Shelly Moore, CEO of the Humane Society of Charlotte, shares insights from over 40 years in animal welfare — and how the industry has evolved from shelter-focused care to community-centered solutions.
What started as a simple visit to a shelter turned into a lifelong career dedicated to helping animals and the people who care for them.
Starting as an animal control officer, Sheryl quickly realized that traditional sheltering alone could never keep up with the need.
“You can never build a shelter big enough.”
That realization led to a new approach — focusing on accessible veterinary care, community programs, and keeping pets in their homes rather than bringing them into shelters.
Animal shelters are often seen as places where animals go when something goes wrong. But today’s most impactful organizations are redefining what shelters can be: community resources, support systems, and bridges between people and pets.
In this episode of the Top Dog Podcast, Jakie Hernández of the Nebraska Humane Society shares why the future of animal welfare depends on breaking down barriers, building trust, and meeting people where they are—sometimes literally in their own language.
For organizations, fosters, and Dooberteers, this conversation is a powerful reminder that saving lives starts with connection.
Before joining the Nebraska Humane Society, Jakie worked with communities all across the United States through Best Friends Animal Society’s National Embed Team.
That experience taught her one important lesson:
“Every community is so different.”
What works in one city may not work in another.
Some communities need:
And sometimes the biggest issue isn’t lack of support—it’s lack of communication.
“We weren’t reaching them literally in their own language.”
For organizations, this is a critical takeaway:
If people don’t feel included, they may never realize help exists.
Jakie’s journey into animal welfare started with a dog named Douglas.
At 18 years old, she technically looked like the “wrong” adopter on paper:
And the dog she wanted to adopt had significant medical needs.
Most shelters would have said no.
But someone gave her a chance.
“I don’t think I would be the person I am today if I had accepted that no.”
That one act of compassion sparked a 20-year career helping animals and communities across the country.
It’s also a reminder that:
Applications don’t always tell the full story.
One of the strongest themes in this episode is how animal welfare has evolved.
Years ago, many shelters focused mainly on intake and adoption. Today, more organizations are asking:
How can we help pets stay in homes instead?
That shift changes everything.
Instead of simply accepting a surrender, shelters can now offer:
“We want you to keep your animal. What can we do to help you?”
For Dooberteers and shelters alike, this is the future of animal welfare:
Prevention, retention, and partnership.
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation came when Jakie reflected on advice from a mentor:
“We’re doing good work, but how can we make impactful work?”
That question challenges organizations to think beyond daily operations.
Impactful work means:
For example:
Instead of simply accepting returned puppies, shelters can offer:
Sometimes one conversation can save a placement—and a life.
Nebraska Humane Society’s “Parks and Rec” program is a perfect example of innovation in action.
Instead of requiring full adoption commitments, community members can:
These programs:
And the impact goes beyond the animals.
One participant later shared that spending time with a shelter dog during a difficult mental health moment changed the course of their life.
“You never know what another individual might be going through.”
That’s the power of human-animal connection.
One of the biggest leadership lessons Jakie shared is simple—but transformative:
“Assume positive intent.”
People surrendering animals may be:
Meeting them with judgment closes doors.
Meeting them with compassion creates solutions.
For organizations, this mindset helps:
Jakie also discussed how shelters are increasingly recognizing the overlap between animal welfare and social services.
Nebraska Humane Society is even exploring having an on-site social worker to better support:
This reflects an important industry shift:
Helping animals often means helping people too.
Whether you foster, volunteer, transport, or advocate, you are helping build the bridge between shelters and communities.
You help by:
Sometimes the most impactful thing you can do is simply say:
“How can I help?”
Want to hear the full conversation with Jakie Hernández and learn more about trust-building, community engagement, and the future of animal welfare?
Watch on YouTube:
If you’re passionate about helping animals, join the Doobert community where volunteers, fosters, transporters, and animal organizations work together to save lives every day.
Visit Doobert.com to get involved, volunteer, foster, or transport animals in need.
And don’t forget to subscribe to the Top Dog Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
Her journey began with a personal adoption experience that changed everything — and showed her the power of giving people a chance.
“Had they not given me a chance… I don’t think I would be the person I am today.”
One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is the importance of meeting people where they are — removing barriers, breaking d
In animal welfare, adoption is often seen as the finish line. But for many organizations today, the real work starts much earlier—before a pet is surrendered, before an accidental litter happens, and before a shelter reaches capacity.
In this episode of the Top Dog Podcast, Randa Richter of SPCA Florida shares how prevention-focused programs, foster support, and community outreach are helping thousands of animals stay safe while reducing pressure on shelters.
For organizations, fosters, and Dooberteers, this episode is a powerful example of how modern animal welfare is evolving from reactive rescue to proactive community support.
Like many leaders in animal welfare, Randa didn’t originally plan to work in nonprofit rescue.
After years in the corporate world, she realized she wanted something more meaningful.
“I felt the need to make a difference and have an impact.”
That desire led her to volunteer at SPCA Florida—an experience that completely changed her career path.
Fifteen years later, she now oversees multiple programs including:
Her story is an important reminder:
Many people in animal welfare begin simply by volunteering.
One of the strongest themes in this episode is that shelters cannot solve overpopulation through adoptions alone.
To truly reduce intake, organizations must support the people and pets already in the community.
That’s why SPCA Florida operates programs like:
Their food support program provides around 50,000 pounds of pet food annually to families struggling financially.
This helps:
“We get enough animals through our doors. We don’t need yours.”
That perspective reflects a major shift happening across animal welfare today: keeping pets with families whenever possible.
Randa shared one of the shelter’s most impactful initiatives: Mom’s Last Litter.
The program helps pet owners who cannot afford spay/neuter by:
The response was overwhelming.
“We had around 80 to 100 kittens that day.”
Programs like this address the root problem instead of only reacting after overpopulation grows worse.
For organizations, this is a critical takeaway:
Accessible prevention programs save more lives long term than rescue alone.
SPCA Florida places approximately 2,000 animals per year into foster care, most of them kittens and puppies.
Fosters provide:
And as Randa explains, fostering is often simpler than people expect.
The shelter provides:
Fosters provide:
“The more foster parents we can have, the more foster animals we can save.”
For Dooberteers, fostering remains one of the most direct ways to increase lifesaving capacity.
One of the most refreshing parts of this conversation is Randa’s openness to experimentation.
Instead of rejecting new ideas with:
Her team asks:
“What can it hurt? Let’s give it a shot.”
That mindset led to creative programs like:
These programs:
For shelters and rescues, flexibility often creates breakthrough solutions.
Animal welfare is emotionally demanding work. Randa openly discussed the emotional highs and lows her team experiences daily.
The difficult moments are balanced by victories:
“It’s those wins we take to make us realize why we do what we do.”
For organizations, celebrating progress matters. Without those reminders, burnout can quickly take hold.
One of the most meaningful moments in the episode came when Randa described a transport mistake that unexpectedly brought them a mother dog needing urgent care.
Instead of viewing the situation as a burden, the team embraced it.
“She is the best mistake we’ve ever made.”
That story reflects one of the biggest leadership lessons in rescue:
Plans change. Challenges happen. Compassion stays constant.
Whether you foster, volunteer, transport, donate, or advocate, your role directly supports prevention and lifesaving efforts.
You help:
Animal welfare works best when communities work together.
Want to hear the full conversation with Randa Richter and learn more about prevention programs, fostering, and innovative shelter strategies?
Watch on YouTube:
If you’re passionate about helping animals, join the Doobert community where volunteers, fosters, transporters, and animal organizations work together to save lives every day.
Visit Doobert.com to get involved, volunteer, foster, or transport animals in need.
And don’t forget to subscribe to the Top Dog Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
With a background in corporate leadership, Sam built Furkids with a business mindset — focusing on sustainability, growth, and long-term impact for both animals and the community.
One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is the importance of treating animal welfare like a business while staying grounded in compassion and purpose.
In animal welfare, saving lives doesn’t always start inside a shelter—it often starts in the community.
In this episode of the Top Dog Podcast, Randa Richter of SPCA Florida shares how shifting focus from rescue alone to community support, prevention, and creative programs is helping more animals stay in homes—and out of shelters.
For organizations, fosters, and Dooberteers, this episode is packed with real-world strategies that prove one thing: when you support people, you save more animals.
Randa didn’t begin her career in animal welfare. Like many professionals, she started in the corporate world—but something was missing.
“I felt the need to make a difference… and corporate USA was not doing it.”
That realization led her to volunteer at SPCA Florida—a decision that would change her life and career path.
Fifteen years later, she now leads multiple programs impacting thousands of animals every year.
For Dooberteers, this is a powerful reminder:
You don’t need to start in animal welfare—you just need to start somewhere.
SPCA Florida operates in a large, rural county where access to resources can be limited. This creates unique challenges:
Instead of focusing only on intake and adoption, the organization built programs to address the root causes.
Their pet food assistance program helps feed thousands of animals every year—over 50,000 pounds of food annually.
Why does this matter?
Because one of the top reasons pets are surrendered is lack of resources.
By helping families feed their pets, shelters can:
“We get enough animals through our doors. We don’t need yours.”
That mindset is a game-changer.
One of the most impactful programs Randa shared is called “Mom’s Last Litter.”
It’s simple—but incredibly effective.
The result?
“We had 80 to 100 kittens in one day.”
Programs like this show how creative thinking + accessibility = real impact.
One of the most refreshing parts of this conversation is Randa’s openness to experimentation.
“What can it hurt? Let’s give it a shot.”
In animal welfare, it’s easy to fall into the trap of:
But progress often comes from trying again—with new timing, new messaging, or new execution.
For organizations, this is a critical mindset:
Innovation doesn’t require perfection—it requires willingness.
SPCA Florida supports around 2,000 animals per year through foster care—most of them kittens and puppies.
And like every organization, they need more help.
“The more foster parents we can have, the more animals we can save.”
Fostering:
For Dooberteers, this is your impact in action.
And as Randa points out—it’s often easier than people think.
The shelter provides:
All you provide is:
One of the biggest themes in this episode is that animal welfare and human welfare are deeply connected.
Many people who struggle with pet care:
By offering:
Organizations can solve problems before they become emergencies.
When asked about leadership, Randa shared a simple but powerful lesson:
“Never give up.”
Whether it’s:
Persistence is what drives change.
And sometimes, the unexpected moments—like an unplanned intake that turns into a success story—become the most meaningful wins.
Randa’s story reinforces a few key truths:
Every action—big or small—contributes to a larger system of care.
Want to hear Randa Richter’s full story and learn more about community programs, fostering, and prevention strategies?
Watch on YouTube:
If you’re passionate about helping animals, join the Doobert community where volunteers, fosters, transporters, and animal organizations work together to save lives every day.
Visit Doobert.com to get involved, volunteer, foster, or transport animals in need.
And don’t forget to subscribe to the Top Dog Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
In animal welfare, many people assume that those leading the charge have always been in the field. But Jackie Roach’s story proves something different—sometimes, your most meaningful work begins later in life.
In this episode of the Top Dog Podcast, Jackie Roach, CEO of the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society, shares how a simple volunteer experience led to a complete career transformation—and how that perspective now shapes her leadership, community programs, and vision for the future.
For organizations, fosters, and Dooberteers, this episode is a powerful reminder: it’s never too late to make a difference—and sometimes, fresh perspectives are exactly what the industry needs.
Jackie didn’t grow up in animal welfare. In fact, she spent over 30 years in the retail and corporate world—and even admitted she was once afraid of dogs.
Everything changed when she started volunteering at a shelter.
“I had no concept of animal shelters… I didn’t even know what was involved.”
That experience opened her eyes not just to the animals—but to the entire system behind them.
For organizations, this is a crucial insight:
Many people in your community want to help—but they simply don’t understand how.
That’s where education, outreach, and welcoming environments matter.
Like many in this field, Jackie’s turning point came from a single dog.
She adopted a dog who wasn’t expected to survive—and instead, that dog lived for years and changed the course of her life.
That experience led her to start a breed-specific rescue, saving over 2,500 dogs.
It’s a familiar story in animal welfare:
One connection becomes a mission.
For fosters, this hits home. Every foster experience has the potential to create lifelong advocates.
One of Jackie’s earliest observations in shelter work wasn’t about the animals—it was about the people.
She noticed that adopters, who were excited and hopeful, often had poor experiences at the shelter.
“This should be a life-changing moment… but it felt like going to the DMV.”
That realization shaped her approach to leadership.
Animal welfare isn’t just about saving animals—it’s about:
For organizations, this is huge:
Every interaction is an opportunity to grow your community.
When Jackie stepped into her CEO role, the organization faced serious challenges:
Her biggest realization?
“We can’t operate from a place of scarcity.”
Instead of focusing only on limitations, she shifted toward a “winning mindset”:
For shelters and rescues, this mindset shift can be transformational.
Animal welfare can be emotionally heavy. It’s easy to focus on what didn’t go right.
But Jackie emphasizes something simple and powerful:
“Good things happen here every day.”
By intentionally celebrating wins, organizations can:
For Dooberteers, this is a reminder to celebrate your impact too—every transport, every foster, every saved life matters.
Jackie’s work in Santa Fe highlights the importance of community-based solutions.
Some of their programs include:
She also emphasizes something critical:
We cannot adopt our way out of overpopulation.
That means focusing on:
For organizations, this is the shift happening across the industry.
One of the most exciting parts of the episode is Jackie’s creativity—especially her idea to expand programs for tourists.
Imagine this:
Visitors come to Santa Fe, check out a shelter dog, and explore the city together.
This kind of thinking:
For Dooberteers and orgs, this is your reminder:
Innovation doesn’t always require huge budgets—just new ways of thinking.
When asked about leadership, Jackie shared a simple but powerful lesson:
“Listen first… and then listen again.”
Great leadership in animal welfare isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about:
Jackie’s journey shows that:
Whether you’re just starting or already deeply involved, your role is part of something bigger.
Want to hear Jackie Roach’s full story and learn more about leadership, community programs, and building a stronger future for animal welfare?
Watch on YouTube:
If you’re passionate about helping animals, join the Doobert community where volunteers, fosters, transporters, and animal organizations work together to save lives every day.
Visit Doobert.com to get involved, volunteer, foster, or transport animals in need.
And don’t forget to subscribe to the Top Dog Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
After starting as a volunteer, Randa made a life-changing decision to leave her corporate career and fully commit to helping animals.
“I felt the need to make a difference.”
Today, she leads multiple programs focused on prevention, outreach, and community support, helping thousands of animals each year while addressing the root causes of overpopulatio
In Animal welfare is often seen through one lens: rescuing homeless pets and finding them new homes. But today’s most effective organizations know that saving lives starts much earlier—before surrender, before crisis, and before families are forced to say goodbye.
In this episode of the Top Dog Podcast, Mike Keiley of the MSPCA shares how shelters can create deeper impact through compassion, collaboration, and community support systems. His message is clear: success in animal welfare is not about one organization winning—it’s about everyone succeeding together.
For organizations, fosters, and Dooberteers, this episode offers practical lessons on modern shelter leadership and how to keep more pets where they belong: with the people who love them.
The MSPCA supports animals through multiple shelter locations, community clinics, outreach programs, law enforcement, advocacy, relocation, and urgent medical assistance.
That broad approach reflects how animal welfare has evolved.
Today’s shelters are not just adoption centers. They are also:
This matters because many pets entering shelters are not unwanted—they are caught in larger human challenges.
One of the most powerful ideas Mike shared is that owner surrender should be treated as a compassionate service, not a moral failure.
Families may surrender pets because of:
“Surrender is a service that we provide.”
That mindset changes everything.
Instead of judgment, organizations can offer:
For Dooberteers and shelter teams, this is a reminder that empathy helps both animals and people.
One of the largest threats to pet retention today is housing.
Many families are forced to choose between keeping their pet and securing a place to live. That is why pet-inclusive housing is becoming one of the most important issues in animal welfare.
When communities expand pet-friendly housing:
For organizations, advocacy can be just as lifesaving as adoptions.
The MSPCA also created pathways for urgent veterinary treatment when families cannot afford emergency care.
Without support, people may face devastating choices such as:
By offering affordable surgeries and medical intervention, shelters can preserve families and prevent unnecessary loss.
This is one of the strongest examples of proactive animal welfare: solving the problem before the pet enters the shelter system.
Mike emphasized something many leaders need to hear:
Success is not about one organization having success—it’s about all of us having success.
Animal welfare works best when groups collaborate through:
For rescues and shelters, competition for credit helps no one. Cooperation saves more lives.
Animal welfare professionals and volunteers carry emotional burdens every day.
They may witness:
That’s why internal support matters. Mike shared that their organization invested in a full-time internal social worker focused on staff wellbeing.
For organizations, this is a critical lesson: caring for staff is caring for animals.
Healthy teams create sustainable lifesaving work.
When asked what he would tell his younger self, Mike shared a thoughtful lesson:
Listen more and talk less.
Strong leaders are not just decisive—they are teachable. They create space for feedback, new ideas, and better solutions.
For anyone leading volunteers, fosters, or programs, listening often reveals the next breakthrough.
If you foster, transport, volunteer, donate, or advocate, you are part of the larger solution.
You help by:
Animal welfare is not only about rescue. It is about keeping bonds intact whenever possible.
Want to hear the full conversation with Mike Keiley and learn how the MSPCA is redefining modern animal welfare?
Watch on YouTube:
If you’re passionate about helping animals, join the Doobert community where volunteers, fosters, transporters, and animal organizations work together to save lives every day.
Visit Doobert.com to get involved, volunteer, foster, or transport animals in need.
And don’t forget to subscribe to the Top Dog Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
