Story of My Pet: Tales of Animal Rescue, Fostering & Adoption

Julie Marty-Pearson
  • 4.8 (21)
  • Pets & Animals
  • Updated Weekly

Are you a pet lover with a rescue story close to your heart? You’ve found your new favorite podcast. 🐾 Welcome to The Story of My Pet, where inspiring tales of animal rescue, fostering, and adoption come to life. Each episode shares powerful stories from pet parents, animal advocates, and rescue heroes who’ve opened their hearts and homes to animals in need. From street cats and shelter pups to unexpected animal companions, you'll hear heartwarming — and sometimes heartbreaking — stories that celebrate the deep bond between humans and their pets. Whether you're a rescue volunteer, foster parent, animal shelter worker, or just someone who believes every animal deserves a loving home, this podcast is for you. 🎧 You’ll learn: How people around the world rescue and foster animalsWhat it’s really like inside shelters and rescuesHow to cope with pet loss and celebrate the lives of our furry family membersSimple ways you can help animals in your community 🩷 Want to share your story? Email Julie to become a guest! Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com About Your Host: Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson is a Storytelling Strategist, Podcasting Mentor, and champion for women who are ready to share their stories and be heard. She coaches purpose-driven women to grow their visibility and confidence through podcasting, guesting, and speaking. Julie hosts two podcasts: 🩷 Podcast Your Story, which focuses on how to amplify your voice and grow their business through podcasting.  🩷 The Story of My Pet, a Top 5% podcast inspiring tales of pets focused on advocating and educating for animals rescue, fostering, and adoption Julie also created and hosts two communities: 🩷 Women's Podcaster Party Networking Community, for podcasters, guests, and speakers to connect and collaborate. Come check out our Monthly Networking Events. 🩷  Podcast Your Story Community Membership. Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a CoffeeShop our Affiliate Partners & Sponsors: 🐾 Shop our sponsor Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop CBD for people at Nuvita  Use code 'Julie10' for 10% every time you shop! The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Connect with your host, Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn - Pinterest & Listen to Podcast Your Story - Website

  1. Innovating Pet Adoption: Liz Adams' Journey with Pet Protect and Connect

    4d ago

    Innovating Pet Adoption: Liz Adams' Journey with Pet Protect and Connect

    Pet Protect and Connect: Using AI to Simplify Pet Adoption for Shelters, Rescues and Adopters Host Julie Marty Pearson welcomes Liz Adams to The Story of My Pet podcast to discuss Liz’s longtime background in animal rescue and her career in healthcare technology and communications, which inspired her to create Pet Protect and Connect. Liz explains how shelters and rescues often lack time and modern tools, and how difficult or inconsistent adoption processes can deter good adopters while still risking poor matches and returns.  Her platform, Pet Protect and Connect, focuses first on helping rescues by organizing and ranking applications using weighted criteria and an AI-driven learning component that highlights top positives/negatives and produces match scores, while keeping humans in control of final decisions. The tool can also help adopters by auto-populating repeat applications via a plugin and keeping qualified adopters in the system for future matches. Listeners can learn more or request demos on the Pet Protect and Connect Website or via the app and website waitlist. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram. You can also learn more about Kenway's Cause in Hartford, CT via their Website and Facebook Page. 00:31 Liz Pet Background 02:28 Tech Career Journey 04:40 Rescue Epiphany Moment 07:04 Why Shelters Need Tech 11:21 Fixing Adoption Barriers 15:26 AI Matching Platform 19:50 Adopter Experience Tools 27:36 Education and Badges Idea 29:17 How Rescues Get Started 31:49 How Adopters Join In Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    40 min
  2. Animal Shelter Change Makers: Inside the Mission to Improve Shelters with Pawsitive Change

    6d ago

    Animal Shelter Change Makers: Inside the Mission to Improve Shelters with Pawsitive Change

    Pawsitive Change Non-Profit: Safer Cleaning and Biosecurity Kits Helping Animal Shelters Fight Outbreaks In this episode of The Story of My Pet, host Julie Marty-Pearson interviews Keri Lestage, Adrian Fulle, and Zach O'Shea, animal lovers working in human health, They discuss Pawsitive Change, a volunteer-driven initiative donating biosecurity kits to U.S. shelters to improve cleanliness, reduce disease spread, and save lives during overcrowding. They discuss how shelters spend enormous time disinfecting and how common chemicals like bleach can poison the air, require long reentry times, and leave harmful residues on surfaces animals may lick.  Pawsitive Change provides EPA-approved, pet-safe disinfectant (Clean Republic), process guidance, and electrostatic sprayers that disinfect complex spaces faster and can help address airborne viruses like parvo and kennel cough; they also mention a surface barrier product (ArmRex) that inhibits microbial growth for up to 60 days. The team shares that they’ve reached hundreds of shelters, partnered with Merck Animal Health, and invites donations and local advocates via positivechange.org. To learn more about Pawsitive Change visit their Website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. 00:33 Adrian Pet Journey 02:17 Carrie Dogs To Cats 03:12 Zach Reptiles And Foster 04:34 Shelter Overcrowding Reality 06:35 Biosecurity Kit Origin 08:29 Toxic Cleaners Problem 12:07 Electrostatic Sprayer Explained 14:22 Different Shelter Layouts 16:25 Behavior Change Roadblocks 17:24 Politics Staffing Disasters 19:07 Home Disinfectant Teaser 19:34 Safer Shelter Disinfectant 20:15 Food Surface Rinse Myth 22:19 Pets Super Senses 24:38 Airborne Virus Control 27:20 Arm Rex Barrier Coating 28:48 Donate and Ambassador Program 30:29 Grassroots Shelter Outreach 32:44 Trust and No Strings Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    42 min
  3. Advocating for Animals: Katherine Lacefield's Passionate Mission in Pet Welfare

    Jun 28

    Advocating for Animals: Katherine Lacefield's Passionate Mission in Pet Welfare

    From Shelter Work to Nomad Life: Katherine Lacefield on Rescue, Fundraising, and Ending Judgment in Animal Welfare In this episode of The Story of My Pet podcast, host Julie Marty-Pearson is joined by Katherine Lacefield who shares how early involvement in environmental and animal rights movements led her into shelter work, fostering, and the realities of overcrowding and euthanasia. Now living a highly nomadic life, she explains why she delayed getting pets, then расскаnts how she welcomed a healthy French Bulldog, Chaco, and later rescued Mr. Pickles—a severely neglected stray in Mexico who needed extensive treatment and ultimately became family.  Katherine also discusses the complexity of moving pets across countries and how animal welfare intersects with human issues like domestic violence, addiction recovery, homelessness, and immigration. As a fundraising consultant, she explains why she focuses on building nonprofit fundraising capacity, and she urges more gratitude, monthly giving, fostering, adopting, and less judgment and infighting in the animal welfare community. To learn more about Katherine, check out her Website and Follow on Facebook and Instagram. You can also learn more about these animal rescue organizations: Animals Need Me and SOS Animal Rescue. 00:40 Early Animal Experiences 01:30 Shelter Work and Fostering 04:12 Nomadic Life and Pets 05:41 Rescuing Mr Pickles 08:14 Traveling With Dogs 10:39 Fundraising Consulting Mission 13:40 Why She Started a Podcast 18:57 Animals and Human Issues Intersect 22:25 How to Help Locally Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    30 min
  4. Finding Joy in Aging Pets: Angela Dinsmoor’s Advocacy for Senior Dogs

    Jun 26

    Finding Joy in Aging Pets: Angela Dinsmoor’s Advocacy for Senior Dogs

    Senior Dogs Deserve Love: Adopting, Caring for, and Advocating for Older Pets with Angela Dinsmoor. Host Julie Marty Pearson welcomes Angela Dinsmoor to discuss senior pets, sharing Julie’s experience caring for her 16-year-old diabetic cat and Angela’s lifelong love of animals and rescue work. Angela explains why she and her husband adopt—not foster—senior dogs, noting their six senior adoptions (nine dogs total) ranging from about 8 to 16 years old, and describing how some seniors are with them briefly while others live many more years than expected. They explore common reasons senior dogs end up in shelters, especially when owners die or can no longer care for them, as well as financial strain and misconceptions that seniors are “boring,” emphasizing the importance of legacy planning.  Angela offers practical tips for welcoming seniors (stair safety, traction for slippery floors, routine, incontinence expectations, and slow assessment) and highlights how volunteering and “doggie day out” programs boost adoptability. She also shares her work through Grey Whiskers, providing in-home geriatric grooming in Denver, a biweekly newsletter, a community for senior pet support, and a certification program to train groomers in senior dog care. To learn more about Angela Dinsmoor, checkout her Website and Follow on Facebook and Instagram. 00:41 Growing Up With Pets 01:49 Soul Pets and Connection 03:08 Why Adopt Seniors 05:15 Journey Into Senior Dogs 06:31 Celebrating Aging Pets 07:45 How Their Rescue Works 09:00 Why Seniors End Up Shelters 12:56 Lessons From Senior Dogs 15:32 Rose Story and Forgiveness 17:55 Preparing Your Home 20:34 Helping Them Adjust 21:58 Senior Routine Benefits 24:25 Pet Proofing Home 25:36 Joy of Senior Rescue 26:36 Volunteer Impact Boost 28:25 Doggy Day Out Tips 29:32 Grey Whiskers Mission 32:33 Grooming for Mobility 34:50 Grooming as Health Sign Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    42 min
  5. Dogs Have Angels Too: Exploring Resilience and Redemption with Sarah Cavallaro

    Jun 24

    Dogs Have Angels Too: Exploring Resilience and Redemption with Sarah Cavallaro

    Dogs Have Angels Too: Your Host Julie Marty-Pearson, interviews Sarah Cavallaro on Healing, Storytelling, and Dog Adoption Advocacy In this episode of The Story of My Pet podcast, Sarah shares how she became an animal lover after growing up without pets, including the childhood loss of a rescued kitten and later adopting a puppy, Athena, while in college and bringing her to New York City. Athena’s ongoing bladder issues and their bond became the inspiration for Sarah’s book Dogs Have Angels Too, which explores when people surrender pets and the responsibility of caring for them.  Sarah discusses her path from running Emerald Films, a Fortune 500 commercial production company, to returning to writing as a healing, transformative process, creating characters like Ms. Pink—a woman devastated by job loss and a Ponzi-scheme collapse who finds purpose helping homeless dogs. Sarah hopes to adapt the story into a scripted TV series that promotes dog adoption and animal welfare education, and she highlights organizations supporting pets of unhoused people and keeping pets with families facing financial hardship. To learn more about Sarah, checkout her Website and Follow on Instagram. 01:33 Rescuing Athena 03:31 Athena Inspires Fiction 05:02 From Producer to Author 06:04 Writing Through Change 07:25 Storytelling and Healing 10:18 Authenticity and Purpose 11:50 From Play to Novel 13:07 Ms Pink Hits Bottom 15:48 Meaning in Helping Dogs 16:49 Host Finds New Path 17:59 Rebuilding After Loss 19:05 Park Scene and Empathy 20:28 Unexpected Collaborations 21:23 TV Series Vision 22:20 Rescue Programs That Work 23:20 Exposing Puppy Mills and Testing 25:15 Making Episodes With Purpose 28:01 Helping Pets of the Homeless 30:58 Keeping Families Together 32:46 How You Can Help Today Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    39 min
  6. Legacy of Ebenezer the Donkey. How One Animal Became a Local Community Legend

    Jun 18

    Legacy of Ebenezer the Donkey. How One Animal Became a Local Community Legend

    Legacy of Ebenezer the Donkey. How One Animal Became a Local Community Legend In this episode of The Story of My Pet podcast, Julie Marty-Pearson interviews Joe Dimino about his lifelong love of animals and the remarkable community bond formed around Ebenezer, a donkey in a roadside pasture near Grandview, Missouri. Joe shares how he and his son Miles (on the spectrum) regularly visited Ebenezer with carrots, how the donkey’s loud bray and friendly personality drew countless neighbors to stop and connect, and how Joe’s local newspaper feature and online videos helped spread Ebenezer’s story. As Ebenezer aged and became ill, caregivers Randy and Shirley Phillips played a major role in supporting his care, including a stay at a horse hospital, and the community rallied with bumper stickers, memorial tributes, and even a parade float after his sudden death in 2010. Joe later created a digital book and website so Ebenezer’s legacy—and the relationships he sparked—could live on. To learn more about Ebenezer the Donkey, visit the Website Joe Dimino has been writing & creating in a variety of capacities since his college days at the University of Missouri-Kansas City somewhere around 1993. If you are keeping score, that would be about 29 years+. It all began at UMKCs University News as a Sports Writer & turned into a myriad of expressive avenues. Inventing poems, art, video & audio has always been in the proverbial cards. Follow Joe on Instagram and Facebook. Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    38 min
  7. Navigating Life with Animals: Insights on Animal Companionship

    Apr 24

    Navigating Life with Animals: Insights on Animal Companionship

    Kristin on Animal Communication, Shelter Stress, and Seeing Animals for Who They Are Host Julie Marty Pearson welcomes Kristin Hadley to The Story of My Pet to discuss Kristin’s lifelong love of animals, beginning with her first horse Snowbird, and her path to becoming a professional animal communicator. Kristen describes telepathy as a learnable, two-way language that helps animals and people understand needs, emotions, behavior, and wellness issues, and she shares how her background in speech language pathology and a message from her horse Woody led her to teach and consult professionally. They talk about shelter and foster stress, decompression time, breed bias, projections, and the importance of neutrality, clarity, and respect for animals’ boundaries. Kristin shares a foster case where understanding a dog’s purpose transformed behavior and highlights Akron Rescue Cats and Buddy’s Second Chance Rescue, which matched her with her dog Fisher. To learn more about Kristin, visit her Website Follow on Facebook & Instagram Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    50 min
  8. Cats That Kept Him Going: How David Maeda's Cats Shaped His Story

    Apr 12

    Cats That Kept Him Going: How David Maeda's Cats Shaped His Story

    Cats That Kept Him Going: How David Maeda's Cats Shaped His Story.  Your host, Julie Marty-Pearson sits down with David Maeda to trace that arc from his first cat, Mr Max, to a home shaped by bonded pairs, big personalities, and the kind of attachment that turns ordinary days into a shared routine you never want to lose. David  adopted Max in college and discovered what “cat people” mean when they talk about connection. From hilarious moments like a drooling purr to the ache of coming home after a pet dies, we stay with the full emotional range of cat ownership. David also shares how cat math happens: adopting two cats together after a loss, bringing home a three-legged rescue, and learning that even bonded cats can leave someone feeling left out. Because David’s memoir includes a chapter dedicated to his cats, the conversation goes deeper into memory, storytelling, and why writing about animals can be both healing and heartbreaking. We also talk openly about depression, anxiety, and high-stress years in public service, including his work as Minnesota’s director of elections, and how caring for cats can keep you grounded when your mind is pulling you under. Along the way, we touch on Feline Rescue in St Paul, volunteering, cat shelters overwhelmed by animals who lose their person, and why every pet guardian should have a plan for who would step in. To learn more about David, visit his Website or buy his book This is Not Who We Are Support the show Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a Coffee Shop our Affiliate Partners: 🐾 Shop Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop Superior Feline Use code “storyofmypet” for 15% off🐾 Shop Nuvita CBD for people Use code 'Julie10' for 10% offLoved this episode? Leave a review and rating here The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com Connect with your host, Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn

    29 min
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4.8
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Are you a pet lover with a rescue story close to your heart? You’ve found your new favorite podcast. 🐾 Welcome to The Story of My Pet, where inspiring tales of animal rescue, fostering, and adoption come to life. Each episode shares powerful stories from pet parents, animal advocates, and rescue heroes who’ve opened their hearts and homes to animals in need. From street cats and shelter pups to unexpected animal companions, you'll hear heartwarming — and sometimes heartbreaking — stories that celebrate the deep bond between humans and their pets. Whether you're a rescue volunteer, foster parent, animal shelter worker, or just someone who believes every animal deserves a loving home, this podcast is for you. 🎧 You’ll learn: How people around the world rescue and foster animalsWhat it’s really like inside shelters and rescuesHow to cope with pet loss and celebrate the lives of our furry family membersSimple ways you can help animals in your community 🩷 Want to share your story? Email Julie to become a guest! Contact your host via Email- julie@thestoryofmypetpodcast.com About Your Host: Dr. Julie Marty-Pearson is a Storytelling Strategist, Podcasting Mentor, and champion for women who are ready to share their stories and be heard. She coaches purpose-driven women to grow their visibility and confidence through podcasting, guesting, and speaking. Julie hosts two podcasts: 🩷 Podcast Your Story, which focuses on how to amplify your voice and grow their business through podcasting.  🩷 The Story of My Pet, a Top 5% podcast inspiring tales of pets focused on advocating and educating for animals rescue, fostering, and adoption Julie also created and hosts two communities: 🩷 Women's Podcaster Party Networking Community, for podcasters, guests, and speakers to connect and collaborate. Come check out our Monthly Networking Events. 🩷  Podcast Your Story Community Membership. Support the Podcast by Buying Us a Treat via Buy Me a CoffeeShop our Affiliate Partners & Sponsors: 🐾 Shop our sponsor Mikko's Choice Use code 'storyofmypet' for 15% off🐾 Shop CBD for people at Nuvita  Use code 'Julie10' for 10% every time you shop! The Story of My Pet Podcast and Blog- Website - Instagram - Facebook Connect with your host, Julie Marty-Pearson – Website - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - LinkedIn - Pinterest & Listen to Podcast Your Story - Website

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