The Rescue State

In this week's episode of The Rescue State , we're answering three important questions about dog ownership, adoption and the growing challenges facing animal shelters. How can we help our dogs live longer, healthier lives? Is adopting a shelter dog the right choice for your family, especially when you don't know their history? And are more dogs entering shelters today than before the pandemic? Fro...

California’s animal shelters are overcrowded but how did we get here? In this episode of The Rescue State , we go back to the basics and take a closer look at the growing shelter crisis affecting dogs across California and throughout the country. We break down what’s happening behind shelter doors and explore the many factors contributing to overcrowding: high intake numbers, owner surrenders, hou...

Animal advocacy is fueled by compassion, but sometimes, we forget to extend that same compassion to each other. In this episode of The Rescue State , we’re talking about kindness, curiosity and the way we communicate when advocating for animals. It’s easy to become frustrated when someone doesn’t see an issue the way we do but lasting change rarely comes from shame, judgment or tearing people down...

“I could never foster, I’d get too attached!” It’s one of the most common reasons people give for not fostering a shelter or rescue dog. But what if getting attached isn’t the problem? What if it’s actually the point? In this episode of The Rescue State Podcast, Kim talks honestly about the emotional side of fostering from foster failing with Daphne to successfully saying goodbye to dogs she deepl...

What does it really mean to rescue a dog and what happens when a shelter labels an animal “Rescue Only”? In this episode of The Rescue State Podcast, Kim takes a closer look at the often misunderstood “Rescue Only” designation used in animal shelters, what it can mean for a dog’s future and why the notes and labels attached to shelter animals matter so much. Kim explores the complicated reality be...

In this episode of The Rescue State Podcast, I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with animal advocate Johnny Oberg for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about what it truly means to create change for animals. Johnny has dedicated his life to animal advocacy, using the power of social media to reach millions of people around the world and encourage us to think differently about the a...

In this episode of The Rescue State , we’re talking about something that affects animals, our health our planet and something every single one of us has the power to influence: factory farming. We’re taking a closer look at what life can actually look like for animals inside our modern food system, including practices like separating calves from their mothers, tail docking, teeth clipping, debeaki...

In this episode of The Rescue State , we discuss the importance of consumerism and how we vote for the world that we want to live in everyday with our dollar.  It's time to stop supporting companies that are exploiting animals, humans and the planet and it's time to speak up for the companies changing this world for the better. Consumerism isn't always a bad thing! We also chat about the new movem...

Backyard breeding is a huge contributor to the overwhelming number of dogs entering our shelters but what can we actually do about it? In this week’s episode of The Rescue State , I’m re-sharing a fun, tactical way that everyday animal lovers can help identify and combat backyard breeding right in our own communities. Instead of feeling helpless watching our shelters fill up, we can start paying a...

What if the thing we’re holding onto the tightest is the very thing keeping us from feeling free? In this episode of The Rescue State , I’m sharing something I wrote after a quiet morning outside with my dogs. A moment that unexpectedly made me think about control, uncertainty and how much energy we spend trying to manage outcomes that were never really ours to manage. Maybe letting go isn’t about...

Why are animal shelters so overcrowded? And why so many pitbulls and huskies?? And if you're ready to adopt, how do you actually find the dog that's right for you? In this episode of  The Rescue State , I'm answering some of the questions people have been asking me lately about shelter dogs, adoption and the bigger picture behind our overcrowded shelter system. We'll talk about why certain breeds...

For decades, thousands of beagles were bred specifically for laboratory research. In this episode, we take a closer look at the story of Ridglan Farms, one of the largest beagle breeding facilities in the United States, and how its closure became part of a much larger conversation about the future of animal testing. But this isn't just a story about the past. We'll explore what modern alternatives...

Welcome back to The Rescue State Podcast!  As always, I'm so happy you're here :) Season 4 begins with a quiet story about a record player, a rescue dog named Gopher and an ordinary Tuesday evening that became unforgettable. As music fills the room, a simple moment shared between me and my very first rescue dog becomes a reflection on time, memory and the fleeting beauty of everyday life. From pup...

Prelude to Season 4 | Finding Apollo Before we begin Season 4, I wanted to revisit one story that forever changed me. One year ago today, I said goodbye to my foster dog, Apollo, believing he had found his forever home. Just hours later, I received the phone call every rescuer dreads. Apollo had slipped out of his harness in Downtown San Diego and disappeared. For four unforgettable days, we searc...

What does it actually take to create a no-kill future in California? In this powerful Season 3 finale of The Rescue State , we move beyond awareness and into action. After exploring how shelters operate, what good standards look like and how to recognize when those standards begin to slip, this episode brings it all together with one simple truth: real change starts with people who are willing to...

What is it really like to be on a rescue transport?   In this special episode of The Rescue State , I take you behind the scenes on a journey I’ll never forget—traveling up the Pacific Northwest on the Promise 4 Paws rescue bus to meet our Canadian rescue partners in Bellingham, Washington. This isn’t just a road trip—it’s a mission. From long hours on the road to the quiet, emotional moments in b...

Some conversations are worth coming back to and this is one of them. In this special replay episode of The Rescue State , I’m revisiting my conversation with Kevin and Sue Walshe two deeply committed voices in the rescue community who are doing the hard, often unseen work behind the scenes. As we move through Season 3 and take a closer look at how shelter systems function, where they fall short an...

In this powerful episode of The Rescue State , I sit down with Lucy Fernandez, a key force behind the ongoing reform efforts at the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. Lucy brings a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective on what’s really happening within our shelter systems through her work and life saving advocacy with Outcomes For Pets. Lucy shares her insights and expertise on breaking...

In this episode of The Rescue State , we’re diving into one of the most critical and often overlooked parts of animal welfare: recognizing when shelter standards begin to slip and understanding what you can do about it. Not all issues are obvious. Sometimes, the signs show up quietly such as: Longer kennel stays Lack of medical care Reduced transparency Animals becoming increasingly overlooked. Jo...

In this episode of The Rescue State , we move beyond what’s broken in animal welfare and focus on what good actually looks like inside a shelter. From transparency and humane care to leadership structure and accountability, this episode breaks down the real, observable standards that well-functioning shelters uphold and what the public should expect from systems funded by our tax dollars. We explo...

Before we can talk about accountability, we have to understand the system.  In this episode of The Rescue State, we breaks down how municipal animal shelters actually operate beyond the kennels and adoption events.  You’ll learn: • What “intake” really means • How outcomes are categorized • How Live Release Rate is calculated • What the term “No-Kill” actually means (and what it doesn’t) • The dif...

Welcome to Season 3 of The Rescue State. This season, we’re doing something different.  Instead of focusing on individual stories alone, we’re zooming out and taking a hard look at the entire California shelter system.  What should a well-run, ethical, transparent shelter actually look like? What are the standard practices that protect animals and serve communities responsibly? And how do we, as a...

In our season finale of The Rescue State , I’m taking a moment to pause, reflect and speak from the heart. As we close out 2025, I share my final thoughts on where we’ve been, where we are, and, most importantly, where we can go next. This episode is about choosing compassion over complacency, responsibility over convenience and community over division.  It’s about how small, intentional actions c...

In this week’s episode with The Rescue State , I have the honor of sitting down with Lauren McCarron, founder of Joyful Pets and Rehome With Love service, for one of the most important and heartfelt conversations we can have as responsible pet owners. Together, we explore the incredibly difficult reality that sometimes, despite our best intentions, rehoming a beloved pet becomes the most responsib...

In this episode of The Rescue State , I respond to John Stossel’s video “Puppy Prohibition: Ban on Pet Store Sales Kills Pet Stores, But Hasn’t Stopped Puppy Mills.” I encourage listeners to watch the video and join me as I share what stood out and what was noticeably left out.  We talk about the realities of puppy mills that often go unmentioned: large-scale breeding operations, puppy importation...