adoptions Archives - The Community Cats Podcast

June 20, 2016

Interview! Sandy Monterose, Executive Director, Jackson Galaxy Foundation

“When we work together, we exemplify a humane world.” Sandy reflects on her long career in animal welfare, why working with people might be more effective than hands-on work with animals, and the Jackson Galaxy Foundation’s current initiative to improve conditions and adoptability for shelter cats. To find out more […]

June 24, 2016

Interview! Kit Lilly, Founder and Board President, Charles River Alley Cats, Boston MA

“I realized there was a whole world of feral cats out there” Kit, the founder of the largest TNR group in the greater Boston area, provides insights on how to develop an effective TNR program. Because 50% of the cats found by Charles River Alley Cats are “friendlies,” the group […]

June 25, 2016

Interview! Marnie Russ, Founder and Board Member, National Kitten Coalition

“Once you save one, you’re hooked for life.” Marnie tells Stacy about her commitment to increasing the survival rates for neonatal kittens through education, information sharing, cooperation and hands on learning. Her organization, the National Kitten Coalition, specializes in helping shelters, rescue organizations, the veterinary community and individuals, better understand […]

June 28, 2016

Interview! Mike Keiley, Director, Noble Family Animal Care and Adoption Center, MSPCA at Nevins Farm, Methuen, MA

“We were literally swimming in cats.” In this episode, Mike describes the profound improvements and progress for cats he has seen in his 20+ year career at the MSPCA. By implementing programs to reduce the stress of cats in the shelter, aggressively targeting communities with low cost spay/neuter services, and […]

June 29, 2016

Interview! Dr. Diana Newman, Former Director of the Barry County (Michigan) Animal Shelter.

“People are mad…they want kittens and now there are no kittens!” Dr. Newman describes how the Barry County Animal Shelter implemented a TNR program — with the help of the MRFRS Mentoring Program and PetSmart Charities — that has resulted in a drastic reduction in unwanted litters among unowned cats. […]

June 30, 2016

Interview! Betsy McFarland, Former Vice President, The Humane Society of the United States

“The answer comes from all of us.” Formerly a “true blue dog person,” Betsy tells about the kitten on a woodpile outside her house that fueled her interest in assisting community cats. She also addresses the challenges found on the human side of the equation in animal welfare and rescues: […]

July 1, 2016

Interview! Laura Burns, President of Habitat for Cats, Rochester NY

“I had never seen one cat outside, let alone one hundred!” Stacy talks with veteran trapper Laura Burns about her experiences, advice and resources for those seeking to make a difference for cats. Laura discusses the use of box traps versus drop traps, her approach to feral kittens and relocating […]

July 2, 2016

Interview! Bryan Kortis, Director of National Programs for Neighborhood Cats, New York NY

“We know TNR works, now it’s just a matter of executing.” Nationally recognized expert Bryan Kortis talks with Stacy about all things TNR: his beginnings trapping a colony of cats on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the founding of Neighborhood Cats.org to help teach TNR to others in New York and […]

July 5, 2016

Interview! Christie Rogero, Manager, Jackson Galaxy Foundation

“Nobody goes into this knowing everything you need to know.” Christie and Stacy have a wide-ranging discussion about low cost spay/neuter, developing a successful TNR effort by building community coalitions, and Christie’s experience with the Pets for Life program, which she states changed her mind completely about the pets of […]

July 7, 2016

Interview! Katie Lisnik, Director of Cat Policy and Protection, Humane Society of the United States

“We simply can’t say, “I’m an animal person…I don’t want to deal with people.” In this episode, Katie chronicles her wide-ranging activities as a proponent for improving outcomes for cats and communities. She details her work helping improve public policies relating to cats, advocating for coalitions to join together in a […]

July 8, 2016

Interview! Karen Little, Founder, Alley Cat Advocates, Louisville KY

“Long term vision and careful planning leads to success.” In this episode, Karen describes how she went about determining what type of efforts and program might best solve the community cat problem in Louisville. She’s a big believer in planning and patience; when founding Alley Cat Advocates, she spent a […]

July 9, 2016

Interview! Rachel Geller, Vice President, Ellen M. Gifford Shelter for Homeless Cats, Brighton MA

“If we can keep a cat that has a solvable, fixable behavior problem in its home, it’s better for the cat and for the owner.” Volunteering at the Gifford Shelter, and helping socialize fearful, shy and semi-feral cats launched Rachel into her role today as a certified cat behaviorist. She describes […]

July 12, 2016

Interview! Julie White, Former Senior Director of Grants, Programs and Field Initiatives at PetSmart Charities

“You can save more lives by fixing one cat than you can with one adoption.” Julie applied her for-profit experience and strategic mindset to the issues facing Community Cats in her years at PetSmart Charities and Executive Director of the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Program in Washington State. She points out […]

July 13, 2016

Interview! Jessica Lifford, Former Executive Director, Indy Humane Animal Welfare Center

“Cats are resourceful and a lot smarter than we give them credit for.” Jessica has had broad exposure to many different functions necessary to helping community cats: TNR, high volume spay/neuter clinics, and even managing a pet food pantry. When she joined Indy Humane, there were nearly 800 cats on the waiting […]

July 14, 2016

Ask Stacy! Questions and Answers for Inquiring Cats

“We all have stories…and it’s those stories that can empower us to believe that we can do more for cats.” In this episode, Stacy’s in the interview chair and speaks about her motivation for launching the Community Cats Podcast, the wide array of volunteers, services and skills necessary to support […]

July 15, 2016

Interview! Nancy McCall, Chief Development Officer, Brandywine Valley SPCA

“The first thing you want to do is find out who’s going to be a good partner.” Nancy, who has been involved in the start-up of community cat TNR programs in Florida and now in Delaware, identifies several of the critical factors for building a successful effort: educating and developing working partnerships […]

July 16, 2016

Interview! Rachael Max, Founder of Here Today, Adopted Tomorrow Sanctuary, Brimfield MA

“Don’t be afraid to ask complete strangers for help.” Rachael started her career as an academic scientist and brings disciplined thinking to her cageless cat shelter and TNR efforts. She and her mother founded Here Today, Adopted Tomorrow after attending a Best Friends workshop. She describes how the cats in her care […]

July 19, 2016

Interview! Kit Jenkins, Former Grant and Adoptions Programs Manager for PetSmart Charities

“You don’t have to change the world in 20 minutes.” Kit reflects on the “bad old days” 30 years ago when “cats were third class citizens, who came in and went out the back door” and there was no formal way for rescues or shelters to share information and build community regarding […]

July 20, 2016

Interview! Scott Giacoppo, Chief Community Animal Welfare Officer Washington (DC) Humane Society

“Community cats are not homeless..they are loved and cared for.” When Scott accepted the challenge of joining the Washington Humane Society, their live release rate was 28%…today it is 90%. Scott outlines the various programs that have moved the dial, including improved coordination and cooperation with animal control, their Pets for […]

July 21, 2016

Interview! Ashley Davis, Director, Scituate (MA) Animal Shelter

“People may be the problem but they’re also the solution.” After TNR’ing 43 cats and fostering multiple litters of kittens, Ashley became “addicted” to trapping and decided that a career in animal welfare was inevitable for her. She speaks about her communications efforts to educate individual neighborhoods about the importance […]

July 22, 2016

Interview! Shelby Parsons, Communications Manager at Mississippi Spay and Neuter

“Even though we’re behind, we don’t want to be.” Shelby describes the challenges of helping community cats in the rural South, where 40% of residents have no access to the internet. So, she reaches out to local social services organizations to get information to individuals who don’t even know what spay/neuter […]

July 23, 2016

Shauna McVey, Program Coordinator for State of Delaware Office of Animal Welfare and Spay/Neuter Program Manager

July 23, 2016

Interview! Shauna McVey, Program Coordinator for State of Delaware Office of Animal Welfare

“We’re all about working through compassion.” The State of Delaware has legislation in effect establishing a spay/neuter program for non-profits and low-income individuals, which is funded by a $3 surcharge on rabies vaccines. Shauna talks about how those funds are put to work through with participating veterinarians and local shelters. […]

July 26, 2016

Interview! Marlan Roberts, “Families Better Together” Manager for Spay and Neuter Kansas City (Missouri)

“I knew I could be the voice for the animals and wanted to help.” Marlan leads a “boots on the ground” initiative to go into Kansas City’s underserved communities to provide education, wellness and other resources to keep families and pets together. These efforts include a pet food pantry that distributes more […]

July 27, 2016

Interview! Bonney Brown, President, Founder, and Principal Consultant at Humane Network

“The connection of one to one is really magical.” After reminiscing about their early work together, Bonney and Stacy discuss fundraising strategies and the importance of focusing your message on successes and future opportunities. It can be overwhelming to think about thousands of animals in need, but inspiring to tell […]

July 28, 2016

Interview! JaneA Kelley, Blogger at Paws-and-Effect.com, Secretary and Social Media Manager at Diabetic Cats in Need

“Diabetes is not a death sentence for cats.” Have a diabetic cat, or know someone who does? JaneA describes her experience with her own cat plus the work she does as a member of the “virtual” team that runs Diabetic Cats in Need. (DCIN). DCIN assists cat owners with education and […]

July 29, 2016

Interview! Kara Holmquist, Director of Advocacy, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

“It’s hard and it’s messy and it’s not pretty, but when it works we can really change policies that impact so many animals.” A veteran advocate for animals, Kara talks about her involvement in several game-changing initiatives — a license plate program and tax check-off — that created funding sources […]

July 30, 2016

Interview! Julia Pesek, Community Outreach Coordinator for the MSPCA at Nevins Farm (MA), and Vice President of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC)

“I think I was born a cat lady.” Julia says that earning her Masters in Animals and Public Policy at Tufts gave her a perfect “launching pad” for what she wanted to do with her life. It also led her to take an active role at the Massachusetts Animal Coalition, which […]

August 2, 2016

Interview! Susana Della Maddalena, CEO and President, Central OK Humane (Oklahoma)

“We’re in the business of saving lives.” With her ten years of at the helm of PetSmart Charities, and her current role leading Central OK Humane, Susana is in a perfect position to share her perspective both as a a funder of animal initiatives, and a recipient of grant dollars. Thanks to previous […]

August 3, 2016

Interview! Karen Green, Executive Director of the Cat Adoption Team (CAT), Portland, OR

“Relationships and people make all of the work we do in animal welfare possible.” CAT is the largest feline-only shelter in the Pacific Northwest, and Karen outlines their focus on taking in cats from other shelters and rescue groups for necessary medical care and rehoming. One secret to their success is […]

August 4, 2016

Interview! Alice Burton, Program Manager, Animal Control and Shelter Liaison

“When an animal control agency/animal shelter is working with a TNR group, it’s a great relationship.” Former animal control officer Alice Burton has transformed her beliefs about trap-neuter-release. Alice tells Stacy about synergistic relationships between animal control departments and TNR organizations, resources for communities that hope to introduce TNR, and […]

August 5, 2016

Interview! Michael Morefield, Communications and Marketing Manager for the Arizona Animal Welfare League and SPCA

“We all have our own donor sources, yes, we have our own projects and so on, but we are in this together.” Michael tells Stacy about all things animal welfare in Arizona, from a ten-month kitten season to roaming packs of chihuahuas. In addition, he emphasizes the importance of working […]

August 6, 2016

Interview! Dr. David Haworth, DVM, PetSmart Charities President

“I am extremely optimistic about the future.” Dr. David Haworth, DVM, PhD has impact on his mind. He discusses how he works to help PetSmart Charities save 1,400 lives a day, through grantmaking, adoption centers, supporting spay/neuter and other initiatives. To find out more visit PetSmart Charities online. Listen to Episode […]

August 9, 2016

Interview! Ellen Carozza, LVT, Nova Cat Clinic, Arlington, VA

“The canine has always been given more precedence in medical care.” Ellen Carozza is a veterinary technician with a passion for rescuing and raising neonatal kittens. She lovingly brings the kittens she raises everywhere with her, and implements innovative ways to care for them, including electrolytes, probiotics and plasma. With […]

August 10, 2016

Interview! Marvin Mackie, DVM, Co-Creator of the Quick Spay Technique

“In the human side of things, you can never get to zero in something that you think is absolutely ideal.” Dr. Marvin Mackie began his lifelong work with animals from an early age. Raised on a farm around cows and horses, he entered veterinary school with the intent of becoming a large animal […]

August 11, 2016

Interview! Bryn Rogers – Program Manager at the MSPCA, MA

“I’m better at being a copycat than an original… With all the webinars and podcasts like these, you can learn so much from each other.” Always a lover of animals, a young Bryn Rogers thought she would take the obvious career path of veterinarian—until she shadowed at a vet office and found […]

August 12, 2016

Interview! Amber Sitko, Founder, All About Animals Rescue, MI

“We don’t ever want anyone to come to the clinic and say we don’t have enough traps for you.” A computer consultant with Microsoft by day, Amber channeled both her passion for cats and her business-sense into launching Michigan’s All About Animals Rescue in 2005. Since then, she has raised […]

August 13, 2016

Interview! Zeke Zekoff, DVM Founder, United Pet Fund, OH

“We need an organization that can educate the public, but, at the same time, also provide resources for the smaller ‘mom and pop’ groups.” With 33 years of experience as a veterinarian in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Zeke founded United Pet Fund in 2010 and United Pet Resource Center in 2015. […]

August 14, 2016

Interview! Dr. Emily McCobb, DVM, MS, DACVAA, Director, Shelter Medicine Program Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Tufts University

“I would like every veterinarian to be supportive of TNR and to understand the huge difference that it’s made.” In this episode, Stacy interviews Dr. Emily McCobb, director of the Tufts Shelter Medicine Program and clinical associate professor of anesthesiology at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Having volunteered at TNR clinics as a […]

August 14, 2016

Caitlyn Macintosh, Cat Team 7 Volunteer Coordinator and HSUS District Leader Volunteer

“I think it’s very hard for people to envision the solution, especially if they don’t have an investment in their heart in cats.” Initially a dog person and very allergic to cats, Caitlyn Macintosh made an unlikely candidate for founder of an organization dedicated to helping community cats. Her US Marine husband’s passion […]

August 16, 2016

Interview! Christine Wilford, DVM, Founder, The Feral Cat Spay Neuter Project, WA

“Equate the cost of helping an individual cat with how many spays and neuters you aren’t doing.” In her 8th grade research paper, Dr. Christine reported that up to twenty-two million cats were killed annually in shelters at the time. Almost thirty years after pursuing her DVM, those numbers have […]

August 17, 2016

Interview! Esther Mechler, Founder of Spay USA

“I felt if this cat shouldn’t have been born and if there weren’t such a surplus, they’d all have a better shot at a good life.” After her first experience losing a beloved stray to overpopulation in a Bridgeport, CT shelter, Esther’s passion for improving the quality of life for […]

August 19, 2016

Interview! Kate Hurley, DVM, Director Koret Shelter Medicine Program at UC Davis

“I thought to myself, there has to be a better way…and that was what drove me, right after vet school, to go to work in a shelter.” From working as an animal control officer in 1989 to becoming the first person ever to complete a veterinarian residency in shelter medicine […]

August 20, 2016

Interview! Jon Cicirelli, Assistant Director Public Works, Director Animal Care and Services, San Jose, CA

“The program changed our view, philosophy, and focus and what we were saving on the cat side was helping us do better on the dog side as well.” John’s background in wildlife management and a biology degree from George Washington University led him to become an animal control officer in […]

August 23, 2016

Interview! Susan Krebsbach, DVM, Founder, Dane County Friends of Ferals and Founder of Creature Counseling

“We have a better option for this subset of underrepresented cats.” In the field of animal welfare, “Dr. Susan” possesses a prolific resume. She opened her own veterinary-behavioral consulting service in 2000, has maintained a position as veterinary advisor for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association since its beginning in 2008, runs a […]

August 25, 2016

Interview! Liz Pease, Executive Director of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society

“My hope is that there comes to be more acceptance of the idea of a community cat.” Liz began her work with cats in 2004, when she was feeding a local cat colony and reached out to the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society for help. Soon after, she became the MRFRS’ main […]

August 26, 2016

Ask Stacy! Questions and Answers for Inquiring Cats

“When you’re looking to recruit, recruit everywhere and all of the time.” It’s time for another Q&A session with Stacy! In this episode, Stacy takes questions posted to the CCP Facebook page. Listeners asked for advice on how to keep the peace between an area’s cat colonies and its disgruntled residents, […]

August 30, 2016

Interview! Angela Walters Rockwell, Executive Director of the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), Santa Barbara, California

“For community cats, it takes a community. There’s always something you can do.” Angela shares fascinating information about ASAP’s innovative programs, particularly their recognized “Tiny Lion Tamers” initiative that socializes feral kittens within the shelter environment. So far, this program has 125 “graduates” and has made a significant difference in […]

August 31, 2016

Interview! Danielle Jo Bays, Community Cats Program Manager for the Humane Society of the United States

“Many cats are outside through no fault of their own.” Danielle calls on both her hands-on trapping experience and public policy work to help HSUS develop campaigns and programs that will educate and empower people who want to support cats in their community, such as webinars and tools for trappers […]

September 1, 2016

Interview! Sara Pizano, DVM, Program Director for Target Zero

“Look at the data. Look at what’s happening. We need to sterilize, ear tip, and rabies vaccinate and put these cats back home.” A graduate of Cornell’s College of Veterinary program, Sara is the Program Director for Target Zero, a national initiative focused on assisting financially struggling shelters. She discusses […]

September 2, 2016

Interview! Kaleel Sakakeeny, Founder, The Other Me Coaching

“There was always a deep love for animals, a deep respect for who they were, the beauty that they brought into the world…” After experiencing the passing of a companion cat, Kaleel’s initial interest in animal communication led him to a deeper study of this intuitive practice. In his discussion […]

September 6, 2016

Interview! Pamela Krausz, Founder and Executive Director of Vermont Companion Animal Neutering

“One thing that people don’t realize is how much healthier the cat population is on farms when the population is spayed/neutered.” Pamela is a founder and the executive director of Vermont Companion Animal Neutering (VT-CAN), a low cost, high volume spay/neuter clinic. As a stationary clinic with a mash-stlye component, […]

September 7, 2016

Interview! Sheri Gustafson, Spay/Neuter Community Liaison for the Massachusetts Animal Fund

“I’m actually really excited about how TNR is being viewed across the state.” Sheri serves as the Spay/Neuter Community Liaison for the Massachusetts Animal Fund, which provides a voucher program for low income pet owners. This program focuses on three main priorities: S/N support for municipal shelters, providing vouchers for […]

September 8, 2016

Interview! Cameron Moore, Project Manager, Target Zero

“When we offered spay/neuter to them, these caretakers would cry with happiness.” Given Cameron’s contribution to a diverse number of game-changing initiatives, she and Stacy have a wide-ranging conversation about a number of topics related to TNR, abandonment and adoption programs, and helping communities get the support they need to get […]

September 10, 2016

Interview! Kelley Bollen, Owner and Director of Animal Alliances Consulting Firm

“Feeding animals in bowls is a wasted opportunity to enrich their brains.” Kelley earned a Master’s in Animal Behavior, has taught at Cornell Veterinary School, and now consults with both pet owners and shelters to improve life and outcomes for companion animals. She and Stacy talk all things behavior, and […]

September 14, 2016

Interview! Linda Gage, No More Homeless Pets Network Specialist, Best Friends Animal Society

“These animals deserve a life outside: that’s where they’re born, that’s where they live, that’s where they’re used to being.” Linda outlines the myriad resources that the No More Homeless Pets Network offers to small organizations around the country: ideas on how to get a Community Cats program started, marketing […]

September 15, 2016

Interview! Andi Kola, Founder Lumen LS, Broward County, Florida

“What are all the bad things that could happen to me if I were a cat?” Andi is a man on a mission… a mission to eliminate euthanization of cats in his home area of Broward County, Florida and beyond. He recounts his efforts to work with local animal control officials as […]

September 16, 2016

Interview! Merritt Clifton, Journalist and Founder, Animals 24-7 News

“We want feral cats to be safely in their nocturnal environment, or pet cats safely at home not wondering into a busy road.” It would be challenging to find someone with more experience in the animal welfare field than award-winning writer Merritt Clifton. From his childhood ambition to “starting a […]

September 17, 2016

Interview! Cheryl Ann Fernandes, Regional Shelter Care Representative, PetLink

“We’re trying to help shelters and Animal Control Officers embrace pet identification as a means of improving live release rates” Drawing on Cheryl Ann’s diverse, 25-year career in animal welfare, she and Stacy have a wide-ranging discussion about the challenges of being an urban animal control officer, the persistent challenge […]

September 20, 2016

Interview! Amanda Arrington, Director, Pets for Life Program at The Humane Society of the United States

“We have as much to learn as we have to give.” Amanda’s childhood interests in both animals and in social justice have led her to a career overseeing a groundbreaking program to help not just pets, but people in underserved areas. She leads he innovative HSUS “Pets for Life” initiative, which […]

September 21, 2016

Interview! Tammy King, Founder, Mayport Cats (FL)

“Fix a feral before you feed him!” Mayport Village, a fishing village near Jacksonville, Florida, had become a popular place for people to “dump” cats, both healthy and sick. Enter Tammy King, who brought her persistence and compassion to address the problem. Originally dealing with 200-250 cats, the population is now […]

September 22, 2016

Interview! Mike Phillips, President, Urban Cat League, and Community Outreach Coordinator for the New York City Feral Cat Initiative

“When you’re frustrated, remember that every cat you neuter is an tremendous improvement in that one cat’s life.” Even though he had lived in Manhattan for decades, Mike didn’t know there were street cats in New York: “I had no idea because I lived on the 43rd floor,” he observes. In […]

September 24, 2016

Interview! Taryn Breuer, President, Friends of Jeannette Hunt Animal Shelter (NE)

“Gosh we’re not alone out here….maybe we can get this population under control.” Taryn describes how rural Blair, Nebraska needs its resident cats to help keep rodents from getting into the grain farmed there, but also needs an active TNR effort to keep the numbers of cats in check. Participating in […]

September 28, 2016

Interview! Peter Wolf, Cat Initiatives Analyst, Best Friends Society

“A lot of the folks who end up writing these laws don’t have a great deal of experience [with community cats], and you can end up with some real dire unintended consequences.” Peter Wolfe is a cat initiatives analyst at Best Friends Society and a blogger at Vox Felina, where he seeks […]

October 5, 2016

Ask Stacy! Questions and Answers for Inquiring Cats

“We also need to educate or partner with folks in the local community so they can be our neighborhood watchers.” As Community Cats Podcast celebrates its eightieth episode, Stacy and guest host Lisa Finkel discuss how bird lovers and cat lovers can work together to decrease both the number of […]

October 6, 2016

Interview! Blake and Adrienne Kuhre, Founders of the Furry Foundation

“If we can be better on the educational side, then I feel that we can prevent a lot of these issues from happening.” Blake and Adrienne are the founders of the Furry Foundation, a non-profit, foster care organization in Los Angeles focused on TNR, cat socialization, and educating the community on proper […]

April 1, 2017

Interview! Sara Kent, Director of Shelter Outreach for Petfinder

“Video is a great way to let cats speak for themselves…and they don’t have to say a lot.” Petfinder has brought the world of technology to shelters and potential adopters. Sara, who’s been there for 17 years, speaks with Stacy about the visibility it brings to hundreds of thousands of […]

April 4, 2017

Interview! Laura Baughman, Director of Operations, National Kitten Coalition

“You’re going to get a whole lot more kittens when you start a nursery.” As we enter “kitten season,” Stacy talks to Laura about “kitten nurseries,” a new and hot concept for management of neonatal kittens. Laura recently researched and wrote a manual for organizations thinking about starting their own […]

May 13, 2017

Interview! Susan Linker, Co-founder of Our Companions Animal Rescue

“We’ve come a long way with spay and neuter in our area.” Susan is the co-founder of Our Companions Animal Rescue, a forty-three acre sanctuary in Ashford, CT. A non-profit organization with 400 volunteers, 2,500 donors and plans to double in size, Our Companions Animal Rescue prioritizes creating a low-stress […]

July 15, 2017

Interview! Meredith Hippert, Director of Field Operations, Animal Balance

“Through this work, I recognized my passion for serving the underserved, and working with communities to implement change for animals.” Though largely self-educated in the field, Meredith Hippert holds an impressively broad resume in animal welfare, from admission guidelines and outreach to foster programming and TNR. Her journey started when she began […]

October 20, 2018

Interview! Gary Willoughby, President & CEO of SPCA Serving Erie County

“It seems like we’re at a good crossroads here [with community cats].” Gary Willoughby, the President and CEO of the SPCA Serving Erie County in West Seneca, New York, joins Stacy to talk about what’s going on at the nation’s second oldest humane society. A passionate life-long learner, Gary joined […]

October 27, 2018

Black Cats and Halloween—Let’s Have Some Fun!

This week’s post comes to you from guest blogger Liz Pease. If you’d like to know a little more about Liz and her experience in non-profit management, TNR and cat care, check out episode 51 of the podcast. For years, as recently for the first half of my career in […]

January 19, 2019

Interview! Dr. Graham Brayshaw, Director of Animal Services at Animal Humane Society

“We’ve got to sterilize absolutely everyone we can.” Dr. Graham Brayshaw, a 2004 graduate of Texas A&M’s veterinary school, is both the chief veterinarian and the director of animal services for the Animal Humane Society (AHS), an organization based in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Brayshaw’s interest […]

March 2, 2019

Interview! Elena Battles, Shelterluv

“Any way that I can help, I want to.” Elena Battles of Shelterluv software has been working for animals in one capacity or another since 1999. It was then that she found Trini, a stray beagle who truly changed her life. Elena had been working as a physical therapist, but […]

May 11, 2019

Interview! Lindsay Hamrick, Policy Director for Companion Animals, HSUS

“On the community cat front, it’s abundantly clear that cats have been second in all of the policies that have been pushed forward.” Lindsay Hamrick, Policy Director for Companion Animals at the Humane Society of the United States, works to support local, state and federal policies protecting pets. She holds […]

June 1, 2019

Interview! Sarah Dunsmore, CDE Animal Cages

“We only want shelters to have to shop for cages one time.” Listen to Episode #302 Now In this episode, Stacy is joined by Sarah Dunsmore, who co-owns CDE Animal Cages with her husband. Lifelong animal lovers, Sarah and her husband purchased the thirty-year old company several years ago […]

July 6, 2019

Steve Lawrence, Director of “The Cat Rescuers”

“This is a very emotionally engaging film.” Listen to Episode #307 Now Steve Lawrence, an award-winning filmmaker previously interviewed by Stacy on CCP Episode 178, returns to CCP to discuss the documentary film he co-directed, The Cat Rescuers. The film premiered in October 2018 at the Hamptons International Film […]

July 20, 2019

Amanda Jones, Founder and CEO of Sunshine Kitty Catfe

“It’s not just about coffee and cats.” Listen to Episode #309 Now Amanda Jones, a lifelong cat lover and self-described “totally sane cat lady,” talks with Stacy about opening the Sunshine Kitty Catfe in St. Petersburg, Florida this fall. They get into the details of how the café will […]

August 20, 2019

Deb Barnes, Author, President of the Cat Writers’ Association

“Using my own life as a vehicle to educate others is what I wanted to do.” Listen to Episode #313 Now Deb Barnes is an award-winning author and blogger who currently serves as president of the Cat Writers’ Association, and as secretary of the board for Pawsitively Humane in […]

December 3, 2019

Meagan Larrea, Joy 4 Cats

“That would be my number one advice: don’t be afraid to ask.” Listen to Episode #328 now Meagan Larrea is a cat mom and cat lover who works as a civil engineer by day. The rest of the time, she runs Joy 4 Cats, a growing project that puts together […]

December 31, 2019

Julia Grosz, Cat Hustler

“Marketing is not adoption counseling … [it’s] the highlight reel.” Listen to Episode #332 now This episode is sponsored by Dr. Elsey’s Veterinarian Formulated Quality Products for Cats, makers of “litter we’re so confident you’ll love, your first purchase is on us.” Learn more! Julia Grosz earned the nickname […]

March 19, 2020

10 Issues Facing Animal Welfare Organizations During the Coronavirus Crisis

***UPDATE: COMMUNITY CATS AND CORONAVIRUS POP-UP PANELS CCP will be holding some more town hall-style meeting webinars about COVID-19 and the response. Join in and share your experiences, concerns, and thoughts. Register for the Community Cats and Coronavirus Pop-Up Panel on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. EDT or […]

March 26, 2020

How Are You Doing?

Wow, times are changing quickly. Our world of caring for community cats has changed dramatically in the last week. Our spay/neuter resources are much fewer or non-existent. We are being told to let kittens be born and leave cats that are not in distress out on the streets until we can begin our […]

April 2, 2020

20 Virtual Learning Options During the Coronavirus Crisis

On Sunday, March 29, President Trump announced that the US would continue to follow social distancing guidelines until April 30th. Many organizations are trying to find ways to keep staff and volunteers engaged during this shutdown period. Below is a listing of 20 websites or webinars, by category, that you […]

April 9, 2020

Twenty-ish More Virtual Training Ideas

It seems like folks enjoyed my listing of resources last week, so I am going to continue to share more resources for you to enjoy and share with others. Since in-person conference season is pretty much wiped out, one good way to share virtual education is to have a group of people […]

June 23, 2020

Elizabeth Finch, Good Mews Animal Foundation

“We’re now able to expand our mission to help community cats.” Listen to Episode #357 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Fosterspace, powered by Doobert. Visit them online to learn more. Stacy talks with Elizabeth Finch, a member of the board of directors and full-time marketing and communications […]

October 29, 2020

Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and Author

Happy National Cat Day! Listen to Episode #375-2 Now In this special episode, we celebrate National Cat Day by talking with Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and best-selling author. Pam and Stacy discuss how Pam started her career and why we need to “think like a cat,” as well as […]

June 7, 2021

Special Rebroadcast – Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and Author

“…there are no bad cats.” Listen to Episode #407 Now Originally broadcast as a special episode for National Cat Day, in this episode, we celebrate by talking with Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and best-selling author. Pam and Stacy discuss how Pam started her career and why we need to […]

June 20, 2016

Interview! Julia Pesek, Community Outreach Coordinator for the MSPCA at Nevins Farm (MA), and Vice President of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC)

August 2, 2016

Interview! Dr. Emily McCobb, DVM, MS, DACVAA, Director, Shelter Medicine Program Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Tufts University

August 14, 2016

Interview! Angela Walters Rockwell, Executive Director of the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), Santa Barbara, California

August 31, 2016

Interview! Mike Phillips, President, Urban Cat League, and Community Outreach Coordinator for the New York City Feral Cat Initiative

September 24, 2016