public policy Archives - The Community Cats Podcast

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 […]

May 5, 2018

Interview! Part 1 – Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant

“Northern Kentucky will be no-kill for cats this year, absolutely, hands-down!” Dr. Sara Pizano, who joined us previously on Episode 171, is a veterinarian who has been involved in animal welfare for over thirty years. She has extensive experience helping shelters move away from euthanasia as a means of population […]

May 12, 2018

Interview! Part 2 – Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant

“You don’t need millions of dollars—you need to allocate your pie of resources intelligently … that’s really the key.” In part 2 of our two-part episode with Dr. Sara Pizano, she talks about the big picture in animal welfare these days, and about where she feels the focus should be […]

April 14, 2020

Danielle Bays, Humane Society of the United States

“[There is] a major shift in how we’re thinking about how cats use their claws, and why they use their claws, and why they should keep them.” Listen to Episode #347 Now In this episode, HSUS Senior Analyst for Cat Protection & Policy Danielle Bays joins Stacy to talk […]

April 16, 2020

Let’s Appreciate Our Animal Control Officers This Week!

This week is Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week. This is certainly a time to appreciate the great commitment of those who join this profession. Animal control officers enter homes to help animals impacted by the coronavirus crisis and risk their lives to save others, and we need to say thank […]

April 21, 2020

Tina Traster, Catnip Nation

“That’s really the point of the film … to show that we’re not powerless.” Listen to Episode #348 Now Award-winning journalist, author, and filmmaker Tina Traster, previously featured on CCP Episode 186, joins Stacy again to update us on her documentary, Catnip Nation. The film advocates for TNR through […]

April 23, 2020

The Future of Volunteering in Animal Welfare

It is Volunteer Appreciation Week. Thanks so much to all of the volunteers that support animal welfare organizations. Most of us volunteer in many ways and this is the week to take time to celebrate everyone’s efforts—including those of the many folks who are fostering cats and dogs right now. […]

April 8, 2021

Animal Laws: What’s Going On Around the Country

As animal lovers, we all want our laws to protect animals, who don’t have the ability to advocate for themselves. But it can be very confusing to try to keep up with all the bills moving through city and state governments, as well as the national government. So we’ve prepared […]

January 4, 2022

Aaron Hancox, Documentary Filmmaker of Running Wild: the Cats of Cornwall

“Until the average person understands the implications of putting a cat outside —whether it is owned or not — and how there can be this huge ripple effect, we’re not going to get anywhere.” Listen to Episode #437 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com and Maddie’s […]

May 21, 2024

Special Episode! From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement, Part 1, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director, Neighborhood Cats

“You want to be strategic in the beginning. Choose your projects. Don’t let your projects choose you. They are all deserving cats.” Listen to Episode #561 Now This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund. Unlock the secrets behind the transformative Trap-Neuter-Return movement with Neighborhood Cats’ Bryan Kortis as we […]

May 28, 2024

Special Episode! From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement, Part 2, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director, Neighborhood Cats

“Our ultimate clients are the cats and we want to make and we want to make sure we’re maximizing the positive impact on them.” Listen to Episode #562 Now This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund. Join us as we continue our exploration of the transformative power of Trap-Neuter-Return […]

June 4, 2024

Nuggets of Hope, with Kim Lengling, Author and Host of the Let Fear Bounce Podcast

“I love to hear people talk about the love they have for their pets and hope much joy their pets bring and how much they enrich their lives. I just love hearing them. It just fills your heart right up.” Listen to Episode #563 Now This episode is sponsored […]

August 13, 2024

Improving the Lives of Cats Through Logistics and Legislation with Danielle Bays, Senior Analyst for Cat Protection and Policy, HSUS

“Think about all the things that cats go through…they’re smart, they’re clever and we can learn from them.” Listen to Episode #573 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie’s Fund, Humane Canada, and The Keeping People and Pets Together Pet Food Pantry. Are you curious about the […]

August 20, 2024

Targeted TNR: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck, Part 1, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director, Neighborhood Cats

“Understanding the environment and how we approach the ecosystem with community cats is essential, not just for the cats but for the overall health of the communities they inhabit.” Listen to Episode #574 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie’s Fund, Humane Canada, and The Keeping People […]

August 27, 2024

Targeted TNR: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck, Part 2, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director, Neighborhood Cats

“Collaboration between animal welfare groups and local governments is the key to creating sustainable, humane community cat programs that work for everyone.” Listen to Episode #575 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie’s Fund, The Keeping People and Pets Together Pet Food Pantry, and Tomahawk Traps. In […]

September 3, 2024

Are Cats the Underdogs in Municipal Politics with Stuart Kroll, Animal Rights Advocate, Port Washington, Long Island

“Our goal is to put as much public pressure on the town representatives as possible and to spread as much awareness as we can, because the more people that are aware of the problem, the more people are going to ask the town to do something about it.” Listen to […]

September 10, 2024

Mastering Feline Behavior and Enrichment, with Ingrid Johnson, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, Fundamentally Feline

“Don’t underestimate your cats. Elevate your expectations of them, and you’ll be amazed at what they can achieve.” Listen to Episode #577 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie’s Fund and The Acatemy . What if your cat’s behavior problems could be solved with just a few […]

October 8, 2024

A Reproductive Revolution: Reframing TNR in Urban Landscapes with Katja M. Guenther, Professor at the University of California, Riverside

“The reproductive justice framework is really useful for thinking about community cats and TNR because it opens us up to engaging with the lives of the cats both personally and before sterilization, but also afterwards.” Listen to Episode #581 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie’s Fund […]