Dog Words

0208: Mutual Rescue with Carol Novello

March 17, 2021 Rosie Fund Season 2 Episode 8
Dog Words
0208: Mutual Rescue with Carol Novello
Show Notes Transcript

Carol Novello, author and founder of Mutual Rescue, discusses the broader impact of helping homeless and abandoned animals. Watch Mutual Rescue’s touching and informative short films at MutualRescue.org. Order the book Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too at their website or use Amazon Smile and choose Rosie Fund as the beneficiary of all of your eligible purchases.

You can follow Mutual Rescue on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel to help us secure the Rosie Fund URL and visit RosieFund.org for links to all of our social media.

Interviews referenced in this episode:

0116: Pet Resource Center of Kansas City with Scott Cotter

0145: Cuddly Crowdsourcing with John Hussey

0207: Kansas City Animal Services with April Moore

Celebrate 5 years of Rosie Fund by supporting our campaign to sponsor 50 dogs. You can donate on our website or Facebook page. You can also contribute by making a purchase from the store on our website or buying a t-shirt at Bonfire.com.

Music for this episode is provided by alternative string duo, The Wires. Visit them at TheWires.info. Learn fiddle and cello-fiddle online — even if you've never played before — from Laurel Morgan Parks and Sascha Groshang at FiddleLife.com.

Recent guest Ashley Schanz is now online at schanzssketchbook.com in addition to her Facebook Page Schanz’s Sketchbook. You can commission Ashley to sketch a beautiful memento of your pet with the proceeds benefiting charities. This makes a great gift, especially if you know someone who has lost a pet. Please use the keyword “Rosie” when you contact Ashley if you want Rosie Fund to be the beneficiary charity.

The transcript for this episode is available on the Dog Words Buzzsprout page: 

Make a donation at RosieFund.org or through our Facebook page. You can contribute by making a purchase from the store on our website or buying a t-shirt at Bonfire.com. Also check out our page on BarkYours, the online mall with gifts for people who love their dogs.

Rosie Fund online:
RosieFund.org
Facebook.com/rosiefund
Instagram.com/rosiefund
YouTube.com/rosiefund


CAROL  0:02  

I wanted to change the conversation from people or animals to people and animals. And at the highest level it's about elevating the cause of animal welfare so that it is on par with other human related causes.

PHIL   0:19  

I'm Phil Hatterman, and this is Dog Words presented by Rosie Fund. Today we're joined by author and founder of Mutual Rescue Carol Novello. If you're new to this podcast, in each episode we explore the world of dog care and companionship. "We save each other" is the motto of Rosie Fund, which simply means the more we do for dogs, the more they do for us, and they already do a lot. If you love dogs, you'll love Dog Words. We welcome your comments, questions and suggestions. Go to the podcast page at RosieFund.org to share your thoughts. We welcome suggestions for topics and guests. The only way we know which ones you like is if you tell us. Then we'll try to deliver more of that. Please download subscribe rate, and most importantly, share Dog Words.

Celebrate five years of Rosie Fund by supporting our campaign to sponsor 50 dogs. You can donate on our website or Facebook page. You can also contribute by making a purchase from the store on our website or buying a t-shirt Bonfire.com. Links are in the description.

Please follow Rosie Fund on social media. Subscribe to the free Rosie Fund YouTube channel that offers great videos of Rosie, Peaches, and shelter dogs including some exclusive content. And please follow mutual rescue on Facebook. A link to their page is in the description.

A few weeks ago we started adding transcripts to Dog Words episodes. The automated transcription is fairly accurate but it is necessary to review each document before posting to make sure there aren't any substantive errors. So it will take some time to get all of our archived episodes transcribed. If there is an episode you would like moved to the top of the list, let us know at RosieFund.org.

Next time on Dog Words we get in shape with canicross competitor and trainer Nick Weis.

The mission of Rosie Fund is to provide humans with the resources and education they need to give senior and harder to adopted dogs a better life. We thank you for joining our mission.

Our guest today is founder and author Carol Novello from Mutual Rescue joining us from Atlanta. Welcome today, Carol.

CAROL  2:18  

Thanks, Philip. It's great to be here.

PHIL   2:20  

Your organization mutual rescue is a perfect fit with Rosie Fund. I can't think of a better fit, particularly when you consider the title of your book — and we're going to talk about your organization, we're going to talk about your book, we're going to talk about your history — but your book is Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too. And the model of Rosie Fund, which is the presenter of the Dog Words podcast, is we save each other.

CAROL  2:49  

That's right.

PHIL   2:50  

So I think we are similar mind.

CAROL  2:52  

I believe that we are absolutely yeah.

PHIL   2:56  

I've said it countless times on this show people will tell us how fortunate previously Rosie was and now Peaches in that we adopted them. That dog is living the best life. That dog won the lottery. If I can say without choking up I usually respond immediately with, "We won the lottery."

CAROL  3:18  

Yeah, yeah, it definitely goes both ways. That's for sure.

PHIL   3:22  

That we both get a lot out of this mutually beneficial arrangement. Before we talk about the founding of Mutual Rescue and talk about your book. How did you come to be a dog lover, a dog advocate? What was your journey to this point?

CAROL  3:39  

Well, animals have always played a huge role in my life. And growing up we had cats and dogs and they just were part of the family. And one of my earliest memories is actually rescuing a stray cat that was dumped at a place where we were getting a Christmas tree when I was about five years old. And that just stuck in my memory so much. It was such a thrill to adopt that animal. And that experience really stayed with me. And it took quite a while before I actually got into animal welfare as a profession. I actually started out in the for profit space, got my MBA from Harvard. I was a senior executive at Intuit for many years. And then I took a step back and I actually thought I was gonna go back into high tech, but just through serendipity, and had the opportunity to join the board of Humane Society Silicon Valley. And then one thing led to another and they asked me if I wanted to become president. And I thought, "Wow, this is a great organization doing really amazing life saving work." And so I dived in with both feet, and I led that organization for nearly a decade. And while I was there, Mutual Rescue emerged out of that. And the reason why I did is because people would ask me, not dissimilarly to what you were talking about earlier, "But why are you helping animals when you could be helping people?" And not really understanding the fact that rescue is something that goes both ways, and that we're getting at least as much as we are giving when we adopt that animal.

PHIL   5:11  

It's a false dichotomy. It is not an either/or. You're not choosing one over the other.

CAROL  5:15  

That's right. Exactly.

PHIL   5:16  

We've had a Pet Resource of Kansas City on as a guest. They talked about the work they do to get veterinary care and food to the animals of people who are either homeless or sort of on the margins of surviving in our society. And I think a common response is, "Well just take that animal away from them. If they can't take care of it, get it in a shelter, so it can find a better life." The trauma to the animal aside — taking it away from the person that it loves more than anything else in the world — the reason why those people are getting up in the morning and trying to find food, trying to make their way forward in the world is that pet. That pet is keeping them sane and alive.

CAROL  6:06  

That's right. Yeah, it's very interesting. I talked about that. There's a chapter in my book where I talk about the relationship between people that are experiencing homelessness and their animals. And it is very interesting, because a lot of people do have the reaction that you share that you heard people talk about. And I think what's really important for people to know is, your ability to love an animal is not connected to your economic status. And there's plenty of households I've seen that something comes up, they have plenty of money, and they surrender the animal because it's inconvenient for them to keep that animal. So looking at it through an economic lens, I don't think is the right way to look at whether or not somebody is able to care for an animal or not. And as you mentioned, you know, what's really amazing is the impact that that animal can have on the person. And it can be the driver to really get someone to figure out how to get their life to a more stable place. In chapter two of the book, I write about a young woman who was homeless for a period of time. And one of the things that really changed her life was, she was in an outdoor bar and this stray dog came up to her and put her head in her lap. And she ended up adopting that animal. And it was because of the animal. It was like, "I have to make sure this animal gets fed, I've got to get a job." I mean, that was the motivator. So they can play a really important role in people's lives in ways that we can't even imagine.

PHIL   7:36  

It puts you in touch with a part of yourself that can become atrophied or perhaps calloused. We learn empathy, that we're born, I think, very selfish. And you learn to cooperate. You learn to have self awareness and empathy. But if you get caught up in distractions from that, or don't have the opportunity to express that empathy, I think you can lose that easy connection to being a thoughtful, caring, centered person. And animals bring you back to that, I think, faster than the most experienced trained therapists in the world could do. I'm sure there's probably many therapists who just bring in a dog. It's like, yeah, I can have you here every week for the next 10 years. Or wait right here. I'm gonna step out to the lobby and grab my dog.

CAROL  8:34  

Yeah. Well, you know, it's interesting. I did another podcast with Dr. Adam Dorsay, who's a psychotherapist, and he has a dog in his practice. And he says it is an especially effective tool to assist people in feeling safe and secure and being able to access their emotions. So it absolutely is a powerful tool that can be used in psychotherapy or just for the sense of unconditional love you experience with that animal in your own home. It can be transformational.

PHIL   9:07  

Yeah, the therapy dogs that they have in care facilities, hospitals, the dog, of course, doesn't need to say anything. You just bring the dog through the door and you can see the change that overcomes not just the person who's in the bed, but those caregivers who are just emotionally drained to see a dog before it even leaves its head in your lap.

CAROL  9:33  

Yeah, well, I think there is something very special about the fact that animals don't talk. And they essentially are showing up with presence. They are in the present moment. Their consciousness is such that you feel pulled into this specific moment in time and experience life in a different way than listening to somebody who's just talking. Words in some regards can be a distraction in that way and what dogs and cats can give you is just this genuine sense of being present and being in the moment, and that really is a special gift.

PHIL   10:09  

And there's no filter either with the dog or the person.

CAROL  10:13  

Right!

PHIL   10:14  

That the dog is, you know, being genuine and they're not just being polite and asking, "How are you feeling?" and "Oh, I'm sure you're gonna be better tomorrow, just hang in there." Like you said they're just in that moment. But then also our response isn't filtered. We're not petting the dog just to be polite.

CAROL  10:32  

Right.

PHIL   10:34  

So yeah, it's a wonderful relationship. I'm with you on all of the we save each other, and we need each other and dogs make us better people. You created Mutual Rescue as an effort to bring awareness to this relationship that we have with dogs. Tell us how you started Mutual Rescue and what it does.

CAROL  11:00  

So as I mentioned earlier, Mutual Rescue came about because people were asking me, "Why are you helping animals when you could be helping people?" And I wanted to change the conversation from people or animals to people and animals. And at the highest level it's about elevating the cause of the animal welfare so that it is on par with other human related causes. So of the $449 billion that Americans gave to charity in 2019 only 3% went to the environment and animals combined. And so there is this kind of sense that animal welfare is a second class cause and I want to shift that because when you give to animals, you actually are contributing to a solution that can help heal humanity. It's not detracting from solving humanity's problems. So that's what we're about at the highest level.

It's also about creating national messaging to drive action and engagement at the local level. So a lot of people think that humane societies are chapters of the Humane Society of the United States. And that's not the case. Humane Society is simply a generic term for an animal welfare organization. And so the national organizations are doing great work — not intending to detract from them in any way — but the rescue work that is happening on the front lines want to make sure that people know that's where the rubber hits the road and that they are supporting the work that's going on in their own local community.

PHIL   12:30  

Yeah, who's gonna know better what is needed in the Silicon Valley than the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. The national organization 1000 miles away, one has no idea what they need. And two, by the time they figured it out and got resources there, the needs will have changed.

CAROL  12:46  

Well, and again, they're not equipped to be able to do it, there's so...

PHIL   12:51  

I guess my position is, nor should they be because of that would just add layers of bureaucracy that we're funding instead of actually getting the resources to where they can do the most good.

CAROL  13:02  

Yeah, there's certainly a role for national organizations. Again, I'm not saying this or that, but it's about creating awareness. Because a lot of times, I'll run into people who say, "Oh, you know, I support you!" And I always ask, "Where do you write your check to?" And then I found out, actually, you're not supporting our organization, you're supporting another organization. So, but Mutual Rescue, basically, there are three pillars to our organization and what we do. The first is awareness through authentic storytelling. So we have created a series of short films. They've gone quite viral. Collectively, we have about 12 short films that we've created and produced. They're only about six minutes long or so. And collectively they've been viewed 153 million times across the globe on various social media platforms. If you go to MutualRescue.org you can check out all of our films and they cover a variety of topics related to the human condition and how adopting a homeless or abandoned animal has really changed the human as much as it's changed the animal.

The second pillar is local engagement. And we collaborate with various local and regional organizations across the country to create toolkits that help shelters and rescue groups and other organizations implement programs that will help bring more programs that are about the integration of humans and animals into their communities. So our very first program, we collaborated with numerous shelters to create a toolkit for Doggy Day Out, which is simply the ability to go to your local shelter and take a dog out for the afternoon. And it helps accelerate the rate at which animals get adopted and people get to have some bonding time with the dog just for the afternoon and if they're not in a position to adopt an animal full time.

PHIL   14:44  

We're big fans of that program. We've talked about it several times on Dog Words. Talking about something being mutually beneficial for the human in the dog, this is a great way for someone who wants their dog fix but maybe they live in apartment that doesn't allow dogs or their employment means that this just doesn't fit their lifestyle. Here you can help dogs but also get the benefit of being around a dog. And the benefit for the dog, as you've indicated, is it gets it out of the shelter. It gets a little de-stressing kind of a spa day. And it also makes them more adoptable because now we have information on what this dog is like in a car, in a house, in a park, going through the drive thru. What does it like to play with. Instead of the unnatural and oftentimes stressful environment of even the best shelter

CAROL  15:38  

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's really a great opportunity for, again, both the animal and the person to have an opportunity to de-stress. So unfortunately, with COVID, a lot of these programs are on hold right now. But people can go to Mutualrescue.org. And if you're a shelter rescue you can download the toolkit, it's free. That will help you implement a program more quickly than if you were trying to do it from scratch in your own community. Or if you're looking for a program where you can take a dog out, we have a directory that lists shelters that have a program, so that's a resource.

PHIL   16:11  

There will be a link to MutualRescue.org in the description for this episode. So while our listeners could write it down, just keep listening and click on the link in the description and all of this information will be there. And so what is what is the third pillar?

CAROL  16:27  

The third pillar is corporate sponsorship. So one of the things that we want to do is create national messaging that then is able to generate funds that wouldn't otherwise be accessible to a local or regional organization. So for example, Humane Society of Silicon Valley is never going to be able to secure a deal with a national corporation because we're too geographic specific. But by having a national brand out there, we can raise money and then disperse that down to the local level. So we had a very generous gift from Dutch Bros this past fall. They gave a $100,000 gift to Mutual Rescue and we were able to do 10 to $10,000 grants out to shelters that were in the Dutch Bros geographic footprint. So we're looking to do more of that and be able to get more funds to the local level where the rubber hits the road.

PHIL   17:20  

Circling back to the films, and it is app that you said that you've produced films, because as someone who works in media, there's a difference between a video and a film.

CAROL  17:32  

There, yeah, is for sure. 

PHIL   17:34  

And these are aptly described as films. These are beautifully produced and the narrative is tight. There's not just wasted footage, because you can go down the rabbit hole of YouTube videos of, "Okay, this is cute." or "This dog got rescued. And here's someone being reunited with a dog they lost." But you really don't get the narrative. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions or there'll be too much footage of, "Okay, yeah, we get that point. Move on to the next beat." You have a wonderful staff. I don't know how many people you had working on this, but the photography, the editing, the structure. These are short films.

CAROL  18:14  

Yes, they truly are. We have a wonderful production partner that we work with Tech Tonic, they're located in Chicago, they do fabulous work and we go through the process of curating the stories and find the ones that resonate most for us and then we collaborate with them to make sure that we are telling the story that we want to tell. And then they've just got some fabulous filmmakers who know how to shoot tremendous footage and really how to frame up a story. And it's fun. And "Eric and Peety", which is the first short film that we did, they used a drone to capture some overhead footage. And when they were out filming some of the kids in the neighborhood were coming up to Eric and Peety and asking, "Oh, are you know, are you going to the moon?" like they were trying to understand like what what's going on with these drones. And it was really cute.

PHIL   19:04  

We use videos, not films, with Rosie Fund to promote local shelter dogs. And we do a little editing but it's pretty much just shoot and post because we're trying to crank out a couple videos a week and show the dog interacting with me so that it's easier for people to visualize, "Here's what the dog is like with a human." Rather than here's what the dog looks like sitting in a kennel.

CAROL  19:29  

Right.

PHIL   19:30  

That really doesn't help their adoption as much. I encourage all of our listeners to check out these films. Just watch one. I'm just gonna ask you to watch one knowing full well that you're gonna be pulled in. You're gonna be hooked. And you're gonna watch the rest of these. How did the book fit into the efforts of Mutual Rescue?

CAROL  19:30  

Yeah, with the success of the film's I was fortunate enough to be able to secure a publishing contract and why it was so excited about that was, you know, the films really focus on the story. They focus on the heart. And the book definitely tells stories, as well. But it also weaves in the latest scientific research. And so what I love about it is that brings together that head and the heart. So we tell a story and then we say, "Oh, and here's the research that explains what's actually kind of going on here." So, for example, when we're interacting with an animal it actually has the physiological effect in our body, and they've measured it. We release prolactin, and serotonin, and oxytocin, and all these feel good biochemicals. And so there's a physiological change in your body when you are interacting with an animal. And what's really cool is they've also studied this in dogs and dogs are having a similar reaction. So it really is mutual.

PHIL   20:54  

Yeah, we save each other.

CAROL  20:56  

That's right.

PHIL   20:57  

It puts me in the mind of, and they revisit this with Neil deGrasse Tyson, but with the original Cosmos with Carl Sagan, the television series was spellbinding. And then they added the book. And I was at that age, about 12 years old, where you go all in on something. Like baseball cards. You don't just collect a dozen. You're buying every pack. So I was all in on Cosmos. And the book wasn't just a transcript of the series,. It was so much deeper. It gave the background. So just what you've done with the Mutual Rescue films, if you like the films, this isn't just a transcript of the films. 

CAROL  20:59  

No, it's far – yeah, it's a lot more than that.

PHIL   21:21  

This is — takes it in for a deep dive that is well worth taking. So I encourage people check out the film's. Check out the book. I'll have a link to that also in the description. Where do you see Mutual Rescue going forward?

CAROL  21:58  

Well, we are in the process right now of developing a new program that's actually focused on pet pantries and providing resources to help organizations and communities be able to get the donations that they need in order to keep pets with their families. It's especially relevant right now with the pandemic in the context of people losing their jobs or losing their homes. And no one should have to make the choice of, "Do I feed my children or do I peed my pet?" And so we're excited to be partnering with Cuddly to work with their technology.

PHIL   22:31  

And we had John Hussey on just a couple months ago.

CAROL  22:34  

Oh, okay, great. Yeah. So we're we're partnering with Cuddly on that platform. And then we're collaborating with other organizations that are doing pet pantry work today to create the best-in-class toolkit that has best practices and protocols and all the forms and things that you need in order to be able to accelerate getting a program up and running in your community, as well as the technology aspect that will be able to help programs that are already up and running. So we're excited about that. And we also have another film in the works. So there'll be a lots more good stuff coming out of Mutual Rescue coming this summer and fall.

PHIL   23:08  

Yeah, people are gonna want more films. You've got a dozen and they're 6, 8, 10 minutes long, depending on the film. So you'll get through them in short order and then you will want more. We recently had April Moore, who is the Chief of Animal Services in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City has shifted from being an animal control municipality to an animal services and welfare municipality. We talk about the Keep 'Em Together program that they have a partnership with KC Pet Project, which is charitable, but I would not describe it as charity. Funding the food needs, the veterinary needs, building a fence or a dog house needs of a family that allows them to keep their dog in their home, obviously helps that family, but it also short circuits a process that would lead to them giving up the dog, that dog taking up space in the shelter. If it's related to medical needs, it's going to be now more expensive medical needs because they weren't treated when they were with a family and so it has progressed and gotten worse. The money that's spent on that is an investment in people's lives and in the community. And in the long run, that means that Animal Services Officer is making 1, 2, 3 visits to take care of this instead of coming out every week, writing a citation, eventually taking the dog away, putting the dog in the shelter, trying to find someone else to take care of that dog. And then that family eventually picking up a puppy in a grocery store parking lot and starting that cycle over and Animal Services has to make another visit, take that dog away. Instead, you're giving them what they need to take care of the animal they have and also helping them learn what resources are available to keep their pet in their home.

CAROL  25:04  

Yeah, it really is about thinking about the community as inclusive of pets and people. How do you educate people? How do you provide access to services that they might not otherwise have access to? And in many cases, it is far less expensive to be able to address a situation and an animal that is well-loved and people have just fallen on a particularly hard time. I mean, one of the stories that sticks out most in my mind when I was at Humane Society of Silicon Valley is we had a family that came in thinking they were going to have to surrender their dog because the dog had this huge tumor on its paw and it was so painful it was hard for the animal to walk. And the family had just fallen into difficult situation. The mom was going through cancer and they didn't have enough money to pay the medical bills because she was going through cancer. They had an eight year old daughter and she's sobbing because she loves this dog. And you know, what we saw was a family that cared about their animal, an animal that wanted to stay with them. And so you know, we had a donor, who specifically set up money for situations like this. And so we did the surgery. We were able to remove the tumor and keep that animal with that family. I mean, that is a far better outcome than taking that animal in, doing the surgery anyway, and then trying to rehome it over a period of time and...

PHIL   26:30  

And the night that you provided that service for that family was the best night's sleep everyone in that household had had in months. I guarantee it. And the value of a good night's sleep cannot be overstated. And the subsequent nights and the relief and that one thing off their list of challenges had to be such a relief.

CAROL  26:54  

Right. Yeah, yeah.

PHIL   26:56  

So if we could do that for more people through Mutual Rescue and the variety of animal welfare groups that you mentioned Cuddly works with to to get funding. How can people get involved with Mutual Rescue?

CAROL  27:12  

Yeah, so we actually don't raise money directly from the general public because we don't want to compete with the local organizations. We want to make sure that we're bringing in incremental funds. So that's why we look for corporate sponsorships and opportunities that would be difficult for any one local organization to get. But if people are interested in Mutual Rescue, the best thing they can do is watch the film, share the films, buy the book, talk that up so that we get the message out. Because the more people know about mutual rescue, the more likely corporate sponsors are going to come on board and want to participate. We've got a couple we're talking to in the context of the Mutual Rescue Pet Pantry that we're looking to get up and running. And, you know, just encourage people really support your local organization and spread the word about Mutual Rescue. And then if you're interested in our programs, you can go to the MissionRescue.org website, sign up for our newsletter, we'll let you know when the Mutual Rescue Pet Pantry toolkit is up and running and when the Mutual Rescue Pet Pantry technology platform is up and running, as well.

PHIL   28:17  

I don't know that everyone appreciates the value of just following an organization like yours and ours. When you go to a corporate sponsor and you can tell them, "Here's how many downloads each film has. Here's how many people subscribe to our newsletter. Here's how many people follow us on Facebook." They're gonna be a lot more interested in writing you a check. Because they want to help organizations, but it's in their best interest to do it in a way that is good branding. That gets noticed.

CAROL  28:49  

Yeah, absolutely. So yeah, it actually — go into our Facebook page. We're on Facebook, that's probably our biggest social media platform. That's where you'll get all the latest and greatest information about us the most quickly. So definitely recommend checking that out and following us on Facebook.

PHIL   29:04  

That'll be linked in the description. And I hope all our listeners know this. It doesn't cost you anything to subscribe to a YouTube channel, follow someone on Facebook, repost something on Facebook. And there's no limit. So if you follow us on Facebook, you can follow Mutual Rescue on Facebook and all of the other wonderful organizations we've had on our show. Follow them all and you'll be doing a great service without having to write a check. And by all means, still write the check if you'd like. We'll let you do that. But don't forget to do all the free stuff because it helps. It genuinely helps. Carol Novello founder, author, learning about mutual rescue has been a thrill today. I'm so excited to see what you do and I can't wait to get feedback from our listeners after they watch your films and read your book. Again, that's all going to be linked in the description. Any final thoughts for our listeners before you go?

CAROL  30:06  

Well, just if you've got an animal in your home, take the time today they give him an extra special big hug and just appreciate all the goodness they bring into your life.

PHIL   30:15  

Perfect way to end. Thank you so much for joining us today, Carol.

CAROL  30:19  

Thanks, Philip. It was a real pleasure.

PHIL   30:26  

I'm Phil Hatterman. And you've been listening to Dog Words presented by Rosie Fund. Thank you to Carol Novello for joining us today. To learn more about Mutual Rescue and to watch their amazing short films. Use the link in the description for MutualRescue.org. You can order the book through their website or use the link for Amazon Smile in the description and choose a charity to benefit from all of your eligible Amazon purchases. We're very grateful to everyone who has chosen Rosie Fund as their charity. There are also links to the Dog Words episode archives with the interviews we referenced in today's episode. If you find an old episode you like, be sure to share it with your friends.

Next time on Dog Words we get in shape with canicross competitor and trainer Nick weis.

A big thank you to alternative string duo The Wires featuring cellist Sascha Groshang and violinist Laurel Morgan Parks for playing the wonderful music you've heard on today's and previous episodes of Dog Words. Supporting The Wires supports our mission. Learn more about The Wires at TheWires.info and download their music on iTunes. If you haven't been tuning into their virtual concerts during shelter at home, you've really been missing out. Don't miss the next one. Check out FiddleLife.com and learn to play fiddle and cello fiddle online from Laurel and Sasha even if you've never played before.

Celebrate five years of Rosie Fund by supporting our campaign to sponsor 50 dogs. You can donate on our website or Facebook page or buy a t-shirt at Bonfire.com. Links are in the description.

As always, please download, subscribe, rate and share Dog Words. This helps us with sponsorships and then Rosie Fund can help more dogs. Send us your comments, questions and suggestions at RosieFund.org. And let us know if you would like to be a sponsor of the Dog Words podcast.

Thank you for listening and remember, we save each other.

DISCLAIMER: This document is a transcription obtained through a third party. There is no claim to accuracy on the content provided in this document and divergence from the audio file is to be expected. Some content may be omitted, particularly when there is crosstalk.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai