Animal Welfare Professionals

Updated 11/1/24: Congratulations to the October giveaway winner, @Yaned Rodriguez (She/Her)! 
Check out our November discussion thread to enter to win our next Cuddly prize pack: maddies.fund/30YearsGiveawayNovember2024

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🎉 Happy 30th Anniversary to Maddie's Fund! 🎉
We're kicking off this incredible milestone with something special – a monthly giveaway in collaboration with our friends at Cuddly, and you're invited to join the celebration!

✨ How to Enter: Simply drop a comment on this thread during the month of October and you're automatically in the running for a $1,000 Cuddly prize pack filled with pet supplies! Whether you want a handpicked bundle or prefer to curate your own, this prize is a paw-some treat for you and your furry friends! 🐾

🎉 October Giveaway: Celebrate the People Who Inspire You! 
This month, we're shining a spotlight on the people who make a difference in animal well-being. We want to hear your stories! To be eligible to win, tell us in the comments:

✨ Who has inspired you the most in your work, and how do they continue to motivate you? ✨

Whether it's a mentor, volunteer, or colleague, share the love and let us celebrate the changemakers that make a difference every day. 🐕❤️🐈

🔗 Learn More & Enter
Find out more about this monthly giveaway and quickly find the discussion threads for each month as they become available: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/30yearsgiveaway

Thank you for being a valued part of our community, and for everything you do to support animals and their people. And thanks to Dave and Cheryl Duffield for their fulfillment of their promise to their beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Maddie. 

Let's make this 30th anniversary celebration unforgettable! 🎉

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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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#PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)

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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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We spent a few weeks in Thailand volunteering at Elephant Nature Park. The founder, Lek, blew our minds with what they have been able to create from a very small village and minimal financial resources. On the flight home, we decided to not wait until we retired to start our dream of a farm animal rescue. We worked overtime, sold a ton online, and 9 months later, we opened Freed Spirits Animal Rescue. 

Denise 

Freed Spirits Animal Rescue 

While I can't think of just one inspiration. I can think of thousands of struggling rescues across the US that are going thru some of the worst times they've ever faced. Esp those impacted by hurricane Helen, shout out to everyone out there powering through this devastating time in animal rescue- from one struggling rescue to another, you'll see brighter days 🙏 

I find inspiration every time I am around volunteers loving and caring for the animals at our shelter.  From the athletic younger men and women who come run with the active dogs, to the older or less active people who come regularly to walk easier to manage dogs, sit with scared dogs who need confidence, snuggle and clean up cat kennels or help adopters on a busy Saturday.  Watching people spend their time giving love to those innocent animals who want it so much and have been failed by humans, inspires me to continue offering my time, talent and treasure as I can.  The biggest inspiration, though, comes from the dogs and how they respond to the kindness shown to them.  Just 10 minutes of walking and petting, followed by a treat, makes them so happy. 

The founder of Wildthunder, Tracy, is my inspiration. She has compassion for all living things and continues to relentlessly rehab wildlife as well as some domestic cats and dogs and such. I continue to have the time and energy to show up every week because of her!

My current manager at the rescue I work at has really inspired me. She always takes the time to teach me something new and has such a huge heart to do as much as she can for the rescue world.  I love enrichment and she is always helping me come up with new enrichment ideas and activities for the rescue animals. She has taught me so much about medical care and animal care and always checks in on the staff because some days can be so rough. She started out as a volunteer with the rescue and now is basically running our feline program and does an amazing job. The rescue work we do is so rewarding, but my manager always makes sure we take time to focus on the positive and do what we can for the animals.

The special needs cats and dogs that were at the shelter when I started volunteering 22 years ago.  They really had no place else to go at that time and the staff and other volunteers gave them everything they needed and love until they found their forever homes. So they were also my inspiration.

When I was about 12 years old I was riding my bike to get some comic books and I rode past some bigger kids climbing in a tree.  As I watched them they found a nest and started messing with the birds and began throwing them at the ground.  I tried to stop them and got pretty convincingly beat up then they resumed/finished throwing the baby birds until they all died.  Those baby birds continue to inspire me 40ish years later.

Dylan.

My staff continue to inspire me every day. I started out cleaning kennels with them and have since moved up to supervisor. I know first hand how much effort they put into making the cat's lives at my shelter something better than just sitting in a cage. They often put the animals before themselves here, taking the extra time to make things just right. Their job is to support and take care of the animals and it is my job to support and take care of them. I do everything in my power to make sure that my staff are taken care of, they are taking their 15 minute breaks, they're taking a full lunch, I'm a listening ear to them, I try my best to advocate for my staff and I help them whenever I can. The dedication they have to the care of these animals is unmatched and being there for them is what keeps me going in this job. Often it feels like the position they are in is the lowest on the totem pole at this facility but I tell them all the time how important they are and how much their work impacts the lives of the animals that the shelter was created to protect. The hard work that they put in each day is extremely inspiring to me.

Coming from the human services side of the nonprofit world seven years ago, I found myself inspired by the vision of our CEO, Joe Elmore. The connection between animal cruelty and suffering with human suffering is now known as treating both sides of the leash.  Joe sent me to Expo to begin my animal welfare education and my journey as a grant fundraiser for an animal shelter began.  I find passion in working on solutions and capacity-building that impact animals and ultimately our community because of him.  From unhoused animals to the humans at our door, our team is motivated to lift them all because of Joe.

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Lisa Pearce
Senior Grants Administrator
Charleston Animal Society
N. Charleston, SC 29406
GPA SC Chapter Board President
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In 2016, I adopted a blind, 11-year-old Shih Tzu, named Elsa, from a local Humane Society. She quickly became my best friend with her spunky personality. We grew to understand each other and she was, and still is, my companion.

Elsa is now 19-years-old, can you believe it? She's a spit fire and I can only.hppe she lives forever. She is my inspiration. 

I realized my life for rescued animals after years of being with her. I've since rescued three other animals,  2 dogs and 1 kitten. This loved as expanded, and I am currently training to become a director of a local Animal Rescue, Saving Whiskers and Tails. I hope to eventually start my own rescue dedication to Elsa. She is my inspiration. 

My biggest inspiration comes from other individuals in this industry. Whether it's the comfort of knowing I'm not the only one dealing with a situation, or getting a new idea to expand my knowledge, skills, and shelter programs. Knowing that we are in this together is most inspiring. 

There are so many mentors I have had along the way! But, two individuals who have made the most impact on my career trajectory: 

• Dr. Elizabeth Strand: I met her at the 2016 CSWE conference and asked her to tea. I told her I would be a Veterinary Social Worker, but I didn't know how. On the spot, she offered a process. She offered for me to get the VSW certificate, and then teach in her program. Without this offer, I don't know that I would have had the momentum and support to develop the career path I have been on since that first cup of tea.
• I met Dr. Farkas in 2015 when I entered my doctoral program as she was teaching a required course. Dr. Farkas stepped in to chair my dissertation committee saying "this area of Veterinary Social Work is new to me, I will learn with you but I will also hold you to a high standard for research". And she did! I defended my dissertation in 2019 and launched the Veterinary Social Work certificate program as assistant professor at Cleveland State University fall of 2024. 

 I am thankful to sooo many, who have influenced me and my career. But, these two women, faculty, researchers, advocates, mentors...were fundamental to shaping my career trajectory and continue to challenge me to be a change agent within our shared community!

The person who inspired me was everyone at St. Sophia's Forgotten Felines. I first discovered this organization after I lost my senior cat and was looking to adopt a friend for my now lonely cat at home. We found a match instantly and after talking to the director, Lauren, about volunteering I immediately  was interested.  I started off doing care taking but then grew with the rescue and now do intake, adoption applications, and so much more. Lauren continues to inspire me to keep working to better the lives of each and every cat. I couldn't have asked for a better way to get into animal welfare.

I am celebrating my 30th anniversary at the SPCA Serving Erie County today and would like to thank my previous boss, Sheila Foss, who got me started here working in our Educational Farm back at the start!  She recently retired after almost 40 years here and has such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to rehabilitating and caring for farm-type animals.  I spent the first portion of my time here working with the farm animals (horses are my first love and what I went to college for) and then it was noticed that the computers and other technology behaved for me as well, so I started managing that as well.  Just this summer, I switched to doing IT full-time here, but the horses and farm critters are my first love and I am always ready to help out there if they need an extra hand.

What a happy coincidence for both of us to be at 30 years now!!

My inspiration for my work stemmed from watching Steve Irwin as a child. Between he and my dad, they both fostered my curiosity and respect for animals and nature. Though neither of them are active in my life anymore, I have continued to envelope myself in the animal welfare field.

My neighbor, Ruby, is my inspiration. I have always had personal pets but it wasn't until I moved in and met Ruby that I was truly inspired to get into animal rescue work. Ruby is a 30 year veteran school teacher and beyond her passionate work for education, she has also dedicated a large portion of her life and time to helping pets in need here in Oklahoma. She's done it all - fostering, countless transports, running supplies to foster families, volunteering, running events, to being a board member. You name it, Ruby has helped make it happen. Never a complaint, always happy to lend a hand, and simply wants to leave the world better than she found it for both people and pets. I wish everyone had a Ruby.  

It is so hard to pick just one inspiration for me. I've moved around a lot in my younger adult life, which really exposed me to some great mentors and co-workers(co- volunteers?) of the animal rescue world. So many of these people give so much of themselves for simply the good of the animals.

But I am most inspired by my mentors in my professional field (conservation ecology) that seem out those dogs that cannot thrive in pet homes- the ones that have been returned multiple times for having too much energy or wrecking people's possessions, or even some that have bite histories (generally due to over arousal or fear rather than overt aggression.) When they adopt these dogs into their detection dog programs, they give them a place to grow and thrive with a job to do that is really just a fun game to the dogs.  I only wish we had more space in these types of programs for more dogs because I know there are so many out there that if they could just land in the "right" place, they would thrive. Sadly many many of those pups can never find a placement, but for the ones that do, it is life changing for them!

I've gained a couple wonderful mentors over the years through Maddie's Fund Apprenticeships! Ann Dunn from Oakland Animal Services (formerly of Cat Town Cafe/Rescue) really inspired me to move into animal welfare full-time and to advocate for Conversation-based adoptions. De Daltorio and her Humane Education team at Charleston Animal Society have been wonderful mentors and my main cheerleaders the last couple years since I started running my shelter's education program.

I highly recommend the Maddie's apprenticeships - you learn a ton and can build relationships that last for years :) 

From a professional standpoint, the person who inspired me to continue working in Animal Welfare was one of my first bosses at the first shelter I worked at, Jake Confer. He was a great boss who instilled in me a sense of purpose to continue working in this emotionally charged field. He showed me that a boss can be compassionate and work alongside the frontline staff while still maintaining a positive attitude, even when things were tough. If it wasn't for him, I don't know if I would've had the power to continue working my way up through this field. He has been a wonderful mentor and friend to me, and I am grateful for everything he has taught me.

One dog that lives forever in my memories is Gris. He was not an adoption candidate and was unfortunately euthanized, but he loved me and I loved him. It's dogs like him that keep me motivated too. Seeing such a huge change in dogs when they first come in vs when you build that relationship with them, regardless of the outcome- it's extremely rewarding and keeps me moving forward to this day.

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Shelby Bundy
Shelter Manager
Longmont Humane Society
303-772-1232 x 265
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In 2007 my husband, Dave, and I met the founders of a local farm, exotic and wild animal sanctuary. They came into our retail water garden store to inquire about a fountain for their natural pond. Dave visited their sanctuary to help with the pond and fell in love with the place. We became friends with these amazing ladies and both of us started volunteering and continued to volunteer for eight years. Our friend, who started the sanctuary, was a retired vet and taught us so much.  At that time, she was dealing with inoperable lung cancer and could no longer run the sanctuary. They asked us if we would move in as live in caretakers, as they rehomed and found placement for many of the animals that lived at the sanctuary. We couldn't say no, so we packed up and moved to the sanctuary, staying two years. We couldn't let their dream die. We discussed it with them, and decided to start our own 501c3 sanctuary taking the remaining 65 animals to our property. We took some of their ideas, mixed with some of our own to grow and offer new programs over the last few years. Our friends have continued to support us with advice, donations and just being there to listen when we were frustrated. This past April we lost our one friend to the terrible cancer that made her life unbearable.  She was great at getting us to do things outside our comfort zone and taught us so much. I only hope that we have made her proud. 

My father took my mother to a dog show on their first date in 1950.  He showed her the Newfoundlands and said "when we're married, we'll have one of these".  When he proposed to her, he showed up with two kittens to convince her.  I am the ninth child of ten and we always had dogs, cats and rabbits in the house.  My father said that the pets could do no wrong.  My mother said the animals will love us even when the whole world is crazy.  I think I had no choice but to spend my life working with, for and alongside non-human animals.  When I win the lottery, I will donate to several shelters all in honor of my parents. Keep your eyes peeled for the Rosemary and Serge Gratch Community Veterinary Health Centers and then you'll know that I hit the Lotto! Neither of them are around anymore and they wouldn't want buildings named after them but I'll figure something out. 

I would have to say to start my journey into the cat rescue field, I have to name Megan Brodbine of Nashville Cat Rescue as the most influential person on my journey.  She is one of the founders of the nonprofit that continues to exist after 20 yrs.  I started as a simple adopter, taking in two special needs kitties, born with deformities. Several years later, after retirement,  I began working as a volunteer and store coordinator.   From there, I became a board member for a different nonprofit cat rescue, serving as president with responsibility for regulatory, legal issues as well as grant and fundraising efforts.  My tenure in the field has been over 12 yrs.  I have since resigned from the board due to personal issues, but continue doing some database transactions to track adoptions at one of the partner stores for Nashville Cat Rescue.   I remain committed to cat rescue missions and look forward to helping a new rescue in the future.    I remain good friends with Megan after all these years and, though she also has had to step back from some of her responsibilities,  she is truly the one person who inspired me the most in my journey to help cats in need.  

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Cynthia Williams
President, Board of Directors
[Catio Cat Lounge, Inc
Nashville, TN
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It may sound too easy, but my mother was who inspired me the most to become involved in animal welfare. She taught me the value of all life from the smallest to the biggest creatures and instilled in me values I carry with me to this day such as a reverence for life, wildlife management and conservation, and protecting and standing up for those without a voice.  When I was a child, my mother found a vole (small rodent) that was caught in some fishing line. She, as always, swooped into the rescue but upon freeing the little guy she got her finger bit. She's hopping around trying to free the vole from her finger without hurting it and I'm laughing my head off, quite the site I imagine. Fear not, the little guy let go and mom and vole were just fine. But it's the compassion for that animal my mother showed even when being bitten, which I imagine hurt quite a lot, and that story I remember when things get tough or hopeless and that motivates me to this day.

I am originally from Peru and we have a shelter/sanctuary (nobody adopts older dogs or mutts), we don't have animal control there so dog roam around everywhere and its pretty bad, we try our best with the few we have but it is still there 20 years later with 40 dogs, dozens of cats and any other animal that need help. When I moved her for work, I couldn't believe all the generosity and all the resources that can help solve pet homelessness. I started volunteer since 2010 and nonstoping as I feel we can achieve this goal in the US if we just push the needle a little more. We can do this! 

Laine Neisen inspired me to begin my fostering/volunteering journey in animal welfare, which then resulted in an animal welfare career.  She was the foster coordinator for the group I chose to look at volunteering with.  She encouraged me to sign up and be a part of the volunteer board.  She walked me through my first foster losses and wins and was always available, even in the middle of the night.  She was patiently there and encouraging through the whole process and said that she saw leadership qualities in me,  and encouraged me to step up and lead.  Which I did, and have now been in this crazy field for over 25 years.  Laine has since retired from fostering, but is still a great friend and always there when I need encouragement.   

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Tracy Arvidson
Sand Springs Animal Welfare
Sand Springs OK
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I helped establish a cage-free, no-kill shelter for cats in Southwest Missouri. I was inspired first by a similar cat rescue in my home state of Minnesota, Feline Rescue. I volunteered there a bit and adopted a cat from them. Then, on a trip to Utah, I visited Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and saw a similar setup in their Cat World.  So these were not particular individuals, but organizations that inspired my involvement with Eden Animal Haven.

All the people of National Great Pyrenees Rescue are an amazing inspiration as they relentlessly work to save as many of these gentle giants as possible.  The last few years have been ridiculously challenging with breeders not getting the message to stop breeding because adoptions have plummeted since the end of COVID.   NGPR volunteers have never given up.  It's inspiring (and yet exhausting) to see.

My coworkers! I have seen them push every single day to save lives and the toll it has taken on them. In an industry where we are all consistently in crisis mode it is amazing to see the dedication that comes from animal welfare workers. Whether it's giving up their weekend for an adoption event or rushing to the shelter to take in an orphaned kitten they understand the mission more than anyone else. That's what keeps me on track and what motivates me everyday. It is very easy to say that this is too much and wipe your hands clean but I have never seen my coworkers back down from a challenge. They understand the weak and tired dogs, the "aggressive" and scared ones and commit their time to their success and that is why I commit to the field.

My experience with a phenomenal Rescuer when adopting 2 Great Dane pups started the involvement.  Transport, fostering, events with Dawn Post's Great Dane Rescue of El Paso was an fulfilling eye opening time, seeing her struggles and commitment, her resituating to survive, her disheartening loss of respect for people. I see it now when following those Rescues I support. On the other side of the coin, my position at our County Humane Society as Dog Trainer for our Ruff to Ready Program, started in 2012,  for newly adopted dogs who present with issues that may cause a return. Entering with a steep learning curve into behavior, thankfully into a growing Positive Training world. The rewards being the whole hearted commitment of my clients for their new family members! My newest Hero is a Volunteer at our Shelter, she was the drive to get our Program into the facility. Monica is The Person who has set our Shelter on an enrichment, training track, she gets those dogs moving out to Rescues and other partners ( helping Staff), getting other volunteers to the various activities now increasing in many avenues (helping Staff). Monica is a glorious person in the lives of our Shelter dogs and those around her!

The person who inspired me the most I actually did not meet until I was already volunteering in shelters and rescues for 7 years. I went to work for a Humane Society in Ross County Ohio thinking I was just going to help dogs with behavior issues in the shelter hopefully get adopted. What I ended up doing was so much more than that. Jenn, the Executive Director at Ross County Humane Society, hired me to specifically work with the dogs in the shelter to spend time with them and help them handle their stay in the shelter better. She was the first in the rural area shelters to do such a bold move. Most of the shelters, Ross included, can barely find enough time and money to focus on the day-to-day needs of the dog's physical health, let alone look past that to help the dogs even more with their emotional and mental health. Jenn knew that providing for their mental and emotional health was very much needed and just as important as their physical health. During my time there of 4 years I was not only able to do much more than I ever thought but I also learned so much from working with her. Her compassion for the animals and the people who were in bad situations was and still is amazing. By the time I had met her she was already in this business for at least 6 years, long enough to turn anyone severely cynical of people and run out of real compassion for the dogs, but she hadn't. To see her care for these dogs like they were one of her own, crying over their condition or in happiness over their adoption, crying with people who came in devastated that they had to give up their pets or their pets needing vet care they can't afford. I was amazed that she could keep up that kind of compassion and empathy for others year after year always pushing to find a better way to do things or ways she could help.  Jenn also instilled in me that rescues and shelters should not be in competition with each other but working together as we all have a similar goal, and we are all needed to be able to help the animals. She forged relationships with other shelters to work with, not compete with. This was new to me but made so much sense, and I have taken this philosophy with me to my current shelter. To this day she is still in the field and I'm so glad to be able to call her my friend and be able to still go to her when I have questions or am struggling to keep going myself. 

Without any doubt, all my inspiration has come from the Best Friends Animal Society and all the time my husband and I have volunteered at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. We see our volunteer time as a selfish act because we leave with so much more and we could possibly give.

During our time at the Sanctuary, we have had many discussions with Jana de Peyer, one of the Founders of Best Friends, and, since then, participated in the Best Friends Action Team monthly webinars. We were always encouraged to participate in advancing animal welfare in our own community in Summit County, Colorado.

This past year, I finally took their advice and had a discussion with our Summit County Animal Shelter Manager. Although the Shelter is doing extremely well, free food distribution to those in need was expressed as a challenge. This challenge has turned into the creation of the Summit County Pet Food Pantry. In the beginning, we had no idea what a difference we could make, but this project has blossomed into a very successful source of pet food that can be distributed equitably through our already existing people food pantries to pets and their families presently in need and help to keep these pets at home with their families and out of the shelter.

Much love and gratitude to Best Friends Animal Society for the work you do and your inspiration.

I can appreciate your post.  I LOVE BFAS.  I've been able to volunteer there for a few years now.  They too are my inspiration.  I call BFAS "my happy place"!

I have always had a love for animals and a want to help those in need. But the one who most inspired me to join in animal welfare is my late Heeler, Rey Rey. She came into our lives after being found by a friend of a friend abandoned in a mobile home he was sent to pick up and move. He took her and kept her in his mechanic shop for two years, while he tried to find her a new home. When I heard her story, I couldn't say no. She became a very important part of our family. She was protective of my children, and myself. When my ex-husband started drinking too much, she would put herself between him and I. She came with us when my children and I fled back to Utah from Texas and stayed with us until her passing last year. I've had many dogs over the years, but Rey Rey was my soulmate. Letting her go was necessary, but the most difficult decision I've had to make. I can't think of a better way to honor her memory than to continue helping dogs with stories like hers find their forever homes. To get to experience love and compassion for the rest of their lives, regardless of how long or short that might be. I do my work with the thought of her in the forefront of my mind every day. 

First ... Happy 30th Anniversary ... and thank you for having this pet forum for all of us to share and learn. This group allows us access to a wealth of knowledge that I would have a hard time finding elsewhere. The foster home based rescue I volunteer with is always looking for ways to improve and expand and just searching the internet can quickly become confusing and overwhelming. This forum has allowed me to more easily focus my searches and provided me with comments from people who have already done what we're looking to do or provide feedback on things I'm considering doing. Thank you!

We have a volunteer who goes out every single morning and afternoon to feed a colony that we are working on rescuing and TNRing. There are over 25+ cats and kittens in that colony. All are malnourished, sick, etc. She goes out every single day to make sure they are fed and taken care of. She goes to add ice to their water during the112+ degree summer. They love her so much that she's able to pick a lot of them up so we can get them fixed instead of having to trap them. She constantly dedicates her limited time to caring for these cats and loves them deeply. We would not be able to do what we do without all of her help. It is truly inspiring to see someone care so deeply about so many cats to make sure they get a better life. 

For me it was seeing the difference that my cat Scraggles made to both myself and my mother during her decline. When my mom went into hospice they commented how good Scraggles was with all the activity. Since my mom loved cats and bonded with Scraggles (my ESA) I asked whether there were any animals available to visit. Unfortunately that didn't happen through hospice but a good friend of mi e that lived near mom offered to take her dog over and do video calls where my mom could see Scraggles (I worked on the opposite side of the country from my mom). The bonds both of us had with animals inspired me to work at the intersection of human and animal welfare.

I have always loved animals. From a very young age I found a special connection with them that I didn't feel with other children most of the time. As I have grown older I have developed a love for the quiet moments you can share with an animal, where they seem to understand your need to just be. I began working as a volunteer for a local shelter at the beginning of 2024, and have found other people, one in particular, who loves these dogs unconditionally. She has taught me about the business of running a shelter. She's taught me patience and we've laughed and cried together. I owe it to her that I am so involved with the animals and that it has become my life's mission to love them and to rescue them. 

I hope that someday we can see a world where there are far less shelters overflowing and rescues are not always maxed out. I feel lucky to be a part of the process. 

I met some amazing expats in Guadalajara Mexico, who worked with some locals to rescue animals that were abused, homeless and/or hurt. The way they came together to work towards  the goal of ending animal suffering touched a spot that I didn't know existed. I started rescuing on my own, well with my husband, we started as someone helping from Canada to find homes for Mexican dogs to being a non profit in Canada, a 501c3 rescue the US and still a force in Mexico. We support and pull dogs from high kill shelters across the US and our goal is to get a large rescue bus and go to Arizona where there is a dumping ground for dogs and rescue, vet and bring to Canada for adoption. Seeing the outcome of the dogs we help keeps me going, seeing the volunteers excited about matching a dog to a forever home keeps me going. And ultimately knowing more dogs need help keeps me going.

When I think of those who have inspired me in my work, it has to be both people (person) and pets (pet). Recently our shelter has undergone so many changes, and with changes comes resistance. People are usually creatures of habit, once they have habituated to a system, it can become hard to break. Especially if something is "great" and "works" in their eyes. With this change, we gained amazing support, our current interim behavior manager has done an amazing job supporting leadership, staff, volunteers, and the overall organization. She has also created resources that will continue to support our team. Megan inspires me in many ways to continue to challenge growth and to embrace change as with change comes growth. Without growth we can't do better for the animals, she never forgets the mission. This is for them, the pets. Thank you Megan for inspiring a community of pet lovers. My second inspiration goes to my first pet, Chicago. When I adopted Chicago, I had no idea the responsibilities that came with being a pet owner. Especially as an owner of a pet with behavior struggles, soon I'd learn that I'd become Chicago's fur-ever mom and she'd lean on me for emotional and mental support. 

Working with Chicago's separation anxiety has been a learning experience but she continues to make me a better human! 

With love, 

Yaned Rodriguez

Volunteer Coodinator

Wenatchee Valley Humane Society 

I started in rescue many years ago as a foster parent for a local county shelter.  After I retired from my career job, I wanted to become more involved in rescue so I began volunteering at a local rescue (with a facility). I learned a great deal there which included seeing things that were not working. One of those things was that they had no idea how to deal with behavior problems in dogs and they did not provide much of anything in terms of enrichment (for dogs or cats). I looked around to find a qualified R+ trainer that might be willing to "donate" some of her time to helping with the situation. Very fortunately for both the dogs and me, I found Debbie Winkler, CABC, CPDT-KA who has extensive experience as an animal trainer. She was willing to donate her time to visit the shelter, provide written guidance and spend time teaching staff hands-on! She enlightened everyone to enrichment for dogs and cats and would consult pro bono on specific cases. Her love for animals, her extensive training knowledge and her generosity was truly inspiring! She invited me to take classes with her pro bono and was always available for advice and consultations.  About a year later, I decided to open my own dog rescue with a small shelter. One of the things that set us apart from other local groups was our willingness and ability to provide proper training and enrichment for all of our dogs both in foster care and in our shelter. That was 9 years ago! Thanks to Debbie's inspiration, expert guidance, and hands-on help, Canine Humane Network has become known for its training programs for all dogs that we take in and also for classes and information we share with fosters, adopters and the general public. Many Maryland county animal control facilities refer people to us and we are able to help many dogs that would otherwise have been euthanized. 

Our community of volunteers inspires me. As we all know, some days are hard...and some days, I think, how much longer can we do this, and what's our succession plan? (Still no answer to the latter ha ha.) But, then a volunteer or supporter will step up with donations or kind words or just energy, reminding us of our ultimate mission and reviving our spirit.

An entire list of people have shaped my career and inspired me! 

- Tara Diller who gave me a chance in the municipal world and taught me 'get to yes'
- Chris Sperry who functions with kindness and strong ethics every day
- Dr Jefferson, Kristen Hassen, Mike Kaviani, Ashley Niels, Lorian Epstein, Tawny Hammond for the first in person Maddie's foster training cohort in Austin
- Dr Francisco Garcia for his empathy and listening to understand
- Kelly and Andy Simsek for innovation and unwaivering commitment to senior pets
- Rachel Jones for explary balance between self and others, and her willingness to just try stuff

....
Just to start.  (:

Thank you to everyone reading this, as you are an inspiration to someone too!!!  Thank you for your committemnt to people and pets!

- 

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Sarah Aguilar
Director
Santa Barbara County Animal Services
CA
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I had an unlikely person who guided me into the wonderful world of Animal Welfare. In 1994 I was looking for a pug to adopt and was having trouble finding an adult dog needing a home. This was in the early days of the Internet and most organizations were not online. Finally after a year of searching I was directed to a woman in Sacramento who was doing rescue on her own. She was a pug exhibitor and breeder but loved the breed in generaal and started taking in rescues. Her name was Marianne Stanley. I adopted my first dog from her, a special needs black pug who was a few years old. She welcomed me and mentored me in the care and wellbeing of my new dog, Bailey. She sent me home with home cooked beef stew for Bailey and said she would groom him for free for life.

I asked her how she paid for the vet bills and she said she waited until she adopted a dog out and then put that money on the bills at the veterinarians she owed. I had experience raising money for non-profits so I offered to help put on a fundraiser. All of the people she adopted to or who had puppies that she bred came and helped us raise more than $6,000. When we met after to debrief, we decided to formally start a Pug Rescue. We formed a non-profit and for the next 17 years I was running a pug rescue organization in addition to my full time job.  The more I learned, the more my passion for Animal Welfare grew and I have consistently been involved helping pets and people. Marianne only bred dogs for a few years but her passion for pets and people guided her to mentor me and resulted in thousands of pets and people having better lives.

My initial inspiration was the CEO who hired me, Pam Burns, a true legend in the animal welfare movement. The inspiration that keeps me going largely comes from colleagues, such as all of you here, and our education program. My work is primarily focused on public policy advocacy and creating generational change in the way we treat and prioritize animals and the human-animal bond. Watching the high school students who spend a year in our Teens4Animals program and become fierce advocates for our mission gives me enormous hope.

The person who inspired me the most in animal rescue is Edie Gobbi, the National Coordinator West of American Maltese Association Rescue. I first "met" Edie on an online Maltese forum about 15 years ago when I was looking on information about getting a Maltese - what to look for, how to care for them,  where to get one. Part of the forum was "Rescue" and I would see her posts or people posting about her and other people helping with the rescue to save dogs. I was always in awe and would do things like donate money but always thought, "I could never do that." I would never have the time, the know how the knowledge to do what she did. Then one day a Maltese came up in my local area of NYC and they desperately needed a foster. I was so moved that I decided to fill out an application and asked Edie if she would be my reference. She knew me for years by then (and I had gotten a Maltese of my own)and said sure. "but I'd really like to have you foster for us." I said yes and filled out the paperwork. The other foster dog went to another foster and I started with AMAR by transporting, then fostering, doing social media, etc and here I am, National Coordinator. East!! Yup, Edie's counterpart on the East Coast. I still value her so much and even with years of doing this know she has more answers than I ever will but she sure changed my life.

Hi everyone, This is Sarah from Ruthless Kindness non-profit in California. The people who inspire me the most are the domestic violence survivors who we work with who are escaping DV alongside their pets. To watch victims generate the strength to not only protect themselves but their children and pets, it's unbelievable. It's superhuman strength. I feel honored to be a part of and work with this community, and they inspire me every single day. 

Sarah Reidenbach
Ruthless Kindness
www.ruthlesskindness.org

All of the special cases I've worked with in my 18 years in animal welfare inspire me.  They all teach you something, make you push past the stress and fatigue, and think outside the box to make their lives better.

Nancy

Mohawk Hudson Humane Society

I'm inspired by the victims of domestic violence whom I work with every day that love their pets more than themselves, and will do whatever it takes to stay together. 

Inspiration when I was young came from people like Steve Irwin and David Attenborough, and then the beautiful articles and photographs from  National Geographic Magazine. I wanted to photograph and educate and share the kind of passion that would inspire others to do the same... a domino effect of love for nature and animals! Then it was my soul dog, Buddy. She lived for 17 wonderful years and I miss her all the time. Now my inspiration comes from the people I meet and work with every day in the animal welfare and nonprofit world. My team of animal lovers and the clients we see working hard and sacrificing for animals that will never be able to pay them back... Can't get any better than that.

My sweet Deacon who passed away from cancer inspired me to work to improve animal welfare and animals in my community. I joined the humane society in my county in 2021 and this was the truest and most important way I could think of to honor his memory. He is my soul dog and was an example of pure love. He lived his little life to the fullest and inspired others to do the same with happiness and care for others. I was so lucky to have him in my life and he taught me so much about living life today. Truly the love of my life and he would be so proud of what ive been able to accomplish in his honor. 

While the ultimate who has always been the animals; the lost, found, abandoned, dumped, neglected and in need of desperate medical intervention.  My catalyst was Brenda Closser, passionate animal advocate and networker extraordinaire.

In 2014 we moved across country to central Missouri, completely naive and ignorant of the animal welfare crisis in this State.  It was quite the culture shock!  A black female pit bull with a vaginal prolapse appeared at our outside city limits home.  We were told by local authorities there was nothing they could do, and to post on Sedalia Lost and Found Pets Facebook group.  Brenda and other local Rescues immediately stepped in and helped this dog in desperate need.  She was given the best life with a Foster Fail.  I knew I could do more and boy did Brenda provide me the opportunity!  LOL I stray held, transported, and fostered dogs.  Eventually, I moderated and co-administrated the lost and found group.  She mentored me to start networking myself and what to look for, for a reputable licensed rescue.  The inspiration kept coming: with every dog and every compassionate person and organization that made their lives better and even possible.

In 2021 we moved to south central Missouri, to again be shocked, it gets worse, especially for cats!  The community cry for help, to help the cat population was strong, and in October 2022, I found myself a founder and the President of a desperately needed TNR organization, in which I heavily relied on Brenda, her network and connections to develop.   From this founding; a new Rescue and TNR organization was developed.

I continue to be inspired daily.  I am grateful and honored to so many people and organizations that have guided, mentored, supported and collaborated, but Brenda started it all for me.  Brenda's unwavering passion has been a cornerstone of my journey. 

I have been inspired by multiple shelter workers and rescue workers over the years. Our community took a direct hit from Hurricane Michael in 2018. I was truly inspired by the selfless acts of the volunteers that gave up their lives and funded their own way to come help people during such trying times. They got out there and helped rebuild fences. They checked on people and rescued animals. They helped provide people with food, crates, kennels or whatever their need was during that time. It was so inspiring and acts that I nor my community will ever forget!

I have to give credit to how I was raised. Ever since before I started kindergarten I knew I was inspired to help animals. I couldn't say exactly why, so I blame my parents. My soul cat, Stripes, who I grew up with for 18 years was my purpose in life. She got through everything. She passed a year ago from this last Sunday. I am now an environmental advocate and an animal rescue volunteer. I went to school for business hoping one day I'd use my practical knowledge for an animal business. Not exactly where I ended up, but I now have time to put a lot of effort into volunteering. 

So sorry for your loss <3  It's amazing how animals carry us through so many different phases of our lives 

Original Message:
Sent: 10-08-2024 09:01 AM
From: Erin Mader
Subject: October 2024 Giveaway: Who has inspired your work?

I have to give credit to how I was raised. Ever since before I started kindergarten I knew I was inspired to help animals. I couldn't say exactly why, so I blame my parents. My soul cat, Stripes, who I grew up with for 18 years was my purpose in life. She got through everything. She passed a year ago from this last Sunday. I am now an environmental advocate and an animal rescue volunteer. I went to school for business hoping one day I'd use my practical knowledge for an animal business. Not exactly where I ended up, but I now have time to put a lot of effort into volunteering. 

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Erin Mader
Volunteer
Happily Ever After Animal Sanctuary
WI
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The person who has most inspired my work is someone who actually had nothing to do with animal welfare work. My best friend from college actually brought me into the field in a roundabout way. Cancer took her life several years ago at the age of 39, leaving behind two young children. She was perhaps the most compassionate, kind and genuinely sweet person I've met. After her passing, I wanted to find a way to contribute more of those same traits back into the world to fill just a little bit of the hole she left behind. I shifted careers into the nonprofit world and now happily find myself doing the best work I can imagine. 

I started by volunteering at the local shelter 30 years ago. I needed something to do, because my husband was always busy working on the road. I found my passion in rescue at this time. It was amazing to see the instant satisfaction when animal found their forever home. Now, 30 years later, after sitting on every position on our board and getting rid of my husband, I have been the director of our Humane Society for almost 3 years now. It has been the time of my life watching close to 2000 animals find their forever homes in those almost 3 years!

Our CEO celebrated 30 years with our organization this past March. She started as a kennel technician in 1994, then managed our events & PR for awhile before becoming our Executive Director in 2004. She has been an absolutely amazing leader and boss. She has led our organization through exponential growth, going from just over a dozen staff to now almost 50. She oversaw the opening of our Spay & Neuter Clinic which has now completed more than 120,000 surgeries; our thrift store; our cat cafe; and various other programs serving the community. But on a personal level, she's an incredibly compassionate boss who believes in her team and empowers us to take our dreams and run with them. She's beloved in our community and by our staff & volunteers. Cheers to 30 years!

My inspiration comes from my childhood.  A few ladies to mention that inspired my love for animals. My Mom- she was always a caring, loving, compassionate person who not only loves and cares for humans, but also for animals.  My Aunty's talk story about all the times growing up my Mom would crawl through her bedroom window on island of Oahu with new cat or dog strays. How my Grandpa would hear the animals bark or meow, come through the bedroom door asking my Mom as a child where she hid the cat or dog. How many times she would get in trouble bringing in new animals into the home to try to keep them. My Aunty stated there was always animals around growing up because of "Annie bringing home the town's strays". 

Second lady to mention is my Mom's best friend, Candy from Alaska. She was always such an animal lover. Going over to her house over the years growing up, she always had a couple cats, a shelter rescue dog or two, especially her love for Husky's. She was always so kind and compassionate towards rescues. She would always say the best breed of course is always a "RESCUE!"

Last lady to mention is my Grandma on my Dad's side. She would take me as a little girl to our local humane society. Where we would go and see the cats and then go to the dogs area and pick a shelter dog for the afternoon to walk outside on their facility property. I would beg each time we'd go to bring home the dog we would take out, My grandma always loved animals too, she had grown up on a farm in the Midwest (Wisconsin) and was always known for brining in the barn cats and playing with the farm dogs. 

These ladies were such inspiration for me growing up. They showed me that no matter where we are from (Hawaii, Alaska, Wisconsin) we all can help our own communities and love the animals where we are. We can all do our part by saving community strays, adopting from a local rescue or volunteer with your granddaughter at the local humane society. Because of them, I was given that light to continue on this path of rescue, compassion for animals, and to help my community. 

Mahalo Grandma Betty, Mom and Aunty Candy. Without you, I wouldn't be here today. 

My inspiration comes from our volunteers, one in particular. We have a volunteer, who I'll call T, who comes in day in and day out to solely manage our laundry room.  No matter how dirty a blanket may be or gnarly a toy is, she will make sure its taken care of. She logs about 35 hours a week in our laundry room and takes care of it like no one else. Not only is she taking care of the laundry room, she is taking care of the staff and other volunteers. You can't pass her without a "hey! how are you doing?" or "is there anything you need?" It may seem small but it is so important to me and we all love T! 

My inspiration comes from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary which was referred to me by my veterinarian.  After years of donating monetarily, I finally had the opportunity to go visit the BFAS in Kanab, Utah.  My first visit was inspiring and rejuevenating.  Shelley and Mike were a married couple in charge of 2 of the Cat World houses at that time.  They were so hospitable, caring, and informative.  I spent 2 weeks volunteering.  I loved it so much that I've been going back every 6 months.  The caregivers are inspiring in their dedication to the animals.  My favorite building is CalMar.  They house the FELV cats.  There were also a few FIP cats as well.  Kyle, Anabelle, and Michelle are also lead caregivers and they always made me feel like I was a rock star for volunteering.  During my 2nd visit, I was encouraged by them with my having just started helping in my area with TNVR.  I trapped a feral cat, now named Delta, who was very sick looking.  It turns out he has FIV and needed entropion surgery.  I was keeping him in a catio in my garage while I was away.  While at BFAS, Kyle and Anabelle helped me research for materials to make a "fenced-in yard" for Delta.  They were so helpful and enthusiastic with my idea. . . to make my own tiny home for Delta to heal and live in.  His house, now called Delta's Den with 3 FIV+ cats, is based off the Cat World houses from BFAS.  Volunteering at BFAS inspired me to do my part in my little rural area of the world.  It's been about 18 months since Delta was trapped and his tiny home finished that I now head up a small local non-profit called Delta's Feral Friends and Sanctuary.  Delta fighting to get well inspired me to work hard and help the other ferals in our community.  We've TNVR'd 30+cats and found homes and vetted 13 kittens this year.  We also added another tiny home called Murphy's Manor that houses more FIV+ cats.  I am still blessed to go to BFAS and volunteer and Michelle, Anabelle, Kyle, Mike, and Shelley still inspire me to keep TNVRing because "it matters to one".  I will be forever grateful for their encouragement!

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Juliana Walsh
Founder
Delta's Feral Friends and Sanctuary
NC
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Our shelter, Concordia PAWS, was started by a handful of retired school teachers who were tired of the packs of dogs running the streets of our small town. That was over 10 years ago, and finally one of our hard-working board members is finally retiring. I cannot tell you the amount of work this incredible woman has done. From crawling under houses to rescue puppies to covering the PAWS account with her own money when things were harder than usual. She has been our Treasurer and chief organizer for all these years. She even started collecting items for our fundraising online auction in her own basement. In the last couple of years she has adopted several more senior dogs into her home. Dogs with health issues, blindness, birth defects and just old age. Diane Watson is the very picture of what a dedicated volunteer should be. As I take over her job on the board, I know I have very big shoes to fill. She inspires me every day!

What a great question! My Dad was my mentor and my role model. Growing up, he worked hard and belonged to the Optimist Club.  The Optimist Club's core value is the transformative power of hope, positive thinking, and action.    He believed we all have the power to make a difference, to right a wrong, and to make the world a better place. 

As a member of a local human society, I was saddened and overwhelmed when the "group" would take in fluffy little dogs and euthanize black dogs and bully breeds. When a small pit bull named Hope ended up needing help (she was starved, hairless, with a wound that was bone deep), she was set up to be euthanized.  I had to step in.  I pulled and decided that I could build a team, make a difference, and fight for those without a voice.  

My Dad, who lived 500 miles from me, came to live with me after the sanctuary was established. He loved every minute with the dogs and chickens (yes, we rescue chickens). He would smile and say, "One step at a time, you can do anything. " He was right-if each person did the right thing, there would not be a need for us. 

The community inspires me and shapes my work every day. With their resiliency to keep up with the challenges they continue to face, I know that we must continue finding solutions to keep pets and their owners together.  

Since I was young, I always wanted to work with animals. I went to veterinary technician school and graduated in 1992. I have worked for a few different clinics and then ended up at a no-kill shelter. I have been here for 11 1/2 years.  I have had a lot of people inspire me along the way in this profession.  I have seen this profession grow and change throughout the years. Dr. Berry has always been someone who has inspired me since 1995.  I continue to be able to work with her throughout all these years.

For me, it was a blue pittie named Tank, who had been in and out of the nonprofit shelter where I worked (for over 18 years before I was "retired" last year) so many times that he had become something of an unofficial mascot. I had first met him in the year that my father had passed away. I had just returned to work after a month of bereavement and helping my mother before and after his death.  I was really feeling emotionally exhausted. Several staff members told me that I should spend some time with Tank, who had his own private habitat as he was such a big boy. The moment I entered, quietly sat down, and greeted him, he approached me with this big , derpy smile, put his big block head in my lap, and looked at me with these big, droopy, soulful eyes.  I was surprised at how easily that look was able to release all of the emotions I had tried up to that point to stuff back down inside  of me. From that moment until he finally left us to be transferred to another shelter (where he was promptly adopted),  I spoiled him rotten. It really is amazing just how the pure and unconditional love of a dog, regardless of his circumstances,  can change your perspective and leave you with such unforgettable, inspiring memories .

Hannah Shaw, founder of Orphan Kitten Club has inspired me to start fostering kittens. Her social media content called KittenLady showed me alot about different types of fostering and ways to help cats. In 4 years, I've helped 28 cats and kittens in my home be able to thrive and then find adopters.

Someone who inspires me in my work is a fellow volunteer at our org. She has a heart of gold. Since starting her volunteer duties with our org she has spear headed a low cost spay and neuter program, fundraised lots of dollars for us this weekend, has taken on being a project manager for our badly needed new to us building. On top of all these things she does for our shelter, she also exhibits the most amount of caringness and willingness of anyone I have seen! Coming up with new bright ideas, helping make processes easier and never backing down from a challenge is how she continues to motivate me! 

We work with several other organizations in our state and I'm in awe about what all of our rescue partners can do! We're all in this together and working as a team to save lives is truly inspirational to see!

The first person I thought of was my grandmother. My grandmother loved cats, but my grandfather did not, so she always had a cat, lol! When she passed, her last cat passed away, and he decided he needed a cat. This turned into him being "papa" for the neighborhood cats, and on his very little retirement money, he always made sure the neighborhood cats were fed. 

I recently started a small cat rescue, and I cannot help but think that if they were both still here, they would be so excited for me and want to help however they could. 

For me it was a yellow lab mix named Chief.  The shelter told me it was his last chance.  His previous owner had been afraid of him and beat him.  He was terrified of human contact.  I took him to foster and he lived with me until his death.  I had him for 11 yrs.  During that time I started No Greater Love Rescue  and because of Chief over 5,000 dogs have been saved!  

"Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever." - Karen Davison

Animals - cats, dogs and horses have always been part of my life. In 2011, recently retired and living my dream life where I could ride my horse everyday - the unthinkable happened - my husband died of a stroke. Suddenly I was living on a farm - with all the various animals we had collected, but only me to keep it together. When we bought the farm, 3 cats and 2 goats came with it. Cats are natural companions of horses and having almost lived with a barn - we always had cats - and we always got them spayed and neutered. By chance, a neighbor contacted me about some stray cats in our neighborhood, and before long I found myself helping trap them for S/N through our local humane society. But it was when I was asked to foster Irene, a tiny kitten named after the hurricane, that I was hooked. Being totally clueless, I had no idea that Irene's hairloss was due to ringworm- ah! I hooked up with a local cat rescue - and that started my passion for caring for kittens. The saying "who rescued who" definitely applies here and even today in 2024 and hundreds of kittens later - they are still my salvation.. Now I live in a neighborhood, no farm animals - but my kitten room is always full of fosters needing supportive care. They are my reason to get up in the morning when my grief threatens to overwhelm. Now Director of  MAD Cats rescue, here in central Virginia, the kittens still give my life purpose  and meaning.  MAD Cats is primarily a TNR group - we have S/N more than 5,000 including domestic cats - we provide our services at no-cost. When I retire as Director next month - I will continue to foster kitten as long as I am able.

Laurie Counts, Director Madison Community Cats, aka MAD Cats.

There's 4 places and people that inspire my work and motivate me, Wild Whiskers is one of them, they're an animal rescue and wildlife rehabilitator in Kalamazoo MI, they've inspired a lot of my work with domestic cats and keeping my property safe for wildlife.

Mousetales is number two, she's in Ann Arbor Michigan and hence the name, she works with mice, she's also a wildlife rehabilitator, she's inspired my work and love for mice both domestic and wild, while I'm not a full wildlife rehabilitator, I can work with wild mice since they're a non protected species here in Michigan.

Coming in at number three is The Raven Corps, they're a youth led vegan organization in Portland, Oregon but they have branches in other states, I run one of those branches called The Mouse Corps as I was promoted to being a Lead Raven last year, our goal is a collective liberation to protect people, animals, and the planet. I use my Corps branch for missions like the Corps main mission Mind Over Milk, but I've also used it for other missions like getting glue traps off of store shelves and helping animal shelters.

Now the last place, this is a controversial one, but PETA is one other place that has inspired me and as a matter of fact inspired me to open an animal sanctuary. My mother  introduced me to them around back in 2022 I think, she said she mainly signed petitions on their page. I took a look at them and soon enough I started working with them, then I opened the sanctuary. PETA has actually helped me out with supplies too, they've donated cat toys to me, humane mouse traps, and even a trash cleaning set because I like to clean up litter around my town in the spring and summer times.

Eventually they've inspired me to do my own cruelty investigations and write my own research articles.

I'm always one that needs multiple sources of inspiration, and these 4 animal rescuers and activists, well they gave me the perfect inspiration I needed for what I'd say is my greatest work of art. 

I started fostering a dog in 2020 with a local shelter that posted that a foster was needed for a dog whose owner was no longer able to care for it due to their age and health issues. The foster  coordinator communicated with me and brought the dog out to my home to meet me, my husband and my current dog.  She was very knowledgeable in how to have the dogs meet, let the foster adjust to a new setting and followed up with any other concerns or questions I had. I ended up not adopting that dog, but fostered and adopted two more over time through Newlife Rescue and Adoption.  I have been involved in a few fundraising activities with that foster coordinator since then and she has continued to inspire me to help more animals by fostering, fundraising, walking or being a voice for the animals. I have been involved with other organizations and never felt like I fit in or was around my kind of people.  At one event, out of the blue, she said "we're your people."  Thank you, Kelli, for being an inspiration and light for the animals and me. 

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Margaret Burns
Volunteer
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When I think of who inspires me I immediately think of the person who brought me into animal welfare. I was working in a vet clinic and she was a technician who also managed the rescue appointments. She was so dedicated to these animals and spent so much time out of work trying to make a difference. She was also extremely knowledgeable about Veterinary Medicine. She then became the medical director of our local shelter and I went to work at the shelter as well. She now has a child yet still manages to work so heavily in rescue and help educate others. I admire her passion and commitment to the cause. I tend to have a lot of questions regarding medical or situations on hand and she is always more than willing to step in and help. 

✨ Who has inspired you the most in your work, and how do they continue to motivate you? ✨

Funny enough, I started volunteering in the rescue world when I rescued my dog from Hurricane Harvey, he is appropriately names Harvey. Harvey is fear aggressive and while he has been the toughest dog I have trained, I have learned so much patience and love and we have a bond that is unbreakable. He is my motivation to find every animal in my shelter a home. 

My motivation to continue to do this rescue work lies in the community I have found at my shelter. They are far better people than I am, and I am so lucky to be able to learn from them everyday.

I hope everyone has a great weekend,

Whitney

Granite State Animal League DBA Franklin Animal Shelter

The person in animal welfare that inspires me the most is one of our shelter's long-time volunteers, Jimmy. Jimmy has volunteered with our cats for over 15 years and is still one of the most dedicated people I've met in animal welfare. He comes in nearly every day to assist our staff with cleaning tasks and afterwards, spends hours providing enrichment for our cats. He also has been instrumental in developing our volunteer-training network, where he offered his services to help train new volunteers. He is always so positive and optimistic, and inspires me to keep going in this often times heartbreaking industry. 

How I fell into animal welfare and became inspired to make a difference wasn't through another person. It was through my first dog Bella. I got to love Bella for less than 1 week before she passed away as a puppy. You see, I was 19 at the time and knew nothing about animal welfare. I bought Bella a little blue chihuahua puppy from a petstore. within a week, she was crashing, spent the week in the ER and ultimately died at my vets office after I spent $4k trying to save her. I went back to the petstore and they gave me another puppy, which I took IMMEDIATELY to my vet and she scoffed and said what the hell? This dog is sicker than the last one..... and that is when I learned about Puppy Mills and the horrendous conditions the animals are kept in all for a profit from the puppies. I vowed then to start volunteering at our local 501c3 animal shelter/rescue facility and to never buy a puppy mill dog again. I started my "career" in volunteering in honor of Bella in Providence, Rhode Island. A few years later my ex husband joined the military and we moved to Lawton, OK, where I continued volunteering but on base at the animal shelter. Thats when I met Molly, a boxer who was so starved she couldn't stand up or walk. They wanted to euthanize her and I begged the kennel master to let me have a chance. How could a solider do this to a dog, bring her to the brink of death and no one wanted to fight for her?! But I did. He ended up letting me work with her and I slowly got weight on her, and would walk her gently around the yards until one day she had gained enough weight and strength that she started running around me in the yard. She ended up being adopted by a wonderful woman who loved her until her TRUE last days. From Oklahoma we found ourselves in Grand Prairie, TX. Where I again immediately found the local shelter and began volunteering. That soon turned into fostering and 2 years later I had my first real job in animal welfare. Soon to be 11 years later and I still work in that shelter and I still am inspired by the animals on a weekly basis on what can I be doing better? How can I help more? They are what keep me going even when I want to stop. 

It really helped when we hired a new rescue/foster/intake/social media coordinator almost 2 years ago, Karson. That woman is a ray of sunshine. You can't help but want to be around her. She is what has really pushed me the last 2 years to have bigger ideas and to do better/more. She is a force to be reckoned with. She has innovative ideas that she brings to life. She is so passionate you can't help but feed off of it and want to collab and save even more animals. This year alone she has solely sent over 400 animals to rescue. Just rescue. Not even the dogs and kittens she's saved through fosters, transports she's put together for adopters, and using social media to bring in more adopters for special cases. She feels like magic and it makes an old woman like me feel young again and ready to take on the animal welfare world. I am truly so lucky to have met her, that I get to work beside her and that I get to call her my friend. 

I have been inspired and continue to be inspired by fellow trapppers so we can continue to manage the cat overpopulation. I started stray Kitty rescue in north Philadelphia in 2020 due to the alarming number of cats outside, un tipped in my neighborhood. Meeting trappers on the block inspired me to start my rescue and work on TNR , and adoption. Given that the city and state and federal help is low with animal welfare I and my other trappers have made it our mission to save as many cats as possible and reduce the cat overpopulation. 

The greatest inspiration behind my work in animal welfare is an 85-pound brindle mixed-breed dog named Kai.  I didn't grow up with dogs or cats. It wasn't until I unexpectedly adopted Kai from a high-kill shelter, sight unseen, that my eyes were opened to the heartbreaking realities of animal sheltering. This life-changing decision-made over the phone to a shelter 400 miles away-introduced me to the critical role of transport in rescuing dogs. I learned how dogs from overcrowded shelters in the South could find second chances in the North.

Kai challenged me in ways I never anticipated. His brindle coat and mix of 11 different breeds invited discrimination; when we brought him home 12 years ago, our neighbors turned against us simply because of his appearance. This was a painful introduction to breedism, where dogs like him are often the first to be relinquished and the last to find homes. Adding to the challenge, his noise sensitivity made him a very anxious dog-not an easy combination. Loving Kai hasn't always been easy, but I wouldn't change a thing. His presence has rewritten my life's trajectory, inspiring me to become an ethical and compassionate trainer who strives to understand dogs rather than label them or set unrealistic expectations they cannot meet.

While Kai planted the seed of inspiration, my late sister-who fostered over 70 dogs-nurtured that passion. The dedication of people like her, the sacrifices of foster caregivers, the compassion of the veterinary community, the tireless efforts of shelter workers and rescue organizations, and the people on this forum continue to fuel my commitment. I am deeply moved by their work and strive to be part of the solution, helping to keep pets from entering shelters and ensuring those who do find their way into loving homes.

More than anything, it's the hope of making a difference that keeps me going. Every small success, every dog saved or family made whole, reminds me that the work is worth it. I'm driven by the belief that, together, we can create a kinder world for both people and animals.

I absolutely love whenever I'm able to talk about the people who've inspired me! 

First and foremost, Victoria Stilwell! I grew up watching her on Animal Planet and as a kid I used to pretend play like I was her when training our household dogs. To receive a certificate stating I am worthy enough to train dogs from my hero is an honor, and I cannot tell you how many times I teared up (and still do!) during my training course and throughout my career. 

Zak George is definitely a CLOSE second. I binged watched his videos for HOURS whenever I started doggy daycare (and a bit before then), and no words can explain how beneficial he has been in my life.

@Devon Avery, a fellow volunteer who has significantly and positively impacted not only the shelter dogs, but my time along side her as well. Whenever I was first employed at our shelter, she was the volunteer that I could and can continue to count on. There were certainly days that I could not have made it without her. There have been days where we would be firing off with ideas that could help improve our shelter, texting all the way until bedtime, only to resume early in the morning. She has been a rock for emotional support throughout this wild journey. Working with her while training dogs releases so many endorphins into my brain that it should almost be illegal ha ha. Her love and passion is truly inspiring.

Tom Candy with simplifying shelter behavior is a newer discovery for me, but I cannot get enough! It's relieving to see the practice put in place, And I have a blast learning from him via videos, webinars, and posts.

Thank you so much,@Autumn Reynolds!!! That means so much to me. You're making me tear up a bit! I have learned a lot from you as well. Behavior, training tips, communication, and to be patient. Not everything is a sprint and you've shown me that marathons are okay. Not everything has to be completely accomplished in a set amount of time, and in an industry where time is of the essence, that has been an invaluable lesson. You inspire me as a person who is making their passion their career. Thank you.

Lee Linklater, the founder of Assisi Animal Foundation has been a true inspiration to me as she continues to serve people and save animals for 36 years. Lee Linklater will be turning 90 years old this year and she is still running the shelter at her age which is truly inspirational. Her leadership at the foundation emphasizes the importance of community involvement and encourages others to support animal welfare initiatives. Through her tireless efforts, she not only impacts the lives of countless animals but also motivates people of all ages to get involved, proving that a genuine commitment to a cause can have a lasting impact.

Hannah Shaw, the Kitten Lady, inspired me to be able to take on fostering my first ever bottle baby. Her videos and books helped me through the process and I've had the opportunity to chat with her via youtube and at one of her seminars. She is such an inspiration for all the work she does to educate people and help the kittens.  Her recent video on pan-leuk was amazing and I shared it with my staff and fosters. 

The kitten lady inspires me as a foster-and I'm sure I'm not the first person to say that, right? Her words inspired me to create and post this on my social media:

I work at the animal shelter where I adopted my dog, Tanner, eight years ago. Tanner inspired me to leave my six-figure corporate job so I could make a difference for other dogs like him-dogs in need of love and care until they find their forever homes. The bond I share with Tanner is strong, and my love for him is unconditional. Without Haven Humane, I might have never found him. Every day, when I leave for work, I tell him I'm going to help save more dogs like him, and that motivation keeps me going, no matter the challenges.

I am also deeply inspired by our volunteers, who generously give their time and hearts to our shelter. We are fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers who pour love into every moment they spend here, ensuring the animals receive not only socialization but genuine care.

Haven Humane is an inspiring place to work. Every day, our staff and volunteers come together to make a real difference in the lives of the lost and homeless animals we serve.

Three years ago, I saw a post on social media that a local rescuer was trying to save a kitten and was in need of an incubator.  He confirmed that Danielle "Dani" Giroux at Runaways Animal Rescue provided him with the incubator he needed and said Dani was doing "amazing things" in rescue and that we should all "check out Runaways Animal Rescue."  I thought, who in the world has an incubator and then also provides it to someone in need?  I took his advice, and drove to Runaways Animal Rescue and rang the doorbell.  Dani answered the door.  She explained that they were currently doing needed renovations, and offered to give me a tour.  That day changed my life and I never left.  I get to witness and be a part of the miracles that happen everyday because of Dani's vision, her passion and vision to save as many animals as she possibly can.  

My daughter has been my biggest inspiration in continuing my work in animal welfare. We are a BIPOC organization & that presents its own challenges ontop of the ones we all face in this field. Every time I want to quit I think of her, I don't want her to experience the same pain & discrimination I have during my career. I continue to push and create space for us in this industry no matter how hard it gets. Hopefully in 20 years when she's my age she will have a much more pleasant experience and will not have had to face what I have

My inspiration is truly the animals. I was raised on the farm and I still live on the farm. I grew up watching all of our farm veterinarians, how they helped the animals was amazing to me. I always wanted to become a vet, however it wasn't meant to be. I have learned more from the animals than from one person, because they cannot speak to say what they need or want, rather they cue for "where they are" in their moment. I have saved cows, calves, dogs, cats, birds, fish, turtles... They are not helpless, but they sometimes need help. 
We are here to help them live their best possible life, as trauma-free as possible, no matter the length of their stay on this earth. 

I find my deepest inspiration in the people who come together daily, united by a shared purpose that goes far beyond themselves. It's the selflessness of these everyday heroes-volunteers and community members-that fills my heart and reminds me why we do what we do. From seeing 80-year-olds patiently setting up humane traps to catch and care for stray cats, to young children learning compassion by socializing animals, each act of kindness fuels my drive to do more. These amazing people, all ages and backgrounds, show that rescue work is truly a community effort, and I am endlessly grateful to be a part of it.

Every small act, every hour given, brings us closer to a world where every animal finds love, safety, and a place to call home. Thank you to every person who has helped, volunteered, or simply shown support along the way-you are my inspiration!

I'm inspired every day by our clients. The are all struggling to meet basic needs for their families like food, housing, utilities, etc, many times putting their pets' needs above their own needs. I'm especially inspired by our clients who experience addiction and/or mental health challenges. They could be having the worst day, a day when they don't want to face the world, and they still get themselves out of bed to come to Neighborhood Pets to get help for their cats/dogs.

I am inspired by the fabulous group of women that I work with in Feral Feline Project.  Some of these women have been rescuing cats, fostering, and finding forever homes for over ten years, and they are still so dedicated to the cause!  They have brought in others along the way with different skill sets who have helped build and grow the project so that we are nearing our 3000th adoption!  These women inspire me to keep going even when it's difficult, dealing with illnesses or deaths or small kittens or finding mistreated cats.  I am proud to be a part of this amazing effort.  

My daughter Danielle is my inspiration.  Like many children, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, a veterinarian.  That was my daughter since kindergarten and in 3rd grade she wanted to start volunteering at the local county shelter which meant I was also volunteering.  That was the best for both of us.  She achieved her dream and is an exotic and wildlife veterinarian and I'm working with my city on building a long over due animal adoption and resource center.  Thanks Danielle!

They say that parents are a child's first teachers. My parents certainly taught my sister and me to love, respect, and care for and about animals. Our home always had at least one furry, finned, or feathered family member. Homeless animals always made their way to our door, as did all the neighbors' dogs and cats. We knew and cared about them all. While my parents are no longer with us, I think it would greatly please my parents to know that the love for animals that they instilled in me as a child is today the focus of my professional life.  I don't think it hurts that their names were Francis and Claire (from SS Francis and Clare of Assisi, "Brother Sun, Sister Moon").

I have some of the most incredible women in the rescue community surrounding me. Teresa, Patti, Heidi, Tamara, Lucy, Julie, Holly & Janie are all women who work day and night in our community to make a difference in the lives of animals and their families. These women are just a few of the many women who sacrifice their own families, animals, and time to step out of their comfort zones and into the wild world of Rescue in DFW. It takes a village and the village I'm surrounded by are the very best!

The people I work with every day at our open admission county shelter.   Usually understaffed, underpaid and certainly misunderstood by the public.  But we keep coming back and trying to make a difference.  

The rescue community in our area inspired me to open our rescue.  We have been fosters for 5 years for numerous rescues. We have volunteered at an animal shelter for a while.  I witnessed the struggle the rescue community was having and felt I could do more to help. The local rescue heroes of North Mississippi are the ones who inspired my decision to help out with opening another rescue to include training and proper veterinarian care of dogs and cats. Educating the community on the importance of spaying and neutering of all pets to help the overpopulation of pets in our area and the importance of training for dogs to promote the human animal bond.  I was inspired by the rescue community to give a helping hand to those who can not speak for themselves, the animals.

To make sure all animals who needed rehabilitation from trauma to those who tested positive for heartworms to be treated and find loving homes.  

My love for animals goes back to my  childhood. I have always had a love for animals. All of our animals have been rescue animals before I knew what rescue was. This is my why.

There are amazing staff and volunteers at the CNYSPCA, I feel very fortunate to be able to have lots of wonderful people to choose from. I'll have to share a little about them all.

We have an incredible staff members who take care of coordinating training for dogs and volunteers and staff members that take care of cleaning the kennels who always go above and beyond. For example, one is a pet groomer that has done amazing work cleaning up some dogs that have experienced EXTREME neglect (couldn't walk because their mats were so bad) and she does it with kindness and optimism for the dog's future. Each staff member has such strong relationships with the dogs, too.

Our volunteers are the bloodline of the shelter and always go above and beyond to help the dogs and one another. For example, many volunteers foster dogs that are declining in the shelter environment, they stay for 6+ hours a day to ensure every dog gets a thorough walk, they create fundraising events, and are social media experts at spotlighting our dogs. and so much more!

I'm very grateful for the CNYSPCA community who continue to show me there is good in this world. 

I'm inspired by my fellow volunteers in Seminole County TNVR, as well as those who volunteer for every other animal welfare organization. No one is forcing or paying them to help the animals in need-they do it out of kindness and because caring for animals makes the world a better place.  Volunteering with animals often feels like fighting an uphill battle, so it's encouraging that there are other people with big hearts just like you who aren't giving up. Thank you!!!

Happy Halloween, everyone! 🎃 As I read through all the posts (and there are so many) for the October Giveaway, I was inspired by every single entry. It's incredible to see how our diverse paths and unique experiences brought us here to share a common deep, unwavering love for animals who need our help.

I want to take a moment to honor and salute each of you for your dedication. Your compassion makes a real difference, and I'm grateful to be part of this amazing community that cares so deeply. Thank you for sharing your inspiring stories and for everything you do to make the world kinder for animals. 🧡

I agree! It is refreshing on the tough days when I read all of the new posts about who or what has inspired others! 

Thank you to everyone who has shared their inspiring stories in our very first Maddie's Fund x Cuddly October giveaway thread! Your heartfelt reflections on the people who motivate you truly bring our community closer together. It's amazing to see the ripple effect of compassion and dedication, and your stories remind us of the countless ways we uplift each other and the animals we care for.

We're excited to announce that our October winner is @Yaned Rodriguez (She/Her), Volunteer Coordinator at Wenatchee Valley Humane Society! Please be on the lookout for a message from us with information on how to redeem your $1,000 Cuddly prize pack.

Our November giveaway thread is now available for another chance to share, connect, and enter to win! To enter the November giveaway, head to the new discussion thread and tell us about a resource, course or discussion from Maddie's University or Maddie's Pet Forum that's impacted your work: https://maddies.fund/30YearsGiveawayNovember2024

Thank you for all that you do, and for helping us celebrate Maddie's Fund's 30th Anniversary together!

My inspiration comes from every single friend I've had, in childhood and now, who let me bond with their pets! I've never had pets of my own (allergies), but am so grateful to have known so many people who adopted dogs and cats from rescues. I've gotten attached to these pets, and have always been a bit jealous that I had to settle for a few Claritin-assisted hours at a time in lieu of adopting or fostering on my own! I'm so glad to have found an animal-focused nonprofit to volunteer with, to honor the profound love I've seen between my friends and their pets.