I met Alicia many years ago and we did a lot of cool work in the rescue community, including a calendar with some big name Chicago athletes and quite the opposite --sitting in the chilly weather on a diversion shift at Chicago Animal Care and Control. Now, Alicia has moved back to her hometown where she is making an impact with a children's book, a…

Abby Smith has spent over 2 decades with Felines and Canines and seen so much and done SO MUCH. Moving from Chicago to Alabama to help run a shelter was not easy, but she is doing magnificent work, saving close to 20,000 animals since 2018. And the work in Chicago continues too. We hear what life is like in Alabama and we meet the famous OATIE and …

"I want their remaining days to be a good quality of life and I think the integrative way is a good way to do it." Dr. Chen of Integrative Pet Wellness Center specializes in integrative oncology. New advancements and incredible education have lead her down a path that is significantly helping pets with cancer, whose owners decide to take a more hol…

The plight of abandoned, surrendered, abused barnyard animals is often unkind. Thanks to Indiana Barnyard, farm animals are getting a 2nd chance. The work is not easy and the medical and food bills are high. Kat, the Founder and Dr. Harris, the veterinarian of the sanctuary join me for a very candid conversation. Terrific guests doing incredible wo…

Sometimes getting a shelter/rescue dog into a new environment can get them the exposure they need. Whether it is humans on the street or social media posts showing them in a new light, Scott from 4 Ever Tails is trying to do everything he can to get dogs that need homes into a comfortable landing spot! And it is working. He will never take credit, …

This is simply an incredible story. I hope you tune in. Tom decided to go to help in Ukraine and has assisted so many animals and not just dogs. He has so many stories. His heart remained in Ukraine when he got back home, so he went back to the place he knew he was meant to be. For more: https://www.k9rescueukraine.com/…

From housing issues to obstacles involving vetting and adopting, pet owners are feeling the heat in so many ways. Our nation is in a crisis right now as shelters flood with owner surrenders and strays. Many pet owners have lost all hope. Collecting data has always been valuable, but now more than ever so we can learn from reasons for surrender to s…

It would be interesting to see how many people listening have their microchips completely updated. Many times, people move and forget to update it or they change their phone number and forget to update their pet's chip. There is a team of incredible people devote to helping lost animals find their human when the chip dead-ends. What does all this m…

Av Sarah Lauch

As a health care worker, Katelin burned out quickly during Covid, so when the opportunity to start her own small business arose, she took it. Good Boy Biscuit Co started when her dog Blue had issues with store-bought dog treats. Katelin decided to do some testing in the kitchen and the rest is history. Good Boy Biscuit Co. will be part of Roo Fest …

Non-profit Canine Therapy Corps empowers individuals to improve their physical and psychological health and well being by harnessing the human-animal bond. They provide an incredible FREE service with animal-assisted therapy services using volunteers and certified therapy dogs. Amy Condellire is the Program and Volunteer Manager and joins me for a …

"An engine for innovation." It certainly is. Dog Aging Project is absolutely fascinating and Dr. Jake Ryave, who is at the forefront of research, joins me to dive into all of it. YOU can be part of their study by enrolling your own dog into their Project, which has a goal of maximizing health and longevity for your dog! INCREDIBLE work they do. Oh,…

"There is nothing more magnificent than a wolf." Abby Matzke started her career in animal welfare working with wolves and exotic animals. That lead her to the Shelter Manager position at Chicago Canine Rescue. Her experiences with wild animals has helped her in her role keeping the rescue and brick and mortar shelter organized. This is a great conv…

Robyn started her career in forensics and from there has built a business with the most powerful images that you will ever see. From the lighting to the background to the editing, Haute Dog Photography creates memories and keepsakes that will last a lifetime. Robyn joins me for a terrific discussion on how she took this giant leap and built her bus…

When you adopt a senior gem from Beth Stern, you better be ready for your social media to blow up. Haaa. That is what happened with veterinarian Colleen McCarthy and her dog Bugsy. Colleen and her partner Dan take in broken dogs and cats and give them the absolute best. A great conversation with some great insight into vet med, too. Follow her crew…

"I remember going there every day and trying not to take it personal." In the age of The Bear, kitchen's have been exposed as an intense place to work. For anyone that has work in one, you already know that. (Former waitress, here) Kim Padilla, formerly a Michelin Star chef, is now making pet cakes and treats with her Cosmico's Pet Bakery. I love t…

Imagine seeing your adoptable animals with water rising around them. In late June, that was a reality for Heartland Animal Shelter when a water main broke, flooding their shelter. The quick actions of the community, staff, volunteers and strangers from all over the world made sure this catastrophe a little less brutal. Shelter Manager Allyson Rosen…

Senior pet adoption has been on the rise the last few years and Zoe from Newman Nation: Senior Pets United has been taking discarded seniors since 2017. There is a lot of heartache, but also so much reward. Zoe and I catch up on her latest rescues and her thoughts on the current shelter crisis.Av Sarah Lauch

Imagine being at work knowing your dog is on a field trip! The Magic Dog Bus is a relatively new business venture, but it has taken off in the Tennessee area! Join Founder Amy for a conversation about all the goodness she gets to experience every day on the magic dog bus!Av Sarah Lauch

Pet photography is truly an art. When you pair sick animals or hospice pets with that, you come up with some magical moments. Pet Photographer Kimberly Kingen joins me with some truly great insight into her pet photography!Av Sarah Lauch

"The greatest act of love we can do for somebody is to let them go." Foreverland Farm is doing incredible work by rescuing discarded farm animals. The podcast could have been 3 hours and I would have been so entertained. Recently, Brittney reached out for help with a puppy with cancer, which is so rare. We helped financially at Live Like Roo Founda…

A devastating incident with a pet care company change Dan Rubenstein's life forever. The CEO and Founder of Pup Pet Club knew he had to build a better business focused on listening to customers. His journey started in NYC and moved to Chicago and with over 25 years in the pet care business, he is proud of what he has built in memory of Sydney. More…

It can be a dark place when you think about abused and neglected animals. There are also dogs stuck in the judicial system hanging on by a thread in a cage 24/7 waiting for a court date, but with the help of Safe Humane Chicago, those animals have a future instead of a death sentence. Cynthia Bathurst, the Founder of Safe Human Chicago, joins me to…

Often we are going about our daily life and we do not recognize something in front of us that could be a big problem. In big cities, thousands of birds die each migration season (and beyond) when they run into buildings. Those buildings are not just the 50 story offices, but also smaller buildings. There are many ways to help and Annette from Chica…

I decided to turn a Live Like Roo story into a podcast because it is just so special. Sometimes fate steps in when you need it the most. Imagine losing your house, your owner and the only semblance of life that you know in a span of a few weeks. That happened to a dog named Tiki. 2 Heroes stepped in named Tom and Cary and as luck would have it, our…