Cara Achterberg - Who Will Let The Dogs Out - Advocating For Shelter Dogs

All about Soul Touched by Dogs at https://soultouchedbydogs.com

In this enlightening episode, I sit down with Cara, co-founder and board president of Who Will Let the Dogs Out, an organization dedicated to raising awareness and resources for homeless dogs and the people who help them. Cara shares her journey, starting from her experiences visiting underfunded shelters in the South during a book tour, to co-founding the non-profit with photographer Nancy Slattery. We delve into the surprising and often shocking conditions of these shelters, discuss the difference between shelters and rescues, and explore practical ways the community can get involved. Cara also highlights the importance of education and community engagement in creating progressive shelters and reducing the number of dogs needing rescue in the first place. Whether you're in the U.S. or abroad, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone passionate about animal welfare and looking for actionable ways to make a difference.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:10 Cara's Background and Mission
01:57 Shocking Shelter Conditions
04:46 Understanding Shelters vs. Rescues
07:15 How to Help Struggling Shelters
09:03 Preventing Dogs from Entering Shelters
10:43 Educational Programs and Community Engagement
15:37 Support and Resources for Shelters
17:53 How to Get Involved
20:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Find out more and connect with Cara:

Website: https://whowillletthedogsout.org/

Bio: Cara Achterberg is the cofounder of Who Will Let the Dogs Out, a national nonprofit that raises awareness and resources for shelters. Cara is a novelist, and also the author of Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs, and One Hundred Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues. She lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, three dogs, and a rotating cast of foster dogs and cats. You can learn more about her work at WhoWillLettheDogsOut.org

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