Animal Posse Helping Pets & People in an Animal Resue Crisis - Animal Posse

Episode 35

Helping Pets & People in an Animal Resue Crisis

Published on: 26th September, 2025

What happens when animal welfare organizations are stretched to their breaking point? In this episode, we sit down with Meredith Festa from Paws Unite People to explore the state of animal welfare today.

We'll unpack the financial crisis that is forcing rescues to make impossible choices, and learn about Paws Unite People's unique mission to not only save animals but also support the people who care for them. Meredith shares a powerful call to action for the rescue community to put aside competition and work together to advocate for meaningful change. Discover the hidden challenges of animal rescue and what you can do to help during this critical time.

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Animal Posse is your go-to place for everything animal rescue! Join us as we share heartwarming stories, crucial insights, and ways to make a difference for animals in need. We're proud to be powered by our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, working together to bring animal lovers together and save lives.

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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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Thank you so much, Meredith,

for joining me today.

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I'm glad that you wanted to come

on to talk about the crisis that

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we have going on in animal rescue.

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Before we start can you share a bit about

yourself and the rescue that you are with?

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Meredith: I am 50 Woo.

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I have been doing animal rescue in some

sort of capacity since I was really young.

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Actually when I was a kid we were

still allowed to work if your parents

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signed off on it with working papers.

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And I volunteered and had a

small part-time job at IDE week.

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'cause I grew up in Levittown.

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That was in UA on Long Island.

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And I did that a couple of hours a week.

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And then again, when I was going for my

confirmation, I needed to do community

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service and I did that as well.

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When I did that, I actually

worked in the training department

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with the rehabilitation cases.

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They actually taught me at a very

young age how to help socialize.

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Scared cats and dogs, nothing dangerous.

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Obviously I was a child, but

times were different then.

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And then through college I worked at

Northshore League and then , after

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college I started to work in banking, but

I still always had a foot in the animal

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welfare world, be it fostering dogs or

cats for other rescues, volunteering

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at other rescues, things like that.

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In 2013, we started Paws Unite People

because I noticed there was a big gap

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within the animal welfare community.

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You foster homes and then you

had animal shelters, but there

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was nowhere for cats and dogs.

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To go that sort of didn't

fit in either bucket.

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Not ready for a home, but too scared

or traumatized to be at a shelter.

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So that was the goal, was to

try to create that middle.

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We started it out doing it with myself

and a couple of other core volunteers who

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were experienced, who would take those

animals into our home until we could

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save enough money to get a facility.

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We did an animal abuse case in

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It was over 80 cats.

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It was Turkish Angora breeder.

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Some of them didn't make it.

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Some of them survived, but the town

shelter refused to take though.

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So we rented a building.

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And it started there small.

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We started in a 900 square foot facility.

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Now we're in an almost , 5,000

square foot facility.

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So we've definitely got more space

and we are definitely doing a

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little bit more , in the community.

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We hope not just animals from

abuse, cruelty, neglect, but

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we also train service animals.

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We train therapy dogs.

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We have special needs adults and kids

come work with the animals that we have

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that are cleared for that so that they

can learn a skillset or they can have

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positive interactions with animals.

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Sometimes special needs child can't

have a cat or a dog at home, but they

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can come to this shelter a couple

of days a week and play with them.

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And we also take in animals temporarily

for people suffering from temporary

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shift in housing, temporary homelessness

or domestic violence cases where

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people are fleeing domestic violence

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right now we have a dog at the

shelter from someone who is fleeing

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domestic violence and two cats from

someone who's currently homeless.

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But we don't put them up for adoption.

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If that makes sense.

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Is that enough about me?

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Dixie: It does make sense.

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It's very interesting

too with the background.

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'cause I can just imagine, 'cause I do

cat rescue, having that many cats in a

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900 square foot building and then building

up to go to a 5,000 square foot building.

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That's pretty impressive.

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Meredith: It started so small, like it

was 86 cats, but they didn't survive

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about 40, made it out of the vet.

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It was one of the worst

things I've ever seen.

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It was like Auschwitz for cats.

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But yeah, we started super small

and then now we're just big.

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It's crazy.

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We do international stuff

too, like we back up.

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All the international rescues, several

of them in Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Korea

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Taiwan in the event they and Afghanistan,

we used to, not now because well,

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but in the event animals are shipped

to the United States and run into an

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issue at that moment we would step in.

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So we do have some dogs and cats in

the building that came from overseas.

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We didn't bring them here, but they

went to other rescue groups or straight

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to adopters that it didn't work out

because I also don't think animals

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should be brought to this country and fly

thousands of miles just to be euthanized.

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That really ground to my gears,

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Dixie: exactly.

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Meredith: Yeah.

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Dixie: Can you explain when you're

taking in like these pets that are on

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a temporary basis for the homelessness

or the domestic violence, how you

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end up reuniting them, how long you

usually have to house 'em before the

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people are able to take 'em back.

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Meredith: We try to,

each case is different.

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You never can put, even with

rehabilitation, each case is different.

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Each cat you take in each dog, you

take in each family, we assist.

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It's different.

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So it's never a one size fits all.

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So the most recent case, a girl was

fleeing a domestic violence situation.

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She needed to put her dogs somewhere safe.

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She's very young.

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Very young, and she has to get

her proverbial, what together so

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that she can start her life over.

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So I didn't give her a time limit.

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I told her to take what she needs

time-wise, and she comes and she

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volunteers and helps out take care of

the animals, and she gets to see her dog.

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And I've noticed, especially with

domestic violence, women and sometimes

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men, we've had men stay in these

situations that they shouldn't stay

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in because they love their pets.

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The last cat case we took

in from domestic violence.

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I had the cat for six months.

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I've had some longer, we've only had one

instance in the years we've been helping

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out where we did not return the animal.

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It is a dog.

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That dog is a permanent

resident at our shelter.

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He suffers from permanent PTSD from

witnessing a very horrific event.

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She ended up going back to her husband.

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I couldn't give the dog back.

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But normally I would say it takes

people on an average one to three

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months to get themselves back in order.

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We had a house fire,

it was like eight cats.

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We had them for nine months 'cause

they had to rebuild the whole house.

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So when I say each case is

different, it really is.

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Dixie: Sure

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Meredith: depends.

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You have to really talk to people.

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You have to figure out if they're

telling you the truth too, which is

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something we've gotten very good at.

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We've had instances, oh shoot,

yeah, we had a dog that came in.

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The gentleman temporarily lost his home.

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His mother passed away.

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It was sold out underneath

him by the family.

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By the time he found an apartment,

his dog was diagnosed with cancer.

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So what we ended up doing was he got

a key to the building and he would

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just come and visit with the dog.

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At the facility.

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I hate calling it a shelter

'cause we're not a shelter.

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Like all the animals are not in cages,

they're in rooms with TVs and couches.

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It's like a rehab center.

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But he was able to come

visit with his dog.

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His dog was at a big pit bull.

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His name was muscles.

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He lived in the cat room.

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So he would come, when he had time.

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I didn't care because , by that

time we had known him very well.

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We trusted him.

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He would come, hang out, go

home, take care of his dog leave.

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But because moving the dog mid, in that

hospice situation into a tiny apartment

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where he had to be carried up and down

the stairs just wasn't gonna work.

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So like I said,, you have to

look at each case differently.

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We just took in.

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10 dogs out of a hoarding case.

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We actually had 17, but seven

went to other rescues finally.

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Thank you.

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And we have 10 left.

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And each one of them is different.

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They all suffer from different issues.

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Some of them are further

along than others.

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You can't one size fits all

rehabilitation work for sure.

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And you can't one size fits all

people that are experiencing

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an uproot in their life.

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Dixie: How many animals

can your facility house?

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Meredith: Right now we have

32 dogs and we have 46 cats.

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We could technically taken up to 50

cats and I can house, depending on

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the dog sizes 'cause it's all modular.

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I could move walls and things.

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We could probably house

eight or nine more dogs.

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But fiscally, no.

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We are over capacity from a financial

standpoint, which seems to be the problem

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across the board in animal rescue lately.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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Yeah.

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So we can start getting into that too.

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And another thing too that I

would like to mention, because.

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I love that you're helping out

people with their pets for temporary

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situations rather than have them

surrender their animals to a shelter.

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And I think that's what rescue should be.

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Or if somebody does need to surrender

an animal, it should be a situation

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like that, like something that

is really beyond their control.

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Meredith: Yeah, I don't want your dog.

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I said this, the girl was so nice and

she's just I don't know what to do.

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I said, you need to get outta there.

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Keep yourself safe.

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I don't want your dog, but I'll keep

your dog safe while you figure it out.

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, That's why we started this.

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, It was part of our mission statement from

inception was to do community outreach

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to try to stop the cycle of abuse.

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What and the other side of that was

also to try to help good owners keep

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their pets as much as we possibly could.

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There's so many animals that need help

that don't have good owners, right?

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So if someone is a good person and

it's a good owner and it's a temporary

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setback, we shouldn't be taking their

cats and dogs, especially with cats.

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I don't want your 18-year-old cat.

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I don't want your 12-year-old cat,

because it's going to end up living

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in my facility for a very long

time if it gets adopted at all.

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But.

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I feel like it's so important.

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If you looked at it that way, if rescue

groups tried to be a temporary bandaid in

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situations like that, it would alleviate

the amount of dogs getting surrendered

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to municipal town county run shelters

because people are stuck temporarily.

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But it would also keep us from having

to long-term house older animals that

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may not be as easy to get adopted.

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I hope that made sense.

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Dixie: It does.

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Exactly.

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And I agree with that too.

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Now I see in my area a lot, I find people

are what I'm gonna say is abusing rescues,

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because all the calls that we get, it's

constantly, oh, I'm moving tomorrow.

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I need a place for my animal to go.

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And that's not what rescue is for.

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Rescue is not for like your

lack of planning or your lack of

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responsibility, it's for animals that

are actually in need or in crisis.

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Meredith: Yeah.

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We never help people like that.

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Unless it's domestic violence, that's

a completely different situation,

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Dixie: right?

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Yes.

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Meredith: But if people call

me, I'm like, I'm moving.

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I need to rehome my dog.

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I'm like you should have

called us three weeks ago.

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'cause I'm pretty sure you

knew you were moving then.

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I feel bad when I do it,

we have to have limits.

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I've had a lady call me once

at three in the morning.

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She got my phone number from an emergency

vet and she was just like, I just left

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my boyfriend, my one cat's at the er.

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She's my other cat's in the car.

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I can't afford the pet fee at the hotel.

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And I'm like, listen, I'll meet you.

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At the time we were in East Patchog,

I'm like, I'll meet you in East Patchog.

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I'm leaving my house now.

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I'll be there in 30 minutes.

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I got you cat.

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I got you back.

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Don't worry about it.

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Just don't worry about it.

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And we tried to raise money to

help her cover the vet bill for

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the cat that was in the ER because

that guy was a piece of crap.

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So those calls, you can't control that.

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It's, especially when they're struggling

to leave, like a lot of times we'll

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talk to people trying to get outta

that situation and they're not sure.

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Those are always the only

last minute ones I take.

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From the general public.

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Because they're leaving.

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Yeah.

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It's a lot.

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Those people go through a lot.

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Dixie: It's good to take that

burden of their animals off

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of them, that's something that

they don't have to worry about.

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Meredith: Yeah.

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I've seen people keep themselves

in those situations because

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rescue goats won't help them.

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I've seen people stay in those

situations because they didn't think

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that they had options or they didn't

wanna give up their pets because they

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were sad or scared or they loved them.

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But, I've had people like

this girl, her dog's awesome.

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It's her emotional support dog.

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She had a traumatic event

when she was younger.

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This is her trained emotional support dog.

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She called multiple rescue groups and they

all offered to take her dog for adoption.

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I'm like, I don't want your

dog's I want you to be okay.

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And I didn't think that's right either.

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I don't think it's right to take

this girl's dog upfront right away.

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We set limits, but let's give this

kid some time to get back on her

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feet before you take her animal.

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I understand her dog is

very easy to put in home.

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It would be a nice, easy, quick adoption,

but are we really doing the right

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thing for that person or that dog?

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Dixie: What is the crisis

that you're facing right now?

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What is your biggest challenge?

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Meredith: Long Island has a very

big hoarding problem, so I've

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been dealing with that a lot.

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And then funding, there's just no funding.

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We've seen a lot where I talked

about this the other day just with

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someone where grants I normally

get or don't exist anymore.

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There were a lot of cuts made,

especially for my organization.

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So you have to figure a lot of the

funding that we were getting to help

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women fleeing domestic violence and,

or disabled or special needs adults and

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children was coming through programs that

were labeled DEI that have been canceled.

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And sometimes I think people

don't understand how funding

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from the government works.

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So the government will issue large grants.

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Those large grants go to larger

foundations and organizations,

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and then that money trickles down.

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And as small guys, we

apply for those funds.

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So you know when you get a grant

for $6,000 from Red Rover to help

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people fleeing domestic violence,

they got that money from above, and

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then that money came from above.

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It trickles down.

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So unless you're a huge animal

welfare organization, you're

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not getting those big checks.

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You're getting the smaller pieces of

a pie that came from somewhere else.

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So the grants have

dissipated in that bucket.

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USDA had a lot of funding cuts.

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We lost $23,000 in grants that fell

under that bucket for the cats and dogs

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spay, neuter programs, stuff like that.

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And then states are losing their

funding or not getting their funding

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depending on what state you're in.

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So then those programs get cut.

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And then also two people have tightened

their wallets because the financial

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state of life has been a little unstable.

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So you have a lot of people

giving less, but asking for more.

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So I've had an uptick in people asking

us for assistance on multiple levels,

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because when people are struggling

financially, you get an uptick in

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domestic violence, that happens.

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Those situations become volatile.

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So we have more people asking us

for help that are in bad situations

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at home, we have more people asking

for help because they're homeless or

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they're losing their home, or they

can't afford their home anymore.

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We have more people asking

for help with vet bills.

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But then I'm also seeing an uptake

in neglect cases where people

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aren't asking and neglecting their

animals, and you're seeing an uptake

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in animals that are ending up in

shelters that are in poor state.

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We just did that hoarding case

and nobody wanted to do anything

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about it because there was no one

for nowhere for the dogs to go.

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The town shelter's full.

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There's nowhere for the animals to go.

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The woman is mentally ill,

she's not going to get charges.

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So why take the dogs outta the house?

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Because where are they gonna go?

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We'll just condemn her house.

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She can leave them outside.

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And I said, no, we're gonna take them out

of the house and we're gonna get rescue

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groups to step up and figure it out.

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But now you have rescue groups

besides myself, there's 25 dogs.

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I have 10.

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But me and the other rescues that

helped out, now we're stuck trying

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to find the money to pay these

bills in an environment where people

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aren't donating to help those dogs.

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So it's a struggle.

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But yeah, money, money's always

been a challenge for rescue groups,

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but it is really bad lately.

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I know where you are.

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It's been really bad too.

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I have some friends that way.

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Bad.

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Bad.

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Dixie: Are you seeing a lot of

rescues up by you having to close

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their doors because of this?

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Meredith: Yes.

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A lot of rescues are closing their doors.

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A lot of rescues are closing their doors.

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I just saw the other day I was like,

another rescue shutting down because

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they can't afford their bills.

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There was a horrible story I saw floating

around this woman that euthanized all

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the dogs, which I think is insane.

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And she was sketchy to begin with.

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But that's what's happening is that

people, animal rescues and animal

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shelters are clothing shop because

they can't afford to pay their bills.

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And we are on the edge I have rent

to you in four days, and I still

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have to find $4,000 for that.

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But, I make phone calls.

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I'm pushing fundraising.

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On top of that, you have utility bills.

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Like people don't understand how much

it costs to run an actual facility.

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Foster based rescues

can be very expensive.

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But for a facility on Long

Island in New York, we are

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spending $9,000 a month in rent.

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And insurance fees.

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And then utilities are

about:

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And that's just to keep the lights

on and the door open and you

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have to add a dog food, right?

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Veterinary care and all the

other things on top of that.

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So we are, our budget to run the

shelter every month is about $15,000.

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Barring no major medical event.

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And we were doing that, but now that

grants are gone and funding's gone,

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like I sit and I say we're not gonna

take anything else in the dogs.

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Were in emergency.

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I wasn't gonna put them

back in the backyard.

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There was just a way, and thank God

other rescue groups stepped up to help.

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'cause I don't know what I would do

with 25 of them, but it really comes

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down to we have to start deciding are

we going to try to keep going or are

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we gonna try to place what we have

and close our doors because they're

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just, donations are just not there.

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But I know three rescuers that are

done, they're not doing it anymore.

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They're just not going to do it anymore.

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They're just gonna close it up.

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They're gonna adopt out what

they have and close shop because

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they're killing themselves.

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And it breaks my heart because

as these smaller groups close,

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where did the animals go?

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Because the town shelters are full.

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, We've done a really good job.

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And and it's other problems.

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You, and I hate to say this,

like rescue groups get mad.

381

:

I, we did a really good job at like

with the no kill movement, right?

382

:

To reduce euthanasia rights,

to increase live release rates.

383

:

A lot of that comes from town municipal

shelters not taking in pets . I'm

384

:

seeing it where people will call me and

say, especially with cats, , I called

385

:

the town shelter because I'm being

evicted and I have 30 days to leave.

386

:

But they said they can't take

my cats, they have no room.

387

:

I just saw, was it John, one of

the rescuers on Long Island posted

388

:

that he picked up five cats today.

389

:

The owner got evicted

because ACC didn't take them.

390

:

So we're gonna start to see more,

I think more street abandonment.

391

:

I'm noticing a lot more friendly

cats and dogs floating around the

392

:

streets than I normally would see.

393

:

Especially from where we are.

394

:

It's indicative of a bigger problem right

395

:

Dixie: do you think rescues may,

in a sense, have created the

396

:

problem by giving people this

mentality that they can always.

397

:

Go surrender their animal, so , if the

shelter's not gonna take it, there's

398

:

this thought, then there's rescue,

but then of course rescues get full.

399

:

Do you think that could have

anything to do with it as well?

400

:

Or what are your thoughts on that?

401

:

Meredith: I don't think

that we created it.

402

:

I think it's really hard to say.

403

:

I just got a call the other day, seven

month old pit puppy, perfectly dog social.

404

:

And it was somebody who adopted a

dog from me, and it was an older dog.

405

:

And she's listen, I'm trying, , my

kid's friend, they have this dog,

406

:

their parents lost their house.

407

:

They have nowhere to go.

408

:

I said, I'd take the puppy in.

409

:

It is torturing my dog.

410

:

I said I'm sure it is.

411

:

Because the dog I gave them could

be a little tricky with other female

412

:

dogs, especially younger ones.

413

:

She goes, but I didn't want the

dog to end up getting euthanized.

414

:

And when they went to the town shelter

and asked if they could take it,

415

:

they said that they had no space,

that the only owner surrenders they

416

:

were taking were for euthanasia.

417

:

Who wants to euthanize

a seven month old puppy?

418

:

Nobody, right?

419

:

So they just said, , we

can't take it right now.

420

:

So there was nowhere for the dog to go.

421

:

I ended up calling a different

town shelter who I knew had space,

422

:

and I was just like, listen, can

you please just take this puppy?

423

:

There's nothing wrong with it.

424

:

It's just a puppy.

425

:

I can't take it.

426

:

Now, do I want that dog

sitting in a town shelter?

427

:

No.

428

:

It's a puppy.

429

:

It needs proper socialization and it needs

to be, in a foster home or an environment

430

:

like mine that's close to a home that's

structured because this puppy's just

431

:

going to end up being conditioned at

a critical development age to be in

432

:

a shelter and you don't want that.

433

:

But I had to say no because I

can't afford it, and I think that.

434

:

We didn't create the problem by always

being there, but we definitely put a

435

:

bandaid on it for a while, for always

trying to find a way, because it really

436

:

does come down to money because if the

rescue groups have the money to pay for

437

:

the vet bills, to pay for the whatever,

the marketing the Facebook ad the

438

:

management, the all of the things you need

to do to raise money, fundraising costs,

439

:

all of that stuff, if they have the money

to get that all done, then the animals

440

:

could get adopted, the vettings finished.

441

:

But when you have to wait to raise

the money needed to do the thing so

442

:

that you could put the cat or the dog

in a home, it starts to drag it out.

443

:

And if you overload yourself,

you just can't afford it.

444

:

I know four animal rescue groups in my

area alone that have, vet bills in upward

445

:

outstanding balances of $40,000 each.

446

:

Right now our outstanding vet bills are

on three K and I'm having a heart attack.

447

:

I never let it get that bad.

448

:

You can't get it.

449

:

Let that bad.

450

:

But I have to say no.

451

:

And I think, again, I don't think we

created a problem with the general public.

452

:

I think that we bandaided it by not saying

no, because we were getting donations and

453

:

now that we're not, and things are cut,

and funding's cut and people tightened

454

:

their wallets and things are unstable,

we're starting to see the effects of that.

455

:

I hope if that made sense.

456

:

Dixie: It does.

457

:

It makes a lot of sense with you having

bills of 15,000 a month, that's a lot.

458

:

Yes.

459

:

It's very difficult to get that amount in.

460

:

I can only imagine.

461

:

Meredith: I'm going to

462

:

cry.

463

:

We were getting grants, so

I never, and this is truth.

464

:

I never would've signed the lease

for this building where we are.

465

:

If I thought for an iota of a

moment that I was gonna lose

466

:

$50,000 in grant funding overnight.

467

:

Never.

468

:

I never imagined that I

was gonna get an email.

469

:

'cause that was consistent for years.

470

:

$69,700 is the total loss for

:

471

:

That's pretty much

almost the shelter bills.

472

:

A lot of money.

473

:

And it was a lot of emails

saying, listen, we're sorry.

474

:

We know we approved you for a

grant for first quarter:

475

:

due to cuts and funding, we are

unable to do that and we apologize.

476

:

You're just like, oh, great.

477

:

Shoot me.

478

:

Dixie: Have you tried to come

up with some other kind of.

479

:

Fundraising ideas or things to do

480

:

? Meredith: Anybody wanna

buy a kidney didn't work.

481

:

I tend to be really sarcastic.

482

:

The biggest thing everybody says to me

is I always act like it's gonna be fine.

483

:

They're like, Meredith, everybody thinks

you're just gonna figure it out, out.

484

:

I'm like, I know it's bad.

485

:

I don't know.

486

:

We're pushing fundraising as hard

as we can on social media, but the

487

:

general public, I'm not the big org.

488

:

We had a big bump in finances.

489

:

, We did help overseas and I mentioned

that, and we worked with animal

490

:

rescuers in Afghanistan when the

fall of Afghanistan happened.

491

:

Activision Blizzard, the video

game company gave us a large grant

492

:

$600,000, but that was specifically

to get those women out of Afghanistan

493

:

and their families, right?

494

:

So that was donor directed funds.

495

:

We got that money, we got everybody that

was helping our US troops and our go US

496

:

government employees over the years with

the cats and dogs out of Afghanistan.

497

:

And then that money was gone,

never to come back again.

498

:

I couldn't give you for anything else.

499

:

So sometimes people look at our finances

and they see that big bump, and I'm like,

500

:

yeah, that was a COVID loan and, A grant

for a specific purpose and then nothing.

501

:

And then we're back to normal.

502

:

It's oh look at Meredith.

503

:

She's 150, 190, 150, 200,000, 800,000.

504

:

And then it goes 200,001, 200,000, one 50.

505

:

'cause we, it was just that one peak.

506

:

'cause sometimes you

have that one big thing.

507

:

But that one big thing didn't

give us like public notoriety.

508

:

No one knows who we are.

509

:

That was just someone who knew that

we worked with that shelter and

510

:

wanted to help those specific people.

511

:

We are not a big org that gets in

thousands of donations that has

512

:

hundreds of thousands of followers.

513

:

We have 33,000 on Facebook's,

:

514

:

two, almost 2000 on TikTok.

515

:

Like we're not big.

516

:

So relying on your social media

base is just not, we don't have

517

:

a hundred percent followers.

518

:

It's just that doesn't work.

519

:

So I've been trying to think outside of

box with grants, and not just for myself,

520

:

but some of the dog sanctuary rescuers.

521

:

It breaks my heart, these people have

committed their lives to helping dogs

522

:

that are just not adoptable at all.

523

:

And they put this, they dumped their whole

life savings and their whole life into it.

524

:

And now no one's giving grants to

people who aren't doing adoptions.

525

:

And then even still, it needs to

be a certain amount of adoptions.

526

:

And that's hurt.

527

:

And I was like, even with me with

rehab to give a good example, we were

528

:

getting $40,000 a year from a very big.

529

:

Store organization.

530

:

We'll just say that.

531

:

And that they shifted gears.

532

:

Now we do abuse, cruelty,

and neglect cases.

533

:

So you and I both know these, the

dogs I took from a hoarding case,

534

:

they're not gonna get adopted

quickly, i'll have to heal them.

535

:

I have to take them to the vet.

536

:

We need to get their skin better

537

:

. They have behavior issues

that I'm gonna work on.

538

:

So we may be six months before those

10 dogs are ready to leave my facility.

539

:

Now, during those six months, I'm

not doing puppies and kittens.

540

:

I'm not taking in those kinds of animals.

541

:

So my adoption numbers for the

next six months are gonna be low.

542

:

So when they shifted gears to

how many cats or dogs you got

543

:

adopted a year, I lost that money.

544

:

So you're starting to see the people

that do what I do or the sanctuary

545

:

work, lose out on opportunities from

larger foundations and grants that

546

:

still are out there because they're

strictly basing it on numbers, which is

547

:

where I think encourages the problem.

548

:

So if a shelter or a rescue is

getting money based on the amount

549

:

of adoptions that they do, are

they doing ethical adoptions?

550

:

Are they really making sure that these

animals are going to the right home?

551

:

How many of those animals are

returned or dumped in local shelters?

552

:

There's a big one here.

553

:

They do hundreds of adoptions a month.

554

:

I have three of their dogs and

eight of their cats in my building.

555

:

Dixie: I can understand that

because I do more, sanctuary.

556

:

I do more.

557

:

Like adult cats.

558

:

Of course I'll take in kittens.

559

:

I help kittens Oh, have.

560

:

But the whole thing with an adult cat

is an adult cat is, they're overlooked.

561

:

They take a long time Yes.

562

:

To get adopted.

563

:

It does make a lot of sense because

you might see these groups that

564

:

are taken in puppies adopting

out all these puppies right away.

565

:

But meanwhile, the people that have

the adult animals, they're with those

566

:

animals for several months before you

find a home, because everybody wants

567

:

the cute little puppies and kittens,

568

:

Meredith: not just months.

569

:

Eight years ago I was left 50

cats and $50 in a will, and all

570

:

those cats were 10 years old.

571

:

Can I tell you, I still have

problems with my building.

572

:

I have a cat that just

turned 24 years old.

573

:

Lisa's been with us for nine years now.

574

:

She's 24 years old.

575

:

Nobody wanted her nine years ago

when she was not 24 years old

576

:

because she was a senior then.

577

:

She's like ancient now.

578

:

And then you also have rescues

like mine that may take dogs.

579

:

Like I have a beautiful dog.

580

:

She's seven years old.

581

:

Her name is Pebbles.

582

:

She's been with us for almost five years.

583

:

She's mint.

584

:

She does not like other dogs.

585

:

I would put her with a newborn baby.

586

:

I would put her with an newborn baby.

587

:

She works with nonverbal autistic kids.

588

:

She is amazing.

589

:

She cannot go to a home with other dogs.

590

:

She cannot go to a home with a

house, with a chain link fence.

591

:

Come on Long Island.

592

:

That's pretty common.

593

:

So she's been with me a long time

because I refuse to set her up to fail.

594

:

So what we've done with

dogs is they're part of our

595

:

outreach program with the kids.

596

:

So like when people call and say, we can't

have a pet, my son really loves dogs.

597

:

I'm like, great, I'll throw 'em

in the backyard with Pebbles.

598

:

He can wash her, go swimming.

599

:

I don't care.

600

:

You can sit there for three

hours, doesn't matter.

601

:

It makes her happy.

602

:

You wanna take a dog for day trip?

603

:

Go ahead, take PEs go.

604

:

She just doesn't like how the dogs

don't let her interact with another dog.

605

:

You see a baby in a carriage,

she'll lick its face.

606

:

But like you have a lot of that, like

I'm sure you have cats that have been

607

:

with you way longer than a couple months.

608

:

Oh dear.

609

:

We all have those.

610

:

Yeah.

611

:

But right now we have, like I

said, the amount of cats we have.

612

:

I have 16 cats over the age of 19.

613

:

Dixie: Wow.

614

:

Meredith: No one's adopting those.

615

:

Yeah, they're not leaving.

616

:

They're leaving, but just not that

way, which is why I don't cage.

617

:

That's why we have the furniture and

the couches and the television sets

618

:

and the waterfalls and they make it

look like a house and people come and

619

:

sit and pet the cats and watch tv.

620

:

And our cats are dog socials.

621

:

So I use the cats that have been with me

for eight years that were supposed to die

622

:

eight years ago because they were supposed

to be hospice cases and still live.

623

:

They're great with dogs.

624

:

So when we get dogs in, like we just

took we just took three chihuahuas from

625

:

another rescue who got those chihuahuas

from a hoarding case with 63 dogs.

626

:

They got the chihuahuas in February.

627

:

The dogs were not doing well,

they weren't moving forward.

628

:

I'm like, ah, we'll throw

'em in the cat room.

629

:

And everyone thought I was crazy.

630

:

I'm like, you just wait.

631

:

The cats will sort it up.

632

:

Cats became friends with chihuahuas.

633

:

Now Chihuahuas are approaching people

because their cat friends are right.

634

:

So at least the cats have a purpose.

635

:

The cats get to help other

animals move forward.

636

:

They have a purpose.

637

:

They're happy.

638

:

They have a chihuahua to bother.

639

:

They can clean it.

640

:

They play with it, but they are

hoping as well, so they have a

641

:

purpose, which was that middle.

642

:

I tried to, I told you I

tried to fill a middle.

643

:

So are our cat sanctuary camps.

644

:

Yeah.

645

:

I don't know.

646

:

If somebody came to me tomorrow

and said, I'd love to adopt

647

:

Lisa, I'd be like, really?

648

:

If Lisa likes you, sure.

649

:

Take her home, let her go home.

650

:

But nobody's adopting a 24-year-old cat.

651

:

With a tilted head.

652

:

No one.

653

:

But Lisa loves those chihuahuas, so

it, Lisa, those chihuahuas are learning

654

:

how to live with a multi pet home.

655

:

'Cause there's a dog in there

that's a permanent resident as well.

656

:

And he loves dogs.

657

:

He just hates people.

658

:

So when people visit, I have

to take him out of the room.

659

:

But he loves dogs.

660

:

So they're learning how

to live with other dogs.

661

:

They're learning how to live with cats.

662

:

They're learning.

663

:

It's funny, 'cause hoarder dogs

go to the bathroom everywhere

664

:

and one of the chihuahuas pooped

on the cat's like ottoman.

665

:

And the cat just smacked it.

666

:

And that dog has not pooped

on the ottoman since.

667

:

So they're helping with housebreaking.

668

:

And if you look at our videos, I

have a video of Barry who is our

669

:

handicap dog, she has no hind legs.

670

:

She's been with us for

almost five years now.

671

:

She's actually got a potential adopter.

672

:

We have to do a meet next week.

673

:

But it took me that long to find a dog

with no hind and legs, a home where

674

:

someone was willing to take on that.

675

:

But Barry has helped us socialize

so many dogs, and I was like,

676

:

here, 10 schnauzers go play.

677

:

And she's teaching them to trust people.

678

:

And if it wasn't for Barry and

the cats, those dogs would not be

679

:

as far along as they are because

they're making friends with Barry.

680

:

They're making friends with the cats, then

they're watching Barry and the cats and

681

:

baby sharks, the other dog interact with

people and go, oh, hey, I can do that too.

682

:

So it's, but like we don't have

those adoption numbers that are crazy

683

:

because sometimes that's not just one.

684

:

Sometimes it actually is years.

685

:

And those on the animals that other places

could say you should have euthanized them.

686

:

And again, I'm gonna go back

to some of these animals,

687

:

did not fly 3000 miles to die

688

:

39 cats were left at JFK airport.

689

:

What was I supposed to do?

690

:

Let them get euthanized?

691

:

Hell no.

692

:

Some of them were older.

693

:

I still have them.

694

:

It's okay.

695

:

They're at least doing something

to help other animals find a home.

696

:

It's just now that things have

gotten numbered base, it's just hard.

697

:

Dixie: I understand.

698

:

Meredith: I babble.

699

:

I'm a

700

:

New Yorker.

701

:

Dixie: That's okay.

702

:

What do you think needs to

be done to change things?

703

:

Or how do you forecast things

in the future in animal rescue?

704

:

Meredith: I think

705

:

in general, first, everybody

needs to stop arguing.

706

:

Animal rescuers argue all the time.

707

:

It's not a competition.

708

:

We all have to come to some sort

of middle level because animal

709

:

cruelty laws in this country, in the

United States are not consistent.

710

:

In most cases they're not enforced.

711

:

But the reason, and working with

politicians as much as we do,

712

:

especially with helping Afghans and

then other things we're doing with

713

:

law enforcement and hoarding cases,

I can tell you most politicians

714

:

think animal rescuers are nuts.

715

:

'cause we're always arguing and

we're always fighting and we're

716

:

always badmouthing each other.

717

:

And you and I both know that's true.

718

:

So we need to try to stop, take a

step back and try to work together

719

:

for like comprehensive animal

welfare reform that's consistent.,

720

:

I think also you need to look at the

hoarding issue that occurs across

721

:

this country with animal hoarding.

722

:

And really start looking at it like

this is a mental illness problem.

723

:

So when we do a hoarding case.

724

:

Typically when I'm mitigating it, and

it's not law enforcement, and I've

725

:

done that before, I haven't done one

in two years, but we have helped orders

726

:

get their numbers down, clean their

house up without getting arrested.

727

:

And we work with social workers and

mental health professionals and you

728

:

need to make sure they're getting the

aftercare and then that's dissipated.

729

:

So now it's arrest them, press

charges, take all their animals away,

730

:

no follow up, no follow through.

731

:

They get convicted five years, no dogs.

732

:

Guess what happens in five years?

733

:

They go get more dogs

734

:

or they're convicted and they're

told that they can't have pets and

735

:

they get them anyway and nobody

follows up to make sure they don't.

736

:

So I think we need to do a better

job addressing the hoarding problem

737

:

that's happening across this country.

738

:

'cause it's everywhere.

739

:

I think we need to, as rescue groups,

create partnerships with law enforcement,

740

:

district attorneys, people in positions

of legal authority to try to figure out

741

:

a plan to what to do in these situations.

742

:

To try to stop gabit from going forward.

743

:

Wellness checks, things like that.

744

:

I also think that maybe we need to

try to get better partnerships with

745

:

the townships and the counties and

the states that we're in to try to

746

:

help, especially when we're stepping

up to take animals that were abused,

747

:

that were part of an investigation.

748

:

Because if we are gonna step up and

take 10 dogs out of a case that was

749

:

where a person was arrested, the

animals are also a victim of a crime.

750

:

So the county or the state or

the township could, in theory.

751

:

Help the animal rescues that help

those animals with some of the expenses

752

:

because they do that with people.

753

:

Those are just my random thoughts.

754

:

And I also think we need to try to come

to some sort of way to get a consistent

755

:

across the board, maybe a coalition

where we could try to help people pay

756

:

their medical bills more on a national

level so that they don't surrender

757

:

because they can't afford something.

758

:

A network of organizations that

are willing to offer up foster

759

:

homes to temporarily house pets

like we do would also be fantastic.

760

:

I could go all day on this.

761

:

Sorry.

762

:

There's lots of ideas.

763

:

Dixie: Yeah.

764

:

Those are all great ideas.

765

:

And what you said too about the

rescue groups working together, that

766

:

was one point of this whole podcast

when I first started it, is because

767

:

I did see a lot of rescue groups,

like they fight with each other.

768

:

Meredith: Yes.

769

:

And yes.

770

:

Dixie: Rather than fight with each other,

work together, we all have the same goal.

771

:

Meredith: Yeah

772

:

Like I'm not competition, so

generally speaking, I try to

773

:

get along with everybody, but

I'm that weird bucket, right?

774

:

I'm not competing with you.

775

:

If you're doing kitten adoptions, you win.

776

:

I had five kittens this whole

year, and they're just getting

777

:

adopted now because they were so

malnourished I couldn't fix them

778

:

until they were six months old, right?

779

:

And then I have a bunch

of old cats and old dogs.

780

:

I have cats and dogs.

781

:

I can't bring new adoption events

at Petco or Pet Smart because they

782

:

don't like other cats and dogs.

783

:

So I'm not anyone's competition.

784

:

The people who know who I am are

usually within the rescue community

785

:

because again, I'm the person that you

call, like I have three chihuahuas.

786

:

I can't do anything with the Merediths.

787

:

Do you have room?

788

:

I'm that person.

789

:

But I think we all need to work

together because I picked up the phone

790

:

and I called all the people that I've

helped before, and I'm like, Hey, she

791

:

want a schnauzer because some of the

dogs in this house didn't need me.

792

:

Some of the dogs outta these 25 dogs

didn't need to be at my facility.

793

:

Yes, they needed medical care, but they

did not need as much socialization.

794

:

They were not as traumatized

as some of the others.

795

:

I think if we all worked together

instead of competing for the high

796

:

profile cases, that would be way better.

797

:

Dixie: Yeah I agree with that.

798

:

I had somebody come look at two

kittens that I had the other

799

:

day to adopt 'em together.

800

:

They looked at 'em and I told 'em, I'm

like, look, before you make this decision

801

:

on my two kittens, I'm like, they have two

other groups that have adoption events.

802

:

Go check them out too.

803

:

Meredith: yep.

804

:

People come to me and they're like,

Meredith, I saw you have a dog.

805

:

It's worm.

806

:

Worm is a , seven pound Maltese.

807

:

He's been with me for almost four

years now because worm's fence,

808

:

his criminal offense that ended him

up in a town shelter was hopping

809

:

a neighbor's fence and ripping a

German shepherd's ears off again.

810

:

I'm gonna repeat.

811

:

It's a seven pound Maltese.

812

:

He's extremely large dog aggressive and

he flies like a squirrel flying squirrel.

813

:

So I worked with Worm on not

hopping five foot fences.

814

:

He doesn't do that anymore.

815

:

Initially when we had him for adoption,

I said he needed a DPS collar.

816

:

He doesn't run away anymore.

817

:

He doesn't bolt anymore.

818

:

He is got a lot of training,

but he is still a jerk.

819

:

He's just a jerk.

820

:

He's not an abused dog.

821

:

He was a spoiled brat that never got

taught rules, structure, or boundaries.

822

:

They bought him in a pet store, they

had him for a year, and then he did

823

:

that because they never told him no.

824

:

'cause he was cute and they

carried him everywhere.

825

:

And they, and that goes back to

what could we do differently?

826

:

Education, educating people on how

to train your dog, how to train

827

:

your cat to use a litter box.

828

:

All of that stuff.

829

:

Going out into the world and putting

out podcasts and, advice like you

830

:

see, if you follow us on social

media, I try to tell people what we're

831

:

doing to rehabilitate dogs or how

to train a dog or how to help a cat.

832

:

Because I think it's important to share

that knowledge, not only within the rescue

833

:

community, but with the general public.

834

:

As well.

835

:

Because if that had been done, if somebody

told people it doesn't matter that he's

836

:

only seven pounds, you need to train him

that it's not okay to eat your neighbor's

837

:

German Shepherd because on the day that

you let him go in your backyard because

838

:

you didn't realize Cujo was next door

outside, he's gonna fly over the fence.

839

:

And you would think that Worm

would've lost that fight.

840

:

He did not.

841

:

We have 148 pound Amberly.

842

:

He's a good boy.

843

:

And I know Worm got over a fence

and nipped at him and he just looked

844

:

at me and he's little dog Matt.

845

:

Now I'm very lucky 'cause

Hugo's good with little dogs.

846

:

He tolerated that.

847

:

But somebody's dog next door may not.

848

:

We need to educate people like

how to train the dogs, but we also

849

:

like need to make sure that we

are not setting dogs up to fail.

850

:

I'm not gonna put Worm in a house

with someone with a four foot fence.

851

:

That'd be crazy.

852

:

Dixie: Yeah.

853

:

Makes sense.

854

:

Makes total sense.

855

:

Meredith: Yeah.

856

:

Yeah.

857

:

So when people call me and

say, how high is your fence?

858

:

And they'll go, oh, I have

a four foot chain link.

859

:

I'm like, yeah, does

your neighbor have a dog?

860

:

And they're like, yeah, my

neighbor has this golden retriever.

861

:

I'm like, I know that this

shelter have Malteses available.

862

:

You need to go there because Worm

is not the right dog for you.

863

:

I refer them to other groups that I

know have dogs, similar body type to

864

:

the little one that they inquired about.

865

:

Dixie: Because it makes a

better fit for everybody.

866

:

Meredith: Yep.

867

:

And we have the worst

schnauzers from this case.

868

:

So when people call me and say,

Hey Meredith, I was calling

869

:

about the Bayshore hoarding case.

870

:

I'm like, oh, you know what?

871

:

Most of mine are not ready yet,

but I know that Valerie's are.

872

:

So you can call them at the adoption

center, or I know that Virginia's are, you

873

:

can call Attack North for country kids.

874

:

Or, I know Yorkie 9 1 1 took four from me.

875

:

They have younger ones.

876

:

They had no issues.

877

:

They're just babies.

878

:

You can call them because if

you don't do that, a no one's

879

:

gonna ever wanna help you again.

880

:

And B, like the goal is to get

animals adopted so that you can

881

:

free it up so that there is space.

882

:

I don't know.

883

:

It's not a competition , if you

don't have the right animal and your

884

:

rescue for someone, it shouldn't be

just, we don't have that right now.

885

:

I'll keep you on the list in case we get

something in that matches your needs.

886

:

It takes three seconds and

we all know who has what.

887

:

It takes three seconds for us

to go, you know what, gimme

888

:

a second look for a Maltese.

889

:

Let's see who has malteses in the area.

890

:

Dixie: Yeah.

891

:

I love that you do that.

892

:

Meredith: You gotta, I dunno.

893

:

People say I'm too nice.

894

:

Dixie: Before we end the call,

what final message would you

895

:

like to share with our listeners?

896

:

Meredith: I just wish everybody

would do one kind thing every

897

:

day 'cause if we all do that, we

can make a world a better place.

898

:

And I also to always remember

before you judge, think.

899

:

Put yourself in that person's shoes.

900

:

If you grew up like that person

grew up, you might do the same

901

:

thing or make the same choices.

902

:

If you were in that person's situation,

those things could have happened to you.

903

:

Goes back to kindness.

904

:

So when you're dealing with people,

especially animal rescuers, when people

905

:

call you and ask for help and they really

do need help or they can't afford the

906

:

vet bill, instead of going online and

it's oh my God, I got this dog from

907

:

these people and they couldn't afford

the vet bill and he's really sick.

908

:

Maybe say , Hey, somebody

fell in hard times.

909

:

They couldn't care for their dog.

910

:

They had the wherewithal

to call and ask for help.

911

:

We took the dog in.

912

:

We're gonna get it the help it

need, or we wanna try to help these

913

:

people 'cause they're a good owner

because if we did that, we can

914

:

actually, if we kept dogs with good

people and cats with good people.

915

:

We literally could go to the town and the

county shelters, the high kill shelters

916

:

and help the animals that nobody wants

because we would have the space and the th

917

:

instead of just flipping adoptable pets.

918

:

I hate to use the word flipping.

919

:

I'm not calling people flippers,

but we can't just do kittens and

920

:

poppies, but I get that it's easy.

921

:

I don't do kittens and puppies.

922

:

Do you know why?

923

:

Could you guess?

924

:

I didn't wanna be one of those people.

925

:

I didn't wanna be adoption fee driven.

926

:

I didn't wanna fall into the trap.

927

:

I gotta go pull a bunch of puppies.

928

:

'cause we need money to pay for things.

929

:

I wanted to figure out a different way.

930

:

We've been at, since 2013.

931

:

This is the first time I'm

having a major problem.

932

:

I could not have predicted

this life situation at all.

933

:

Like this one's for the books,

934

:

Dixie: but yeah.

935

:

Yeah, nobody could predict.

936

:

Yeah, I tried.

937

:

Meredith: I was like, what the heck?

938

:

Wow, I've never had someone offer

us a grant, get approved and go,

939

:

oops, sorry, our funding got cut.

940

:

That has never happened.

941

:

And you can't even get mad.

942

:

You just laugh.

943

:

I gotta laugh.

944

:

. So other final thought is to please

again, be kind, but also be conscious

945

:

and aware and take responsibility.

946

:

If you're going to take

on a case, see it through.

947

:

If you can see it through, ask for help.

948

:

Don't dump it on someone else.

949

:

When someone else does actually help you.

950

:

Make sure that you don't abandon

them with that situation.

951

:

I guess that's it, right?

952

:

That was a good end.

953

:

Dixie: Thank you so much for taking

the time to speak with me and I

954

:

think things will end up getting

better, so just hang in there.

955

:

Meredith: Trying.

956

:

We'll see what happens.

957

:

Whatcha gonna do.

958

:

You're not gonna pack it up.

959

:

You're gonna keep fighting.

960

:

I have my quote of the day has

been, let's just go down swinging.

961

:

You are gonna go down, swinging,

go down trying, go down swinging.

962

:

At the end of the day, even if you

fail, if you tried your best and you

963

:

did everything you could, then you're

gonna be able to sleep at night.

964

:

But if you just give up and

walk, then you didn't try.

965

:

There's always that what if in the back.

966

:

Dixie: Yeah.

967

:

And it sounds like you've done

a lot of good, that's for sure.

968

:

Thank you for listening and

we hope you join us next week.

969

:

If you know somebody that loves animals

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

970

:

We would love to talk to 'em.

971

:

If you are enjoying our show, please

consider leaving us a donation.

972

:

A hundred percent goes to our animals.

973

:

Paws in

974

:

the night Claws in the

fight Whiskers twitch and

975

:

tails

976

:

take flight

977

:

They’re calling in Stories to spin

From the wild to the heart within

978

:

Broken wings and hopeful springs

We’re the voices for these things

979

:

animal posse hear the call.

980

:

We stand together.

981

:

Big and small Rescue tales We’ve

got it all Animal posse Saving

982

:

them

983

:

all

984

:

The vet’s got tips The rescuer’s

grit The foster homes where love

985

:

won’t quit From a pup in the rain to

a bird in pain , Every soul’s worth

986

:

the

987

:

strain

988

:

Animal posse

989

:

Hear the call

990

:

We stand together Big

991

:

and small Rescue tales We’ve got

it all Animal posse Saving them all

992

:

Every caller tells a tale, every

howl a whispered wail, we rise up.

993

:

We never

994

:

fail.

995

:

This

996

:

is

997

:

the

998

:

bond

999

:

The holy grail

:

00:48:44,799 --> 00:49:00,145

Animal posse Hear the call We stand

together Big and small Rescue tales We’ve

:

00:49:00,145 --> 00:49:08,914

got it all Animal posse Saving them all

:

00:49:08,964 --> 00:49:16,229

Every caller tells a tale Every howl

a whispered wail We rise up We never

:

00:49:16,229 --> 00:49:20,099

fail This is the bond The holy grail.

:

00:49:20,769 --> 00:49:23,849

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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