Episode 75. Where Do All the Shelter Dogs Come From? with Cara Achterberg

This might be the most important conversation I’ve ever had on the Believe in Dog Podcast. All summer long I’ve been seeing pleas from the local animal shelters that they are at – or over – capacity with pets needing a home.  But have you ever wondered why there’s a seemingly endless stream of homeless pets in need at shelters and rescues across the USA? 

As a writer, Cara Achterberg began documenting her family’s experiences fostering dogs for a local rescue and wrote the book Another Good Dog - One Family and 50 Foster Dogs.

Cara shares with us her dog fostering wisdom learned from now more than 150+ dogs who have spent time in her home.  You may also be surprised to learn that fostering dogs brought Cara’s children and family closer than ever – even through their teen years!

But Cara did wonder – where were all these dogs coming from? The answer was mostly the Southeastern USA.  So when she embarked on a book tour she decided to also make it a shelter tour so she could see firsthand where the dogs were coming from.

And this decision changed her life.

Cara will share with us what she’s learned from visiting 120+ animal shelters in 12 states over the past several years.  We’ll hear the 3 factors that lead to animal shelters successfully saving lives.  And about the unsung heroes who persevere through unimaginable obstacles to give dogs a chance.

Cara created the organization Who Will Let The Dogs Out to support the shelters and rescues lacking budgets, resources and often a staff.  Who Will Let The Dogs Out is bringing awareness and resources to homeless dogs and the heroes who fight for them.

Trigger Warning: The topic of animal euthanization is a theme of this episode. Please take care while listening.

Cara & I discuss:

  • Looking back on the dogs who shaped her life;

  • Why her family started fostering dogs and how it affected their family life;

  • The path that led Cara to becoming a writer;

  • What you should know about fostering dogs;

  • Where are all the dogs coming from?

  • How a book tour turned shelter tour changed Cara’s life and perspective;

  • Rural poverty vs. urban poverty;

  • What Cara has learned from visiting 120 shelters in 12 states;

  • 3 characteristics of shelters that save animals’ lives;

  • Unsung heroes of the rescue world;

  • How the term “No Kill” has become weaponized and other politics that affects saving animals’ lives;

  • How the Who Will Let The Dogs Out organization is bringing awareness and resources to homeless dogs and the heroes who fight for them  

Find Cara & Who Will Let the Dogs Out:

Links Discussed:

Teef:

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