After 20 years in animal welfare, Midcoast Humane Executive Director Jess Townsend has learned that sustainable change takes patience, perspective, and a willingness to address the human challenges behind the animals entering shelters.
The PEDIGREE Foundation and its partners are putting $240,000 toward expanding foster care nationwide. Deb Fair shares how Foster 50 grew from an idea into a movement and why collaboration can help more dogs find homes.
After nearly 30 years in animal welfare, Brittany Tennant has learned that setbacks are rarely the end of the road. From founding Black Dog Animal Rescue to leading Wyoming’s largest shelter, she shares why resilience, adaptability, and people-first leadership matter.
Christine Kim shares how a single encounter with a person experiencing homelessness and their pet inspired My Dog Is My Home, a national organization working to make shelters and housing more inclusive for people and animals.
Plant molecular biologist by day and cat rescuer by nights and weekends, Natascha Scott shares the creative techniques, persistence, and problem-solving that have helped her rescue hundreds of cats over two decades.
Daniel Roselle shares how the Humane Society of Ventura County is evolving beyond traditional sheltering through accessible veterinary care, innovative programs, and a broader vision for what an animal welfare organization can provide to its community.
Brittany Vanderstine shares how working with tigers, lions, monkeys, and other exotic animals revealed a major gap in animal rescue, inspiring her to create Wild Exotics Animal Refuge and help animals affected by the exotic pet trade.
Melanie Hallas Kirsch shares what she has learned from a decade of rescuing and fostering Dobermans, including why flexibility, support, and the right foster match can make all the difference for dogs adjusting to a new life.
Aldwin Roman shares how a career that began as a kennel technician evolved into animal welfare leadership, and why the biggest changes happen when shelters move beyond rescue to prevention, access to care, and long-term community impact.
Carrie Ridgway shares how the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center evolved from a traditional shelter into a community resource center, and why compassionate leadership means staying open-minded, giving people grace, and finding ways to say yes.
