book that pulls the curtain back on dog rescue, as well as his amazing work throughout the years. My jaw was on the floor for much of this interview. A great listen.  pre-order Rescue Dogs: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/599676/rescue-dogs-by-pete-paxton-with-gene-stone/9780525540359/   More on CAPS (Companinon Animal Protection Society): https://www.caps-web.org/

Kristen Strouse of the Blind Dog Rescue Alliance joins Raise the Woof. She was also assisted by Live Like Roo Foundation when her dog Isis was diagnosed with cancer. Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care. For ore info: fetchpetcare.co

If you have been following my social media the past few weeks, you have seen the puppy roller coaster we have been on. Now, the story behind the story of the One Tail at a Time "M Puppies" with @megan Van Paris. Megan also has started Fear Free vetting at Blum animal hospital and is teaching others about the program that is changing the lives of human and animals.    Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care. They are now hiring: fetchpetcare.com.

Home Dog LA Founder Kerry Armstrong joins me for a frank discussion on helping owners who are attempting to surrender their animals to an open admission shelter. She is changing lives and doing amazing work, one dog at a time. www.homedogla.com

Mutts of the Midway may be new to the rescue game, but they have been involved in helping animals for many years. They make a huge difference in Chicago and beyond. 

I am honored to be joined by Monica Kaskey, who I met at Chicago Animal Control when she saved a very scared dog named Harrelson. She has since adopted him, had another of her dog's beat cancer and together we have done some amazing things in rescue. She and her partner Sarah are hosting a tattoo event for Live Like Roo Foundation in Milwaukee on August 10. Hope to see you there! Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care Chicago  fetchpetcare.com.

Sarah Gaziano is the Director of Training & Behavior for One Tail At A Time. Her expertise with animals has paved an amazing path for her and while it is not always easy, it is certainly rewarding.

Chicagoland Rescue Intervention Support Program (CRISP) is a program at Chicago Animal Care and Control that aims to keep animals with their owners by providing help in the form of vetting or landlord help etc. If that cannot happen, CRISP tries to get the animals to rescue. On this Friday in June, CRISP was busier than ever. A little Day in the Life of CRISP. 

Jamie Katz is a glimmer of hope during a time of total despair. She is a licensed private investigator in Florida and has many tips and trick and stories from her work in helping people find their lost pets. She is an amazing human, who does very difficult work. A great guest! jamiekatzpetdetective.com

"Take all the money spent on a few old or really sick dogs and put that towards healthier pets." A few weeks ago, Foster Pet Outreach received a letter that scorned them for spending money on sick and old animals. I wanted to have Alyssa on the podcast to discuss the note and their rebuttal and we had a great conversation about it. 

Zoey was simply the most magical creature ever. All of her quirks and all of her issues taught us so much. She was one of my biggest mistakes, but certainly my favorite mistake. We met her on the way to the dentist in 2005. On the way home from the dentist after convincing Schipp we had to have her, I put $850 on my credit card at Happiness is Pets and we took her home. She was 9 weeks old. There are so many mistakes we made in that one little paragraph, but I am not here to rehash those. We lived on the 3rd floor and we were constantly carrying her up and down the steps to house break her. We were young and dumb thinking we could raise a puppy. She quickly became my whole heart and her and Ralph were best friends. She fostered over 20 dogs with us and though she was not a fan of the bigger dogs, she was so patient as we helped others find their forevers. She was dramatic and vocal and cuddly and she leaves a huge f-ing hole in our family. Every day she did something that made me laugh or smile and though she came from a shi**y pet store, she is one of the main reasons that I am in rescue. I love you Zoom Zoom. I miss you so much. Our lives are forever changed. I wish we just had more time. 

Emily Porter has transformed so many matted dogs into beautiful gems. With a recent surge in gnarly dogs REALLY needing a makeover with The Hot Mess Express, Emily has been re-energized. She does so much amazing work and has so many great stories. Follow her on insta @emilygrooms dogs

"There is so much (domestic abuse) survivors can get from their relationship with their pets, not only during their crisis but in the healing after they have managed to escape. It can really help them take control of their lives again and feel loved." ~Jessica Katz Executive Director, The Safe Haven Network www.thesafehavennetwork.org  

In just 2 years, Jessica Hiltner, Co-Founder and President of Real Dogs Moms of Chicago, has built quite a brand. Many dog moms vie for a coveted feature on their social media, but more importantly, they have partnered with chicagoland rescues and foundations to bring in much needed funds for animals by throwing amazing events. She is a hustler and has a great future. 

"We cannot imagine living without her."  Ah, my whole heart. A dog that I helped to save from Chicagoland Rescue and Intervention Support Program has the absolute best life after many years of being overbred and under loved. Miss Judy Big Pig has a cut following after being rescued by One Tail at a Time and adopted by 2 amazing dudes named Evan and Alex, who have changed her life forever....but she has change theirs, too. Adopting an older dog is the best. 

Melissa Pena does everything in her power to save the animals others leave to fend for themselves. She is the go-to in Chicagoland when anyone needs help with a wild animal including roosters, pigs, rabbits, squirrels, turtles, horses and so much more. Did you know that bunnies poop 300 times a day? I learned SO MUCH from this podcast...you will too. 

Some times you have to take a break so you do not break. Getting away from toxic is so important. 

"Any time that I can create awareness, I am happy to help." Jamie Buehrle has an amazing platform to spread awareness about Breed Specific Legislation as well as how incredible pit bulls are despite all the uneducated people spewing bs. She walks the walk and talks the talk and has done so much good for so many animals. Honored to have her as a guest this week.  Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care Chicago. Fetch! Pet Care of Chicago is hiring professional pet sitters and dog walkers in Chicago. If you’re a lover of all animals you can go to their website to fill out an online application, www.fetchpetcare.com

An epiphany and a thank you. 

Janice Gork is the Founder of Tails Pet Magazine and since 2000 she has helped and inspired so many pet owners to treat their animals as part of the families. The path from physical magazines to the digital age has been a project, but with a booming pet industry, her content is thriving.    Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care. Fetch! Pet Care of Chicago is hiring professional pet sitters and dog walkers in Chicago. If you’re a lover of all animals you can go to their website to fill out an online application, www.fetchpetcare.com

Maritza has an amazing job as a dog runner, but it is filled with pressure. She also creates brilliant art that she donates to charities. Great stories from another spectacular guest.