The Rescue Dog Pod

This week on The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown tackles some of the most challenging and important issues in animal welfare. The episode explores banning dogs and cats from research use in Ontario, ending the importation of endangered monkeys to Canada for research, and stopping the use of piglets in military trauma training. Helen is joined by Bianca Del Bois, Director of Developmen...

The Rescue Dog Pod – Featuring Neil Laird In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield Brown, President of Stray Dog Support, welcomes Emmy-nominated producer and author Neil Laird for an in-depth conversation about storytelling, compassion, and rescue. The episode celebrates the power of second chances—both for animals and for the stories that bring their journeys to light. Neil...

In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, we dive into a topic that’s deeply personal and often left unspoken — compassion fatigue. Whether you’re involved in animal rescue, veterinary work, or any kind of caregiving role, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Our host opens up about their own experience with compassion fatigue — the emotional and physical exhaustion that can come from carin...

In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown, founder of Stray Dog Support, welcomes Katherine Lacefield, founder of Just Be Cause Consulting and host of The Just Be Cause Podcast. Katherine shares her 20+ years of experience in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors, offering insights into how organizations can reignite their passion for fundraising, overcome scarcity mind...

In this inspiring episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown, President and Founder of Stray Dog Support, sits down with Lori Kalef, Director of Programs at SPCA International — a true global force in animal welfare. From her early days volunteering at local shelters to leading international rescue missions, Lori shares her journey of compassion, resilience and collaboration. Toge...

In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown dives into the world of canine enrichment with special guest Heidi LaCosse, founder of the Canine Enrichment Center in Grafton Wisconsin. Heidi shares her journey from a career in retail management to becoming a professional groomer, certified dog trainer, and lifelong advocate for positive, force-free training. With over 25 years...

In this episode of the Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown, President and Founder of Stray Dog Support, sits down with long-time animal advocate Stephanie Garcia — the South American Partnerships Liaison and Project Manager for Stray Dog Support’s Save a Stray Mexico initiative. With over 25 years of experience in animal rescue, Stephanie shares her incredible journey of rescuing and reha...

In this powerful episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown sits down with actress, animal rescuer, and founder of The Animal Rescue Mission, Shira Scott Astrof. Best known for her roles in The Office, Criminal Minds, and more, Shira shares her incredible journey from Hollywood to hands-on rescue work, revealing what truly goes on behind the scenes in animal advocacy. Together, He...

In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown welcomes the incredible Sabrina Fatrdla, our Director of Operations of Stray Dog Support, and our very first guest on the podcast! Sabrina takes us behind the scenes of her work supporting stray dogs globally, including her recent trip to Egypt where she connected with our rescue partners and met the dogs we help on the ground. We...

In this episode, we take a raw and honest look at the dark side of rescue work — the social media abuse, judgment, and constant criticism that rescuers face online. From the infamous “Why didn’t you save that dog?” comments to the emotional toll of dealing with keyboard warriors who contribute nothing but negativity, we explore how this noise can distract from the real mission. We also talk about...

Welcome to The Rescue Dog Pod, where the stories are real, and the glamour? Yeah… that doesn’t live here. In this episode, “A Typical Day,” come and listen as I reveal the thrilling reality of rescue work—it’s basically just paperwork, emails, and endless computer stuff. No, I’m not wrangling wild dogs in a field all day. I’m wrangling spreadsheets, vet bookings, and online forms while wearing yes...

Welcome to the very first episode of the new Rescue Dog Pod. My name is Helen Summerfield-Brown and I am a rescuer, advocate and full time animal lover. This podcast is for animal people who have rescues, volunteer at rescues, who have adopted animals, cried at animal stories and fallen in love with the underdogs of the world. If you are curious about behind the scenes in dog rescue then this is y...