Calling All Creatures Presents The Unspoken Bond

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Good evening everybody, and welcome to Calling All Creatures. As
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you know if you listen in all the time, I
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am your host, Lori, and today I am going to
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be speaking with Jackie Ducci. Is that correct, Jackie, that's correct.
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You got it.
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And she is the founder of a Human Animal Alliance
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and she also just made a documentary called The Unspoken Bond.
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And so Jackie was nice enough to come on my
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podcast and tell us more about her organization and the
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documentary that she made. And I'm looking forward to hearing
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more about this because most of us already know pets
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and animals are very important in a lot of our lives.
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So Jackie, welcome to the podcast. I'm glad you could
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join me.
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Yeah, thanks so much for having me.
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So why don't we just kind of start out with
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you telling us a little bit about what led you
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to found the Human Animal Alliance and what you your
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mission is.
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Sure, So, I have been a huge animal person from
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the time that I was a very small child, and
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I have found that animals have helped me through some
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of the hardest times that I have been through. And
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so somewhere along the way, I started thinking it would
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be really great to bring that same human animal bond
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to other people, and how can I do that? So, yeah,
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our mission is to support other programs around the country
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that have the human animal bond central to their missions,
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So things like animal assisted therapy programs, programs that keep
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people in pets together. We help with rescue and reunification
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efforts after natural disasters, all kinds of things to just
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strengthen that human animal bond in people's lives.
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Awesome, that's a good mission, it is well, and.
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It's fun too, because you know, when I started looking
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into what type of organization I wanted to create, I
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just said, there's so many therapy programs, so many rescues,
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and that's amazing. But I felt like there's nobody out
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there quite focused on the bond in the way that
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we are. So it's a little different than anything else
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that's out there, which I love.
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Good good. Well, it's always nice to have something unique
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that you can relate to, you know.
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Yeah, absolutely, So.
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Can you tell us a little bit about your own
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journey and animals that kind of help shape your life?
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Sure? I You know, I had wonderful parents growing up
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who were also animal people, so we always had a
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house full of dogs and cats, and I was exposed
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to that very young, but somewhere around the age of
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five was when I really became intrigued by horses, and
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so I started riding very young, and horses I still
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ride all these years later. They've been a part of
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my life ever since. And while I've loved all my animals,
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the horses in particular really have had an impact on me.
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There's just something about them. And when I was young,
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I was pretty controverted and struggled in school sometimes because
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of that, struggled socially, and there was this pressure on
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me all the time to sort of be more of
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an extrovert, which was not an easy thing, like if
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you're not wired that way naturally. And the horses really
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helped me understand that how good of a person you
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are is what matter. It's not about the certain characteristics
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that we have. So I was able to create these
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incredible bonds with them that were unspoken, right, they were silent,
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And I think as a small kid, being able to
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connect with a being that's so big and so powerful
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just because you're bringing the right energy and you're a
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good person was a really big life lesson for me,
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and I often say, like, I believe they saved my
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self esteem when I was young. They really taught me
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my vest as a person, which is profound. And yeah,
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I mean I've always continued to appreciate them and I
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see the amazing things they do for other people. So yeah,
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they're just very special.
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Yeah, I can agree with that. I've always had an
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affinity with horses, although I've never owned one or had any,
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and I mean I had friends, We've been riding things
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like that, but I've always loved them. And I mean
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I'm a big dog person. I have dogs and stuff
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like that. But yeah, horses have always been a big
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thing for me. I guess in my life as well.
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I understand the introvert part because I believe it or not.
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Even though I do a podcast and I talk to
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all you different people, I am, I am quite an introvert.
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I am. I don't like to meet new people really,
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you know, into person and stuff like that a whole lot.
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And it's funny. I do dog training too, so I
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guess I've put myself out there kind of like you
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and learned to be a little bit more of an extrovert.
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But yeah, it is hard, especially when you know and
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self esteem is a big thing, especially when you're young.
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Yeah. Well, and it's interesting too. I think people sometimes
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don't understand exactly what it is to be introverted, Like
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our batteries just get drained more easily. Right, So even
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as a kid, I found that happening a lot. Like
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why am I just getting so tired from social interaction?
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You know? But I think that that was part of
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why I gravitated to the animals and why so many
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people do, because when we're with them, it's like you
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don't have to perform, you can just be who you are.
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There's no expectation. It's just it was like a recharge.
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For me. It always has been being around animals, whereas
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with people. I love my people, but like I can
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only do so much, you know. And I don't think
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it's an uncommon experience, but it's something that is tough to.
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Talk about, yep, exactly. So how would you define the
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human animal bond and why you think it's as powerful
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as it is?
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Well, I mean, I guess the technical definition is that
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it's it's a bond that benefits parties, Right, So the
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animal benefits the human, and the human benefits the animal
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and I do think that that's very true. I think
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that it's interesting that science has not, in my opinion,
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caught up. I mean, we barely scraped the surface in
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terms of really understanding it, even though there are some
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good studies out there. But I mean, I know it's
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powerful because I've lived it and I've seen it. I Mean,
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one of the things that really struck me right away
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after starting the philanthropic work was just hearing the feedback
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from some of these animalsisted therapy programs, people who had
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been through the programs. And I can't tell you how
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many times over the years I've heard people say, you know,
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I was struggling, I was in traditional therapy, or my
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child was in traditional therapy, and then when we discovered
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equine assisted therapy or any kind of animal assisted therapy,
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all of a sudden, there's a breakthrough that happens. And
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that's it's anecdotal, but it's real, you know. I don't
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know how anybody can hear that over and over and
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not understand that there's something to it. So I think
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maybe the definition is a little different for everyone, but
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the power there is undeniable because there are people everywhere
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that experience it. And feel it.
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Well, Ray, I mean, if you just stop and just
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take a small look at a certain group like the
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military veterans and stuff that have you know, PTSD or
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traumatic brain injuries, and you know, that's when I trained
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service dogs and therapy dogs for them. So that's something
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it's amazing as you're going through this training process to
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have a person who literally didn't want to even come
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out of their home to even go grocery shopping because
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they couldn't handle being around you know, people and stuff
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like that, and we're always on the lookout thinking something
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bad was going to happen. To be able to now
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have this bond with their dog and know that their
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dog literally has their back as well as them having
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their dogs back, and now they're able to go out
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in public and interact more and their dogs help them
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through all of that. So it's huge when you get
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to see how that progresses through the training.
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It's amazing, you know. And the other thing as we're
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talking that I'm thinking is it's amazing how the human
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animal bond. We don't just feel connection to the animal,
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it can also help us feel connection to other people,
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you know. And the example that you just gave that
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person now because of their dog, is out in the
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world more, they're talking to other people more. Like That's
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something that I see a lot too. It's like that
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relationship with the animal just opens up human to human
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connection on a deeper level, and that's really powerful too.
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Oh yeah, most definitely. I mean one of my teams,
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the gentleman, he really has had a lot of trouble,
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you know, being out and talking. And we were working
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because we have to take the dogs through different you
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knownreals and different stores and stuff, and so we're working
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in the pet store and he's we're standing there in
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line and the gentleman behind him literally started to talk
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to him a little bit because you know, he has
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his dog, and he kind of opened up and started
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talking back, and they were both actually ended up being
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from military, but so it was kind of cool to
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see him be able to you know, hold that conversation
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and and just you know, like a you know, being
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in regular public that a lot of us take for granted.
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So yeah, yeah, absolutely very common experience, I think, which
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is a beautiful thing. Yep.
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So I mentioned at the beginning that you did a
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documentary and it's called Unspoken Bond, So what inspired you
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to create your documentary and what are you kind of
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hoping audience will take away from it.
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So excited about this one, so I wanted to get
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involved in something in a to the philanthropy. Like I
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just started thinking, how can I be more of a
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voice and just raise awareness kind of out in the
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world for how important the human animal bond is. And
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so one day I had this crazy idea that a
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documentary film would be a great way to do that.
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Full disclosure, I previously had no background in filmmaking, and
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so it was kind of just this crazy idea. But
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as fate would have it, I met a gentleman named
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Don Hardy from California who is a documentary filmmaker and
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we got talking and he's also a big animal person
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and a rescue advocate, so we hit it off. He
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felt that the idea that I had for the film
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had legs, and so together we produced it and we're
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so proud of it. And it's a series of three
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stories of people whose lives have been completely transformed or
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saved because of their relationship with animals. So it's very emotional,
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it's very powerful. We have also woven in a little
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bit of expert testimony from some people who are experts
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in the field. So yeah, we're very proud of it.
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And as far as what I want people to take
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away from it, I want it to be validating for
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those of us that already know how powerful the bond is,
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and then for people that maybe don't get it or
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haven't had a chance to experience it. I think the
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film will be powerful for them too, because if somebody
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watches it and they say, oh, animals aren't really my thing,
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which is still hard for me to understand that. I
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know some people feel that way. You know, you can't
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watch it and not deny that there's something there and
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maybe have more appreciation for people to drive at an
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experience where animals have changed their life. So yeah, I
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just want to open some minds, open some hearts, validate
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those of us who already know that it's real. And
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we're very excited for the film to get out in
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the world.
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Yeah, I'm kind of excited to see it, so I'm
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waiting for it to come out, so I'll have to
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watch it. But would you say that any one of
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those three stories in the documentary had anything about them
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that kind of surprised or maybe deeply moved you while
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you were doing the filming level.
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You know, I wouldn't say surprised, because so my job
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was the casting process, So I knew everybody that we
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put in the film. I was familiar with their stories.
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But what did really blow me away was spending so
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much time with everyone really going deep on their stories.
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You know, I was familiar with them, but when you
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really sit for hours and go through all the emotions,
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the roller coaster with them as they're being interviewed, it
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was just so validating, even for me, you know, who
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has been a believer in the human animal bond forever.
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Really it was just incredible to listen to them and
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just sit there and be like, yes, this is so
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so real. You know. It was a really beautiful saying,
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and it was a very connecting experience for everybody that
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was involved in the film.
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Well, like I said, I can't wait to see it
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because I think it's going to be interesting to hear
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their stories and see you know, the endings and stuff
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and how it all came out for them. So I
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think it's going to be really, yeah, really good.
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So yeah, thank you. Yeah, And we were intentional about
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you know, we chose different people with different life experience,
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different types of animals. There's a whorse story, a dog story,
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and then actually one about foxes cool, so a really
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nice variety there. Yeah, so yeah, we're we're very proud
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of it. I'm very excited.
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So your film is highlighting, of course, the healing power
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of animals. So do you happen to know what current
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research tells us about the benefits of these types of relationships.
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I mean, there are some studies out there, you know,
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they lower blow pressure, they lower cholesterol, they help One
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of the really interesting things that I would like to
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learn more about is the impact that that human animal
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bond has on neurotransmitters. I'm hearing that's something that's starting
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to be looked at, Like there are actually people who
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believe that the impact that the animal has on the
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human can affect the dopamine and plus the other one
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dopamine and I don't remember off the top of my head,
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but essentially these are the same things that like antidepressant
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effect in the body. So again, I think science really
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has just scraped to the surface, but there's so much there.
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I mean, if we could prove that that's true, right,
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that it's affecting our neurotransmitters to that extent. That is
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a massive discovery, right, So yeah.
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I'm actually surprised it has taken them this long to
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really kind of look at that, because I mean, if
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you really stop and think about it, or watch people,
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if they're upset or sad and they have a pat
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you know, dog, cat, bird, horse, whatever it may be,
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then they go to that animal and they pet them
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and they talk with them and whatever, you know, maybe
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bury their face in their fur or whatever they may do. Yeah,
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and it always seems to make them feel better. So
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I mean, I would think that would be kind of
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affecting like those dopamine levels and other levels, you know,
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and like that the neural transmitters.
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Absolutely. Cortisol too is another big one. I know, there
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are studies on that. So if animals are able to
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lower cortisol levels, of course that's gonna feel like it's
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going to make you feel stress relief, right, So yeah,
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it's really fascinating.
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Well and again I mean then you know, going back
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to the service docting, that's what these dogs are being
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trained to do in the public with their owners, is
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to help reduce that stress and anxiety that they're having.
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And literally, these guys will will reach down and we'll
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either have the dog train, they'll put weight on them
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in certain spots that are conducive. I mean it doesn't
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even have to be certain spots. They can just put
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their paw and stand on their foot or sit on
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their foot. It's basically the same thing. And then that
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person is petting their dog and the anxiety levels and
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the stress comes down. You know, I'm not going to
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say immediately, but it comes down because of that action
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and what they're.
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Doing so well, and you think about, you know, what
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are we all supposed to do when we're feeling panicky? Right?
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It's about grounding yourself. It's about the five senses. You know.
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This is something that having an animal with you can
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help bring you to. Like they're incredibly grounding.
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Oh yeah, yeah, most definitely feel feeling the presence.
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I mean, they're just incredible.
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I gotta tell you a funny story. So I was
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working with a team and her dog came all over
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and was trying to sit on my foot or put
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his palm on my foot or something. And I was
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kind of laughing, and she's like, oh, are you a
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little stressed or something upside, I'm like, well, I don't
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really think I am, because well, he's he's trying to
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give you some pressure to try to Yeah, so I
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guess maybe I was feeling a little stressed or something
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and he picked up on it and he come over
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and was trying to give me some pressure therapy to
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help to ground me a little bit more, I guess.
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So, yeah, it's incredible how they just.
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Oh yeah, yeah, it's amazing what animals can do are
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so amazing. People just some people just don't really realize
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and they really and I understand what you mean. There
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are people out there I'm an animal person or a
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dog is a dog or whatever, you know, and it's like, oh,
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that's not how this goes, No, it's not. So my
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next question is how do you think animals are helping veterans,
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children and trauma survivors in ways that traditional approaches sometimes can't.
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But we've talked already a little bit about how animals
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can help our veterans and stuff, But how do you
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think it kind of they help with the children and
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trauma survivors and stuff like that. I mean, again, leaning
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towards the helping with the anxiety and stress and stuff.
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But yeah, that's a great question, you know, and I
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think different people might answer this differently, But my personal
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opinion is that I think I think animals are different
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because with them, there is no agenda, there's no baggage,
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like they just come to us in a place that
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is so pure, and so it's easier to connect with
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them and trust. I think because human to human relationships
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can be complicated, even if we don't intend them to be.
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You know, we all have our stuff that we bring
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to different interactions, and I think in a therapeutic setting,
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it's easier for a kid to open up in the
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presence of a horse or a dog or whatever, as
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opposed to sitting on a couch just talking to a
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person that they don't know very well. You know, that
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the presence of the animal opens something up, and I
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believe that that's why they're just they're a blank slate
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and they're so pure.
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Yeah, I think they don't give judgment. They don't pass
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any kind of judgment on you. In a lot of cases,
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I mean, especially like the children and maybe some of
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the trauma survivors, especially if they have to go in
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to say, testify against the person that created the trauma
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to them, you know, And they're using dogs in the
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courtrooms and stuff like that now for children to be
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able to testify and because it helps them feel safer
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to have that dog there, they can reach down, they
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can pet that dog and know that there's that dog
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is there and it's not going to go away, and
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it helps them to be able to testify and face
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there the person that did the stuff to them.
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So yeah, even some of the doctor's offices are dentists offices.
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Have you seen this now where there's like the office dog.
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And I always think, if I have to get donal
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work done, I would be wonderful have a dog sitting
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with me. I'll be much more relied. So in any setting,
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they can really help bring that anxiety down.
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Oh yeah, most definitely. Yeah, I think I wouldn't mind
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getting done of work done. I guess if I had
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a dog sitting next to me, I could pat but
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right agree, Yeah, I haven't seen that. I haven't seen
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that one yet, But that's that's amazing that they're doing that. So,
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as we've kind of discussed, you know, many people think
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of pets simply well, I guess some people think of
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them as just like the animal to dog or whatever.
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Some think of them as simply companions for them. How
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does your Human Animal Alliance encourage people to see them differently?
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You know, because we're so focused on that bond and
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often the therapeutic benefits of that bond. I think realizing
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that these relationships actually change lives, like you just can't
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deny how deep and real it is. And it's interesting
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with pets because I feel like deep connections with our
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pets is something that many of us have experienced, but
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we don't necessarily talk about it that much. Maybe it's
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a little taboo to talk about it, to say, you know, hey,
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I'm as deeply emotionally connected to my dog as other
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members of my family. But that is something that so
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many of us know to be true, and it's okay
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for that to be true. So I think that is
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something that I would love to see in this world,
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for people to just be more open about leaning into
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what these bonds are. And so I think through the
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Human Animal Alliance, by us highlighting how people's lives are
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truly changed or saved through those relationships, how can you
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see that and then not not appreciate I guess even
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if you haven't had that experience yourself, that's true.
396
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That is true. So as I was kind of looking over,
397
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I guess I should probably go back to talk about
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the Unspoken Bond a little bit more. Again, did creating
399
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The Unspoken Bond documentary changed the way that you view
400
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the relationship between human and animals at all? And if so, how.
401
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I don't know that it changed it, But again, I
402
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think it was just it was so reassuring for me
403
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that the message is important and the power of the
404
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bond is so real, you know again, like sitting for
405
00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:42.000
hours and hours and hours with everybody and really going
406
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deep on their stories, it just came out so beautifully.
407
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And I don't know for me, I mean, having then
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someone who has appreciated this bond from the time I
409
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was born. Essentially, I think maybe there was a part
410
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of me for a long time that wondered that anybody
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else feel this, like as deeply as I feel this.
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And this is why the film is important, because these
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stories are everywhere of people who really get it, who
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really are living it, and the awareness is so important.
415
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So really, I mean, that's why the film was created,
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and I hope that it will change other people's views,
417
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like I mentioned earlier, like people who just maybe don't
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get it on the level that you and I.
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Do right right, Well, hopefully I will do that. Yeah,
420
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we can always hope, you know, we can always hope
421
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because I know there's some out there that probably need
422
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to change your.
423
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Views perhaps, And you know, I try to be understanding
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about it, because I understand that not everything in this
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world is for everyone and we need to respect that.
426
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But I do think sometimes people don't understand it just
427
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because they've never had exposure. You know. I'm just thinking
428
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as we're talking, there's a nonprofit in Philadelphia that we've
429
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supported that uses goats to help inner city kids learn
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leadership skills and life skills and different things, and it's
431
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just so fascinating. But when I went and visited, one
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of the things that all the kids talked about was
433
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that this is the one time period in their week
434
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when they go for their sessions that they actually interact
435
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with nature. Like these kids are growing up in the
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inner city. They don't have animals, they don't even have
437
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anything green to look at, And there's something really amazing
438
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when you step out of that urban jungle, you know,
439
00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:38.079
and you get to spend time with animals and in nature. Right,
440
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it's just unlock something that's so productive. So it's very interesting.
441
00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:47.400
Yeah, that is very interesting, and I guess probably never
442
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a lot of people don't even really think about that fact.
443
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You know that these kids growing up in these big cities,
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you know, unless their parents take them or they get
445
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a pet or something, they don't really experience nature and
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animals as much as others do, so right.
447
00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:06.079
Yeah, yeah, and they're missing out. But again it's like
448
00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:07.920
if you've never been exposed to it, well, and how
449
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would you know what the human animal bond is and
450
00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:12.920
how it can help you unless you've had that exposure.
451
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So I love programs like that that are, you know,
452
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from a young age, exposing people to what it can
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do for them.
454
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Right, Yeah, I mean that's that's tremendous that they are
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getting that opportunity. So it's good that there's organizations out
456
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there that do that stuff.
457
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Yeah, there are so many amazing programs.
458
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Yeah, I know there's one here not far from where
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I live. It's called Canter the acronym, and they're using
460
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horses to work with disabled kids, and yeah, it's really cool.
461
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I had Gail the president on the podcast a while back,
462
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and I actually, since they are right here where I live,
463
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I got to go out and do a tour and
464
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see the facility and what they're doing out there. And
465
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it's amazing the stuff that they do out there with
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these kids. Actually, some kids actually came out while I
467
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was there, and they have a lot of volunteers and stuff,
468
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and volunteers come out they take care of their horses.
469
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It's volunteer educators, I guess you might say. And they
470
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do all sorts of different things with these kids and
471
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these horses. So some of the kids and even if
472
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they're in wheelchairs, they have special saddles and stuff made,
473
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and these kids are able to get on a horse
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and ride and you know, just be with that animal.
475
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And then they have children that are just out there.
476
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They'll have like long rains and stuff, so they're kind
477
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of walking behind the animal and helping to guide a
478
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little bit. But you know, these ones may not be
479
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the ones that can ride or want to be on
480
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a horse riding, but they just start teaching them all
481
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sorts of different things using the horses and helping to
482
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bring them out of their shops and give them these
483
00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:06.000
opportunities that they wouldn't normally have, so really great. Yeah,
484
00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:08.200
it's a great organization. I'm so glad they're doing all
485
00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:08.720
that stuff.
486
00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:11.960
So I think there's something too about being in the
487
00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:16.359
presence of a horse because they're just so big. It's
488
00:27:16.359 --> 00:27:19.400
almost like they lend you their power.
489
00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:23.480
Oh yeah, yeah. And you know, these guys here, the
490
00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:26.920
horses that they have in the program have to meet
491
00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:29.240
certain criteria. You know, they have to be able to
492
00:27:30.200 --> 00:27:33.279
you know, be able to deal with you know, because
493
00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:35.160
you never know when some of these disabled kids might
494
00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:37.279
have an outburst or have something go wrong and have
495
00:27:37.319 --> 00:27:39.680
a bad you know, things like that. So I mean
496
00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:43.200
there's different criteria the horses have to meet in order
497
00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:45.759
to become a part of the program and fit. But
498
00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:50.119
the horses that I met out there, they were so great.
499
00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:51.759
It was so great to go out and see some
500
00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:53.880
of them and learn some of the backstories and stuff
501
00:27:53.880 --> 00:27:56.599
on them and where they came from. And they're actually
502
00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:59.200
trying to do a leasing program. I think for people
503
00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:01.759
you know that may have some horses but maybe they're
504
00:28:01.880 --> 00:28:04.119
kind of having a hard time. If they think the
505
00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:06.759
horse might fit, they're willing to take them into the
506
00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:11.279
program and use them to help assist with their kids
507
00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:12.960
and stuff. And they even have a I think they
508
00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:15.559
started a silver saddles for the seniors as well too,
509
00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:18.160
so so they do all sorts of stuff like that.
510
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:19.000
So it's really cool.
511
00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:22.079
That's great, And it is hard to find horses they
512
00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:25.319
are suitable because they have to be bomb proof.
513
00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:30.079
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, very mellow bomb proof. I mean, yeah,
514
00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:32.880
there's there's she because I have you know, a few
515
00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:34.960
horse friends and stuff like that out here, and horse
516
00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:37.799
rescues I know of. So I she actually sent me
517
00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:42.839
the application of criterias and stuff that they have for
518
00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:45.319
people that might be interested in leasing their horse for this,
519
00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:47.519
and I was reading through it and I was like,
520
00:28:47.640 --> 00:28:50.400
geez op, there is so much in there that these horses,
521
00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:52.920
you know, they have to be able to do and
522
00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:55.599
and like you said, be bomb proof basically. So but
523
00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:57.240
you know what, if you have a horse like that,
524
00:28:57.240 --> 00:28:59.759
it's amazing if you can help out with that program
525
00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:03.440
and with these kids and stuff. So yeah, yeah, it's
526
00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:08.960
pretty awesome. So and I did see too, and because
527
00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:11.359
you know, I was looking at your website and stuff
528
00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:17.200
that you also help to support different organizations that help
529
00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:21.759
preserve and strengthen the human Animal Bond and you guys
530
00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:24.160
give out like they can apply for grants and stuff
531
00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:25.279
like that from you.
532
00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:29.359
Correct, yep, exactly. Yeah, we are a grant making organization,
533
00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:33.599
so we raise money to support existing nonprofits around the
534
00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.359
country and that's awesome.
535
00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:37.720
So how do you decide which programs or initiatives that
536
00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:38.599
you're going to support?
537
00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:43.440
Well, first and foremost, the Human Animal Bond must be
538
00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:48.359
central to their programming and their mission, and any organization
539
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:51.799
that meets that criteria is welcome to apply. We are
540
00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:55.000
only doing grants within the United States right now. We
541
00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:58.880
don't do anything international, and organizations have to have been
542
00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:03.160
in exist since for at least two years. But from there,
543
00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:05.920
you know, we get so many amazing applications, but we
544
00:30:06.119 --> 00:30:13.960
really vet these programs thoroughly. We like to support I
545
00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:17.519
would say mid size programs generally speaking that are doing
546
00:30:17.559 --> 00:30:21.160
amazing things, but maybe the general public is not super
547
00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:24.039
familiar with. So one of the things I found right
548
00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:26.960
off about was like, Wow, there are so many great programs,
549
00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:30.160
but you know, they're operating on lean budgets. They may
550
00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:32.359
not be doing a lot of marketing, Like I may
551
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:35.440
not have heard of them before unless they applied. So
552
00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:40.599
really getting to know them and seeking them out is
553
00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:43.480
part of the fun of what we do. And then
554
00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:47.079
you know, directing that funding to programs that are doing
555
00:30:47.079 --> 00:30:47.799
an amazing job.
556
00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:50.680
That's awesome. And I'll be honest, I'm going to tell
557
00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:54.759
Gail from Cantor about your organization and see if her grant. Right, Yes,
558
00:30:55.160 --> 00:30:59.039
would try because yeah, that's.
559
00:30:58.920 --> 00:31:00.559
That they're always looking for great care.
560
00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:03.240
Yeah, and her organization, just from what you just said,
561
00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:07.000
I think would fit your criteria very well, because you know,
562
00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:09.960
they're kind of out there, you know, countryside and a
563
00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:11.480
lot of people. I don't know how many people the
564
00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:13.839
schools obviously, because the schools are the ones that are
565
00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:16.480
usually bringing in the kids, the disabled kids and stuff
566
00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:19.039
during school season. Of course, they still have classes during
567
00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:23.079
the summer, but so, you know, not a lot of
568
00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:26.680
people know about them out there, and I don't know
569
00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:28.640
how much marketing they do. They try to do a
570
00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:31.519
little bit here and there, but they're so busy trying
571
00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:33.480
to do their classes. And right now they were just
572
00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:37.160
able to get a grant from our electric company out
573
00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:40.920
here because we're their ats really windy, and so they
574
00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:44.039
have to keep canceling classes because they're afraid with the
575
00:31:44.119 --> 00:31:45.720
high winds that they can get out there. It can
576
00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:49.960
knock children off the horses, so oh well yeah, I mean,
577
00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:52.599
oh yeah, we get some pretty big wins out here sometimes,
578
00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:54.799
especially if you're in an open area and then you
579
00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:57.359
have a disabled child on top of a horse, that
580
00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:01.799
might not be good. So so yeah, So they've had
581
00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:04.440
to cancel classes here and there because of winds and stuff,
582
00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:08.000
and of course you know monsoons and rains. But they
583
00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:09.920
were finally they were able to get a grant to
584
00:32:10.119 --> 00:32:15.000
actually build an indoor arena. So I'm thinking they're starting
585
00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:19.079
and getting that done. They're still trying to raise money.
586
00:32:19.079 --> 00:32:20.680
I think they're trying to come up with money to
587
00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:23.519
do the electricity and stuff out there. But like I
588
00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:25.319
was talking to Gail about, I said, if we could
589
00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:27.480
do something to help you raise some money for like
590
00:32:27.559 --> 00:32:30.039
say vet expenses for the horses or the feed and
591
00:32:30.079 --> 00:32:31.960
stuff like that, you might be able to divert other
592
00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:35.519
moneies towards your electricity and stuff. So I've been kind
593
00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:37.960
of in the background working on trying to because I'm
594
00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:40.119
with the Lions Club here and I'm trying to work
595
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:42.240
on something to maybe do a little fundraiser for them
596
00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:44.839
if possible. But I'm definitely gonna tell them to apply
597
00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:47.880
with you because I think they're the criteria for what
598
00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:49.079
you told me is good for them.
599
00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:52.359
So yeah, definitely we'd love to learn more about them.
600
00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:54.640
And you know, another thing we're really proud of is
601
00:32:54.680 --> 00:32:57.640
that we always do site visits for every organization that
602
00:32:57.720 --> 00:33:02.240
we even consider giving funding too. We need to know, yeah,
603
00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:05.839
the animals are happy and being treated well. And you know,
604
00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:08.240
it's like something can look one way on paper and
605
00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:10.680
then it's completely different when you're in person. So you're
606
00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:14.640
very diligent about vetting all of the organizations, and I
607
00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:17.599
think that's something our donors really appreciate as well.
608
00:33:18.119 --> 00:33:20.519
Yeah, yeah, because I understand completely. I mean, look at
609
00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:22.880
how many rescue groups out there may look good on paper,
610
00:33:22.920 --> 00:33:25.799
but they're not really I mean yeah, so yeah, so
611
00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:27.839
that's awesome that you guys go and vet and I
612
00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:30.640
know they sure if they apply and you go with them,
613
00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:33.000
I'm sure they would not mind having you come visit.
614
00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:38.599
So it's fun. It's really fun to see again, like
615
00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:41.160
all these programs that are out there that we never
616
00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:45.400
knew about previously. And yeah, it's wonderful to see so
617
00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:48.000
many people doing so many great things.
618
00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:52.319
Yeah, so could you tell the listening audience out there
619
00:33:52.359 --> 00:33:55.960
why you think it's so important for not only you
620
00:33:56.079 --> 00:33:59.279
but all others out there to help support these organizations
621
00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:02.200
that preserve and strengthen the human animal bond.
622
00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:07.680
That was a great question, you know. I think when
623
00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:13.679
people are thinking about donating to animal related causes, the
624
00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:17.840
first thing that comes to mind always is rescue. And
625
00:34:18.679 --> 00:34:21.000
of course I love rescue. I'm a proponent of rescue,
626
00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:24.440
but I do think there are so many programs out
627
00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:27.079
there that are not rescue. Like we've talked about animals
628
00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:30.159
as a therapy just as an example, but I would
629
00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:35.039
encourage people to think a little more broadly, because rescue
630
00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:37.880
is amazing and it's very important, but these other programs
631
00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:42.400
are too, And so yeah, I think just awareness around
632
00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:46.480
like the breadth of different animal related causes there are
633
00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:48.719
out there. And that's part of the fun with us,
634
00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:51.760
right because our mission is the bond. Supporting the bond,
635
00:34:52.800 --> 00:34:56.400
we can get involved in supporting so many different groups
636
00:34:56.440 --> 00:35:00.239
that do so many different things with it. And yeah,
637
00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:04.039
I would just encourage people maybe to research some of
638
00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:05.800
that as well before they decide where to.
639
00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:08.599
Give, you know, And that's a very true statement. Because
640
00:35:08.599 --> 00:35:10.679
a lot of people do think about the rescues, you know,
641
00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:13.199
the dog, the cat, the horse rescues and stuff like that,
642
00:35:13.880 --> 00:35:18.000
and they don't think about like these other organizations like
643
00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:22.719
canter or even like guide dogs for the blind or
644
00:35:22.840 --> 00:35:28.079
you know, the soldier's best friend. I'm trade the service
645
00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:30.519
dogs and stuff for a lot of people. Sometimes those
646
00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:33.039
are kind of out there and they're not as forefront
647
00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:36.079
as it's the rescues, like you said, so right.
648
00:35:35.960 --> 00:35:39.719
Right, It's interesting to hear how everything kind of ties together.
649
00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:45.519
Like if a person, for example, learned about animal asist
650
00:35:45.559 --> 00:35:49.599
to therapy and how meaningful that was, that might deepen
651
00:35:49.639 --> 00:35:52.199
their understanding of the human animal bond, and then they
652
00:35:52.280 --> 00:35:54.119
might be more likely to go out and rescue a
653
00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:58.000
dog someday. You know, It's like the more we all
654
00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:03.559
understand this, the more we will get involved naturally. And
655
00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:06.800
so yeah, the more knowledge we have, the more we
656
00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:10.840
get involved. I think, the more we naturally support in
657
00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:12.480
ways that maybe we wouldn't have before.
658
00:36:13.079 --> 00:36:15.559
Yep. And I'm glad you said that about you know
659
00:36:15.599 --> 00:36:17.400
what you just said about the rescues and stuff, because
660
00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:19.039
that kind of leads into my next question. I was
661
00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:22.239
going to ask you about and what role do you
662
00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:25.199
do rescue animals play in the broader story of healing
663
00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:26.559
in second chances? Do you think?
664
00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:32.760
I have heard so many stories from people who have
665
00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:39.440
had shared experience with an animal that was rescued, like
666
00:36:39.719 --> 00:36:43.199
in a therapy setting for example. People often hear the
667
00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:48.320
backstories of these animals and it's incredible how there could
668
00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:51.440
be a herd of horses or group of dogs or whatever,
669
00:36:52.039 --> 00:36:57.239
and there's just this intuitive thing that makes a person
670
00:36:57.480 --> 00:37:00.280
gravitate to one specific animal and then they in the
671
00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:03.679
backstory and it's like, oh my gosh, they've both lived
672
00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:07.320
the same type of neglect or abuse or whatever the
673
00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:11.880
trauma is. And that's how healing happens often because of
674
00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:15.840
that shared experience, you know, feeling like they're not alone.
675
00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:19.360
So I know for many people that's very powerful when
676
00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:24.599
they enter these therapeutic programs because they feel seen and
677
00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:30.440
understood by that animal without having to talk about it.
678
00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:33.119
It's just it's this again, it's the unspoken on, the
679
00:37:33.199 --> 00:37:38.159
unspoken connection, and it's just incredible. It is.
680
00:37:38.880 --> 00:37:42.800
Yeah, No, I agree again, going back to the service dogs.
681
00:37:43.079 --> 00:37:47.000
That's all we we pull dogs from the shelters and
682
00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:50.679
rescues unless they of course have gotten their own dog
683
00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:53.000
and they bring into the program if it fits the criteria.
684
00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:57.559
But yeah, we only use rescue and shelter animals because
685
00:37:58.239 --> 00:38:00.559
we always like to say we're not just saving one
686
00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:01.519
life or saving two.
687
00:38:02.760 --> 00:38:06.199
Yeah. So and again do you assess when you're looking
688
00:38:06.239 --> 00:38:08.960
at dogs in the shelter like which ones.
689
00:38:08.760 --> 00:38:16.559
Would be so kind of so a couple of different things. Basically,
690
00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:19.679
is a dog that's going to go into a program
691
00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:23.320
like this obviously has to be okay with people most
692
00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:28.519
pretty much anybody. They have to be okay with other dogs,
693
00:38:28.599 --> 00:38:33.440
and they can't exhibit like you know, you've got some
694
00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:35.440
dogs out there that a lot of people call Belkcrode
695
00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:38.559
dogs because they're very clingy, may have their own anxiety
696
00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:45.280
kind of things. So yeah, yeah, and sometimes those probably
697
00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:48.280
don't make the best because you know, they have to
698
00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:53.880
be more of a calmer, mellower, you know, temperament. I mean,
699
00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:56.199
we I have seen a dog or two here and
700
00:38:56.280 --> 00:39:00.000
there that was a little bit more but not necessary.
701
00:39:00.840 --> 00:39:02.360
It's just one of the things we kind of it's
702
00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:04.440
a flagg we kind of look forward to just see,
703
00:39:04.519 --> 00:39:06.639
I mean, how clingy are they kind of thing? You know,
704
00:39:06.679 --> 00:39:12.400
is this going to work or not. And then they
705
00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:15.639
have to be like between certain ages. We don't really
706
00:39:15.679 --> 00:39:17.800
have any certain breed or anything like that, but we
707
00:39:17.880 --> 00:39:19.840
normally would like them to be between one to four
708
00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:23.119
years of age. We can start if they haven't had
709
00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:25.480
any kind of training. We can start the basic training,
710
00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:27.840
say a little bit earlier than a year, as long
711
00:39:27.880 --> 00:39:29.800
as they're hitting around a year when they're going into
712
00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:31.679
the actual service dog training because they're a little bit
713
00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:35.039
more mature. So those are just a couple of the
714
00:39:35.079 --> 00:39:37.599
things though that I don't go in and assess them
715
00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:42.239
so much as what the I guess my boss would,
716
00:39:42.559 --> 00:39:45.199
my supervisor would, so she kind of goes in and
717
00:39:45.280 --> 00:39:47.679
assesses them. And she's actually was able to even get
718
00:39:47.679 --> 00:39:51.840
a prison program started and they're pulling dogs from the
719
00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:54.679
shelters and they have the inmates and the prisons doing
720
00:39:54.719 --> 00:39:56.400
the basic training and stuff with them.
721
00:39:57.519 --> 00:40:02.320
So yeah, that's becoming pretty popular now. Yeah, are popping up. Yeah,
722
00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:03.679
it's fascinating.
723
00:40:03.880 --> 00:40:05.880
Yeah, And of course you know they also have to
724
00:40:05.880 --> 00:40:07.320
meet I mean, it depends on what we're going to
725
00:40:07.400 --> 00:40:09.480
train the dog, what certain what task we might be
726
00:40:09.559 --> 00:40:12.360
training the dog for. So, say, if you have someone
727
00:40:12.679 --> 00:40:15.719
who needs help with their mobility. Obviously, you're not going
728
00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:18.239
to try to train like a Chihuahwa or something for
729
00:40:18.320 --> 00:40:21.199
them because they have to have help maybe getting help
730
00:40:21.239 --> 00:40:23.679
if they you know, get down on things like that,
731
00:40:23.800 --> 00:40:25.800
or if they need them to retrieve things for them.
732
00:40:26.679 --> 00:40:29.239
Small dogs can retrieve some things, but then you're gonna
733
00:40:29.320 --> 00:40:30.920
you know, yeah, to kind of be looking at weight.
734
00:40:31.639 --> 00:40:35.559
So and then pretty much any dog can kind of
735
00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:38.239
fit the criteria of doing like any kind of deep
736
00:40:38.239 --> 00:40:45.079
pressure therapies or alerting and stuff like that. A lot
737
00:40:45.159 --> 00:40:46.880
of dogs are good. I'm actually a couple of my
738
00:40:46.880 --> 00:40:49.800
teams right now we're working on having their dogs alert
739
00:40:49.800 --> 00:40:53.599
them to their high blood pressure or their blood sugar
740
00:40:53.719 --> 00:40:57.760
dropping or spiking. So there's just a lot of things
741
00:40:57.840 --> 00:40:59.559
that you kind of look for when you're looking for
742
00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:01.719
these guys. But my boss is, like I said, she's
743
00:41:01.719 --> 00:41:04.559
done the assessments quite a bit more than me, so
744
00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:06.840
she knows a little bit more about it. But those
745
00:41:06.880 --> 00:41:08.800
are kind of the general basics of what we look for.
746
00:41:09.880 --> 00:41:10.599
That's interesting.
747
00:41:10.760 --> 00:41:14.239
Yeah, Yeah, good temperaments, you know, they obviously they have
748
00:41:14.280 --> 00:41:15.960
to have a good temperament and they have to be
749
00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:18.440
almost like a horse, you know. With the disabled riders,
750
00:41:18.440 --> 00:41:21.360
they almost have to be bomb proof because these dogs
751
00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:23.800
have to go into all these situations where you know,
752
00:41:23.880 --> 00:41:26.360
there's we expose them all sorts of stuff to get
753
00:41:26.360 --> 00:41:28.960
them used to it. You know, we have kids play
754
00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:34.360
areas we go by, we are constantly walking. We have
755
00:41:34.440 --> 00:41:36.400
to you know, they're not supposed to be picking things
756
00:41:36.480 --> 00:41:38.199
up off of the ground, you know, the floor and
757
00:41:38.199 --> 00:41:40.360
stuff like that, like any kind of food or anything else.
758
00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:42.519
So you know, there, so there's a lot of different
759
00:41:42.519 --> 00:41:45.280
things and noises and stuff like that. They have to
760
00:41:45.280 --> 00:41:48.519
be you know, loud noises because their handler might not
761
00:41:48.559 --> 00:41:50.679
be okay with loud noises. So that's when the dog
762
00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:52.559
has to step in to try to help the handler
763
00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:55.840
if a loud noise, uh kind of freaks them out
764
00:41:55.920 --> 00:41:56.880
or scares them or something.
765
00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:59.360
So yeah, yeah.
766
00:41:58.840 --> 00:42:00.920
So there's a little bit. They have to have good
767
00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:02.960
temperaments and like you said, for the horses be bomb
768
00:42:03.000 --> 00:42:03.719
proof kind of.
769
00:42:03.800 --> 00:42:05.559
So yeah.
770
00:42:05.719 --> 00:42:08.840
So yeah, it's it's an interesting process that they go through.
771
00:42:10.480 --> 00:42:11.039
Exactly.
772
00:42:11.119 --> 00:42:13.440
Yeah, it's good though, I mean it works out well,
773
00:42:13.480 --> 00:42:16.400
and we have a lot of good people and a
774
00:42:16.440 --> 00:42:20.440
lot of good dogs in our programs, so I can't help.
775
00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:23.039
One of my favorites is she's a chug, she's a
776
00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:27.639
chihuaho pug mix, and she's just she's just the cutest
777
00:42:27.639 --> 00:42:30.800
little thing, you know. And it was funny because her
778
00:42:30.840 --> 00:42:32.719
handler had told me one of the things she kind
779
00:42:32.719 --> 00:42:36.079
of wanted. She doesn't like people to come up behind her,
780
00:42:36.440 --> 00:42:39.280
so she kind of wanted her to create a little
781
00:42:39.320 --> 00:42:42.679
space behind her. And I'm like, she's only like ten pounds,
782
00:42:43.800 --> 00:42:48.719
she's she's kind of small to do a create space thing.
783
00:42:48.719 --> 00:42:50.559
You want a bigger dog if you're trying to do
784
00:42:50.599 --> 00:42:53.039
those kinds of tasks, because they can be there people
785
00:42:53.079 --> 00:42:55.599
see them. You know, she might be missed. So we
786
00:42:56.000 --> 00:42:57.880
went ahead and we didn't train her to do it,
787
00:42:57.920 --> 00:43:01.119
but it was funny. When we were out work, she
788
00:43:01.159 --> 00:43:03.440
got her a little blinky light to put on her
789
00:43:03.440 --> 00:43:11.079
harness so people would see her. So yeah, it was great.
790
00:43:11.119 --> 00:43:13.679
So she's her dog's doing what she needs her to do,
791
00:43:13.719 --> 00:43:15.679
and she's got a little blinky lights so people see her,
792
00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:19.760
and so it was great. But she's she's I gotta say,
793
00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:21.480
she's probably one of my favorites out of all the
794
00:43:21.480 --> 00:43:24.480
classes I've trained. I just she just was She cracked
795
00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:28.159
me up when and she's just a little love. But yeah,
796
00:43:28.199 --> 00:43:31.559
so there's there's a lot of things these different dogs,
797
00:43:31.559 --> 00:43:35.079
different things that they can do. So anyway, yeah, so
798
00:43:35.079 --> 00:43:37.599
it's it's fun, it's interesting, it's it's great to be
799
00:43:37.639 --> 00:43:42.199
able to I did animal control for twelve years, so wow.
800
00:43:42.239 --> 00:43:45.159
Oh yeah, so I've seen the worst side of people
801
00:43:46.119 --> 00:43:48.760
when it comes to animals. I have seen the worst
802
00:43:48.800 --> 00:43:51.440
side of people to job.
803
00:43:51.599 --> 00:43:51.880
Wow.
804
00:43:52.079 --> 00:43:56.320
Yeah. And I can honestly say, out of twelve years,
805
00:43:56.320 --> 00:43:59.239
one case that has one case has given me nightmares
806
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:02.519
for years, and it took me a while to get
807
00:44:02.519 --> 00:44:05.280
over it. And a friend of mine is talking about
808
00:44:05.280 --> 00:44:08.840
writing a book and she she was a co officer
809
00:44:08.880 --> 00:44:11.800
with me at the time, and she wanted to include
810
00:44:11.800 --> 00:44:14.159
this story in her book, and so it's brought all
811
00:44:14.159 --> 00:44:17.639
of this back up for me. So yeah, yeah, it
812
00:44:17.679 --> 00:44:20.400
took me a long time to get past what happened,
813
00:44:20.440 --> 00:44:23.000
and it's so yeah, we were talking about and I
814
00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:27.559
finally I just said, look, I can't It's I can't
815
00:44:27.599 --> 00:44:30.880
share this story at least not right now. It's just
816
00:44:31.119 --> 00:44:34.119
it just yeah, and it's been years since since it happened.
817
00:44:34.159 --> 00:44:38.119
It's been years since it happened, but it's still, you know,
818
00:44:38.280 --> 00:44:40.679
even right now, like kind of tearing up thinking about it.
819
00:44:40.719 --> 00:44:43.239
But so yeah, and that's another thing, you know, irritates
820
00:44:43.239 --> 00:44:45.360
me too. People don't understand, you know, with animal control.
821
00:44:45.400 --> 00:44:48.119
They think animal control officers are horrible. But let me
822
00:44:48.159 --> 00:44:50.119
tell you what, you haven't seen horrible until you see
823
00:44:50.119 --> 00:44:51.760
some of the things people can do to animals.
824
00:44:51.800 --> 00:44:57.159
So I know, I can't. Gosh, it's so tough, but
825
00:44:57.239 --> 00:45:01.039
I just always tell myself that karma is real, yep.
826
00:45:01.800 --> 00:45:06.679
And that is the only thing that makes me feel better. Yeah, well,
827
00:45:06.679 --> 00:45:08.639
like we want to believe that someday.
828
00:45:08.559 --> 00:45:11.320
Yeah, exactly. That's all I can help is someday, especially
829
00:45:11.400 --> 00:45:14.440
for that particular person, that they will get their karma.
830
00:45:14.760 --> 00:45:18.320
And but you know, now I'm doing what I'm doing
831
00:45:18.360 --> 00:45:21.599
with training the service dogs and stuff like that, and
832
00:45:21.639 --> 00:45:24.119
doing my own basic dog training, and so now I'm
833
00:45:24.199 --> 00:45:26.800
kind of on the other side of the line, you
834
00:45:26.880 --> 00:45:29.039
might say. And so now I get to see more
835
00:45:29.079 --> 00:45:31.639
of the good. I mean, there's good in the animal
836
00:45:31.679 --> 00:45:34.239
control sid Don't get me wrong, there's good. There is.
837
00:45:34.519 --> 00:45:36.440
There's a lot of good out there and a lot
838
00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:39.639
of good people. But and they make up in a
839
00:45:39.679 --> 00:45:42.280
way for some of the bad. But I'm so happy
840
00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:44.440
to be doing and giving back to our veterans and
841
00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:46.280
stuff like that too. That meant a bit to me,
842
00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:48.880
So I'm glad to be doing what I'm doing. Yeah,
843
00:45:49.000 --> 00:45:51.800
so so, yeah, that bond's definitely there for me with
844
00:45:51.880 --> 00:45:58.880
the with the animals. So let's see where we at
845
00:45:59.760 --> 00:46:03.079
do let's use I know we're getting close to the
846
00:46:03.199 --> 00:46:07.639
end here. Oh, what can everyday people do to kind
847
00:46:07.639 --> 00:46:10.159
of help promote the well being of both animals and
848
00:46:10.360 --> 00:46:11.840
humans whose lives they touch?
849
00:46:14.119 --> 00:46:16.920
You know? I think the best thing people can do
850
00:46:17.119 --> 00:46:21.840
is just to be an example. You know, love your animals,
851
00:46:22.159 --> 00:46:27.400
live that bond. I think that people see that example,
852
00:46:27.440 --> 00:46:29.440
and especially from a young age. This is something I'm
853
00:46:29.440 --> 00:46:32.239
really passionate about, is like children learning from a young
854
00:46:32.239 --> 00:46:37.360
age how to respect animals and know what that bond is,
855
00:46:37.400 --> 00:46:40.840
because they will grow into adults who treat animals better
856
00:46:40.960 --> 00:46:44.440
and maybe with each generation then you will get better,
857
00:46:46.199 --> 00:46:49.599
the shelter system will not be so overburdened and all
858
00:46:49.679 --> 00:46:53.199
these terrible things. So yeah, I think just living that bond,
859
00:46:53.360 --> 00:46:57.440
teaching the younger generation and also supporting you know, charitable
860
00:46:57.440 --> 00:47:00.639
programs to the extent that people are able too, that's
861
00:47:00.679 --> 00:47:01.639
really important as well.
862
00:47:02.639 --> 00:47:06.119
Yep, that is definitely an important thing to do is
863
00:47:06.199 --> 00:47:11.960
help support rescues and organizations that are doing good things
864
00:47:12.000 --> 00:47:13.199
for the animals and people.
865
00:47:13.440 --> 00:47:16.280
So for sure. You know, another thing I'll add is
866
00:47:16.400 --> 00:47:19.440
I feel like so many people want to give, but
867
00:47:19.639 --> 00:47:23.400
they feel like, oh, I can only do a small amount,
868
00:47:23.800 --> 00:47:26.920
it's not going to make a difference. It absolutely makes
869
00:47:26.920 --> 00:47:30.480
a difference. You know, these programs use such great work,
870
00:47:30.519 --> 00:47:33.119
but they all need funding. And if every person who
871
00:47:33.119 --> 00:47:35.800
could only give a small amount said no, it's not
872
00:47:35.920 --> 00:47:39.920
enough and they don't do it, that's having an impact,
873
00:47:40.400 --> 00:47:42.760
you know, on these programs. And so I would just
874
00:47:42.840 --> 00:47:46.480
encourage people to, you know, be generous to the ex
875
00:47:46.480 --> 00:47:48.400
said that you can, but trust that even if it
876
00:47:48.480 --> 00:47:50.639
is a small amount, it does make a difference because
877
00:47:50.639 --> 00:47:52.719
if everybody did that, these programs would be in a
878
00:47:52.760 --> 00:47:56.280
different place. So yeah, don't ever second guess that.
879
00:47:57.119 --> 00:47:59.000
I mean, yeah, most definitely. If you give a dollar
880
00:47:59.079 --> 00:48:00.920
and say ten other people people give a dollar, there's
881
00:48:00.920 --> 00:48:03.119
eleven dollars right there that just got given, you know,
882
00:48:03.199 --> 00:48:06.639
to the program. So you just never know what might help.
883
00:48:06.960 --> 00:48:10.519
So yeah, and even if it's not monetary, if you
884
00:48:10.599 --> 00:48:14.920
have you know, a group in your area, contact them
885
00:48:14.960 --> 00:48:18.119
ask them, could you guys use anything besides save money.
886
00:48:18.119 --> 00:48:20.159
Could you use food to help help with food or
887
00:48:20.159 --> 00:48:23.159
help with vet bills, or or towels, blankets, you know,
888
00:48:23.199 --> 00:48:27.000
whatever you guys might use there. And believe me, everybody's
889
00:48:27.039 --> 00:48:29.760
always willing to tell you what they could use and
890
00:48:29.800 --> 00:48:32.280
what would help them out. So don't be afraid to
891
00:48:32.320 --> 00:48:34.480
ask them. I mean that's the biggest thing. Ask them
892
00:48:34.519 --> 00:48:36.360
what they need and they will tell you and then
893
00:48:36.400 --> 00:48:37.039
you can help.
894
00:48:36.880 --> 00:48:41.079
Them for sure. Volunteer hours is another big thing. I
895
00:48:41.320 --> 00:48:46.679
have time, I mean, that's huge as well for these organizations.
896
00:48:45.840 --> 00:48:48.679
Yep, exactly. In fact, I'm hoping at some point in time,
897
00:48:48.719 --> 00:48:51.199
if I get enough time, I'm going to try to
898
00:48:51.239 --> 00:48:54.800
go out and volunteer out at Canter because it just
899
00:48:54.840 --> 00:48:57.159
impressed me so much, and I just I'm so busy
900
00:48:57.199 --> 00:49:00.159
all the time that i just can't find time to
901
00:49:00.159 --> 00:49:01.760
get out there. But I'm going to try to work
902
00:49:01.760 --> 00:49:03.679
on it a little more and maybe I'll find some
903
00:49:03.719 --> 00:49:05.360
more time to get out there and help out and
904
00:49:05.400 --> 00:49:08.840
do some volunteering because it is important. Volunteers are very important.
905
00:49:08.840 --> 00:49:10.760
They were important for me when I had my shelter.
906
00:49:10.840 --> 00:49:13.360
They would help walk dogs and get them out to
907
00:49:13.440 --> 00:49:19.159
socialize and exercise and stuff like that. So yeah, volunteers
908
00:49:19.159 --> 00:49:22.559
are a big help for a lot of things for sure.
909
00:49:22.920 --> 00:49:25.519
Yeah, and it gets ad dig thing too because you'll
910
00:49:25.519 --> 00:49:27.320
go to that program and then see how amazing it
911
00:49:27.400 --> 00:49:28.400
is and you'll want to go more.
912
00:49:28.880 --> 00:49:32.559
Oh yeah, yeah, most definitely. So what's next for the
913
00:49:32.639 --> 00:49:36.199
Human Animal Alliance and the Unspoken Bond project?
914
00:49:37.800 --> 00:49:42.159
So Unspoken Bond we are embarking on a screening tour
915
00:49:42.559 --> 00:49:45.800
right now around the country. We premiered the film just
916
00:49:45.800 --> 00:49:49.320
a couple of months ago in Wellington, Florida, and so
917
00:49:49.719 --> 00:49:52.760
we have a South Florida screening tour coming up end
918
00:49:52.800 --> 00:49:57.000
of July into early August in the Florida Keys and
919
00:49:57.559 --> 00:50:01.639
South Florida, so it's Key, West Largo and Fort Lauderdale.
920
00:50:01.800 --> 00:50:05.159
So we're very excited about that. And then from there
921
00:50:05.280 --> 00:50:09.480
we'll be cherry picking other cities to do theatrical releases
922
00:50:09.519 --> 00:50:12.159
there as well. So it's a whole process I'm learning
923
00:50:12.199 --> 00:50:15.519
as we go, like how this all works. Ultimately, the
924
00:50:15.639 --> 00:50:19.039
goal is to have the film on a streaming service
925
00:50:19.159 --> 00:50:22.239
where anybody can see it, but there's a whole process
926
00:50:22.320 --> 00:50:24.760
that we have to navigate first. So if you're in
927
00:50:24.880 --> 00:50:28.599
South Florida and you would like to attend that screening tour.
928
00:50:29.480 --> 00:50:33.360
There's a website for the film. It's Unspoken bondfilm dot
929
00:50:33.360 --> 00:50:36.039
com and we have all the ticket links and everything
930
00:50:36.079 --> 00:50:41.199
there and we'll also be announcing future theatrical screening on
931
00:50:41.280 --> 00:50:44.000
that site, so if people want to check that out,
932
00:50:44.039 --> 00:50:47.159
that would be amazing. And as far as the Human
933
00:50:47.199 --> 00:50:50.639
Animal Alliance goes, we're doing what we do. Our goal
934
00:50:50.719 --> 00:50:53.320
is to raise a little bit more and give a
935
00:50:53.360 --> 00:50:56.519
little bit more every year, and I'm really proud to
936
00:50:56.559 --> 00:50:58.920
say that, despite the fact that we're a new organization,
937
00:50:59.559 --> 00:51:03.039
we just to reach our first half a million dollars
938
00:51:03.079 --> 00:51:06.360
in grants given out, so we're very proud of that.
939
00:51:06.800 --> 00:51:09.960
Very nice, and yeah, just keep doing what we're doing.
940
00:51:10.559 --> 00:51:15.440
Yeah. So, if others out there listening would like to
941
00:51:15.519 --> 00:51:19.480
learn more about the Human Animal Alliance, where can they
942
00:51:19.559 --> 00:51:21.920
find you at or how can they contact you or donate?
943
00:51:23.199 --> 00:51:29.000
Yep, So that website is HDAHAA dot org and we
944
00:51:29.039 --> 00:51:33.920
also have Instagram handles for both organizations. The nonprofit is
945
00:51:34.079 --> 00:51:39.360
Human Underscore Animal Underscore Alliance and then the film is
946
00:51:39.599 --> 00:51:41.119
at Unspoken Bond Film.
947
00:51:42.559 --> 00:51:45.400
Very cool, and I will put your links to your
948
00:51:45.400 --> 00:51:48.559
websites and stuff out on my podcast Facebook page as well,
949
00:51:48.599 --> 00:51:51.280
like I always do. So if anybody's looking through there
950
00:51:51.280 --> 00:51:52.480
and they see you and they want to go check
951
00:51:52.519 --> 00:51:57.360
you out, they can, so yeah, So well, I think
952
00:51:57.440 --> 00:52:00.320
what you guys are doing is awesome, and I'm so
953
00:52:00.440 --> 00:52:02.960
glad that I got the chance to talk with you
954
00:52:03.079 --> 00:52:06.960
about the Human Animal Alliance and your new documentary, and
955
00:52:07.119 --> 00:52:08.920
I can't wait for it to come out, whether I
956
00:52:08.920 --> 00:52:10.599
can make it, if you ever make it out west
957
00:52:10.639 --> 00:52:12.679
here for a screening, if I can make it to that,
958
00:52:12.760 --> 00:52:14.719
but if not, I'll definitely keep my eye out on
959
00:52:14.800 --> 00:52:17.159
the streaming services for it to come out, because I
960
00:52:17.239 --> 00:52:19.800
really do think i'd like to watch that and hear
961
00:52:19.840 --> 00:52:21.679
about these stories that you guys filmed.
962
00:52:22.840 --> 00:52:25.159
Awesome. If we come your way, you'll be my first.
963
00:52:24.920 --> 00:52:29.679
Phone call, definitely, definitely. Unfortunately, not too many screenings happen
964
00:52:29.719 --> 00:52:31.599
in my little neck of the woods. They usually end
965
00:52:31.719 --> 00:52:35.079
up in Yeah, they usually end up Tucson, Phoenix and
966
00:52:35.079 --> 00:52:37.679
stuff like that, and two sons about an hour drive,
967
00:52:37.719 --> 00:52:39.920
so it's not too bad. Phoenix is about three hours
968
00:52:39.960 --> 00:52:44.239
for me. So, but if I don't happen to be
969
00:52:44.280 --> 00:52:47.159
able to catch that, then most definitely once it hits
970
00:52:47.159 --> 00:52:49.400
the streaming service, I'll definitely be one of those watching
971
00:52:49.440 --> 00:52:51.119
it so amazing.
972
00:52:51.199 --> 00:52:52.039
We appreciate it.
973
00:52:52.280 --> 00:52:56.119
Yeah. So well, with that being said, we're pretty much
974
00:52:56.199 --> 00:52:59.159
done with our podcast tonight, and I am just going
975
00:52:59.239 --> 00:53:02.599
to announced the next upcoming podcast.
976
00:53:02.159 --> 00:53:02.559
That I have.
977
00:53:03.119 --> 00:53:04.960
So you are welcome to stay on if you want
978
00:53:05.000 --> 00:53:06.599
to listen to those, but I know, you know, you're
979
00:53:06.599 --> 00:53:09.400
probably pretty busy and you can always jump off and
980
00:53:09.440 --> 00:53:11.960
go take care of whatever you get left going on.
981
00:53:13.119 --> 00:53:14.039
I would love to listen.
982
00:53:14.639 --> 00:53:21.840
Okay, all right, so let me see here. Oh August. Oh, well,
983
00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:24.840
maybe I don't have any podcasts set up for August. Yeah,
984
00:53:24.960 --> 00:53:27.519
oh my goodness, I guess I don't. Well, actually, I
985
00:53:27.559 --> 00:53:31.239
probably will have one set up for August sixth. And unfortunately,
986
00:53:31.320 --> 00:53:36.599
I had to cancel my podcast last night because I
987
00:53:36.719 --> 00:53:39.679
was not feeling well and there was just yeah, there
988
00:53:39.760 --> 00:53:42.039
was just no way I could do it. So it
989
00:53:42.119 --> 00:53:45.400
was supposed to be about Orca behavior with Monica, and
990
00:53:45.480 --> 00:53:47.800
so I need to get back a hold of her
991
00:53:47.880 --> 00:53:50.760
and reschedule. So that will probably be my next podcast
992
00:53:50.800 --> 00:53:54.199
on August sixth, and then I've got some feelers out
993
00:53:54.239 --> 00:53:56.400
for a couple other ones I'm still waiting to hear back.
994
00:53:56.480 --> 00:54:00.000
I'm hoping I'll hear back and I'm phone this up.
995
00:54:00.599 --> 00:54:03.159
There's this little prairie dog on Facebook named Poppy the
996
00:54:03.159 --> 00:54:08.360
Prairie Dog. She is so awesome. I just love watching
997
00:54:08.400 --> 00:54:12.199
those little reels with her. So I've contacted her family
998
00:54:12.239 --> 00:54:14.039
to see if they would be interested in being on
999
00:54:14.119 --> 00:54:17.079
and talking about Poppy so and what it's like to
1000
00:54:16.719 --> 00:54:22.559
have lived life with a prairie dog. So yeah, I
1001
00:54:22.559 --> 00:54:24.519
think that would be fun to have those guys come
1002
00:54:24.519 --> 00:54:26.639
on and talk. So I've contacted them, and then, like
1003
00:54:26.679 --> 00:54:28.320
I said, I've got a couple feelers. I'm trying to
1004
00:54:28.320 --> 00:54:30.000
find out there's someone out there has been doing some
1005
00:54:30.039 --> 00:54:36.360
research on FIP and felines and yeah, and there's actually
1006
00:54:36.400 --> 00:54:39.639
a treatment out there, but it hasn't I don't know
1007
00:54:39.719 --> 00:54:43.280
how much of it's been approved by our FDA, and
1008
00:54:43.320 --> 00:54:46.599
so a lot of people don't know about this treatment
1009
00:54:46.639 --> 00:54:48.599
that's out there, that they could be treating their cats
1010
00:54:48.639 --> 00:54:51.440
instead of having to euthanize them and stuff. So I'm
1011
00:54:51.519 --> 00:54:55.800
hoping to get the research organization someone from there on
1012
00:54:55.880 --> 00:54:57.639
with me to talk about that because I think that
1013
00:54:57.679 --> 00:55:01.320
people need to be made aware of that. So right now,
1014
00:55:01.440 --> 00:55:04.119
that's kind of what I'm looking at for August unfortunately.
1015
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:07.159
Like I said, I don't have anything in writing for
1016
00:55:07.239 --> 00:55:12.599
sure yet. But other than that, I'm always looking for
1017
00:55:12.679 --> 00:55:14.599
new guests. If you guys know of anybody out there
1018
00:55:14.599 --> 00:55:19.559
and the listening audience, let me know I could make.
1019
00:55:19.679 --> 00:55:24.000
Yeah, I could certainly make recommendations. If you're in Native people,
1020
00:55:24.880 --> 00:55:28.199
I think do you have my email of us I
1021
00:55:28.280 --> 00:55:32.639
have been. I don't think Lori has it. I can.
1022
00:55:32.679 --> 00:55:34.800
If you send me the names Jackie, I'll be happy
1023
00:55:34.840 --> 00:55:42.079
to send them along the information. Yes, perfect. Yeah, there's
1024
00:55:42.079 --> 00:55:45.079
a couple in particular that would be great interviews, so
1025
00:55:45.360 --> 00:55:46.760
about that, and we'll.
1026
00:55:46.559 --> 00:55:48.800
Get you the name for awesome. That would be great.
1027
00:55:48.840 --> 00:55:50.760
And for those of you that was Mackaia that jumped on,
1028
00:55:51.880 --> 00:55:54.039
she's been the one that's coordinated this whole thing for
1029
00:55:54.119 --> 00:55:57.920
me and Jackie today. So so all right, yeah, that'd
1030
00:55:57.920 --> 00:55:59.920
be great. I'd appreciate you guys sending those along to
1031
00:56:00.079 --> 00:56:02.000
me and I'll contact them and see if I can
1032
00:56:02.039 --> 00:56:06.000
get them scheduled in perfect. All right. Well, with that
1033
00:56:06.119 --> 00:56:08.880
being said, thank you guys so much for being on tonight,
1034
00:56:09.039 --> 00:56:12.480
and for all you listening out there. Go check out
1035
00:56:12.559 --> 00:56:16.440
Jackie's organization and if you can help out, help out,
1036
00:56:16.519 --> 00:56:19.920
and if not, help out your own own local organizations.
1037
00:56:20.639 --> 00:56:23.719
And hopefully you guys will come back in a couple
1038
00:56:23.760 --> 00:56:25.599
of weeks here and listen in and see what that
1039
00:56:25.679 --> 00:56:27.639
next podcast is about. But I'm pretty sure I'm going
1040
00:56:27.679 --> 00:56:30.880
to reschedule my orchest to them, So all right, everybody,
1041
00:56:30.920 --> 00:56:32.840
you have a good night and stay safe out there.
1042
00:56:33.199 --> 00:56:33.639
Bye now.