People, Pets, and Purpose
People, Pets, and Purpose is an interview-style podcast that explores the human-animal bond and what really matters. This show is hosted by Diaz Dixon—the Maddie’s® Advisor for External Affairs and Partnerships for the Human Animal Support Services project. The Human Animal Support Services project reimagines a world where the human and animal welfare industries work together to serve people and pets in need. Learn more about our work at humananimalsupportservices.org.
Episodes
Dr. Steven R. Hansen, President and CEO of Arizona Humane Society, is the leader behind a new, state of the art animal welfare campus designed with the welfare of both people and pets in mind. More than an animal hospital and trauma center—this facility is a full pet resource and adoption center. Dr. Hansen discusses why Arizona Humane decided to make their focus about engaging with the community versus a more traditional or medic...
What does the future of data and technology in animal welfare look like in the next five years and beyond? Samantha Hill, Director of Data & Technology at Shelter Animals Count, the leading national database for the animal welfare industry, shares insights on this question and more data-driven topics, from implementation challenges to understanding how to make the best use of your organization's data.
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To celebrate Animal Control Officer (ACO) Appreciation Week, HASS is joining the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA) in honoring field service officers. Join our special guest, Jerrica Owen, executive director of NACA, to learn more about the real role field officers play for our community and how they are often the first line of defense for preserving the human-animal bond.
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This guest is not only an accomplished author, adventurer, and nano-mechanics professional but someone who faced a life-altering injury that led him to found the Moment Foundation, an aviation-based organization with a mission to curate life-enhancing, perspective-shifting experiential positivity for both people and animals. Learn more about Grant Korgan and his incredible journey in this episode.
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While farm animals are not our usual topic of conversation on People, Pets, and Purpose, we think you’ll love this program that helps people heal. Jamie Tanner is the founder of Simple Sparrow Care Farm, a nonprofit organization based near Austin, TX that truly understands the power of community and the human-animal bond. Now, what is a care farm, and how did this one start? Listen to this episode of People, Pets, and Purpose to f...
Have you ever seen the videos of pets of people experiencing homelessness treated on the streets of Los Angeles? Well, it may have been due to Dr. Kwane Stewart’s incredible work. Dr. Stewart has dedicated himself to preventing the separation of pets from people who love them. He is the co-founder and Board President of Project Street Vet, which started primarily on Skid Row in Los Angeles and now has 6 different locations across t...
When older New Yorkers need some help walking their dog, scooping their cat's litter box, or feeding their pets, they are not going to have to face those challenges alone, thanks to PAWS NY. Rachel Herman is the founder of Pets Are Wonderful Support, also known as PAWS New York — and Carrie Nydick Finch is the Deputy Director of Programs and Strategy. Learn more about the incredible work PAWS NY is doing to support the human-a...
Have you heard the stories of cats and dogs being airlifted out of the Middle East to be reunited with a service member who loves them? Well, meet the person behind those stories! Lori Kalef travels all over the world to help animals affected by war, natural disasters, the dog meat trade, and more, so they can be reunited with the people who love them. Hear her stories, what motivates her, and more in this captivating episode.
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Stephen Knight is the founder of Dogs Matter, a nonprofit that provides foster care placement and supportive services for the pets of addicts who are seeking treatment or entering recovery. Stephen’s compassion and care for both people and pets is apparent in this episode, where he discusses his own experience with addiction and recovery and the role pets play in helping people heal.
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We’ve spoken with so many incredible guests during the first year of People, Pets, and Purpose! In the last episode of the year, we’re taking you back through some of our favorite moments. These episodes include philosophers, entrepreneurs, influencers, animal welfare professionals, fellow podcast hosts, and people who have been impacted deeply by their pets. It’s been a great year of celebrating and exploring the human-animal bond...
Ethics are a large part of most conversations in animal welfare, and in this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with two philosophers who explored exactly that. Dr. Kristin Voigt, associate professor at McGill University, and Dr. Angie Pepper, lecturer at the University of Roehampton, are two of the philosophers who set out to understand animal shelters and how ethical decisions are made where time, space, and resources are ...
Steven Mornelli was doing quite well for himself in the financial services field when he learned that about half a million pets lose their lives every year because of what's called "economic euthanasia." Setting out for change, Steven founded the nonprofit Waggle as a platform where pet owners could raise money to pay for their pets' medical care. Waggle also works with animal shelters, veterinarians, and is eve...
Maya Higa is the founder of a sanctuary for wildlife rescued from the exotic animal trade — and is one of the world's most watched livestreamers, with hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitch and other streaming platforms. Listen to learn how at just 25 years old, Maya is using her large platform and deep passion to bring awareness about animal welfare and conservation to a younger generation.
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Meals on Wheels does more than serve food to humans. They have over 500 programs across the country that make sure pets are fed too. Morgan Hultquist, Manager of Strategy and Impact for Meals on Wheels America, shares how these programs go far beyond food, keeping families happy and healthy, with their pets.
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Jordana Moerbe, National Shelter Support Director for Austin Pets Alive!, and Reyna Caraveo, Marketing Communications Manager for Austin Pets Alive!, grew up in mostly bilingual, Texas border towns, with experiences that have deeply informed their work today. Tune in now to learn about their lives, ideas, and (many!) pets — and dive into how bilingual and multilingual communications help to better support people and pets.
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A dog named Cody helped Laura Thomas through a debilitating illness—and it's just one beautiful story she shares in the podcast she hosts about how dogs have saved their humans. Laura is not just the host of the moving podcast Rescued By A Dog. She's also a musician, author, television producer, and more. Stay listening to hear the beautiful tune she sings to Cody when it's time to go to bed!
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One dog opened Casey Boshae's eyes to the prejudice against, and love for, blocky-headed canine companions. In response, Casey launched The Gentle Pit as an Instagram account chronicling her dog Olive — and turned it into a thriving lifestyle and clothing business that merges entrepreneurship with a deep commitment to helping dogs.
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Law impacts the human-animal bond, and is in many cases at the root of why people are involuntarily separated from the pets they love. Learn how Lauren’s work in the legal sphere is creating pathways that keep people and pets together.
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From the earliest age, Vincent Medley has been thinking about, and living with, the bond between people and animals. Today, he's drawing on two decades of experience as an animal officer and animal shelter leader, to help transform a broken animal welfare system.
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For a decade, Kassidi Jones has been studying race relations. As a Black woman, adopting a dog who most people identify as a pit bull opened her eyes to patterns of racism she hadn’t noticed before.
Now, Kassidi, a Yale Ph.D. student, shares her observations—plus a lot of really cute dog pics—on her wildly popular Instagram account, @gingers_naps, named for her dog.
Check out this episode of People, Pets, and Pur...
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