Raise The Woof

Sarah Gaziano is the Director of Training & Behavior for One Tail At A Time. Her expertise with animals has paved an amazing path for her and while it is not always easy, it is certainly rewarding.

Chicagoland Rescue Intervention Support Program (CRISP) is a program at Chicago Animal Care and Control that aims to keep animals with their owners by providing help in the form of vetting or landlord help etc. If that cannot happen, CRISP tries to get the animals to rescue. On this Friday in June, CRISP was busier than ever. A little Day in the Life of CRISP. 

Jamie Katz is a glimmer of hope during a time of total despair. She is a licensed private investigator in Florida and has many tips and trick and stories from her work in helping people find their lost pets. She is an amazing human, who does very difficult work. A great guest! jamiekatzpetdetective.com

"Take all the money spent on a few old or really sick dogs and put that towards healthier pets." A few weeks ago, Foster Pet Outreach received a letter that scorned them for spending money on sick and old animals. I wanted to have Alyssa on the podcast to discuss the note and their rebuttal and we had a great conversation about it. 

Zoey was simply the most magical creature ever. All of her quirks and all of her issues taught us so much. She was one of my biggest mistakes, but certainly my favorite mistake. We met her on the way to the dentist in 2005. On the way home from the dentist after convincing Schipp we had to have her, I put $850 on my credit card at Happiness is Pets and we took her home. She was 9 weeks old. There are so many mistakes we made in that one little paragraph, but I am not here to rehash those. We lived on the 3rd floor and we were constantly carrying her up and down the steps to house break her. We were young and dumb thinking we could raise a puppy. She quickly became my whole heart and her and Ralph were best friends. She fostered over 20 dogs with us and though she was not a fan of the bigger dogs, she was so patient as we helped others find their forevers. She was dramatic and vocal and cuddly and she leaves a huge f-ing hole in our family. Every day she did something that made me laugh or smile and though sh

Emily Porter has transformed so many matted dogs into beautiful gems. With a recent surge in gnarly dogs REALLY needing a makeover with The Hot Mess Express, Emily has been re-energized. She does so much amazing work and has so many great stories. Follow her on insta @emilygrooms dogs

"There is so much (domestic abuse) survivors can get from their relationship with their pets, not only during their crisis but in the healing after they have managed to escape. It can really help them take control of their lives again and feel loved." ~Jessica Katz Executive Director, The Safe Haven Network www.thesafehavennetwork.org  

In just 2 years, Jessica Hiltner, Co-Founder and President of Real Dogs Moms of Chicago, has built quite a brand. Many dog moms vie for a coveted feature on their social media, but more importantly, they have partnered with chicagoland rescues and foundations to bring in much needed funds for animals by throwing amazing events. She is a hustler and has a great future. 

"We cannot imagine living without her."  Ah, my whole heart. A dog that I helped to save from Chicagoland Rescue and Intervention Support Program has the absolute best life after many years of being overbred and under loved. Miss Judy Big Pig has a cut following after being rescued by One Tail at a Time and adopted by 2 amazing dudes named Evan and Alex, who have changed her life forever....but she has change theirs, too. Adopting an older dog is the best. 

Melissa Pena does everything in her power to save the animals others leave to fend for themselves. She is the go-to in Chicagoland when anyone needs help with a wild animal including roosters, pigs, rabbits, squirrels, turtles, horses and so much more. Did you know that bunnies poop 300 times a day? I learned SO MUCH from this podcast...you will too. 

Some times you have to take a break so you do not break. Getting away from toxic is so important. 

"Any time that I can create awareness, I am happy to help." Jamie Buehrle has an amazing platform to spread awareness about Breed Specific Legislation as well as how incredible pit bulls are despite all the uneducated people spewing bs. She walks the walk and talks the talk and has done so much good for so many animals. Honored to have her as a guest this week.  Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care Chicago. Fetch! Pet Care of Chicago is hiring professional pet sitters and dog walkers in Chicago. If you’re a lover of all animals you can go to their website to fill out an online application, www.fetchpetcare.com

An epiphany and a thank you. 

Janice Gork is the Founder of Tails Pet Magazine and since 2000 she has helped and inspired so many pet owners to treat their animals as part of the families. The path from physical magazines to the digital age has been a project, but with a booming pet industry, her content is thriving.    Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care. Fetch! Pet Care of Chicago is hiring professional pet sitters and dog walkers in Chicago. If you’re a lover of all animals you can go to their website to fill out an online application, www.fetchpetcare.com

Maritza has an amazing job as a dog runner, but it is filled with pressure. She also creates brilliant art that she donates to charities. Great stories from another spectacular guest. 

Susan Elliot and Nicole Garza have seen just about everything working at an Animal Control in Waukegan. They have hearts of steel and though they do emotional work, they have made a difference in the lives of so many humans and animals. I was honored to volunteer with them a few times. We have some great stories to share. 

Jon Davis grew up with depression and anxiety. He realized that when he got a dog, he had reason to live during the tough times. Recently, he started The Empawthy Project.... "shining a light on the mental health benefits of pets." We did a live podcast in association with ATA Social Club, Real Dog Moms of Chicago, Rescue in Style and Dovetail Brewery. It was a good, real discussion about mental health and I am sure many of you will be glad people are brave enough to talk about their lives and be so open about the struggles. Thank you Jon. For more information:  www.empawthy.org.  Raise the Woof is presented by Fetch Pet Care. For more: fetchpetcare.com. 

The Hot Mess Express takes dogs that are left for dead. It has been a difficult journey only a few months in and the rescue stories that we have for these animals is remarkable. We give you an inside look at the new rescue collaboration between Lulu's Locker Rescue and Live Like Roo Foundation. CHOOOOO CHOOOO! All aboard. 

What is the best thing about podcasting? How do you know an adopter is solid? What is the most difficult part of rescue? I took a few questions before my vacation and they brought on some solid discussions....back to our regular schedule soon.