Kristen Petrie, Author at The Community Cats Podcast

October 10, 2016

October 10, 2016

What about Kids? Ideas and Tips for Community Cat Education

I must admit that I have been remiss over the years when it came to neglecting the importance of Community Cats Education. What about Kids? Ideas and Tips for Community Cat Education is such an important hurdle. We need the next generation to get excited about Community Cats! Over the […]

October 11, 2016

Interview – Part Two! Mary Smith, Executive Leadership Team and Sheila D’Arpino, Director of Research, of Maddie’s Fund

“Every animal should have a healthy home or habitat.” In this special two-part episode of the Community Cats Podcast, Stacy interviews two leaders at Maddie’s Fund, one of the most innovative and results-oriented non-profits helping animals across North America. Through its educational programs, advocacy and grants, Maddie’s Fund has been […]

October 12, 2016

Interview! Part 1 – Hannah Shaw, “The Kitten Lady”

“I live and breathe cat advocacy…that’s what I do.” Little did Hannah Shaw know that the day that she borrowed some shoes to climb a tree and save an orphaned kitten, she would be starting a career that would inform and engage cat lovers around the world. An expert in […]

October 13, 2016

Interview! Part 2 – Hannah Shaw, “The Kitten Lady”

October 14, 2016

Interview! Amy Sandler, Executive Coach, and Certified Breathwork Meditation Teacher

“Usually our minds are somewhere in the past or somewhere in the future.” In this “out of the box” interview, Stacy speaks with Amy Sandler about how mindfulness and meditation can help decrease the stress and manage the challenges often faced by those in the animal welfare field. Research has […]

October 15, 2016

Interview! Brianna Lovell, Outreach and Events Manager, at Alley Cat Allies

“No action is too big or too small.” To commemorate National Feral Cat Day (NFCD), Stacy speaks with Brianna about the origins of this annual event. Originally, National Feral Cat Day was simply a way to celebrate Alley Cat Allies’ 10th anniversary, but in the years following that, it’s become […]

October 17, 2016

Happy National Feral Cat Day

Happy National Feral Cat Day! On this day I want us to take a moment to focus on what National Feral Cat Day means to us. I specifically want to focus on the word “Feral”. We’ve gotten a bit away from identifying our free-roaming cat populations and just putting all cats […]

October 18, 2016

Interview! Juan Martinez, Founder and President, JMart Strategies

“Pick one platform, become really good at that platform, before you expand into a second one.” With his 20 years of experience in the legislative and non-profit communications world, Juan has keen insight into the importance of storytelling in the world of social media. He notes that social media has […]

October 19, 2016

Interview! Dr. Peggy Larson, Founder of Cat Spay and Neuter Clinic, Colchester, VT

“You have to balance, to make sure that that cat’s going to be alright going back to where he came from.” Peggy Larson, founder of National Spay/Neuter Coalition, holds degrees from Ohio State Vet School, UC Davis, and Vermont Law School. She has used her education to support fellow vets trying […]

October 20, 2016

Book Reviews for Community Cat Lovers

An episode for both book worms and compassionate cats. In this special episode, Stacy shares some of her favorite resources for information on community cats, as well as how to take care of yourself when doing the hard work of animal welfare. We’ve included the names of the books and […]

October 21, 2016

Interview! Julie Jacobson, Director of Spay Tennessee

“When writing grants, you have to come in prepared, you have to know your mission, you have to know your community.” Julie’s back for another interview on CCP! This time, Stacy checks about how things are going for Spay Tennessee, and Julie gives tips on managing grant money, methods to […]

October 22, 2016

Interview! Aimee St. Arnaud, Director at Humane Alliance a Program of the ASPCA

“We need to focus on stopping the problem at the root… that’s why we focus on prevention.” Aimee St. Arnaud works for the Humane Alliance training vets and community advocates who want to open spay-neuter clinics. She first got the idea to open her own spay-neuter clinic when volunteering with […]

October 24, 2016

What to do When Tragedy Strikes

The past couple of weeks has been very tough on the little community that I live in, in Vermont. Some of you may have heard about the terrible accident that happened over Columbus Day weekend, killing five teenagers. While I didn’t know the kids personally, my son is a seventh […]

October 25, 2016

Interview! Stacey Carver, President and Executive Director of Berkshire Animal DREAMS (MA)

“Collaboration is a wonderful thing for all of us trying to do animal rescue work.” Stacey tells Stacy about the positive impact that forging “harmonious” partnerships has had on the number of community cats in Berkshire County, especially its “big city” of Pittsfield, MA. With Animal DREAMS providing TNR services, […]

October 26, 2016

Interview! Jill O’Connell, Executive Director and Crystal Arnott, Communications and Fundraising Manager, Lowell Humane Society (MA)

“No matter how we operate, we all have the same goals which is to help community cats.” In another episode extolling the benefits of collaboration, Jill and Crystal describe how their relationships with other organizations have benefitted the cats and llower-income residents of Lowell. By bringing low-cost spay/neuter to the […]

October 27, 2016

Interview! Emma Clifford, Founder and Executive Director of Animal Balance

“Islands are helping islands, which is exactly what we wanted to happen.” Don’t miss this fascinating look at how community cats are being helped around the world by Animal Balance, the brainchild of its founder, Emma Clifford. Beginning with a program in 2004 to assist the Galapagos Islands in managing […]

October 28, 2016

Interview! Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM, Founder of Forensic Veterinary Investigations, LLC

“Don’t worry about things you can’t change…take that passion and make it action and see what you can do.” *Please note, while not graphic, this episode deals with topics related to animal cruelty that some listeners may find disturbing. If you need to skip it, might we suggest listening to […]

October 29, 2016

Interview! Sheila Massey, Neighborhood Activist – NYC

“I found that I spent half my time explaining TNR and working with the community so that they would buy in and accept the cats.” Sheila dove into the world of community cats after retiring from work as a forensic accountant and corporate fraud auditor. She became certified in TNR […]

October 31, 2016

Tips and Tricks for Community Cats at Halloween

With today being Halloween, I thought I would mention a few Tips and Tricks for Community Cats at Halloween. These will ensure that you, your community cats and house cats stay safe during this favorite holiday for kids! For the Community Cats: If you feed cats at night between 5-8pm, you […]

November 1, 2016

Interview! Kristen Petrie, Creative Director, Mellarium and Technical Cat, Community Cats Podcast

“The brand is important and it is an asset to any organization, whether they are big or small. It’s your face to the rest of the world.” Kristen began her career in cat rescue as an adoption counselor at the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society while launching her own graphic […]

November 3, 2016

Interview! Deborah Schutt, Co-Founder Michigan Pet Fund Alliance

“Attending conferences, understanding what other people are doing, and adding to the tool kit is really important.” The co-founder of the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance, Deborah began her journey into the animal welfare field with dog fostering. Time and experience led her to TNR, feral cat welfare, and a passion […]

November 5, 2016

Interview! Audra Farrell, Community Cares Program Supervisor at the San Francisco SPCA

“I have found even the fiercest of ferals can be really great moms, so their concern is more taking care of their kittens than have to deal with us.” Through the Mama from the Streets program, San Francisco’s shelters are combining TNR for feral mothers with adoption of their kittens. […]

November 7, 2016

Cats and Politics

This week, the news will be focused on our elections. I don’t know about you, but I will be happy when this is over! Every election season I am continually amazed by how much money goes into campaigns. So much fundraising is done by powerhouse agencies trying to get folks […]

November 8, 2016

Interview! Dr. Margaret Slater, Senior Director of Veterinary Epidemiology Research and Development for the ASPCA

“One of the things that we’ve found really helpful in all kinds of programs and projects is to couch it as a pilot… you can succeed and the prove that it does actually work…” Author of Feral Cats: Problems, Alternatives, and Recommendations and Veterinary Epidemiology: An Evidence Based Approach, Dr. […]

November 10, 2016

Interview! Sharon Secovich, Co-founder, Spay Maine

“What I’ve found is a lot of people will feed but they don’t have the knowledge or wherewithal or the means to trap. So the only way to get our feral cat population down is with trapping help.” After her first career as an environmental geologist, Sharon pursued a public […]

November 12, 2016

Interview! Sally Williams, Founder, The Brodie Fund

“I think the thing that makes us a little different, and our goals quite lofty as well, is that we are putting the focus on quality of life and not the diagnosis.” Sally is a cat behavior consultant and the founder and director of The Brodie Fund, a non-profit organization […]

November 14, 2016

Raising Money for Community Cats

Raising Money for Community Cats. It’s not a lot different than what happened the day the furnace died! I will never forget this day! It was early November about 5 years ago. I was at the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society adoption center in Salisbury, going about my usual day. […]

November 15, 2016

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

“Taking an active role in legislation is the only way we’re going to move the ball forward.” In her return appearance on the Podcast, Katie plays “Around the Country Policy for Cats” with Stacy, detailing the successes and challenges in four different states: Delaware, Hawaii, Virginia and Illinois. In her […]

November 17, 2016

Interview! Diego Alves, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pet and Tie

“We want to be the premium app for pet parents and pets.” Ever have trouble finding a pet sitter? Diego did, and that experience was the impetus to his envisioning an virtual community where pet owners could connect to all of the services they need. His new app, “Pet and […]

November 19, 2016

It’s an Ask Stacy episode!

“You could feel the energy busting through the wires” Stacy reflects what all that she’s learned since launching the Community Cats Podcast, having completed more than 100 episodes speaking with experts all over the US and beyond. She recommends a number of her favorite interviews, with individuals like Emma Clifford, […]

November 21, 2016

Being Thankful with a Time for Reflection

I am sitting here listening to the snores of my two kitties, Misha and Hooch, and they both look so content! How could I not help but be thankful for having these two odd mush balls in my life?! Many of you might feel the same way and it is […]

November 22, 2016

Interview! Suzanne Kogut, Executive Director of the Petco Foundation

“Everyone wants the same thing, to do right by the cats. There’s just a disagreement often about how we get there. But I thought we could all work together to get there.” After her first career as a corporate finance and securities attorney, Suzanne took the road less travelled and […]

November 24, 2016

Interview! Alana Yanez, Manager of HSUS Pets For Life Los Angeles

“When we have literally put these vouchers in people’s hands at their doorsteps, there really is no excuse now.” An advocate for animals and residents of underserved communities in East Los Angeles, Alana brings compassion and political experience to her position as manager of Pets for Life Los Angeles and […]

November 26, 2016

Interview! Karina King, Director of Operations, Dakin Humane Society, Springfield MA

“Cats that bite you, cats that pee on you, cat that you’ll never see…those are the cats we get these days.” Dakin, since cat overpopulation has become less of an issue across Massachusetts. Dakin has performed over 70,000 spay/neuter surgeries, and as a result, the cats entering her adoption center […]

November 28, 2016

Transport or Not To Transport

Happy Cyber Monday! I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday and was able to enjoy their family and loved ones. If you are doing your online shopping this fine Monday morning, feel free to take a quick look at our Community Cats Podcast Store. All proceeds go […]

November 28, 2016

Interview! Andi Kola, Founder, LumenLS

“To fix the problems that are facing cats, all center around increasing the perceived importance, the perceived value, and the perceived acceptance of cats to humans.” In his second interview with Stacy, Andi discusses his organization’s approach to challenges facing community cats in Broward County, Florida. With a mission of […]

December 1, 2016

Interview! Karen Little, Executive Director, Alley Cat Advocates

“Urban cats are accustomed to urban living. Rural cats are accustomed to rural living… Keeping those colonies in tact, adjacent to where their habitat might have been destroyed, is in the best interest of the cats.” In her second interview with Stacy, Karen explores the issue of relocation in the […]

December 3, 2016

Interview! Dr. Christine Wilford, Founder, The Feral Cat Project

“Sometimes helping means us having to not do something, and us realizing that, for this cat, bringing it inside means it’s going to be scared everyday of its life. Would that be what you would want?” Dr. Wilford, founder of Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project in Lynnwood, Washington returns to Community […]

December 5, 2016

Playing in the Sandbox! 10 Reasons For Coalitions and How To Do It

As many of you know, sandboxes are places that cats often use as litter boxes and many caregivers need to negotiate possible ways to keep cats out of sandboxes in communities. It’s time for Playing in the Sandbox! 10 Reasons For Coalitions and How To Do It is what I […]

December 6, 2016

Interview! Dr. Julie Levy, Maddie’s Professor of Shelter Medicine at University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine

“Our goal is to enculturation these life-saving key initiatives into animal sheltering… so that this becomes [the norm.]” Dr. Julie Levy is a professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida, as well as a prolific publisher of scientific articles on small animal medicine. She began her work with community […]

December 8, 2016

Interview! Will Allen, New Sales Business Manager, Frontstream

“BiddingForGood helps you expand your reach and raise more money.” In this unique episode, Stacy talks to Will Allen, self-professed cat lover and fundraising consultant at Frontstream, a software company that helps non-profits develop fundraising strategies. Stacy, a user herself, helps Will explain to listeners some of the services offered by […]

December 10, 2016

Interview! Elizabeth Putsche, Founder, For All Animals

“It’s all about data and supporting information. That’s what really speaks to government officials.” Elizabeth Putsche is the founder and executive director of For All Animals, a 501(c)3 organization that “identifies and fills voids in the animal protection field.” The organization is based in Baltimore, which in 2007 was one of the […]

December 12, 2016

How to Retire an Old Feral Cat

Well, the snow is finally here in Vermont and everything is looking very festive! This week, we’re going to discuss How to Retire an Old Feral Cat. But between Christmas and New Year’s we will be replaying our greatest hits from the 2016 season. You will be hearing from Hannah […]

December 12, 2016

Interview! Christie Keith, Communications Strategist, MI

“For me, it’s all about persuasion.” Christie Keith is a journalist and communications consultant for animal welfare and veterinary medicine. Although she is based in Michigan, she has clients all over the country, including the Million Cat Challenge and Maddie’s Fund. Christie is passionate about effective communication, and she works […]

December 15, 2016

Interview! Aly Miller and Paul Castro, Jr., Creator of Aeris, A Short Film- NYC

“Our responsibility as filmmakers is to tell the most vulnerable truth.” When Paul Castro Jr. entered a pet store on a whim almost two years ago, he didn’t expect to find a new passion for animal advocacy that would fuel one of his many film and acting projects. There he met Aeris, […]

December 17, 2016

Interview! Dr. Sara White, Founder Spay ASAP Inc.- VT

“We haven’t really been taught… how to take care of [our bodies as] this instrument that we have.” Dr. Sara White is a mixed-animal veterinarian with experience both in private and shelter medicine, and the operator of Spay ASAP Inc., a mobile MASH clinic. Since 2006, Dr. White has spayed and […]

December 19, 2016

Happy Holidays from the Community Cats Podcast

Happy Holidays from the Community Cats Podcast! In this week’s blog, I wanted to talk about the Greatest Hits line up, Being Thankful and Thoughts about Cats in Aleppo. I can’t believe we are already at the end of December. It seems like just last June when we were launching our […]

December 20, 2016

Interview! Diane Kelly and Sarah Dellea, Founder and General Manager of the Purr Cat Cafe, Boston, MA

“We want Purr to be an opportunity to give back to the community.” After working for thirty years in the medical field, Diane Kelly’s plans for opening her own business coincided with her love of cats after experiencing cat cafes in Georgetown and New York on a cross country road […]

December 22, 2016

Interview! Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian” and Founder of the Fear Free Initiative

“To finally realize we were causing psychological damage to animals…once you know it, you can’t not know it.” After being a renowned veterinarian, including being the resident vet on Good Morning America for 17 years, Dr. Becker says, “I’m not retiring…I’m refiring!” His latest initiative is an innovative program that helps […]

December 24, 2016

Interview! Kathy Downey, Journalist and Animal Rights Advocate, Plus Mickey’s Story

“These cats are citizens of our community, just like you are, just like I am.” Kathy was one of the earliest volunteers for the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society when she moved to Newburyport, Massachusetts in 1992. She and Stacy reminisce about the feral cat colony on the Merrimack River and how she […]

December 26, 2016

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the Community Cats Podcast

With 2016 coming to a close… …it’s the time of year that we reflect on what we’ve accomplished both as organizations and as individuals. Our listeners have been very busy in 2016! Check out our video containing the pictures they’ve submitted to showcase their community cat and animal welfare efforts […]

December 27, 2016

Greatest Hits! Hannah Shaw, The Kitten Lady

“I live and breathe cat advocacy…that’s what I do.” Hannah Shaw was such a popular guest earlier this year that we couldn’t wait to bring back her episode for a reboot! How was she to know that saving an orphaned kitty would reboot her career, as well! Hannah, affectionately known […]

December 29, 2016

Greatest Hits! Brianna Lovell, Outreach and Events Manager, Alley Cat Allies

“No action is too big or too small.” We couldn’t have asked for a better guest on National Feral Cat Day than Brianna Lovell! If you are still unaware of what this great day entails, this is the podcast that you’ve been waiting for! Brianna discusses how the day began, […]

December 31, 2016

Greatest Hits! Susanna Della Maddalena, CEO and President, Central OK Humane

“We’re in the business of saving lives.” Susanna was a fan favorite and we can definitely see why! She spent ten years heading up PetSmart Charities and now leads Central OK Humane. She has seen it all when it comes to fundraising and has been on both sides of the […]

January 2, 2017

Goal Setting for 2017

Happy New Year! First off, I want to thank everyone who participated in our holiday slide show. We have over 40 cat pictures profiled! If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I recommend you do! Share it with others! Take a look at our Year In Review […]

January 3, 2017

Interview! Justin Zimmerman, Documentary Director, SMART: Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team

“We’ve been able to return cats to colonies that otherwise would have been lost in the system.” In this fascinating interview, Justin talks about his award-winning documentary that follows the exploits of the Los Angeles-based SMART team, which rescues animals in Southern California from all kinds of dire situations. He […]

January 5, 2017

Interview! Bryan Kortis, Director of National Programs, Neighborhood Cats

“We’ve been able to return cats to colonies that otherwise would have been lost in the system.” In his return to the Podcast, Bryan tells Stacy about his recent move to Maui (we’re a little jealous!), which is in crisis when it comes to stray and feral cat populations. He […]

January 7, 2017

Interview! Aimee St. Arnaud, Director, Humane Alliance a Program of the ASPCA

“We need to focus on stopping the problem at the root… that’s why we focus on prevention.” In today’s episode we are relaunching Aimee St. Arnaud’s super podcast, as we had a technical glitch. Since the episode was only live for a short period of time, we want to make […]

January 9, 2017

A Deeper Dive on How to Start a Coalition

As promised I wanted to add to my previous blog and take A Deeper Dive on How to Start a Coalition. If you didn’t read my first part I would recommend you check out my earlier blog on the topic. Much of that blog covered why we need to have a […]

January 10, 2017

Interview! Nina Wolf, Writer and Expert, Animal Nutrition and Wellness

“Think about our kids who are cuddling animals and sticking their faces down into their fur.” Nina is a passionate advocate for keeping animals safe and healthy through use of natural, non-toxic foods and treatment alternatives. She catalogs the many health issues posed to cats and dogs through use of topical […]

January 12, 2017

Interview! Dr. Caitlyn Neal, HVHQSN Veterinarian in Washington, DC and Maryland

“We have enormous community support through our foster network and feeders who really want to go the distance for their cats” Just two years out of veterinary school, Dr. Neal has been drawn to shelter medicine for quite some time. This spay/neuter “dynamo” has been involved with a number of […]

January 14, 2017

Interview! Chris Roy, Founder, Doobert.com

“The concept behind Doobert was to automate those rescue tasks that can and should be automated.” Chris Roy is a pilot, a Milwaukeean, a husband and owner of several cats and dogs, and the creator of Doobert.com, an online software platform for animal welfare volunteers and organizations. Although Doobert started […]

January 16, 2017

Martin Luther King and… Community Cats?

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. day and a time to reflect on all of the efforts of the Civil Rights movement that he did. But, Martin Luther King and… Community Cats? Have I lost my mind? There are many ways to honor Dr. King and his legacy. I, for one, […]

January 17, 2017

Interview! Mary Peng, CEO & Founder, International Center for Veterinary Services (Part 1)

“This is a program for China. It is going to raise the bar on humane animal welfare.” In part one of this special two-part episode, Stacy interviews Mary Peng,CEO and founder of International Center for Veterinary Services. Based in Beijing, ICVS is the first international standard animal hospital in China. […]

January 19, 2017

Interview! Mary Peng, CEO & Founder, International Center for Veterinary Services (Part 2)

“It has to be high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter, with Chinese characteristics.” In part two of this special two-part episode, Mary Peng continues to tell the story of ICVS, and goes into more detail about the unique challenges the hospital must face in China. She says that they have had to adapt […]

January 21, 2017

Interview! Laura Moss, Founder & Jamie Brooks, Communications, AdventureCats.org

“We [are] trying to… rebrand not just what it means to be a cat lady… [but also] what a cat is.” Laura Moss and Jamie Brooks are partners in Adventure Cats, a website that promotes safe ways for cat owners to explore the outdoors with their cats, and seeks to dismantle negative stereotypes about […]

January 23, 2017

My 13 Favorite (Mostly Free) Online Tools

This week I would like to cover My 13 Favorite (Mostly Free) Online Tools that I use to help manage people, time, and programs. For those of you who know more personally you know this is a favorite topic of mine. I think that technology is the best thing that […]

January 24, 2017

Interview! Emma Clifford, Founder and Executive Director, Animal Balance

“I don’t think you can put a dollar figure on humanely managing all species.” Emma is back for another interview! This time, she tells Stacy about her most recent and fascinating trip to the Galapagos Islands in early December. There she and her team at Animal Balance Galapagos worked with the local […]

January 26, 2017

Interview! Book Reviews for Community Cat Lovers

Stacy’s back with more recommendations in the second ever Book Review Show! These four books offer a wide variety for anyone in the animal welfare world: from a coffee table book of city kitties, to a birder’s views on managing free-roaming cat populations. As last time, the final book recommendation does […]

January 28, 2017

Interview! Steve Smith, Founder of Pet Releaf

“We follow the science first and foremost.” In this episode, Stacy interviews a different kind of person interested in pet health and medication—Steve Smith, co-founder of Pet Releaf, a service that provides hemp- and CBD-infused products for pets. Pet Releaf was born of Steve’s personal experience with his dog Mattie. As she aged, […]

January 30, 2017

10 Fearless Fundraising Events For Those Starting Out

If you are new to running a non-profit, part of a small group, or just joining a group, thinking about fundraising can be overwhelming! I began my fundraising journey back in 7th grade, when I became treasurer of my class. We had to raise money to help pay for a […]

January 31, 2017

Interview! Myles Chadwick, Vice President of the New School at Emancipet

“In order to reach people who haven’t been [reached] before, we have to do a lot of listening, not just a lot of telling.” What do line cooks and high-volume spay-neuter vets have in common? Coming to the animal welfare world from a background in restaurants and cooking, Myles didn’t know the first […]

February 2, 2017

Interview! Gus Ray, Owner of Baycom Diagnostics

“From a scientific point of view it’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding.” Gus Ray is the owner of Baycom Diagnostics, a new company that provides A1C testing for dogs and cats. The A1C test aids in the diagnosis and treatment of […]

February 4, 2017

Interview! Joe Miele, TNR project coordinator, Broken Promises SW

“A tight-knit colony is going to keep other [cats] out of the area.” Joe Miele is the TNR project coordinator for Broken Promises SW, a non-profit that seeks to address community cat overpopulation in Las Cruces, New Mexico and the surrounding county. Joe has been working with community cats since […]

February 6, 2017

How to Track Those Pesky Grants

Managing grant applications can be a nightmare if it isn’t done right! The foundations you potentially work with are prospects that can mean bringing in real dollars to your organization. But it is an incredible challenge to track your potential funders, those organizations that you have applied too and then […]

February 7, 2017

Interview! Meg Bond, Owner, Staging & Organizing By Meg

“You need to find the kingpin to what is taking up space.” Meg Bond has a “Type-A” dream job—she organizes for a living! Meg is a self-employed event coordinator and residential stager/organizer, which means that she sets up residences to be most appealing to perspective buyers. She also helps people organize […]

February 9, 2017

Interview! Rob Leinberger, President, National Animal Care and Control Association

“The communities that I have seen do best have a network.” Rob Leinberger has been in the animal control game for 25 years—first starting as a veterinary assistant in high school, then working as an animal control officer for Chesterfield County in Virginia. He is the president of the National Animal […]

February 11, 2017

Interview! Shaun Sears, Co-Owner, Canopy Cat Rescue

“What we do is extremely dangerous…even savvy tree climbers have difficulty rescuing cats.” You don’t need to call a fireman to rescue your cat from a tree when Shaun Sears is around. Shaun and his partner are certified arborists who have “branched out” (sorry!) into the specialty of rescuing cats […]

February 13, 2017

Make It A Double! Why Adopting Two Kitties Is Better Than One

Happy day before Valentine’s Day! I hope you and your loved ones have a good day filled with Chocolate and Catnip. When we think about Valentine’s Day we think about couples. Today I would like to list some of the many reason why adopting two cats or kittens are better […]

February 14, 2017

Interview! Christina Ha, Co-Founder of Meow Parlour and Creator of Cat Camp NYC

“How can I bridge the gap between people who want to learn about cats and the experts who know all about cats?” Until 3 1/2 years ago, Christina’s passion was food rather than felines. But after adopting her first kitty, Mr. Socks, she decided to combine her talents as a […]

February 16, 2017

Interview! Tamar Arslanian, Author of Shop Cats of New York

“Isn’t a life in a shop where they’re loved better than a cage or being put down?” Tamar Arslanian is the blogger behind ihavecat.com and the author of Shop Cats of New York, the coffee table book that Stacy recommended in her last book show. In the three years it took […]

February 18, 2017

Interview! Rachel Geller, Certified Humane Education Specialist

“The moral and humane response to animal abuse begins with assisting kids in developing empathy and compassion for animals.” We are once again re-visiting an old friend of the podcast—Dr. Rachel Geller, vice president of the Gifford Cat Shelter and certified humane education specialist. As a cat behavior counselor, Rachel […]

February 20, 2017

Love your Pet Day – Can We Adopt Our Way Out of Pet Overpopulation?

Over the last couple of weeks, Merritt Clifton’s online publication has had several guest posts about why spay/neuter is the solution to our pet overpopulation problems around the world! Yes, folks, we are going to start addressing this issue on a worldwide scale. What perfect timing, as today is Love your […]

February 20, 2017

Ask Stacy! Five Tenets of Building an Organization

“We have to focus on giving people the guidance they need, but also let them take ownership a task, too.” In this Ask Stacy episode, Lisa and Stacy go through Stacy’s 5 Tenets of Building an Organization to Help Community Cats, which are: Understand your community, Build a skills matrix, […]

February 23, 2017

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

“This is the thick of legislative session season.” Where in the USA is cat policy these days? Katie Lisnik can tell you! Katie is back for her third interview with Stacy, and this time she is taking us on a tour of various states who have serious bills and legislation that […]

February 25, 2017

Interview! Rob Halpin, Director of Public Relations at the MSPCA

“Journalists love to help animals just like we do.” Rob Halpin is the director Public Relations at the MSPCA Angell Animal Hospital in Boston, MA. He transitioned from the corporate sector, working as a PR agent for At&T, to his current job about five years ago and found a perfect […]

February 27, 2017

How to Set Up a Trap Bank that Works

Over the years, I have gotten many emails about How to Set Up a Trap Bank that Works effectively. You want to make sure equipment is returned clean and in a timely manner. I find this to be one of the hardest programs for groups to manage. It takes time, […]

February 28, 2017

Interview! Bruce Myers, Executive Director, United Spay Alliance

“The law tends to be way behind the needs on the ground… We’ve got to let the law catch up.” In this Spay Day episode, Stacy is joined by Bruce Myers, an animal protection lawyer and new director of the United Spay Alliance. The United Spay Alliance (USA) seeks to establish […]

March 2, 2017

Interview! Brigid Wasson, Board Member, Missing Pet Partnership

“We recommend that all cats be chipped, but it isn’t foolproof.” Brigid is back for another interview with Stacy, and to kick of March Microchipping Madness, Brigid talks about the importance of microchipping your pets. Microchipping is an especially important development when it comes to cats, as the Return to Owner […]

March 4, 2017

Interview! Cheryl Fernandes, Shelter Care Representative, PetLink

“The microchip is the silent voice for the animal.” In continuation with Microchipping Madness, Stacy invites Cheryl Ann Fernandes back to the show to discuss the importance of microchipping. Cheryl Ann explains a bit about the technology behind the microchip, what RFID is and what it stands for, and also highlights […]

March 6, 2017

March is Microchipping Madness Month

Can you believe we have already hit the month of March? It seems crazy how quickly the year is going by, but we’re excited because March is Microchipping Madness Month! How do you feel about microchipping your cat? It’s definitely not as prevalent as microchipping in our canine counterparts, but […]

March 7, 2017

Interview! Priscilla Ma, Executive Director, US Chapter of World Animal Protection

“People don’t want to know just about suffering, they want to know how they can help.” Priscilla Ma is the executive director for the US chapter of World Animal Protection. While doing humanitarian work with Smile Train, she traveled throughout the world and saw the different kinds of impacts that […]

March 9, 2017

Interview! Michelle Rivera, Founder, Spay-Neuter Kansas City

“We are so people-focused because behind every animal that is coming into our clinic is a person.” Michelle Rivera is the founder of Spay-Neuter Kansas City, a 501(c)3 non-profit that services the Kansas City areas in both Kansas and Missouri. Now going on its fifteenth year of operation, SNKC has increased […]

March 11, 2017

Interview! Gavin Ehringer, Author

Gavin Ehringer has been writing about companion animals for 25 years, fueled by a childhood growing up next to a game farm and spending his young adult years working on a ranch. In this unorthodox episode, he outlines the different “classes” of animals—working, companion, purebred, and show—and tells Stacy about the […]

March 13, 2017

The Nuts and Bolts of a Donation Jar Campaign

The Nuts and Bolts of a Donation Jar Campaign is something many of our groups in The Community Cats Grants ponder during their fundraising efforts. We currently have 40 groups from 18 different states working hard to raise money for their spay/neuter programs that help community cats! More info to […]

March 14, 2017

Interview! Dr. Dena Mangiamele, Author/Lecturer

“‘Safety first’ does not exclude cats at all.” When Dena Mangiamele started to practice veterinary medicine with the City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Control in the 1990s, animal sheltering procedures and best practices looked very different from how they do now. Dena helped to implement groundbreaking (at the time) programs like […]

March 16, 2017

Interview! Joyce Briggs, President, Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs

“Whenever we intervene with animals in an ecosystem, there are implications for other animals.” Joyce Briggs is the president of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs. With a background in public health, she is concerned with how to better manage populations of cats and dogs, as well as […]

March 18, 2017

Interview! Lauren Burbridge, Coordinator, Massachusetts Animal Fund

“If every taxpayer in MA payed just one dollar… we could help over 40,000 cats and dogs every year.” Lauren Burbridge has figured out how to help people and animals at the same time: she is a licensed social worker who started the Massachusetts Animal Fund, an organization that seeks to develop […]

March 20, 2017

TNRM, A New Acronym for Stray Cats

I have long been a great fan of return to field programs. Without even knowing what return to field was, MRFRS was running free spay/neuter clinics for feral cats. Anyone could bring a cat in a trap to our monthly clinics and get them spay/neutered, vaccinated and ear tipped for […]

March 21, 2017

Interview! Part One – Heather Cammisa, CEO and Tara Sannucci, Pet Retention Coordinator, St. Hubert’s

“A database is only as good as it’s maintained.” In part one of this two-part episode, Stacy talks to Heather Cammisa and Tara Sannucci, the president of St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center and director of the Pet Retention Program, respectively. Tara and Heather detail the plethora of programs that St. […]

October 10, 2016

Interview! Jill O’Connell, Executive Director and Crystal Arnott, Communications and Fundraising Manager, Lowell Humane Society (MA)

October 27, 2016

Interview! Dr. Julie Levy, Maddie’s Professor of Shelter Medicine at University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine

December 8, 2016