Spurred by a bothersome text exchange between Jenny’s rescue friend and a local person who wanted to rehome four puppies, in this week’s episode, Katya and Jenny find themselves discussing what it takes emotionally to be in the field of animal welfare. The toll, the toil, and the tribulations. They share their feelings about how to deal with privileged people and the ways in which humans justify their ideas about animals, the struggle to resist the urge to numb out in this line of work, as...

Bully breeds - we love them, we’ve taken the time to educate ourselves about them, and we can talk about them until we’re blue in the face. But not everyone is as open-minded when it comes to these particular kinds of dogs. Because of two upsetting meet and greets Jenny had to deal with recently, this week Katya and Jenny find themselves discussing how peoples’ negative biases can affect Pitbulls, even when they’re precious little wee pups. The duo shares about their own positive experiences...

Whether you’re in the rescue world as a non-profit business or a for-profit business wanting to help non-profits, there are two common driving forces: passion and community. To dive into these topics more, Katya and Jenny are joined by Jonathan Weiner of The Mutt Dog, a clothing and apparel brand that helps raise funds for shelters. With Jonathan’s perspective from a for-profit business and Jenny’s perspective from a non-profit, the three of them discuss the possibility of blending passion...

The ability to see all dogs as perfect just the way they are -- this the blessing and the curse of an animal rescuer. To them, no dog is unsavable despite their challenges, but even though the rescuer may not find things problematic, others often do. And rescuers need adopters to keep on going. This creates a delicate balance within the animal welfare community. Honesty is essential in order to build trust, in order to find each animal their right match. But that doesn't mean it's an easy or...

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let go of all that pressure you’re putting on yourself to create a perfect environment as a foster, as a rescuer, as a human with an animal you love! Okay, whew, we all needed that! Especially for this week’s episode where Katya and Jenny get vulnerable about the strenuous emotions surrounding animal welfare and animal activism. From Katya acknowledging how weighed down she can get by negative thoughts (and normalizing that no one is above being...

Opting to take a holistic approach to care for your dog or any animal versus utilizing conventional medicine might seem too ”woo-woo” for some people. But not for Katya, Jenny, and this week’s guest, Dr. Heather O’Leary, a holistic veterinarian with her own practice, TessaLoo Veterinarian Services, in Olivebridge, NY. Dr. Heather joins Katya and Jenny to share stories about how she came to be a holistic veterinarian and the animal who led her down this path. She also shares what practicing...

When it comes to marketing animals for rescue, what works without making people feel guilty or obligated? How do you ensure your campaign is cute or funny, direct, and never boring? Jamie Ruden, the founder of Be Spotted and Dog Spotted, joins Katya and Jenny in this episode to share her expertise on the best ways to market rescue dogs. Jenny and Katya seek advice on how to market pets that may be considered challenging, troublesome, or highly dependent. Jamie provides tips on which marketing...

Here’s a hard truth: whether we do it intentionally or not, we tend to think of rescue dogs as “broken." It may not be a conscious thought. It might not be deliberate. But our behaviors often show that this belief is there inside of us. This week we're bringing back Brittnie Battle of Charlie’s Angels Saving Animals (CASA), a 501c3 non-profit rescue transport organization in Tennessee, to share insight on how we can look inward and shift our mindset about rescue dogs. Jenny and Katya catch up...

If you’ve ever considered fostering a dog, this episode with Katya and Jenny might be the one that convinces you to do it. Jenny gets real about the sucky part of fostering and how she recently dealt with the pain of letting a foster go. But then they dive into why you should try fostering, shedding light on how fostering a dog doesn’t just help animals; it’s something that is actually a beautiful gift that adds love, purpose, and connection to your life, even if it doesn’t turn out to be a...

Can the spirits of our beloved animals overlap? How connected are we to our beloved pets? Have you ever looked into an animal's eyes and thought… “I know you”? In this episode of The Animal That Changed You, author, comedian, singer, and lifetime dog lover Alisha Gaddis joins the show to talk about manifesting dreams, spirit animals, and the animal who changed her, a childhood dog, a true love in her life, Duke. She tells Jenny and Katya how Duke passed while she was in college, and how she...

Okay, let’s take some deep breaths. Warning: today’s episode will likely bring about strong feelings, but you know Katya and Jenny. They don’t shy away from discussing the ins and outs of a topic pertaining to animals just because it’s challenging! So, they’re talking about breeding. They’re talking about dogs bred for profit or on accident, about spay or neuter, about health issues and how some dogs can’t even give birth naturally anymore. In this episode of The Animal That Changed You, the...

In this episode of The Animal That Changed You, we are joined by Sam Woyak, caregiver extraordinaire at Best Friend’s Animal Society's sanctuary! With the wealth of knowledge Sam has gained, day in and day out, through taking care of rescue and shelter dogs, she shares her experiences of working in the animal welfare field. And she's unafraid to talk about her very first job in the industry, the one before Best Friends, the one that broke her. It's a pleasure to hear Sam's personal stories...

Are addicts attracted to animal rescue? When does being of service become codependency? In this episode of The Animal That Changed You, Jenny and Katya get very real. Like, very very real. They take an honest deep dive into their relationship between animal loving, food addiction, and eating disorders. They shed light on the tornado of shame, guilt, and self-hatred that comes with disordered eating, and how that can be affected by the added stress of being a passionate animal advocate. J...

The one and only Sue Sternberg is on the show today so y'all might want to take a seat, grab a cocktail or a hot tea, and sink in. Get ready for a very honest talk from a renowned behaviorist with 30+ years of experience working with dogs and a keen ability to look at all sides of complicated situations. Sue is able to hold space for what is difficult or heartbreaking or even downright dangerous, and she doesn't shy away from the truth. As you know, Katya and Jenny are major shelter dog...

Katya and Jenny break down the 3-3-3 rule for y'all today. That's right, it's a day of 3's. From explaining what the 3-3-3 rule actually is to unpacking why patience, time, and understanding are necessary when a rescue dog adjusts into your home, these animal-loving ladies highlight how to set you and your adopted dog up for a lifetime of success.  Together, Jenny and Katya share stories about their own foster and rescue dogs and how they've relied upon the 3-3-3 rule time and time again....

Kathy Stevens is in the house today! A farm girl, writer, teacher, and the founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, a 150-acre refuge for farm animals rescued from cruelty, neglect, and abandonment, Kathy joins us to share the behind-the-scenes look at  20+ years of running a sanctuary. She shares stories of incredible rescues, from her most recent rescue, taking in 40 sheep at once, to what made Kathy decide to start an animal sanctuary specifically for farm animals in the first place. This...

Today on The Animal That Changed You, we’re joined by Margo Donohue! Margo is the brain and heart behind the blog, Brooklyn Fit Chick. She's a lover of pop culture, podcasting, writing, health, and fitness as well as the author of the new “Filmed in Brooklyn,” Margo’s first book project for History Press. Margo shares with us intimate stories about her two cats, Sarah and T, recounting how she became the lucky mom to Brooklyn’s cutest kitties. Sure, the patience she had to cultivate as she...

Calling all the believers, the brave ones, the spirit seekers! Guys, today we have a truly incredible episode. We’re joined by the one and only astrologer and poet, Heidi Rose Robbins, to dive into the world of animals and astrology. Being that this is one of the most popular ways we can discover ourselves, we thought: why not explore how astrology can help us better understand animals and our relationships with them? Enter our guest, Heidi, a professional astrologer for over 25 years. After...

Today we’re pulling back the curtain. Stay with us, come closer, lean in and join us in this raw, honest, and vulnerable discussion. We pride ourselves in our authenticity and ability to bare it all on The Animal That Changed You, but this is admittedly a difficult episode because we’re facing the situation in real time. Because it’s controversial. Because it deals with matters of the heart weighed against matters of the head. Jenny shares with Katya the very hard decision she is tasked with...

We've got a TikTok superstar in the house today, friendos and friendas! Richard Jones is a police officer who works alongside two Pitbulls - his rescue Pitties, Ace and Jack. He has saved them, he has trained them to serve and protect, and he now shares videos of them to prove it. Not only are the videos of his dogs adorable and hilarious as well as offering behind-the-scenes insight into what it's like to be a copy, but his videos also show their off-duty lives. A dude and his dogs. Because...

Pet adoption is a truly rewarding experience. You're giving a loving home to an animal in need and adding a new family member into your life. But adopting a pet is also a big responsibility and it can come with changes and it might even come with challenges. In this week's episode, Katya and Jenny explore the  resources available to help you through the pet adoption process. One way to make it a smoother journey is to seek out support from a dog trainer or rescue friend, or even from a life...

Saharai Salazar is as close to a superhero for animals as it gets. With over 18 years of experience working with canines, Saharai has become a dog rehabilitator, a death row dog advocate, and the go-to person to turn homeless dogs into superstars. In today’s episode, Saharai shares her story, both professionally and personally, that led her to becoming a shelter dog rehabilitator who works with extreme cases of fear, anxiety, and stress. She tells us about some of the incredible ways the Napa...

We have an incredibly special guest on today’s episode of The Animal That Changed You. The one and only Moby joins Jenny and Katya in a most insightful conversation about Moby’s activism, beliefs, and the animals who have changed him. Moby is a wildly successful musician, producer, singer, and songwriter. He is also one of the most recognizable animal advocates and vegans out there. Hearing him get personal as he shares his stories of childhood is touching. Hearing his perspective on animal...

Does your community need better legislation for animal shelters and rescues? Join us as we welcome Brittnie Battle of Charlie’s Angels Saving Animals (CASA), a 501c3 non-profit rescue transport organization out of Tennessee. CASA brings animals from overcrowded / underfunded local shelters to rescues up in the northeast that don’t have the overpopulation problem that the South has.  In today’s episode, Brittnie talks about the challenges she faces while she's working to push a bill that will...