Interviews Archives - Page 2 of 6 - The Community Cats Podcast

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 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 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 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

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 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

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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

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 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 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 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 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. […]

March 23, 2017

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

“It’s senseless to put out all this advice if you have someone who’s not willing or able to do it all.” In part two of this two-part episode, Tara dives into details while Heather gives us the big picture. Tara has a lot of responsibilities around St. Huberts, which include handling […]

March 25, 2017

Interview! Part Two – Cheryl Fernandes, Shelter Care Representative, PetLink

“The microchip is the silent voice for the animal.” In part two, Stacy and Cheryl Ann dive into the complexities of microchipping once microchips have been placed—how do you scan a newly-trapped feral cat? What are best practices for animal control officers when recovering an animal afield whose microchip turns […]

March 28, 2017

Interview! Anna Murrin and Valerie Kajko, Project Manager and TNR Coordinator, Metro Denver CAT Project

“Having a physical location in the community builds up trust.” Anna Murrin and Valerie Kajko are the project manager and TNR coordinator, respectively, of Metro Denver CAT Project in Denver, CO. CAT, or Cats Around Town, is a unique project in that it provides resources for all cats in a targeted area […]

March 30, 2017

Interview! Julie Bank, President and CEO of Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA

“I saw the animal shelter as a living museum.” Julie Bank is the president and CEO of Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA. She approaches running an animal shelter from the unique perspective of curating a museum—in fact, she enrolled in a museum education program purely to bring the tools of […]

April 1, 2017

Interview! Sara Kent, Director of Shelter Outreach for Petfinder

“Video is a great way to let cats speak for themselves…and they don’t have to say a lot.” Petfinder has brought the world of technology to shelters and potential adopters. Sara, who’s been there for 17 years, speaks with Stacy about the visibility it brings to hundreds of thousands of […]

April 4, 2017

Interview! Laura Baughman, Director of Operations, National Kitten Coalition

“You’re going to get a whole lot more kittens when you start a nursery.” As we enter “kitten season,” Stacy talks to Laura about “kitten nurseries,” a new and hot concept for management of neonatal kittens. Laura recently researched and wrote a manual for organizations thinking about starting their own […]

April 6, 2017

Interview! Jocelyn Bouchard, Executive Director, Yavapai Humane Society

“How do we elevate the status of cats?” Jocelyn’s work in animal welfare began as a vet tech in a spay/neuter clinic in Vancouver BC in the 1980’s, when high volume clinics were cutting edge. Twenty years’ experience living in Maui fueled her belief that managing colonies, including feral kitten […]

April 8, 2017

Ask Stacy! Stacy LeBaron, Host of The Community Cats Podcast

“This is all about being a family.” As kitten season approaches, guest host Lisa Finkel talks with Stacy about creatively managing community kittens. Describing kitten fostering as a “pre-program” to the adoption process, Stacy offers insight on productive ways to set up a healthy and sustainable foster care program. Many […]

April 11, 2017

Interview! Beth Clifton, Photographer and Social Media Editor for Animals 24-7

“Take Personal Responsibility with Animals in Need” Beth Clifton is the photographer and social media editor for Animals 24-7. She is also the wife of previous CCP guest Merritt Clifton, and she cites him as one of the people who changed her thinking around TNR and community cats. Beth has […]

April 13, 2017

Interview! Merritt Clifton, Editor at Animals 24-7

“These days, shelters probably see only a fraction of the real numbers of cats in the community.” In this episode, Stacy revisits Merritt Clifton, the editor of the Animals 24-7 news site. This time, Merritt gives an in-depth look at the use of statistics and data in animal welfare. He gives some inside […]

April 15, 2017

Interview! Brad Shear, CEO of the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society

“We are not here to be exterminators.” When it comes to animal sheltering, Brad Shear has run the gamut of shelter needs and sizes. He started his career in the local shelter of a small city in Colorado, and since then has moved around the country to several different cities to share […]

April 18, 2017

Interview! Sara Pizano, Program Director for Target Zero

“You are doing this on behalf of the cats. Put the nerves on the back burner; it’s about saving cats.” Stacy revisits with Sara Pizano, the program director for Target Zero and the podcast’s guest of episode 56. Sara shares with us an innovative way that Target Zero was able […]

April 20, 2017

Renee Harris, Founder of PAWS to Success Program at the San Diego Humane Society

“If individuals took responsibility for their pets, then there would be no indiscriminate breeding.” Renee Harris has been volunteering and working in animal welfare since the tender age of twelve, and over her 30+ year career she has seen the field change enormously. She pioneered the Paws to Success program […]

April 22, 2017

Interview! Carter Luke, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA)

“Fall in love with a cat…find a cat and try to help it.” Luke reflects on some of the changes he’s seen for cats in his 40 years in animal welfare. His approach is based on building coalitions of different groups who can jointly bring different talents to the table […]

April 25, 2017

Interview! Dr. Theo Capaldo, President and Executive Director of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society

“We really try to fight science with science.” Dr. Theo Capaldo is the president and executive director of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS). NEAVS is committed to ending the use of animals as test subjects, and in fact spearheaded the successful campaign to the use of chimps in biomedical research […]

April 27, 2017

Interview! Jackson Galaxy, Star of Animal Planet’s My Cat from Hell, and Founder of the Jackson Galaxy Foundation

“I was used to not following rules and cats don’t follow rules for the most part.” It’s the Cat Daddy himself in this special episode of the podcast! Stacy has a fascinating conversation with Jackson Galaxy, the once-musician whose special bond with felines catapulted (sorry!) him to fame as a […]

April 29, 2017

Interview! Rebecca Jewell, Executive Director of the National Kitten Coalition

“Foster programs are my first love by far.” Rebecca Jewell is the executive director of the National Kitten Coalition. Her family fostered many pregnant cats and litters when she was growing up in Ohio, which inspired in her a love of foster programs. In fact, she built her own foster […]

May 2, 2017

Interview! Robin Olson, Blogger at CoveredinCatHair.com and founder of Kitten Associates

“I love telling these stories because every single cat that we bring into our rescue always has something we can learn from.” Robin Olson is the writer behind the award winning “Covered in Cathair” blog, which chronicles the stores of the 500 cats she’s rescued over the years. She also […]

May 4, 2017

Interview! Steve Lawrence, Co-Director of The Cat Rescuers, and Tara Green, TNR volunteer of Brooklyn Animal Action

“I think it’s important for viewers to understand the kind of dedication and commitment that’s required to do this work.” When Steve Lawrence moved to Brooklyn with his wife Helen, he didn’t know the first thing about community cats. However, after individuals of a backyard colony started showing up at his […]

May 6, 2017

Interview! Harold Rhee, Host of This is Pawprint Podcast

“Your volunteers may have skills that you never knew about. You don’t really know unless you truly empower people to share their talents.” Harold Rhee is the creator and host of This is Pawprint, another animal welfare podcast! With his wife Nancy, he interviews the “heroes of animal rescue,” such […]

May 9, 2017

Interview! Jonathan Rosenberg, Founder of Tabby’s Place

“I wanted to do something for the cats nobody wanted.” Jonathan Rosenberg wasn’t very interested in animal welfare—or even considered himself a “cat person”—until he met Tabby. When a stray cat showed up on his porch one day, begging for food and a place to sleep, Jonathan and his wife […]

May 11, 2017

Interview! Bonney Brown, Founder and Principle Consultant of the Humane Network

“Engaging the public in our work is the key to making it sustainable.” Stacy has once again invited Bonney Brown from the Humane Network back on the show! Bonney fills Stacy in on what the Network’s been up to in the past year, such as helping rescue groups to better […]

May 13, 2017

Interview! Susan Linker, Co-founder of Our Companions Animal Rescue

“We’ve come a long way with spay and neuter in our area.” Susan is the co-founder of Our Companions Animal Rescue, a forty-three acre sanctuary in Ashford, CT. A non-profit organization with 400 volunteers, 2,500 donors and plans to double in size, Our Companions Animal Rescue prioritizes creating a low-stress […]

May 16, 2017

Interview! Mike Fry, Founder and Senior Consultant at No Kill Learning

“The killing that takes place is harmful and costly and damaging.” Mike was raised in a family of animal welfare activists who opened the first no-kill shelter in Minnesota in 1977. After working for Fortune 500 companies in the technology field, he decided to dedicate his shelter experience to end […]

May 18, 2017

Interview! Tracie Hotchner, Author, The Cat Bible and Radio Pet Lady

“The point is to reach people and influence their hearts and minds in ways that are really meaningful.” Tracie is a premiere podcast presence, supporting the education and wellness of cats. She is the author of The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know as well as producer […]

May 20, 2017

Interview! Rosemarie Crawford, Director of Educational Programs, National Kitten Coalition

“Having protocols in place as a starting ground is really helpful for the whole staff.” After her first experience fostering bottle babies with acute health issues, Rosemarie’s colleagues realized she was a natural and nudged her towards a career in animal welfare. She worked as a vet tech in Illinois, […]

May 23, 2017

Interview! Tina Traster, Award-winning Filmmaker, Writer, and Documentarian of “Catnip Nation”

“There are people taking care of community cats, but it begs the question: who is taking care of those people?” Tina Traster is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. Her written pieces have been featured in a multitude of publications, including a regular segment for the New York Post, and her […]

May 25, 2017

Interview! Laura Mullen, SPORE Program Director at San Francisco SPCA

“Ringworm is nothing worth dying for.” Laura Mullen has worked in the shelter medicine department at the San Francisco SPCA for 15 years. Her current project is the SPORE Program, or Shelters Preventing Outbreaks of Ringworm through Eductation. Ringworm is a pesky fungal infection that lives on the keratin in animal […]

May 27, 2017

Interview! Susan Rosenberg, Director of International Animal Programs at GreaterGood.org

“I am working to save everything from ants to elephants.” One could say that Susan Rosenberg has been managing animal shelters since she was 8 years old—at that age, she was covertly caring for abandoned animals in her backyard and using her allowance to do so! She has received two […]

May 30, 2017

Interview! Bianca Leos, Student at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University

“Animals lives are going to depend on me one day, so I need to know all this information.” Bianca Leos is a student at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. She intends to become a shelter veterinarian working in a high quality, high volume spay-neuter program. When […]

June 1, 2017

Ask Stacy! Stacy LeBaron, Host, The Community Cats Podcast

“Oftentimes, these folks are not upset about the cats in general, but the fact that they’re not being cared for.” In this, the seventh (!) Ask Stacy episode, Lisa and Stacy leave the world of cat lovers behind for a moment to take a look at “cat opponents”—whether those be […]

June 3, 2017

Interview! Deanna Sanvi, Spay-Neuter Coordinator, Gateway Pet Guardians Community Outreach Program

“We help people keep their pets in their homes.” Deanna Sanvi is the spay-neuter coordinator for Gateway Pet Guardians Community Outreach Program, a 501(c)3 organization serving about 65,000 people in East St. Louis, IL. Many of these people live below the poverty line, which means that Gateway offers a variety […]

June 6, 2017

Book Review! Stacy LeBaron, Host, The Community Cats Podcast

“Get ready for the tissues…” Stacy is back with her book review show. In today’s episode she reviews, Redemption, by Nathan Winograd; Call of the Cats, by Andrew Bloomfield; Cat Daddy, by Jackson Galaxy; and Homer, The Ninth Life of a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper. Redemption is a […]

June 8, 2017

Interview! Jennifer Smith, EasyPetFence.com

“With an Easy Pet Fence, cats are able to walk around the backyard safely without worrying about attacks from birds and wildlife.” Jennifer Smith is a representative for Easy Pet Fence, an e-commerce store dedicated to the outdoor safety and wellness of animals. Easy Pet Fence has different fencing kits […]

June 10, 2017

Interview! Elizabeth Feldhausen, Founder of Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary, Green Bay, WI

“You would think that there would be nose prints all over the windows, but it’s actually people face prints! Everybody that walks by presses their face up against the glass, and the cats love it.” Elizabeth Feldhausen is the founder of Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary in Green Bay, WI, a […]

June 13, 2017

Interview! Part One, Monica Frenden, Cat Program Manager, Austin Pets Alive!

“We let the public decide what they want rather than assuming what they want.” When Monica Frenden lived in rural Illinois, she didn’t expect to start a TNR program. What started as a commitment to getting her own cats spayed and neutered exploded into a community-wide support and demand for […]

June 15, 2017

Interview! Part Two, Monica Frenden, Cat Program Manager, Austin Pets Alive!

“This is the safest large city in the country to be a cat.” In part two of this two-part episode, Stacy interviews Monica Frenden about the various cat programs available at Austin Pets Alive! She describes the “Fel-V fever” that spreads once people in the community start adopting feline-leukemia positive […]

June 17, 2017

Interview! Shawn Flynn, Author, The Kitty Who Rescued Me After I Rescued Him

“He had a huge impact on my life, and that’s why I decided to write a book about it.” Shawn Flynn is the author of The Kitty Who Rescued Me After I Rescued Him, a current finalist in the 2017 International Book Awards. It tells the story of Shawn’s newfound best friend […]

June 20, 2017

Community Cats Podcast Anniversary Show, The Podcast Team

“I’m learning so much about the talents and passions it takes to make the world a better place for cats.” Community Cats Podcast celebrates it’s first year online! In the Anniversary Show, Stacy shines the spotlight on the ‘behind the scenes’ talent that has made this past year a success. […]

June 22, 2017

Interview! Jim Tedford, President and CEO of SAWA

“The strength of SAWA is in its network.” Jim Tedford is the president and CEO of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA). In the early 1980s, fresh out of college with a degree in animal science, he found his first job in animal welfare at a tiny humane society […]

June 24, 2017

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

“TNR is not a cruel act; it is a humane population management tool, and it should be defined as such.” Katie Lisnik is back for another round of “Policy Jeopardy” on the Community Cats Podcast! This time, we get the scoop on animal welfare initiatives in Illinois, New York, Nevada, […]

November 5, 2016

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

December 8, 2016