Ep. 150 - Julia Pennington and Hera the Dog Vodka

This week I talk with Julia Pennington, founder of Hera the Dog Vodka, who transformed her approach to animal activism after discovering criminal abuse at a Nashville animal shelter in high school, leading her to devote 25 years to Los Angeles rescue work before realizing traditional methods weren't addressing root causes. To create sustainable funding beyond donor fatigue, Julia developed a premium vodka using organic Italian wheat base from spent pasta grain, operating as a social benefit corporation that donates 50% of profits (currently 6% of sales) to local animal rescues in the same cities where the vodka is sold. The company has donated $70,000 plus 16,000 pounds of pet food, is expanding to Colorado, and is developing an online platform where customers will be able to choose which rescue receives their donation, with Julia emphasizing transparency and welcoming non-drinkers to support the mission by donating directly to featured rescues. To learn more about Hera the Dog, as long as you are 21 or older, check out www.herathedogvodka.com or follow them on social media @herathedogvodka.Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Monica (pen name Leokadia George), author of a 4-book children's series about Trumpet, a "miracle" Mexican gray wolf at the Wolf Conservation Center in New York. Monica shares insights into the center's breeding programs for critically endangered wolves, creative conservation partnerships with ranchers (including AC/DC-playing drones as deterrents), and how her storytelling approach—with 50% of book royalties supporting conservation—demonstrates the powerful connection between literature and real-world wildlife protection efforts. To learn more about wolf conservation you can check out @wolfconservationcenter on social media or at www.nywolf.org. Also check out @lighthawk_org on social media and @briley.baxter.books for more on the Trumpet book series!Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Linda Velwest, author of "City Rescue Pets, Second Chances for Love and Hope". We discuss her early experiences with animal rescue, how that influenced her adult life, and what led to the creation of her website City Rescue Pets and the book "City Rescue Pets, Second Chances for Love and Hope". To learn more you can find her online at www.cityrescuepets.com and the book is available anywhere books are sold, but you know I like to recommend www.bookshop.org!Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Beth Gould, Executive Director, and Erica Kubersky, Director of Community Outreach, for Positive Tails, an organization based in New York City. Positive Tails focuses on supporting people and their pets by providing funding for emergency care, hosting health clinics, and spay/neuter resources. We discuss their experiences in animal rescue and welfare from a young age, how seeing the need in the community led them to conversations with a local vet group about how to get involved, and actually bringing people together to create Positive Tails. The work they do touches not only the people and pets supported, but also the veterinarians they work with. To learn more about Positive Tails you can find them online at www.positivetails.org and on social media @positivetails. Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Jenna Hage-Hassan about the unique way she got into rescue. From seeing a news story to getting involved with a rescue in Lebanon, her experience should leave anyone hopeful about their ability to help, no matter how big or small of an impact they think they are making. Spoiler, even if you think you are only making a small impact, you still are leaving a ripple effect of goodness in your wake. To learn more about Bekaa Rescue in Lebanon and how you can help check them out at www.bekaashelterlebanon.org and on social media @bekaa_shelter_lebanon. Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order!Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Angela Adan. Angela was highly recommended and she did not disappoint. Honestly, I don't even know how to summarize our conversation. We cover her experiences with animals from a young age, how she went from Vet Tech, to trainer, to rescuer, to educator, and everything in between. Angela shares her experience in the animal rescue world and this is a great episode for anyone who is interested in getting involved. You can learn more about her work on social media @deservingdogs @deservingpaws and @angelaadan and on YouTube @thedeservingdogsshow. Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site 

This week I talk with Tim Woodward of Animal Rescue Corps. This was a really cool one for me because it is an organization right down the road and I will definitely be stopping by for a visit! Tim and I discuss his journey into animal rescue, how he was a founding member of Animal Rescue Corps, and the work they do on serious animal cases throughout North America. And in case you were wondering, they work with animals from dogs and cats to lemurs and ferrets and everything in between. To learn more about the work Animal Rescue Corps is doing you can check them out on social media @arcorps and at www.animalrescuecorps.org.Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Nikki Sharp, Executive Director of Wildlife SOS. Nikki and I discuss how a chance meeting at a dinner led her to joining Wildlife SOS and helping people and animals in India. She shares how the founders saw a need to end dancing bears and set a goal to end the practice in 2010. However, through persistence and determination they were able to end the practice earlier than they hoped and are continuing this trajectory with other animals. This episode does cover some disturbing ways that people have used animals to earn a living. To learn more about the work of Wildlife SOS you can find them online at www.wildlifesos.org or on social media @wildlifesos. Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site 

This week I talk with Shawn Allen Stewart about his book series Bailey and Daisy. We discuss how growing up with rescue animals shaped him, the work he is doing in the animal world with grooming and daycare/boarding, and most importantly, the Bailey and Daisy series! This series, while intended for children, has something for everyone. And if you are like me and need a fidget to stay focused, there is a companion coloring book you can color and follow along with! Seriously, something for everyone. To learn more about Bailey and Daisy you can find them online at www.baileyanddaisyseries.com or on social media @baileyanddaisyseries. To support Nashville Humane you can use the link https://baileyanddaisyseries.com/?aff=6Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order!Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Tom Kiesche about, well, a little bit of everything. How animal rescue wasn't necessarily on his radar until a date he went on, balancing shelter volunteering with life, and most importantly his advice for how to keep going in a space that can be mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting. To learn more about Tom's work both as a volunteer and an actor/writer/producer (supporting that side of his work also helps support the animals) you can find him on social media @tomkiesche.Sponsor:LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order! Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at [email protected] or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site