After studying shelter medicine at the University of Florida, Erika returned to Japan and founded the Japan Animal Shelter Alliance — translating critical resources and building a network to support shelters and volunteers.
Her journey started with a shift in perspective after seeing how animal shelters operate differently around the world.
With a small team, aging facilities, and growing demand, Casey is leading efforts to build a new shelter that will expand their impact and better support animals in need.
Her path was driven by one clear realization:
“I didn’t want to waste any more time not being true to myself.”
With more than 30 years of experience, Esther has been at the forefront of the spay and neuter movement, helping reduce euthanasia rates from 12 million animals per year to around 3 million — an 80% decrease.
Stacy has spent more than 30 years working in community cat programs and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and one of her biggest lessons is that animal welfare is not just the responsibility of shelters. Communities, volunteers, and local organizations all play a role in reducing overpopulation and improving animal welfare.
