advocacy Archives - The Community Cats Podcast

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”

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 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 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

February 10, 2018

Interview! Brianna Grant, Communications Associate at Alley Cat Rescue

“We believe in protecting all cats, no matter what area they are in.” Brianna Grant was always involved with cats and when she was younger, she found a particularly sweet whose terrible condition broke Brianna’s heart. She spent the next few months taking care of this little stray and in […]

August 19, 2018

Interview! Danielle Bays, Director of Cat Protection and Policy, Humane Society of the United States

“If there isn’t anything that prohibits what you’re doing [for cats], you don’t necessarily need to make a law that actually allows for it.” Danielle Bays, the new Director of Cat Protection and Policy at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), plays “Cat Protection and Policy Jeopardy!” with […]

May 11, 2019

Interview! Lindsay Hamrick, Policy Director for Companion Animals, HSUS

“On the community cat front, it’s abundantly clear that cats have been second in all of the policies that have been pushed forward.” Lindsay Hamrick, Policy Director for Companion Animals at the Humane Society of the United States, works to support local, state and federal policies protecting pets. She holds […]

June 17, 2019

Trapper Tricks & Tips – Liz Pease

This week, we have the next installment of our occasional series called Trapper Tips & Tricks, which will profile folks who are involved in trapping community cats. This week we bring you tips from Liz Pease, former executive director of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, who has been trapping […]

November 26, 2019

Ashley Morrison, Foster Caregiver & Cat Advocate

“You realize that you’re making a difference and it’s helping you just as much as it helps them.” Listen to Episode #327 now Ashley Morrison is an independent kitten foster home and cat advocate in Washington state. She has fostered over 300 cats and kittens over the past four years. […]

January 7, 2020

Dr. Jennifer Conrad, The Paw Project

“We know that this is the wrong thing to do to cats. No matter where you are, it’s the wrong thing.” Listen to Episode #333 now This episode is sponsored by Dr. Elsey’s Veterinarian Formulated Quality Products for Cats, makers of “litter we’re so confident you’ll love, your first […]

April 14, 2020

Danielle Bays, Humane Society of the United States

“[There is] a major shift in how we’re thinking about how cats use their claws, and why they use their claws, and why they should keep them.” Listen to Episode #347 Now In this episode, HSUS Senior Analyst for Cat Protection & Policy Danielle Bays joins Stacy to talk […]

April 21, 2020

Tina Traster, Catnip Nation

“That’s really the point of the film … to show that we’re not powerless.” Listen to Episode #348 Now Award-winning journalist, author, and filmmaker Tina Traster, previously featured on CCP Episode 186, joins Stacy again to update us on her documentary, Catnip Nation. The film advocates for TNR through […]

June 2, 2020

Karen Little, Alley Cat Advocates

“We’re here and we’re here to stay.” Listen to Episode #354 Now Karen Little, featured previously on CCP Episode 17 and Episode 112, joins Stacy to discuss the new things going on with the organization she and her husband founded in Louisville, Kentucky in 1999, Alley Cat Advocates. In […]

June 18, 2020

A Question for the CCP Community – Is it time to lose our spay/neuter mission?

Spending the weekend talking at the Online Kitten Conference about how to care for, nurture, spay/neuter, transport, and adopt out kittens really got me thinking about the role of spay/neuter in our animal welfare movement. Twenty-plus years ago, when I first started out with the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, […]

August 25, 2020

Dr. Anne Beall, Market Researcher, Animal Advocate, Author

“I really believe that cats connect with us just the same as dogs do and they’re just as helpful … to us as dogs are.” Listen to Episode #366 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, The Cat Fanciers’ Association, and The American Association of Feline Practitioners. Anne […]

September 1, 2020

Anna Raines, Best Friends Animal Society

“If you want to protect wildlife, if you want to protect birds, then you need to do a full dive into TNR and cat programming.” Listen to Episode #367 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com’s FosterSpace, Kitty Sift Litter System, and The American Association of Feline […]

September 8, 2020

Keith Williams, C5 Las Vegas

“Don’t just tell me about the cute kitten you saved. Tell me about the mom that you spayed, because that is where the progress is really going to be made … on the spay/neuter side of the house.” Listen to Episode #368 Now This episode is sponsored in part […]

November 17, 2020

Susan Russell, Writer, Attorney, Animal Advocate

“Animals and people do need to be cared for. It’s not an either or, it’s a both and.” Listen to Episode #378 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. Founding member of Archimedes’ Printing Shoppe and Sundry Goodes, Susan Russell has had diverse experience as a writer, […]

November 24, 2020

Brad Kriser, Founder of Kriser’s Natural Pet

“It’s not just the years in your life, but the life in your years.” Listen to Episode #379 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. This week’s guest is Brad Kriser, founder of Kriser’s Natural Pet and Chief Education Officer of Independent Pet Partners. Brad lives in […]

December 1, 2020

Best of 2020 – Dr. Jennifer Conrad, The Paw Project

“We know that this is the wrong thing to do to cats. No matter where you are, it’s the wrong thing.” Listen to Episode #380 now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and KittySift. In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Conrad, who founded The Paw Project in 1999, joins […]

April 8, 2021

Animal Laws: What’s Going On Around the Country

As animal lovers, we all want our laws to protect animals, who don’t have the ability to advocate for themselves. But it can be very confusing to try to keep up with all the bills moving through city and state governments, as well as the national government. So we’ve prepared […]

April 20, 2021

Danielle Bays, Senior Analyst for Cat Protection & Policy, HSUS

“Let’s be proactive, let’s build relationships, let’s share all the good work and success that people are doing, even if it’s a small thing.” Listen to Episode #400 Now This episode is sponsored in part by CDE Cages and Doobert.com. Can you believe it’s our 400th episode? This week we […]

July 27, 2021

Christi Metropole, Founder of Stray Cat Alliance

“It was a struggle for getting [cats] a voice.” Listen to Episode #414 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Christi Metropole, founder of the Stray Cat Alliance shares with Stacy how she got started with TNR in the 90s and how trapping […]

November 30, 2021

Dr. Jacquie Rand, Executive Director and Chief Scientist, Australian Pet Welfare Foundation

“The problem is that TNR is illegal across Australia. For example, the state that I live in, un-owned cats are classed as 3, 4, and 6 ‘restricted matter.’ They can’t be fed, they can’t be moved, they can’t be rehomed or sold.” Listen to Episode #432 Now This episode […]

December 6, 2021

Chris Roy, Creator of Doobert.com & Host of The Animal Innovation Show Podcast

“I’m hopeful that we’re going to inspire the next generation of idea people.” Listen to Episode #433 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. What started out as one man’s system to record and coordinate his own animal transport work has since transformed into an […]

December 14, 2021

Jon Dunn, Senior Specialist of Communications of Best Friends Animal Society

“We want the podcast to play a role in lifesaving. So people will hear the podcast and change what they’re doing.” Listen to Episode #434 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. As Kristen Bell is to sloths, so Jon Dunn is to cats. Senior […]

May 26, 2023

Remove Barriers to TNVR: Create a Community Cat Guide for Your State!

Contributed by Cheri Storms, Executive Director of Pet Friendly Services of Indiana Elected officials are tasked with making a multitude of decisions, many that they’d never contemplated. When it comes to Community Cat programs, most elected officials are unfamiliar with the topic and don’t understand the solutions. Instead, they are […]

October 12, 2016