Episodes

When your dog’s limping or your cat won’t stop scratching, it’s tempting to reach into your medicine cabinet, but should you? In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest Dr. Zoo, my vet and the veterinarian for Starlight Outreach and Rescue, to tackle one of the most Googled questions in pet parenting: “Can I give my pet human over-the-counter meds?” We’re breaking down what’s safe, what’s dangerous, and what might help when the vet is closed and your pet needs relief now. BY THE TIME YOU F...

Feel like the more you try to fix your dog’s behavior, the worse it gets? If you’re in the thick of dog training and you're dealing with barking, leash pulling, jumping, or flat-out ignoring commands, the problem might not be your dog: it might be what you’re accidentally reinforcing without realizing it. In this episode, I’m joined by dog training expert and behavior consultant Bradley Phifer, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KSA, Executive Director, CCPDT to unpack the everyday mistakes that teach dogs to kee...

Thinking about adding another pet to your family? Before you give in to those puppy-dog eyes or kitten purrs, hit pause. Because while one more pet can be wonderful, it can also turn your home upside down if the timing or reason isn’t right. In this episode, I’m sharing 4 essential gut checks to help you decide if it’s truly the right time to expand your pack. After adopting out pets to thousands of families and taking in hundreds of owner surrenders, I’ll give you the honest questions no one e...

Think getting a pet would make life better? Instead, you’re staring at sky-high vet bills, a dog that won’t stop barking, a cat refusing the litter box, and endless late-night searches for solutions. That’s why I created The Pet Parent Hotline, your lifeline for real pet parenting advice. This isn’t another fluffy pet podcast. Each week we tackle the problems that keep you up at night, like how to afford vet care, stop common behavior mistakes, save money on pet food, and keep your home clean a...

Ever feel like you're the only one who remembers to feed the dog, clean the litter box, or refill the water bowls? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to keep doing all the pet care yourself. This bonus summer episode gives pet advice and a complete system to get your household to step up and share the pet care load, without nagging, yelling, or turning into the resentful pet parent you swore you’d never be. BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER: • The communication traps that ke...

What if the no-kill movement isn’t saving animals but failing them? It promised to end unnecessary euthanasia and revolutionize sheltering. But behind the glowing stats and feel-good slogans lies a much messier reality, one most people don’t want to talk about. In this episode, I sit down with animal welfare expert Daniel Ettinger to expose the unintended consequences of chasing a 90 percent live release rate. From shelters closing their doors to avoid euthanasia to animals being warehoused f...

When Saving Animals Almost Broke Me What happens when the thing you love the most is the very thing that pushes you past your breaking point? I found out in the middle of a hurricane—soaked, sobbing, and clinging to my barn while sick kittens cried in a barely secured shed. That was the moment I realized something had to change. In this raw, unfiltered solo episode, I’m sharing the story I’ve kept quiet for too long. After fostering more than 4,000 animals, turning my property into a sanctuar...

Heartworm Truths Every Pet Owner Needs to Hear with Dr. Zoo Think skipping heartworm prevention just this once is no big deal? It only takes one mosquito bite to change your pet’s life forever. Heartworm disease is slow, painful, and completely preventable—yet pets still die from it every year. In this episode, Dr. Zoo shares two cases that prove why you can’t take the risk: a two-year-old German Shepherd in kidney failure after his owners stopped prevention, and a rescue terrier whose heart ...

What if feeding your pet meant you had to skip dinner yourself? For thousands of families, that’s not a hypothetical—it’s a heartbreaking daily decision. And when the bills pile up, surrendering a beloved pet can feel like the only option left. In this episode, I talk with Stacey LeBaron, founder of PAWSitive Pantry and host of The Community Cats Podcast, about how her team is tackling pet food insecurity and keeping pets in the homes where they’re loved. From distributing more than 140,000 p...

Did I wait too long? Did I do the right thing? What if I failed them? If you’ve lost a beloved pet, you’ve probably asked yourself these same painful questions. Grief is hard enough, but guilt can make healing feel impossible. I’ve been there too. When I had to say goodbye to our 34-year-old rescue horse, Cherokee, I was overwhelmed with guilt, even with decades of rescue experience behind me. If you’ve ever struggled with that same inner dialogue, you’re not alone. In this episode, I sit down w...