Animal Posse Dezzie Howe & Healing Broken Hearts: Discovering a Better Way for Dogs - Animal Posse

Episode 27

Dezzie Howe & Healing Broken Hearts: Discovering a Better Way for Dogs

Published on: 1st August, 2025

Healing Broken Hearts Rescue founder, Dezzie Howe, joins us to discuss her revolutionary approach to animal rescue. In this episode, Dezzie shares how her organization operates without cages, allowing dogs to live in a communal, home-like environment. She explains how this method fosters healing and prepares dogs for their forever homes. Dezzie also delves into her vision for the future of animal shelters, advocating for a shift from traditional kennels to a more holistic, low-stress model focused on the emotional and psychological well-being of the animals. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in animal welfare and the power of innovative rescue methods.

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Transcript
Dixie:

Welcome to Animal Posse, the podcast dedicated to the

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people and rescues making a

difference in the lives of animals.

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Today's guest is Dezzie Howe with

Healing Broken Hearts Rescue.

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Hi Dezzie, how are you?

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Dezzie: Hi, how are you?

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Dixie: I'm good.

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Thanks for coming on the show.

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I appreciate it.

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Dezzie: Thanks for

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asking me.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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I'm looking forward to learning

about Healing Broken Hearts Rescue.

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to begin could you please share a bit

about your background and what initially

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sparked your passion for animal welfare?

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Dezzie: Mine is lifelong.

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My stepdad of 20 years trained police

dogs, so we had 40 kennels and a

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training ground, so I grew up in it,

and then I started working in a animal

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shelter and I did that for 10 years

and then I switched over to rescue.

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Dixie: With the Healing

Broken Hearts Rescue.

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What is your title?

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Dezzie: I'm the

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director.

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Dixie: And when was the

organization founded?

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Dezzie: 2019

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Dixie: what is your mission and

what is a day like in the life

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of Healing Broken Hearts Rescue.

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Dezzie: The mission is to

change the educational system

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on how we treat animals.

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I would like to build and teach a

whole new way to do animal shelters.

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There's a better way to do it.

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I honestly believe there is a

better way to do it where we could

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help our community a lot more.

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We could get our kids involved in

it and we could help our veterans.

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Dixie: When you say a better way,

what is your vision of a better way?

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Dezzie: No more cages.

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Let's stop treating 'em

like they're prisoners.

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It's not necessary.

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It's lazy.

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It's because they won't put

anyone in a facility 24 hours.

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They won't do night shifts,

so you have to use cages.

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And my idea is to turn it over to veterans

and build them into veterans housing,

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that takes care of your animal population.

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. We have it all drawn out.

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We have a whole plan.

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Dixie: Tell me about it.

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I'd love to hear more about this.

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It's a very interesting concept for sure.

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Dezzie: Think about it.

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If you took and you had one main

building and you put in 25 tiny houses,

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no kitchens in them, you have one main

kitchen . Main laundry, and all they had

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was bathrooms and bedrooms in the tinies.

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You could put two veterans

per tiny and each one could be

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in charge of two dogs, right?

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And then you could have your

dogs that were just coming in

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or just starting training or

haven't been placed in groups yet.

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The main building.

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And you could have 50 dogs working

with your veterans, getting ready

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for adoptions or being trained to be

service animals for other veterans.

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There's a concept, actually helping

our veterans out because that way

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you're housing your veterans, you're

giving them a purpose, and everyone

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knows for depression and stuff,

animals are really good for you.

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They help with that.

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You could really do a lot of

good by having them all together,

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and give them a purpose and take a lot

of the strain and stuff off of your

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smaller counties that can't afford it.

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Could I go off subject for just

a second and tell you . What

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made me go in that direction?

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Dixie: Yes, please.

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Dezzie: Okay.

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About 10 years ago my brother who

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Owned a construction company,

thought I was nuts for dedicating

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so much time to animals.

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But he described it in a way that's

always stuck with me and why I wanna

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make the change so desperately on

what we're doing in this country.

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The county shelters the big shelters,

he said those are like federal prisons.

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Those are the big prisons.

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We treat 'em the same.

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They're out an hour a day.

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They're treated just like they've

done something wrong to be

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there and most of 'em have not.

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And he said the smaller rescues

around, are your county jails

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still in kennels all the time.

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Still on that, very few

get very much freedom.

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And he said, but the way I do it here,

because I do open pack, he said, this

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is a halfway house and it hit me.

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Why do we have to have the other two?

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They could all be done the way

I'm doing it if we changed up the

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way we did the human side of it.

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Dixie: I understand.

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So explain how you do it

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Dezzie: Okay.

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I don't use any kennels.

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I don't use kennels.

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I have kennel here in case of a bad

storm or something like that, or

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just when we have new ones come in

and they're acclimating, but once

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they're acclimated, they get put

into one of three groups and then

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they're just let to be dogs.

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And

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it's set up.

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I have special beds made.

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I have rooms dedicated, and

they just get to be dogs.

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They each have their own yard to play in.

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They've all got their

own groups to play with.

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One of my groups is 22, 1 group is 13

and the other group is seven right now.

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And they don't have to be

in kennels all the time.

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There's no reason for it.

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There's no reason for 'em to

be separated from each other.

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They need that connection

as much as humans.

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It doesn't do well to put

them in solitary confinement.

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We call it kennel Crazy.

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And a lot of dogs that have

been in shelter situations

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tend to go kennel crazy.

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And that's where the ugly

side of that job comes in.

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And we have to do eus

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And being an EU tech for as many years

as I was, I'd like to make it so no

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one else ever has to do that job.

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And in most shelters it's a requirement

because the way they house dogs.

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Dogs don't do well.

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So I think we need to switch it up

and there's a better way to do it.

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Dixie: The way that I handle my cats

is, we will have separate rooms for 'em.

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I don't really kennel 'em or keep

'em in a cage unless I have to, like

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when I do tiny babies, so of course

when they're little tiny babies,

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I have to put 'em in something.

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Dezzie: sick, tiny, surgeries.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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I have to put 'em in

something till I get home.

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But then when I come home, it's like at

playtime they get their own separate room.

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When I go to work again in the morning,

they might go in their little thing, but

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they have plenty of room to run around.

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But once they get a certain age,

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Dezzie: absolutely

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Dixie: and they're all vaccinated

and everybody's healthy, they

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come out into general population.

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So they can come get

along with the big cats.

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Dezzie: Exactly.

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Dixie: Yeah

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Dezzie: but listen to the way we so

naturally called what you just called it.

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It was natural and easy for both of

us to call it general population.

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Dixie: Yes.

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I never thought about it like that

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Dezzie: exactly.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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That's very interesting.

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Dezzie: And

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it is a normalcy for us to do that.

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And it shouldn't be, they're

animals, they're not criminals.

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Because words matter.

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Dixie: They do.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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Dezzie: And the perception that's

why shelters have so many look

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I'm not going to a shelter.

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They're wild animals.

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It's because we treat them

like they're wild animals.

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We don't treat them like they were

somebody's pet that got loose or

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somebody had to give up an animal that

had been living in a home forever, or

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somebody had a cat and they passed away.

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We don't treat them like

that in the shelter system.

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And that's because.

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They don't have anybody to be

there 24 7 in the shelter system.

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They only have day shift.

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The animals are left in cages all night.

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See what I mean?

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And I think that we could change that.

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My cats are all loose and I took, and

I built a cattery outside of my house.

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They have a room inside that connects

to a huge room outside, which connects

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to 14 kennels that I hung from the

ceiling and put pathways that leads to a

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carport that leads to another huge room.

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Dixie: Oh, that sounds amazing.

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Dezzie: That's secured.

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Dixie: I have to see a picture of that.

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That sounds absolutely amazing.

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Dezzie: I'm on

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TikTok.

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Okay.

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We're HBH Rescue on TikTok.

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And it's healing broken

hearts on Facebook.

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And I have pictures of Cat

City and of my dog rooms.

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Got lots of little videos

that we've put up there.

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Dixie: Sounds like they would

have a good time in that.

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Now I'm building, a cat sanctuary.

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We're at the ground level, so we

still have a lot left to do, my vision

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is similar to what you explained.

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So we're gonna make a room for where they

have a big indoor space, but then we want

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them to have a safe, enclosed outdoor

space that they can go enjoy the sun in.

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Dezzie: Yeah.

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And the one out in the front, the top

of it is chicken wire, so it's open

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to the sun, but the walkways, and I

hope they don't look at you as crazy

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as they did me when I built this,

because I kept telling everybody

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that I was going to use all of my

transport kennels in a very unusual way.

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And they're like, what are you gonna do?

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And I said, I'm gonna hang

them from the ceiling.

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And they're like, what are you doing?

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And then I got sewer pipes, the plastic

PVC, great big ones, and I cut 'em in

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half longways, uhhuh, and made walkways.

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Yeah, that goes from

one kennel to another.

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And I netted it all in and it leads, like

I said to the carport where we built a

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whole nother enclosure on the carport

for them to be able to go from all the

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way inside the house around the house.

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Come out, hit a couple rooms, go

through and they're in it all the time.

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They love it.

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And it gives them lots and lots of space.

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But if you don't have a lot of money

and you've got , an overhang on your

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house that's pretty good size or a

carport, hanging kennels is cheap.

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Doing walkways, you can use a

fence board, to do a walkway.

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Part of mine are done with that.

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Part of 'em are done with two of 'em

are done with the tubes from carpet.

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Dixie: Uhhuh.

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Yeah.

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Dezzie: And we painted the

tubes so it looks like tunnels.

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We call it Cat city.

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Dixie: Yeah, I can imagine.

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They must love it.

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Dezzie: They do.

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And it's amazing on how fast

they all learn to run up and

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down through it and play.

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And there's stuff hanging in a

lot of the cages that are up there

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for 'em to stop and play with.

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And they all connect one to the other.

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And I have them out

with the dogs that way.

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So it helps train the

dogs not to be aggressive

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towards cats.

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Dixie: And how many residents

do you have in total?

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Dezzie: Okay, so I've got I think 36 pups.

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Our dogs right now, we

have 22 cats all together.

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I have eight chickens

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and one old fat house pig,

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which I adopted from the

shelter that I worked at.

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Dixie: And can I ask what

shelter you worked at?

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Dezzie: I worked at Jefferson Parish . I

worked at Vermilion County before that.

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In Illinois.

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Dixie: So suppose there is a rescue

that's listening that does a lot of the

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kenneling and does a lot of the cages.

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What advice would you offer them

to transition to what you do?

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Dezzie: Stop being scared.

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They're dogs.

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They listen, they're natural pack animals.

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They are not trying to kill

each other all the time.

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They'll argue with each other, but

you can correct them like you're

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on a playground with children.

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It is not hard to do.

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I'm not gonna say that it, it's not easy

'cause you have to stay vigilant with it.

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But even at the animal shelter

when I was there, I got to

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where I had play groups up to.

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15, 20 dogs in a playgroup there, it can

be done, it can be done in a shelter.

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It can be done in a rescue.

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There's it's fear.

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I think a lot of it is fear.

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A lot of people that got their heart in

the right place that really wanna help,

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but they have that fear in the back of

their head because dogs can be scary, and

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you just, you have to get past that fear.

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Dixie: Yeah, I can understand that

because I know, like with the cats, I

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hear it a lot with people that, oh, my

cat doesn't get along with other cats.

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And it's no, if you do it the

right way, they get along.

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Now they might not love each other,

but they will tolerate each other.

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There's just ways to do it.

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Dezzie: Exactly.

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One of the biggest things is

animals pick up on our emotions.

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You have to go in like a boss.

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If you want to integrate animals

together, you have to go in like

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the boss saying, this is what we're

going to do, no questions asked.

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This is how it's done.

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And they'll follow you.

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Dixie: I definitely agree with that,

with the whole emotion thing too.

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And for anybody that is skeptical

about that, just look at like, when

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you're stressed out, your animals

are stressed out or you know when

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you're worried, 'cause you gotta

take your animal to the vet.

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Your animal is gonna get

worried too and start hiding.

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It's like they know.

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Dezzie: Or when you're in a goofy

mood and you're playing, you'll

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notice your animal will get more

hyped up and wanna play with you.

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Dixie: Yep, definitely.

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Dezzie: They feel all the emotions,

and they'll pick up on it and they

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will follow what you set forth.

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People are always telling

me, what you do is amazing.

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I know I'm one of the

few that does what I do.

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But I just believe that if you really

want to do this and do it right, you

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cannot be afraid, even a little bit.

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And yeah, you may get

bit, that's part of it.

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It's gonna happen sooner or later.

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Kids fight on the playground every day.

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You gotta go break 'em up, dogs don't

even fight as often as children do,

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but they do once in a while and there

is a chance and you've gotta be able

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to, willing to stand toe to toe in it.

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If you wanna make a very happy,

adjusted animal, I don't believe

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kennels are the way to go.

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Dixie: How do you integrate the

pig and the chickens into this mix?

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Dezzie: You should check my

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videos.

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He's with the dogs.

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Here's the funny thing.

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I adopted four animals

from the animal shelter.

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I adopted three black dogs

because, black dog syndrome and

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a black pig all at the same time.

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They're all now seven years old.

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We built Bo his own bedroom in the house.

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But he is always hung out with dogs and

he actually lives with two great danes.

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Do you know what great

Danes are known for?

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Dixie: What's that?

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Dezzie: Hunting pigs.

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Dixie: Really?

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I didn't know that.

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Dezzie: Yeah, that's what

they were originally bred

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out to do was hunt wild pigs.

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Huh.

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And I have two living with a pig side by

side and they have now for seven years.

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It's all about the training

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Dixie: Where are the chickens at now?

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Dezzie: They're on the carport right now

with the dogs because we are building

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a brand new chicken coop for 'em.

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They're getting a whole new house.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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And it sounds like you have some

chicken math going on too, huh?

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Dezzie: I do.

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And we've always got

chicken math going on.

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And here's a fun thing.

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My mother, I had mentioned a couple

weeks ago that I would love to have

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Easter Eggers all of mine lay brown eggs.

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And I was whining to my mom that I wanted

some that laid pretty green and blue eggs.

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And my daughter happened to have somebody

give her a dozen fresh eggs from a farm,

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and they happened to be Easter egger eggs.

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They had been in the refrigerator.

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My mom says let's try it.

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And she took that dozen eggs and

put 'em in her incubator, and

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I have five new babies coming.

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Dixie: Oh, wow.

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Congratulations.

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Dezzie: From a refrigerator.

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They had been refrigerated eggs

and we still got them to hatch out.

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Dixie: Roosters too?

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Dezzie: No, Ru I did have, but I've

got a friend of mine that lives

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outside of Orleans Parish on a farm,

and he takes the roos because they

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made it illegal to have 'em here.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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Dezzie: And so I work with another farmer.

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That if we ever get roos, they've

got a safe place to go and they just

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get to be farm roos at that point.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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'cause it's hard finding

a place for them to go.

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'cause people just don't

think of 'em the same way.

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Dezzie: No, they don't.

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Which is, very sad because pretty soon

everybody gonna want their own chickens.

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Chickens are really

interesting animals to have.

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They can become very

loving and very friendly.

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The babies are only a couple weeks

old, but now whenever I go to their

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pen, they immediately, will jump

on my feet and will ride my feet

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around while I'm walking around.

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It's really cute when they're little.

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My mom keeps saying, whatcha are

you gonna do when they grow up?

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And I was like, I dunno, but it's

so cute now I can't stop 'em.

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Dixie: Yeah, I find they're actually a lot

like cats with the curiosity and stuff.

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Like they'll follow, they

really are around and they're

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like, what are you doing?

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Let me see what you're doing.

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Dezzie: Always interested in

what you got in your hands.

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Is that for

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me?

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They are very cute.

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Dixie: The animals that you have,

do you adopt those out as well?

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Dezzie: I do not the chickens,

the cats and the pig.

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No, I do cat sanctuary here.

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So a lot of the cats we have are older.

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I don't know if you've

heard of Julia Ackil.

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She is the absolute best TNR

person down here in this area.

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She is amazing.

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She does so much for so many

and gets so little in return.

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But she had a colony of cats that

the person that was taking care

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of them was no longer with them.

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And the neighbors were doing horrendous

things and she was so upset one

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night and she put out a post going,

Hey I gotta get these cats moved.

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And there was a bunch of them

and she's I've gotta move them.

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So I just very quietly got ahold

of her and sent her pictures

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of my cattery and I says, Hey.

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It's empty.

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And she says how many can you take?

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And I started laughing.

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I said, all of them, get that

colony moved and let's get it safe.

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And so a lot of my cats have been

together, they're from a colony.

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A couple of my cats are from Texas,

where we went down there and helped

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out and brought some in from Texas.

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Most of those we did get adopted because

they, we brought them in as kittens.

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And if they're kittens, I

don't mind adopting them.

382

:

The older cats, I won't

separate from each other.

383

:

I just, I have the space

for 'em and I have the time.

384

:

There's no reason to make 'em

start all over at their ages,

385

:

when , most of 'em are a family unit.

386

:

I would imagine that they're probably

from the area they came out of.

387

:

They're probably all related

in one way or another.

388

:

Dixie: Were they feral when you got em?

389

:

Dezzie: Some, but we've got

that pretty much worked out.

390

:

They all like food and we kept 'em

for months just in the two rooms.

391

:

I blocked off most of the walkway and just

gave 'em the inside room and the outside

392

:

room where I could get into both rooms.

393

:

So I would just go in and sit with them

for hours and get everybody used to me.

394

:

My cat room's pretty

comfortable to go sit in.

395

:

Dixie: Yeah, I think that's a

misconception people have too,

396

:

is that once a cat is feral,

it's always gonna be feral.

397

:

I have TNR Cats

398

:

I have a few at my home and then I

have a few actually at my business.

399

:

And when they came over here, we could

not touch 'em, they would see us, they

400

:

would run, we would put the food out

and now we can pick 'em up if we want.

401

:

Now we're the only ones that can do it.

402

:

Dezzie: And see, to me,

403

:

that tells me all I

need to know about you.

404

:

You good in my book Ferals like you.

405

:

When you can turn a feral

friendly then you all right.

406

:

You just, are you all right?

407

:

I've got a couple.

408

:

I'm so proud that this last couple

weeks the hard nose feral I had

409

:

finally after months has let me

touch him and I've been so excited.

410

:

. Dixie: It is exciting when they come

around and it's like when they come around

411

:

I find it's not like bit by bit, it's one

day they're running from you and the next

412

:

day they're like, Hey, let's be friends.

413

:

Dezzie: Yep.

414

:

Yep.

415

:

When they make up their mind,

they make up their mind.

416

:

There's no second guess.

417

:

And they're like, okay.

418

:

You've passed, you now get to be

a friend, which I think is great.

419

:

But dogs are a lot the same way as cats.

420

:

Like that, feral dogs can be the same way.

421

:

Dixie: So do you look for homes

for the dogs that you have?

422

:

Dezzie: I do.

423

:

I had some health issues a

while back ago and I died for

424

:

a very short period of time.

425

:

I had two heart attacks in a day, and

then I had to have a series of surgeries.

426

:

So I've been just on

survival mode for a while.

427

:

We haven't been doing a lot of

adoptions because of my health.

428

:

I just haven't dug it.

429

:

It's mainly been just keep 'em safe,

keep 'em happy, keep 'em alive, and we

430

:

will work on that when I can dedicate, 12

hours a day to it again I do one or two

431

:

. Like two weeks ago, we did an adoption.

432

:

We're not doing the number

of adoptions we were before.

433

:

So I've had the same group here for

a little longer than what most are,

434

:

but honestly, that's completely me.

435

:

It has absolutely nothing to do with

this amazing group of pups I have here.

436

:

They've been dealing with me quite well.

437

:

I've been so impressed with

all of them because of it.

438

:

But I slowed down because of my health

and I'm starting to get healthy again,

439

:

and I'm starting to, surgeries are

all done and I'm feeling better, so

440

:

we're starting to get back into it.

441

:

I'm just pacing myself,

442

:

Dixie: yeah, it's a lot going on, so

you do need to definitely take it slow.

443

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

444

:

Everybody, they're like,

445

:

you need to get rid of all of 'em.

446

:

I was like, no, I don't, because

that would kill me again.

447

:

What I need is for everybody, just,

let me take the time I need to heal.

448

:

That has been probably the most

helpful part is I've got a core group

449

:

that comes and helps when I need it.

450

:

But most days we just we do pretty

good without too much trouble.

451

:

Dixie: When you do adoptions, do you

attend events or do you do like pet finder

452

:

online, Facebook, those kinds of things?

453

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

454

:

I will not do events

down here in New Orleans.

455

:

I'm sorry, I won't go around it.

456

:

I don't wanna be a part of it.

457

:

I don't wanna be a part

of that culture down here.

458

:

I think it's extremely toxic.

459

:

I think it's unhelpful to the animals.

460

:

I haven't really done a lot on pet

finders lately . We do a lot of Facebook,

461

:

and a lot of mine are word of mouth.

462

:

I've done over 2000

animals through my home.

463

:

Wow.

464

:

So through, through the rescue

and I've been all over the place.

465

:

So I've got friends and we've had

so many really great adoptions.

466

:

That word of mouth has done a lot for

us because we consistently put out.

467

:

Good dogs, adjusted happy dogs.

468

:

But we will probably go back to

doing pet finders once everything

469

:

calms down a little bit.

470

:

Dixie: So tell me what

you mean about toxic.

471

:

Dezzie: Here's something that I think

would change a lot of it really quickly.

472

:

I think before you should be able to get a

5 0 1 C3, I think one of the requirements

473

:

is you should have to work a couple years

in a shelter, in an actual animal shelter.

474

:

So you understand

475

:

Really what the true other side of it is.

476

:

I believe that.

477

:

Something that was extremely

toxic was called Save Them All.

478

:

And that is probably one of the worst

things that's ever happened because

479

:

they will spend thousands and thousands

of dollars on one animal to extend

480

:

its life a couple of months instead

of making the responsible decision to

481

:

either let that animal go at that point

or make it as comfortable as it can

482

:

be until it goes and spend the money

on actually getting animals moved.

483

:

So I believe that and then stop

trying to save the ones that are

484

:

so far gone that are a danger.

485

:

Because they can't make the hard decision.

486

:

And that's why I believe you should have

to have a couple years in a shelter.

487

:

Because there, you have

to make that decision.

488

:

And if you can't, then it shows

you're in the wrong field.

489

:

I'm sorry.

490

:

I know that because I'm from shelter

work and I was an a ACA for so long,

491

:

sometimes it makes me sound very.

492

:

Cold and harsh, and I'm not trying to be,

but there is a responsible way of doing

493

:

things and there is an irresponsible way.

494

:

And right now, I know for the last

seven years this whole country has

495

:

been on a very irresponsible trek

when it comes to animal welfare.

496

:

Dixie: A problem that I see,

is that a lot of rescues, they

497

:

don't wanna work together.

498

:

Dezzie: Yes.

499

:

That's why I won't work

with them down here.

500

:

I've got great rescues in Texas, in

Mississippi, in New York, in Connecticut,

501

:

and the girls up in Illinois are fabulous.

502

:

And I've got ones in Ohio I've

been working with, and they're all

503

:

great and everybody works together.

504

:

Dixie: It just drives me crazy

because we're all here , for the same

505

:

reason we're all helping animals.

506

:

Dezzie: I am gonna show my age a

little bit, but I've been doing just

507

:

the rescue and stuff for 32 years with

the groups of animals in my house and.

508

:

Working at the shelters and having

the rescue and back and forth.

509

:

And I've been doing this a long

time in a lot of places, and I was a

510

:

military wife, so we moved all over.

511

:

So I find that it's worse here

than I've ever seen anywhere else.

512

:

I have different rescues inviting me to

please move up around us all the time.

513

:

And here you can't even get them to.

514

:

Now one of 'em was so bad, she

was getting extra food and stuff

515

:

and she was letting it go bad.

516

:

Instead of calling other rescues around

and saying, Hey, could you use this?

517

:

She would just throw it away.

518

:

Now come on, that's toxic.

519

:

We all fight in the same fight i've

gotten quite a few very large donations

520

:

here because they've got the words

gotten out that whatever I get, I share.

521

:

If I've got extra, it's going to

somebody else in need, like cat food.

522

:

I was sending a lot of that down to Houma,

to the rescues down there and dog food.

523

:

We were getting large groups,

things of dog food for a while.

524

:

And instead of other groups working

with me on it, they went behind and got

525

:

it canceled for us because they didn't

like that we were getting dog food.

526

:

Dixie: Oh, that's a shame.

527

:

Dezzie: Yeah, because now I struggle

trying to make sure everybody

528

:

gets fed every day, and we had

that to a point where that was

529

:

one worry we just didn't have.

530

:

So we could worry about all the others.

531

:

We were able to take in a few more.

532

:

We were able to have our numbers

a little higher 'cause we didn't

533

:

have to worry about dog food.

534

:

And, I've got two really great

vets that I work with that I think

535

:

are fabulous when I need them.

536

:

And it's Dr.

537

:

Sachs.

538

:

He's in New Orleans, absolutely

amazing at surgeries.

539

:

Amazing.

540

:

I've seen that man and his team go

in and do 20 surgeries in an in a

541

:

morning and never have a bad one.

542

:

And he's done that several times for me.

543

:

I know he is done it for others.

544

:

I know he does the TNR

programs, he donates to that.

545

:

And then Dr.

546

:

Shine, she's a traveling vet who does

large animals, but she also comes here and

547

:

we try to get her in once, maybe twice a

year, every year to do a rabies clinic.

548

:

And she does the three

year rabies shot for $20.

549

:

So makes it affordable for people.

550

:

She's pretty amazing.

551

:

So it's just, there are some

down here that will work with

552

:

everybody, but you'll find that they

don't deal with a lot of rescue.

553

:

Yeah.

554

:

But I'm not a regular rescuer

because I'm a shelter worker.

555

:

I'm an a ACA, first and foremost.

556

:

I've been an a ACA most of my life,

and I look at it much differently than

557

:

what somebody who's never had a lot.

558

:

And I don't agree with

the foster based rescues.

559

:

Dixie: Can I ask why?

560

:

Dezzie: Yeah, you can,

because we were gonna try it.

561

:

The first three fosters we got in

here decided they knew better than

562

:

us and they wouldn't listen to us.

563

:

And one of 'em ran a vet bill up

to $10,000 without our permission

564

:

going behind our back to run a

dog back and forth to the vet, for

565

:

the vet to keep telling her there

was nothing wrong with the dog.

566

:

And then I got stuck with $10,000

worth of a bill because of it.

567

:

Another one decided she knew

better and adopted out our animals

568

:

without telling us and wouldn't

tell us who she adopted them to.

569

:

No microchip.

570

:

One of 'em wasn't even fixed

571

:

and she got rid of our animals and

when we tried to do something about

572

:

it, the police, it's not a priority.

573

:

Animals are not a police priority.

574

:

There wasn't a whole lot

we could do about it.

575

:

So

576

:

you don't have

577

:

the control base.

578

:

You can't learn their behaviors.

579

:

You're not doing group settings.

580

:

There's a lot of things in the

behaviors that you're not understanding.

581

:

Because you're not around

that animal every day.

582

:

You don't know if that foster's got

that animal and that foster could

583

:

tell you anything, and that dog could

act one way with that foster and

584

:

act completely different with you.

585

:

And in order to do an actual

behavioral test, somebody who knows

586

:

what they're doing with large groups

of dogs needs to do that test.

587

:

And most rescues don't have that person.

588

:

I just think that it makes it for a more

unsafe environment when you're not testing

589

:

these dogs fully to know every little

quirk about them before you send them out.

590

:

You've got to know your animals because

you might have one I've got one dog here.

591

:

He is absolutely fabulous with people.

592

:

He's great with a couple different dogs,

but God help you, you get him out with

593

:

others that he don't know, ain't no

way, he's not nice, he can be a problem.

594

:

So his adoption will be very specific.

595

:

But we know this about him.

596

:

Why?

597

:

Because he's been with us for months and

we've been able to watch his behaviors

598

:

and test him on many different things.

599

:

I just think

600

:

it's safer.

601

:

Dixie: Earlier in our conversation,

you mentioned that you wanted

602

:

to start things with education.

603

:

Can we go touch on that a little bit?

604

:

Dezzie: Oh, absolutely.

605

:

I think that our students

should be more involved.

606

:

I think that kids should be taught

at a small age or a young age.

607

:

Jefferson Parish was doing a.

608

:

Reading time where we would take

dogs to a school and we'd go sit

609

:

in the library with a few of our

dogs and they would read to 'em.

610

:

We used to do 4th of July night at

the shelter, which is where students

611

:

would come in and hang out with

the dogs and read to 'em and stuff.

612

:

Why fireworks were going on.

613

:

I think that was an amazing program.

614

:

We used to have groups of kids come

to the shelter and we would spend the

615

:

whole day there teaching them what we

did and how we did things and we would

616

:

take 'em through and show 'em everything

and write down to a playgroup on how to

617

:

integrate dogs together at a shelter.

618

:

So I think that so many kids

have to get hours for school.

619

:

I think more of 'em should be encouraged

to do their hours at the animal shelters.

620

:

And have more programs set up.

621

:

And I think school hours should be

able to go to places like me who is a

622

:

rescue, where I could bring in a group

of five kids and give them their hours

623

:

and give them practical experience.

624

:

You

625

:

have it to where they could get their

school hours, plus I could be a reference

626

:

for them of practical experience in

a pack scenario of a large group of

627

:

dogs to where if they wanted to go

someplace because I don't know if

628

:

Orleans is, but Jefferson Parish, that's

a parish job with parish benefits.

629

:

That's a good paying job.

630

:

It's not a bad job at all.

631

:

And good overtime and, hazard

pay and all of that stuff.

632

:

And that would get their foot

in the door at a decent job.

633

:

You know what I mean?

634

:

Outta high school.

635

:

Dixie: I'm all for more

education programs too.

636

:

Dezzie: I think that's the way to

go if we really wanna change this.

637

:

We are never going to convince adults

to change the way they do things,

638

:

but man, we get ahold of the kids.

639

:

We can guarantee we could have

change in another, seven to 10 years

640

:

drastic change in this country.

641

:

, If we could teach the kids.

642

:

New ways of doing things.

643

:

Dixie: It's been an

interesting conversation.

644

:

I enjoyed learning about your setup

645

:

Do you have any adoption

success stories that we could

646

:

maybe end the conversation on?

647

:

Dezzie: Oh.

648

:

I have so many.

649

:

I get more emails from dogs than I do

humans from success stories where I've

650

:

got one point that sticks to mind.

651

:

Okay.

652

:

I adopted out a dog, and

this was 11 years ago.

653

:

I hadn't seen the dog in 10 years,

but I used to be the dog walker.

654

:

I'd babysat him.

655

:

I adopted him to the woman he was

living with, and we had a routine.

656

:

I would go over there three times a

week, go to the front door, he'd bring me

657

:

the leash, we'd go for a walk, and then

I'd come back, and that's what we did.

658

:

After his adoption, I just became

her dog sitter for her, and I moved

659

:

away and I came back and it had been

nine years and I hadn't seen her.

660

:

And I went over to her house and I got to

the front door and the dogs come up to me.

661

:

They had not seen me in nine years.

662

:

The dogs come up to me, Percy stands

there for a minute and I'm looking

663

:

hi Percy, how you doing buddy?.

664

:

And he took a good sniff of me and

all of a sudden he went right to his

665

:

basket, he grabbed his leash, brought

it to me, and I looked at her and I

666

:

said you know what I'm about to do?

667

:

And she goes, yeah, I'll see

you in about a half hour.

668

:

Dixie: Wow,

669

:

Dezzie: that's awesome.

670

:

After nine years he immediately

went and got his leash and he

671

:

took me right back on our walk.

672

:

Dixie: Wow.

673

:

That is awesome.

674

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

675

:

But I get a lot.

676

:

A couple weeks ago I was feeling

down and I put out in the universe,

677

:

what am I doing with my life?

678

:

And that day I probably got nine.

679

:

Nine different people messaged

me with updates on how

680

:

great their dogs were doing.

681

:

So there's a lot of success stories

in it, and that's what keeps us going.

682

:

Even in these hard times, we're having

trouble getting food and we're having

683

:

trouble getting, any kind of support

because everybody's having a rough time.

684

:

Dixie: Yeah.

685

:

Dezzie: And about the time

where I wanna give up and I just

686

:

wanna say, okay, you beat me.

687

:

I can't I'm done.

688

:

I'll start getting emails out of

the blue, like God's trying to

689

:

tell me, nah, you ain't done yet.

690

:

You're just upset today.

691

:

Put your big pants on and

let's go back to work.

692

:

And I'll start getting pictures

and updates and just amazing

693

:

stories on how great or funny

things that the dogs are doing.

694

:

And I get a lot of those.

695

:

Some of 'em are going back 15 years.

696

:

Dixie: Yeah.

697

:

So

698

:

that definitely is what

makes it worthwhile.

699

:

I love getting

700

:

Dezzie: it does

701

:

Dixie: the updates, or just out of the

blue, somebody will send you a photo and

702

:

be like, oh, look how so and so's doing.

703

:

And you see 'em living their best life

704

:

Dezzie: and it's the greatest

705

:

feeling.

706

:

Dixie: Yes,

707

:

it is.

708

:

It definitely

709

:

is.

710

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

711

:

, Okay.

712

:

Because, people are always asking, because

the previous two jobs I did before I

713

:

started in dogs, I made a lot of money..

714

:

And people are always asking

me, do you miss the money?

715

:

I was like, yes, I do.

716

:

I don't miss the work,

but I do miss the money.

717

:

And in this right now, in the last

couple years, the struggle because

718

:

our dog food, just dog food alone

costs me a thousand dollars a month.

719

:

Just dog food is a

thousand dollars a month.

720

:

And you keep looking and it's like,

how am I gonna keep doing this?

721

:

And people ask me all the time,

it's like, how do you afford it?

722

:

And I'm just like, I don't

know the grace of God.

723

:

I'm not sure.

724

:

Because

725

:

It's just always there.

726

:

Dixie: Yeah.

727

:

The one thing about rescue that a lot of

people don't realize is how much of your

728

:

own money you have to spend on rescue.

729

:

Everybody will start a rescue.

730

:

Oh yeah.

731

:

And they think all this money is just

gonna come pouring in on donations and

732

:

it's, oh no, your own money that you

are using to take care of these animals.

733

:

Dezzie: Absolutely.

734

:

And now, don't get me wrong,

I have some amazing helpers.

735

:

I've got a few that are dedicated

to helping probably get five

736

:

bags of dog food a month.

737

:

I need 30.

738

:

But I'm guaranteed because I know these

certain people that are doing these

739

:

donations, they are absolutely faithful

to it, and it's a bag of dog food.

740

:

And one of 'em, she told me, she was like,

it's two cups of coffee, for the month.

741

:

She gives up

742

:

two cups of coffee and she can buy

me a bag of dog food every month.

743

:

Which is amazing that people would

744

:

do that, so I do get

donations, don't get me wrong.

745

:

And I do get help.

746

:

There's somebody else here too

though, that I, wanna mention her

747

:

by name, she's been pretty amazing.

748

:

With getting people to donate and help.

749

:

Tonda.

750

:

Johnston and that woman is amazing.

751

:

We had, a medical issue.

752

:

And her people before the night

was over, it was taken care of, so

753

:

there are some that will stand up

when you need it, but there's just

754

:

so many right now asking for help.

755

:

How do you choose?

756

:

Because everybody needs help right now.

757

:

Dixie: Yeah, I understand that for sure.

758

:

Thank you, so much for taking

the time to speak with me.

759

:

I really appreciate it.

760

:

I enjoyed our conversation.

761

:

Dezzie: It was lovely talking to you, mam.

762

:

Great.

763

:

I'm so glad you called me and

thank you for thinking of me.

764

:

Dixie: That's all the time that

we have for today's episode.

765

:

Thank you for listening and

we hope you join us next week.

766

:

If you know somebody that loves animals

as much as I do, please send 'em our way.

767

:

We would love to talk to 'em.

768

:

If you are enjoying our show, please

consider leaving us a donation.

769

:

A hundred percent goes to our animals.

770

:

Paws in

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:

the night Claws in the

fight Whiskers twitch and

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:

tails

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:

take flight

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:

They’re calling in Stories to spin

From the wild to the heart within

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:

Broken wings and hopeful springs

We’re the voices for these things

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:

animal posse hear the call.

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:

We stand together.

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:

Big and small Rescue tales We’ve

got it all Animal posse Saving

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:

them

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:

all

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:

The vet’s got tips The rescuer’s

grit The foster homes where love

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:

won’t quit From a pup in the rain to

a bird in pain , Every soul’s worth

783

:

the

784

:

strain

785

:

Animal posse

786

:

Hear the call

787

:

We stand together Big

788

:

and small Rescue tales We’ve got

it all Animal posse Saving them all

789

:

Every caller tells a tale, every

howl a whispered wail, we rise up.

790

:

We never

791

:

fail.

792

:

This

793

:

is

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:

the

795

:

bond

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:

The holy grail

797

:

Animal posse Hear the call We stand

together Big and small Rescue tales We’ve

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:

got it all Animal posse Saving them all

799

:

Every caller tells a tale Every howl

a whispered wail We rise up We never

800

:

fail This is the bond The holy grail.

801

:

Song by Suno.ai

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About the Podcast

Animal Posse
A look inside the world of animal rescue
Dive deep into the world of animal rescue with heartwarming stories, expert interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights. From heartwarming adoptions to daring rescues, we'll explore the incredible bond between humans and animals.
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