Hanna Lentz shares how SPARC is helping animal welfare organizations rethink the stories they tell, replacing blame with understanding and creating messaging that strengthens the human-animal bond while driving lasting systemic change.
John Gerrard shares how a career in business and retail prepared him to challenge the status quo in animal welfare, introducing innovative ideas like Shopify-powered adoptions while encouraging shelters to embrace technology, bold thinking, and meaningful change.
Jane Tomsich shares how modern animal welfare is shifting from simply sheltering animals to empowering communities, preserving the human-animal bond, and creating innovative programs that keep pets where they belong.
Megan Winters shares how Harbor Humane Society transformed its approach to animal welfare by focusing on community support, reducing barriers to pet ownership, and helping people keep the pets they love.
Kerri Burns shares how a career spanning disaster response, animal welfare leadership, and community service taught her that the future of animal welfare depends on collaboration, compassion, and putting people first.
After first entering animal welfare in the late 1990s, Kristen left the field due to the trauma of working in shelters with extremely high euthanasia rates. Years later, she returned with a new mission: changing the system from within.
In this episode of the Top Dog Podcast, Rachel Ide, Animal Services Director at Young-Williams Animal Center, shares how community-focused programs and compassionate leadership are transforming animal welfare in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Marnie Russ, founder of the National Kitten Coalition and Kitten College, shares how she turned a passion for kittens into a nationwide movement focused on saving the most vulnerable animals in shelters.
After leaving a successful career in lobbying, Marnie dedicated her work to neonatal kittens — the most euthanized, yet most adoptable animals in shelters.
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
