Raise The Woof

Rescuing bully breed dogs is never easy, but once you are in, there is no turning back. They capture your heart. Tina Panos, the Founder of Chicago Pit Stop Rescue, was one of the first people to take me under her wing when I ventured into the rescue world. She is honest and real and an asset to Chicagoland. 

Missed these chicks. We are back. Sorry for the hiatus. We still need a name. For now, I like Bitches and HO. We had a little rant...sorry.  Real Housewives.  Lularoe.  Hoda and Kathy. Chicken legs.  Bootie Calls.  A rude bird.    Shockers: Uncensored Carolyn. Emotional Heather. I was once flat-chested. 

"There was a chihuahua that was tied up to bench. When I used my temperature gun, it was 138 degrees. No shade, no water. His nails were wrapped up in the chain." Dana Deutsch has put her own life on the line to help in rescue efforts of animals after Hurricane Katrina and Harvey. Her adventures are unreal, but are just a taste of what she does daily for the animals at North Chicago Animal Control. 

Schipp TAKEOVER.  Schipp, my husband, turns the table and grills me with some hard-hitting questions.  This was fun. He makes a great host and could definitely take over for me! 

Hey everyone. After a brief hiatus to deal with some personal items, I am back. I feel that it is important to tell the good stories of the world and though my brief break was needed, I am happy to be back. Hillary Rosen is one of those people that I just gravitate to. I love everything she does and all she stands for and though I have never met her, I have SO much respect for her. She is very open about her opinions and I so value that. Enjoy this one...I learned a ton.

Dr. Portela from Premier Oncology and Ginger Morgan Puppy Up President and Exective Director join me to talk about a cancer walk for dogs and humans coming up in Chicago on September 16th. More info here: puppyupwalk.com/chicago  Dr. Portela also talks in-depth about cancer in dogs, what to look for and so much more. It is a great episode and I learned a ton.

This is a great special episode that we will start doing monthly. One Tail at a Time's Heather gets down and dirty with shelter stats and what they really mean. Both women have been vilified for euthanizing dangerous dogs and have been shamed by the public and fellow rescuers. They are going to call bullshit on that. It is a great, REAL podcast. And Carolyn from Chicagoland Bully Breed Rescue cries. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Rendy Schuchat, owner of Anything is Pawsible, answers questions we have all wondered and reminisces about the baddest dog that she ever met! HAAA! A great guest with a TON of knowledge and experience. 

"Every time I would respond with truthful facts and things I knew about why it was not a good idea to send dogs there, everyone got really mad at me. It frustrated me because if you do not like the answers that I am giving you, don't ask me." Tomorrow's Raise the Woof guest is ALIVE Rescue Memphis' President and Founder Ranise Coppens, who uprooted her Chicago life and started a rescue in Memphis!

"The hardest thing is the dogs that people do not know what happened to them. I know they are out there, but they just haven't found them. " The work that Susan Taney does is so important. There is no worse feeling than losing your dog. We go into great detail about her experiences and what you can do if you have lost or found an animal.

"Social media for rescues and nonprofits it is so important. One of the biggest messages I teach is that it all comes back to you. You have to leverage your interest. People want to relate to other people. You have to show the good bad and the ugly and people want to help. If you have the passion for it and you can showcase it, social media is an amazing tool." DIY Dog Mom Alicia Boemi has a vast knowledge and scope on so many things dog. Tune in to hear more about her diabetic dog. how she deals with it and how it was the springboard for Mylah Medical Foundation. 

"I had a terrible problem with keeping my mouth shut. Sometimes I have to speak my mind. Keyboard warriors make me nuts. I can jump in a second. I go crazy instantly." 

Tacos.  Boobs. Break-ups. Tattoos. Dreams.  Sweat. Dogs.      "I was broke, paying my own mortgage and totally screwed."    I broke down a difficult wall that Heather puts up, but it was worth it. A VERY candid podcast with the Co-Founder/Director of One Tail at a Time  

"I am one that rarely says no. I almost always say yes and it has caused me to hit a wall. When shit hits the fan, you have nowhere to go with it. I pride myself and the rescue was my way of giving back and my way of seeing something positive  in a profession that I see grief and sorrow and when the rescue is now providing me the grief and I am seeing the sorrow and death of the shelters, it is tenfold." Jen Freels has experienced the highs and lows of rescue. Now, she is at a turning point and is trying to slow it down a bit....but will her heart allow her to do that?   

Booker Youngblutt, who I met just over a year ago, has become an integral part of Live Like Roo and now, we have expanded his role with the newly created Booker Fund. He has taken in 2 dogs with cancer that were hospice and has never looked back. He can teach us all a little something and I just love this quote: "You just can't sit and complain and wait for someone else to do it. You gotta get in there and do it yourself. It is rewarding. At the end, you do not remember the negative, you remember the positive." Enjoy the show.  

A great conversation with Erin Kowalski from Bialy's Wellness Foundation! Sooo many people asked for her to be a guest and she was phenomenal. The story of Bialy is a tough one and I think it is soooo important for people to hear. "No kill" is such a buzzword, rightfully so, and unfortunately sometimes all avenues have been exhausted and tough decisions have to be made. That is reality. It does not mean it is easy. No one is more genuine and giving than Erin.  We also reminisce about Lt. Dan...it is a great listen. 

"We had rescue for the dog. Why is the dog not here? She is the dog in a bag? I cannot begin to tell you how many times my blood boiled over these situation." All of us in rescue have that one person that inspired us to get involved.  Alycia Hayes is mine. She is kind. She is patient. She and I saw some good and bad at an open admission shelter.  She launched a very successful transfer team at Chicago Care and Control and trusted a few of us to take it over when she had to step away. She was my jedi and taught me so so much. I always aspired to be like her and I am lucky to call her a great friend. 

Arin Greenwood has written for BarkPost, Huffington Post, Washington post and many more. Many of her stories, you will remember. She became a pit bull advocate when she adopted Barky and had no idea she was a pit---amazing story.  Arin has a ton of great stories and is a beautiful writer. You all will love her.

A wedding recap, The Booker Fund and I answer some burning questions. I had to restart the damn thing 3 times because the dogs are being amazing tonight! Also, I could hear my East Coast accent in this one. UH OH

"Our relationship was better after you quit the transfer team."   He is right. I am mad it took me so long to realize how much of a time suck that was, but I am so grateful for everything I learned at Chicago Animal Care and Control.    Schipp is kind of shy about putting our lives out there, but he was a great guest.    "I try to help Sarah think with her head and not her heart."   Sometimes I am clouded by the passion to save an animal, when in reality it may not be the best. Schipp is always a sounding board for me. I am so thankful to have someone like him.