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Dezzie Howe & Healing Broken Hearts: Discovering a Better Way for Dogs
Episode 27 • 1st August 2025 • Animal Posse • Unwanted Feline Organization
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Dixie:

Welcome to Animal Posse, the podcast dedicated to the

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people and rescues making a

difference in the lives of animals.

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Today's guest is Dezzie Howe with

Healing Broken Hearts Rescue.

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Hi Dezzie, how are you?

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Dezzie: Hi, how are you?

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Dixie: I'm good.

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Thanks for coming on the show.

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I appreciate it.

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Dezzie: Thanks for

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asking me.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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I'm looking forward to learning

about Healing Broken Hearts Rescue.

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to begin could you please share a bit

about your background and what initially

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sparked your passion for animal welfare?

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Dezzie: Mine is lifelong.

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My stepdad of 20 years trained police

dogs, so we had 40 kennels and a

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training ground, so I grew up in it,

and then I started working in a animal

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shelter and I did that for 10 years

and then I switched over to rescue.

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Dixie: With the Healing

Broken Hearts Rescue.

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What is your title?

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Dezzie: I'm the

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director.

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Dixie: And when was the

organization founded?

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Dezzie: 2019

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Dixie: what is your mission and

what is a day like in the life

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of Healing Broken Hearts Rescue.

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Dezzie: The mission is to

change the educational system

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on how we treat animals.

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I would like to build and teach a

whole new way to do animal shelters.

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There's a better way to do it.

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I honestly believe there is a

better way to do it where we could

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help our community a lot more.

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We could get our kids involved in

it and we could help our veterans.

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Dixie: When you say a better way,

what is your vision of a better way?

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Dezzie: No more cages.

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Let's stop treating 'em

like they're prisoners.

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It's not necessary.

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It's lazy.

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It's because they won't put

anyone in a facility 24 hours.

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They won't do night shifts,

so you have to use cages.

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And my idea is to turn it over to veterans

and build them into veterans housing,

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that takes care of your animal population.

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. We have it all drawn out.

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We have a whole plan.

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Dixie: Tell me about it.

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I'd love to hear more about this.

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It's a very interesting concept for sure.

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Dezzie: Think about it.

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If you took and you had one main

building and you put in 25 tiny houses,

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no kitchens in them, you have one main

kitchen . Main laundry, and all they had

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was bathrooms and bedrooms in the tinies.

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You could put two veterans

per tiny and each one could be

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in charge of two dogs, right?

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And then you could have your

dogs that were just coming in

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or just starting training or

haven't been placed in groups yet.

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The main building.

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And you could have 50 dogs working

with your veterans, getting ready

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for adoptions or being trained to be

service animals for other veterans.

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There's a concept, actually helping

our veterans out because that way

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you're housing your veterans, you're

giving them a purpose, and everyone

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knows for depression and stuff,

animals are really good for you.

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They help with that.

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You could really do a lot of

good by having them all together,

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and give them a purpose and take a lot

of the strain and stuff off of your

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smaller counties that can't afford it.

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Could I go off subject for just

a second and tell you . What

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made me go in that direction?

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Dixie: Yes, please.

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Dezzie: Okay.

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About 10 years ago my brother who

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Owned a construction company,

thought I was nuts for dedicating

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so much time to animals.

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But he described it in a way that's

always stuck with me and why I wanna

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make the change so desperately on

what we're doing in this country.

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The county shelters the big shelters,

he said those are like federal prisons.

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Those are the big prisons.

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We treat 'em the same.

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They're out an hour a day.

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They're treated just like they've

done something wrong to be

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there and most of 'em have not.

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And he said the smaller rescues

around, are your county jails

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still in kennels all the time.

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Still on that, very few

get very much freedom.

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And he said, but the way I do it here,

because I do open pack, he said, this

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is a halfway house and it hit me.

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Why do we have to have the other two?

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They could all be done the way

I'm doing it if we changed up the

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way we did the human side of it.

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Dixie: I understand.

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So explain how you do it

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Dezzie: Okay.

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I don't use any kennels.

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I don't use kennels.

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I have kennel here in case of a bad

storm or something like that, or

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just when we have new ones come in

and they're acclimating, but once

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they're acclimated, they get put

into one of three groups and then

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they're just let to be dogs.

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And

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it's set up.

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I have special beds made.

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I have rooms dedicated, and

they just get to be dogs.

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They each have their own yard to play in.

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They've all got their

own groups to play with.

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One of my groups is 22, 1 group is 13

and the other group is seven right now.

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And they don't have to be

in kennels all the time.

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There's no reason for it.

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There's no reason for 'em to

be separated from each other.

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They need that connection

as much as humans.

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It doesn't do well to put

them in solitary confinement.

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We call it kennel Crazy.

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And a lot of dogs that have

been in shelter situations

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tend to go kennel crazy.

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And that's where the ugly

side of that job comes in.

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And we have to do eus

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And being an EU tech for as many years

as I was, I'd like to make it so no

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one else ever has to do that job.

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And in most shelters it's a requirement

because the way they house dogs.

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Dogs don't do well.

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So I think we need to switch it up

and there's a better way to do it.

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Dixie: The way that I handle my cats

is, we will have separate rooms for 'em.

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I don't really kennel 'em or keep

'em in a cage unless I have to, like

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when I do tiny babies, so of course

when they're little tiny babies,

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I have to put 'em in something.

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Dezzie: sick, tiny, surgeries.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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I have to put 'em in

something till I get home.

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But then when I come home, it's like at

playtime they get their own separate room.

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When I go to work again in the morning,

they might go in their little thing, but

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they have plenty of room to run around.

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But once they get a certain age,

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Dezzie: absolutely

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Dixie: and they're all vaccinated

and everybody's healthy, they

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come out into general population.

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So they can come get

along with the big cats.

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Dezzie: Exactly.

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Dixie: Yeah

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Dezzie: but listen to the way we so

naturally called what you just called it.

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It was natural and easy for both of

us to call it general population.

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Dixie: Yes.

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I never thought about it like that

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Dezzie: exactly.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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That's very interesting.

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Dezzie: And

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it is a normalcy for us to do that.

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And it shouldn't be, they're

animals, they're not criminals.

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Because words matter.

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Dixie: They do.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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Dezzie: And the perception that's

why shelters have so many look

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I'm not going to a shelter.

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They're wild animals.

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It's because we treat them

like they're wild animals.

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We don't treat them like they were

somebody's pet that got loose or

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somebody had to give up an animal that

had been living in a home forever, or

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somebody had a cat and they passed away.

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We don't treat them like

that in the shelter system.

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And that's because.

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They don't have anybody to be

there 24 7 in the shelter system.

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They only have day shift.

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The animals are left in cages all night.

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See what I mean?

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And I think that we could change that.

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My cats are all loose and I took, and

I built a cattery outside of my house.

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They have a room inside that connects

to a huge room outside, which connects

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to 14 kennels that I hung from the

ceiling and put pathways that leads to a

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carport that leads to another huge room.

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Dixie: Oh, that sounds amazing.

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Dezzie: That's secured.

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Dixie: I have to see a picture of that.

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That sounds absolutely amazing.

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Dezzie: I'm on

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TikTok.

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Okay.

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We're HBH Rescue on TikTok.

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And it's healing broken

hearts on Facebook.

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And I have pictures of Cat

City and of my dog rooms.

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Got lots of little videos

that we've put up there.

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Dixie: Sounds like they would

have a good time in that.

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Now I'm building, a cat sanctuary.

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We're at the ground level, so we

still have a lot left to do, my vision

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is similar to what you explained.

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So we're gonna make a room for where they

have a big indoor space, but then we want

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them to have a safe, enclosed outdoor

space that they can go enjoy the sun in.

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Dezzie: Yeah.

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And the one out in the front, the top

of it is chicken wire, so it's open

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to the sun, but the walkways, and I

hope they don't look at you as crazy

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as they did me when I built this,

because I kept telling everybody

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that I was going to use all of my

transport kennels in a very unusual way.

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And they're like, what are you gonna do?

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And I said, I'm gonna hang

them from the ceiling.

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And they're like, what are you doing?

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And then I got sewer pipes, the plastic

PVC, great big ones, and I cut 'em in

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half longways, uhhuh, and made walkways.

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Yeah, that goes from

one kennel to another.

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And I netted it all in and it leads, like

I said to the carport where we built a

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whole nother enclosure on the carport

for them to be able to go from all the

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way inside the house around the house.

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Come out, hit a couple rooms, go

through and they're in it all the time.

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They love it.

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And it gives them lots and lots of space.

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But if you don't have a lot of money

and you've got , an overhang on your

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house that's pretty good size or a

carport, hanging kennels is cheap.

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Doing walkways, you can use a

fence board, to do a walkway.

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Part of mine are done with that.

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Part of 'em are done with two of 'em

are done with the tubes from carpet.

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Dixie: Uhhuh.

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Yeah.

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Dezzie: And we painted the

tubes so it looks like tunnels.

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We call it Cat city.

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Dixie: Yeah, I can imagine.

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They must love it.

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Dezzie: They do.

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And it's amazing on how fast

they all learn to run up and

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down through it and play.

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And there's stuff hanging in a

lot of the cages that are up there

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for 'em to stop and play with.

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And they all connect one to the other.

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And I have them out

with the dogs that way.

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So it helps train the

dogs not to be aggressive

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towards cats.

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Dixie: And how many residents

do you have in total?

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Dezzie: Okay, so I've got I think 36 pups.

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Our dogs right now, we

have 22 cats all together.

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I have eight chickens

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and one old fat house pig,

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which I adopted from the

shelter that I worked at.

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Dixie: And can I ask what

shelter you worked at?

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Dezzie: I worked at Jefferson Parish . I

worked at Vermilion County before that.

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In Illinois.

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Dixie: So suppose there is a rescue

that's listening that does a lot of the

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kenneling and does a lot of the cages.

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What advice would you offer them

to transition to what you do?

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Dezzie: Stop being scared.

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They're dogs.

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They listen, they're natural pack animals.

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They are not trying to kill

each other all the time.

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They'll argue with each other, but

you can correct them like you're

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on a playground with children.

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It is not hard to do.

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I'm not gonna say that it, it's not easy

'cause you have to stay vigilant with it.

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But even at the animal shelter

when I was there, I got to

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where I had play groups up to.

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15, 20 dogs in a playgroup there, it can

be done, it can be done in a shelter.

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It can be done in a rescue.

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There's it's fear.

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I think a lot of it is fear.

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A lot of people that got their heart in

the right place that really wanna help,

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but they have that fear in the back of

their head because dogs can be scary, and

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you just, you have to get past that fear.

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Dixie: Yeah, I can understand that

because I know, like with the cats, I

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hear it a lot with people that, oh, my

cat doesn't get along with other cats.

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And it's no, if you do it the

right way, they get along.

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Now they might not love each other,

but they will tolerate each other.

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There's just ways to do it.

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Dezzie: Exactly.

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One of the biggest things is

animals pick up on our emotions.

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You have to go in like a boss.

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If you want to integrate animals

together, you have to go in like

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the boss saying, this is what we're

going to do, no questions asked.

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This is how it's done.

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And they'll follow you.

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Dixie: I definitely agree with that,

with the whole emotion thing too.

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And for anybody that is skeptical

about that, just look at like, when

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you're stressed out, your animals

are stressed out or you know when

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you're worried, 'cause you gotta

take your animal to the vet.

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Your animal is gonna get

worried too and start hiding.

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It's like they know.

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Dezzie: Or when you're in a goofy

mood and you're playing, you'll

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notice your animal will get more

hyped up and wanna play with you.

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Dixie: Yep, definitely.

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Dezzie: They feel all the emotions,

and they'll pick up on it and they

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will follow what you set forth.

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People are always telling

me, what you do is amazing.

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I know I'm one of the

few that does what I do.

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But I just believe that if you really

want to do this and do it right, you

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cannot be afraid, even a little bit.

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And yeah, you may get

bit, that's part of it.

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It's gonna happen sooner or later.

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Kids fight on the playground every day.

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You gotta go break 'em up, dogs don't

even fight as often as children do,

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but they do once in a while and there

is a chance and you've gotta be able

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to, willing to stand toe to toe in it.

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If you wanna make a very happy,

adjusted animal, I don't believe

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kennels are the way to go.

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Dixie: How do you integrate the

pig and the chickens into this mix?

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Dezzie: You should check my

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videos.

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He's with the dogs.

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Here's the funny thing.

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I adopted four animals

from the animal shelter.

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I adopted three black dogs

because, black dog syndrome and

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a black pig all at the same time.

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They're all now seven years old.

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We built Bo his own bedroom in the house.

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But he is always hung out with dogs and

he actually lives with two great danes.

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Do you know what great

Danes are known for?

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Dixie: What's that?

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Dezzie: Hunting pigs.

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Dixie: Really?

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I didn't know that.

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Dezzie: Yeah, that's what

they were originally bred

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out to do was hunt wild pigs.

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Huh.

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And I have two living with a pig side by

side and they have now for seven years.

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It's all about the training

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Dixie: Where are the chickens at now?

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Dezzie: They're on the carport right now

with the dogs because we are building

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a brand new chicken coop for 'em.

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They're getting a whole new house.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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And it sounds like you have some

chicken math going on too, huh?

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Dezzie: I do.

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And we've always got

chicken math going on.

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And here's a fun thing.

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My mother, I had mentioned a couple

weeks ago that I would love to have

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Easter Eggers all of mine lay brown eggs.

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And I was whining to my mom that I wanted

some that laid pretty green and blue eggs.

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And my daughter happened to have somebody

give her a dozen fresh eggs from a farm,

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and they happened to be Easter egger eggs.

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They had been in the refrigerator.

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My mom says let's try it.

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And she took that dozen eggs and

put 'em in her incubator, and

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I have five new babies coming.

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Dixie: Oh, wow.

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Congratulations.

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Dezzie: From a refrigerator.

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They had been refrigerated eggs

and we still got them to hatch out.

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Dixie: Roosters too?

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Dezzie: No, Ru I did have, but I've

got a friend of mine that lives

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outside of Orleans Parish on a farm,

and he takes the roos because they

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made it illegal to have 'em here.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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Dezzie: And so I work with another farmer.

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That if we ever get roos, they've

got a safe place to go and they just

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get to be farm roos at that point.

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Dixie: Yeah.

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'cause it's hard finding

a place for them to go.

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'cause people just don't

think of 'em the same way.

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Dezzie: No, they don't.

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Which is, very sad because pretty soon

everybody gonna want their own chickens.

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Chickens are really

interesting animals to have.

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They can become very

loving and very friendly.

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The babies are only a couple weeks

old, but now whenever I go to their

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pen, they immediately, will jump

on my feet and will ride my feet

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around while I'm walking around.

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It's really cute when they're little.

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My mom keeps saying, whatcha are

you gonna do when they grow up?

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And I was like, I dunno, but it's

so cute now I can't stop 'em.

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Dixie: Yeah, I find they're actually a lot

like cats with the curiosity and stuff.

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Like they'll follow, they

really are around and they're

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like, what are you doing?

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Let me see what you're doing.

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Dezzie: Always interested in

what you got in your hands.

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Is that for

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me?

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They are very cute.

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Dixie: The animals that you have,

do you adopt those out as well?

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Dezzie: I do not the chickens,

the cats and the pig.

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No, I do cat sanctuary here.

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So a lot of the cats we have are older.

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I don't know if you've

heard of Julia Ackil.

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She is the absolute best TNR

person down here in this area.

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She is amazing.

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She does so much for so many

and gets so little in return.

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But she had a colony of cats that

the person that was taking care

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of them was no longer with them.

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And the neighbors were doing horrendous

things and she was so upset one

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night and she put out a post going,

Hey I gotta get these cats moved.

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And there was a bunch of them

and she's I've gotta move them.

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So I just very quietly got ahold

of her and sent her pictures

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of my cattery and I says, Hey.

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It's empty.

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And she says how many can you take?

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And I started laughing.

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I said, all of them, get that

colony moved and let's get it safe.

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And so a lot of my cats have been

together, they're from a colony.

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A couple of my cats are from Texas,

where we went down there and helped

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out and brought some in from Texas.

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Most of those we did get adopted because

they, we brought them in as kittens.

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And if they're kittens, I

don't mind adopting them.

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The older cats, I won't

separate from each other.

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I just, I have the space

for 'em and I have the time.

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There's no reason to make 'em

start all over at their ages,

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when , most of 'em are a family unit.

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I would imagine that they're probably

from the area they came out of.

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They're probably all related

in one way or another.

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Dixie: Were they feral when you got em?

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Dezzie: Some, but we've got

that pretty much worked out.

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They all like food and we kept 'em

for months just in the two rooms.

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I blocked off most of the walkway and just

gave 'em the inside room and the outside

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room where I could get into both rooms.

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So I would just go in and sit with them

for hours and get everybody used to me.

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My cat room's pretty

comfortable to go sit in.

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Dixie: Yeah, I think that's a

misconception people have too,

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is that once a cat is feral,

it's always gonna be feral.

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I have TNR Cats

398

:

I have a few at my home and then I

have a few actually at my business.

399

:

And when they came over here, we could

not touch 'em, they would see us, they

400

:

would run, we would put the food out

and now we can pick 'em up if we want.

401

:

Now we're the only ones that can do it.

402

:

Dezzie: And see, to me,

403

:

that tells me all I

need to know about you.

404

:

You good in my book Ferals like you.

405

:

When you can turn a feral

friendly then you all right.

406

:

You just, are you all right?

407

:

I've got a couple.

408

:

I'm so proud that this last couple

weeks the hard nose feral I had

409

:

finally after months has let me

touch him and I've been so excited.

410

:

. Dixie: It is exciting when they come

around and it's like when they come around

411

:

I find it's not like bit by bit, it's one

day they're running from you and the next

412

:

day they're like, Hey, let's be friends.

413

:

Dezzie: Yep.

414

:

Yep.

415

:

When they make up their mind,

they make up their mind.

416

:

There's no second guess.

417

:

And they're like, okay.

418

:

You've passed, you now get to be

a friend, which I think is great.

419

:

But dogs are a lot the same way as cats.

420

:

Like that, feral dogs can be the same way.

421

:

Dixie: So do you look for homes

for the dogs that you have?

422

:

Dezzie: I do.

423

:

I had some health issues a

while back ago and I died for

424

:

a very short period of time.

425

:

I had two heart attacks in a day, and

then I had to have a series of surgeries.

426

:

So I've been just on

survival mode for a while.

427

:

We haven't been doing a lot of

adoptions because of my health.

428

:

I just haven't dug it.

429

:

It's mainly been just keep 'em safe,

keep 'em happy, keep 'em alive, and we

430

:

will work on that when I can dedicate, 12

hours a day to it again I do one or two

431

:

. Like two weeks ago, we did an adoption.

432

:

We're not doing the number

of adoptions we were before.

433

:

So I've had the same group here for

a little longer than what most are,

434

:

but honestly, that's completely me.

435

:

It has absolutely nothing to do with

this amazing group of pups I have here.

436

:

They've been dealing with me quite well.

437

:

I've been so impressed with

all of them because of it.

438

:

But I slowed down because of my health

and I'm starting to get healthy again,

439

:

and I'm starting to, surgeries are

all done and I'm feeling better, so

440

:

we're starting to get back into it.

441

:

I'm just pacing myself,

442

:

Dixie: yeah, it's a lot going on, so

you do need to definitely take it slow.

443

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

444

:

Everybody, they're like,

445

:

you need to get rid of all of 'em.

446

:

I was like, no, I don't, because

that would kill me again.

447

:

What I need is for everybody, just,

let me take the time I need to heal.

448

:

That has been probably the most

helpful part is I've got a core group

449

:

that comes and helps when I need it.

450

:

But most days we just we do pretty

good without too much trouble.

451

:

Dixie: When you do adoptions, do you

attend events or do you do like pet finder

452

:

online, Facebook, those kinds of things?

453

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

454

:

I will not do events

down here in New Orleans.

455

:

I'm sorry, I won't go around it.

456

:

I don't wanna be a part of it.

457

:

I don't wanna be a part

of that culture down here.

458

:

I think it's extremely toxic.

459

:

I think it's unhelpful to the animals.

460

:

I haven't really done a lot on pet

finders lately . We do a lot of Facebook,

461

:

and a lot of mine are word of mouth.

462

:

I've done over 2000

animals through my home.

463

:

Wow.

464

:

So through, through the rescue

and I've been all over the place.

465

:

So I've got friends and we've had

so many really great adoptions.

466

:

That word of mouth has done a lot for

us because we consistently put out.

467

:

Good dogs, adjusted happy dogs.

468

:

But we will probably go back to

doing pet finders once everything

469

:

calms down a little bit.

470

:

Dixie: So tell me what

you mean about toxic.

471

:

Dezzie: Here's something that I think

would change a lot of it really quickly.

472

:

I think before you should be able to get a

5 0 1 C3, I think one of the requirements

473

:

is you should have to work a couple years

in a shelter, in an actual animal shelter.

474

:

So you understand

475

:

Really what the true other side of it is.

476

:

I believe that.

477

:

Something that was extremely

toxic was called Save Them All.

478

:

And that is probably one of the worst

things that's ever happened because

479

:

they will spend thousands and thousands

of dollars on one animal to extend

480

:

its life a couple of months instead

of making the responsible decision to

481

:

either let that animal go at that point

or make it as comfortable as it can

482

:

be until it goes and spend the money

on actually getting animals moved.

483

:

So I believe that and then stop

trying to save the ones that are

484

:

so far gone that are a danger.

485

:

Because they can't make the hard decision.

486

:

And that's why I believe you should have

to have a couple years in a shelter.

487

:

Because there, you have

to make that decision.

488

:

And if you can't, then it shows

you're in the wrong field.

489

:

I'm sorry.

490

:

I know that because I'm from shelter

work and I was an a ACA for so long,

491

:

sometimes it makes me sound very.

492

:

Cold and harsh, and I'm not trying to be,

but there is a responsible way of doing

493

:

things and there is an irresponsible way.

494

:

And right now, I know for the last

seven years this whole country has

495

:

been on a very irresponsible trek

when it comes to animal welfare.

496

:

Dixie: A problem that I see,

is that a lot of rescues, they

497

:

don't wanna work together.

498

:

Dezzie: Yes.

499

:

That's why I won't work

with them down here.

500

:

I've got great rescues in Texas, in

Mississippi, in New York, in Connecticut,

501

:

and the girls up in Illinois are fabulous.

502

:

And I've got ones in Ohio I've

been working with, and they're all

503

:

great and everybody works together.

504

:

Dixie: It just drives me crazy

because we're all here , for the same

505

:

reason we're all helping animals.

506

:

Dezzie: I am gonna show my age a

little bit, but I've been doing just

507

:

the rescue and stuff for 32 years with

the groups of animals in my house and.

508

:

Working at the shelters and having

the rescue and back and forth.

509

:

And I've been doing this a long

time in a lot of places, and I was a

510

:

military wife, so we moved all over.

511

:

So I find that it's worse here

than I've ever seen anywhere else.

512

:

I have different rescues inviting me to

please move up around us all the time.

513

:

And here you can't even get them to.

514

:

Now one of 'em was so bad, she

was getting extra food and stuff

515

:

and she was letting it go bad.

516

:

Instead of calling other rescues around

and saying, Hey, could you use this?

517

:

She would just throw it away.

518

:

Now come on, that's toxic.

519

:

We all fight in the same fight i've

gotten quite a few very large donations

520

:

here because they've got the words

gotten out that whatever I get, I share.

521

:

If I've got extra, it's going to

somebody else in need, like cat food.

522

:

I was sending a lot of that down to Houma,

to the rescues down there and dog food.

523

:

We were getting large groups,

things of dog food for a while.

524

:

And instead of other groups working

with me on it, they went behind and got

525

:

it canceled for us because they didn't

like that we were getting dog food.

526

:

Dixie: Oh, that's a shame.

527

:

Dezzie: Yeah, because now I struggle

trying to make sure everybody

528

:

gets fed every day, and we had

that to a point where that was

529

:

one worry we just didn't have.

530

:

So we could worry about all the others.

531

:

We were able to take in a few more.

532

:

We were able to have our numbers

a little higher 'cause we didn't

533

:

have to worry about dog food.

534

:

And, I've got two really great

vets that I work with that I think

535

:

are fabulous when I need them.

536

:

And it's Dr.

537

:

Sachs.

538

:

He's in New Orleans, absolutely

amazing at surgeries.

539

:

Amazing.

540

:

I've seen that man and his team go

in and do 20 surgeries in an in a

541

:

morning and never have a bad one.

542

:

And he's done that several times for me.

543

:

I know he is done it for others.

544

:

I know he does the TNR

programs, he donates to that.

545

:

And then Dr.

546

:

Shine, she's a traveling vet who does

large animals, but she also comes here and

547

:

we try to get her in once, maybe twice a

year, every year to do a rabies clinic.

548

:

And she does the three

year rabies shot for $20.

549

:

So makes it affordable for people.

550

:

She's pretty amazing.

551

:

So it's just, there are some

down here that will work with

552

:

everybody, but you'll find that they

don't deal with a lot of rescue.

553

:

Yeah.

554

:

But I'm not a regular rescuer

because I'm a shelter worker.

555

:

I'm an a ACA, first and foremost.

556

:

I've been an a ACA most of my life,

and I look at it much differently than

557

:

what somebody who's never had a lot.

558

:

And I don't agree with

the foster based rescues.

559

:

Dixie: Can I ask why?

560

:

Dezzie: Yeah, you can,

because we were gonna try it.

561

:

The first three fosters we got in

here decided they knew better than

562

:

us and they wouldn't listen to us.

563

:

And one of 'em ran a vet bill up

to $10,000 without our permission

564

:

going behind our back to run a

dog back and forth to the vet, for

565

:

the vet to keep telling her there

was nothing wrong with the dog.

566

:

And then I got stuck with $10,000

worth of a bill because of it.

567

:

Another one decided she knew

better and adopted out our animals

568

:

without telling us and wouldn't

tell us who she adopted them to.

569

:

No microchip.

570

:

One of 'em wasn't even fixed

571

:

and she got rid of our animals and

when we tried to do something about

572

:

it, the police, it's not a priority.

573

:

Animals are not a police priority.

574

:

There wasn't a whole lot

we could do about it.

575

:

So

576

:

you don't have

577

:

the control base.

578

:

You can't learn their behaviors.

579

:

You're not doing group settings.

580

:

There's a lot of things in the

behaviors that you're not understanding.

581

:

Because you're not around

that animal every day.

582

:

You don't know if that foster's got

that animal and that foster could

583

:

tell you anything, and that dog could

act one way with that foster and

584

:

act completely different with you.

585

:

And in order to do an actual

behavioral test, somebody who knows

586

:

what they're doing with large groups

of dogs needs to do that test.

587

:

And most rescues don't have that person.

588

:

I just think that it makes it for a more

unsafe environment when you're not testing

589

:

these dogs fully to know every little

quirk about them before you send them out.

590

:

You've got to know your animals because

you might have one I've got one dog here.

591

:

He is absolutely fabulous with people.

592

:

He's great with a couple different dogs,

but God help you, you get him out with

593

:

others that he don't know, ain't no

way, he's not nice, he can be a problem.

594

:

So his adoption will be very specific.

595

:

But we know this about him.

596

:

Why?

597

:

Because he's been with us for months and

we've been able to watch his behaviors

598

:

and test him on many different things.

599

:

I just think

600

:

it's safer.

601

:

Dixie: Earlier in our conversation,

you mentioned that you wanted

602

:

to start things with education.

603

:

Can we go touch on that a little bit?

604

:

Dezzie: Oh, absolutely.

605

:

I think that our students

should be more involved.

606

:

I think that kids should be taught

at a small age or a young age.

607

:

Jefferson Parish was doing a.

608

:

Reading time where we would take

dogs to a school and we'd go sit

609

:

in the library with a few of our

dogs and they would read to 'em.

610

:

We used to do 4th of July night at

the shelter, which is where students

611

:

would come in and hang out with

the dogs and read to 'em and stuff.

612

:

Why fireworks were going on.

613

:

I think that was an amazing program.

614

:

We used to have groups of kids come

to the shelter and we would spend the

615

:

whole day there teaching them what we

did and how we did things and we would

616

:

take 'em through and show 'em everything

and write down to a playgroup on how to

617

:

integrate dogs together at a shelter.

618

:

So I think that so many kids

have to get hours for school.

619

:

I think more of 'em should be encouraged

to do their hours at the animal shelters.

620

:

And have more programs set up.

621

:

And I think school hours should be

able to go to places like me who is a

622

:

rescue, where I could bring in a group

of five kids and give them their hours

623

:

and give them practical experience.

624

:

You

625

:

have it to where they could get their

school hours, plus I could be a reference

626

:

for them of practical experience in

a pack scenario of a large group of

627

:

dogs to where if they wanted to go

someplace because I don't know if

628

:

Orleans is, but Jefferson Parish, that's

a parish job with parish benefits.

629

:

That's a good paying job.

630

:

It's not a bad job at all.

631

:

And good overtime and, hazard

pay and all of that stuff.

632

:

And that would get their foot

in the door at a decent job.

633

:

You know what I mean?

634

:

Outta high school.

635

:

Dixie: I'm all for more

education programs too.

636

:

Dezzie: I think that's the way to

go if we really wanna change this.

637

:

We are never going to convince adults

to change the way they do things,

638

:

but man, we get ahold of the kids.

639

:

We can guarantee we could have

change in another, seven to 10 years

640

:

drastic change in this country.

641

:

, If we could teach the kids.

642

:

New ways of doing things.

643

:

Dixie: It's been an

interesting conversation.

644

:

I enjoyed learning about your setup

645

:

Do you have any adoption

success stories that we could

646

:

maybe end the conversation on?

647

:

Dezzie: Oh.

648

:

I have so many.

649

:

I get more emails from dogs than I do

humans from success stories where I've

650

:

got one point that sticks to mind.

651

:

Okay.

652

:

I adopted out a dog, and

this was 11 years ago.

653

:

I hadn't seen the dog in 10 years,

but I used to be the dog walker.

654

:

I'd babysat him.

655

:

I adopted him to the woman he was

living with, and we had a routine.

656

:

I would go over there three times a

week, go to the front door, he'd bring me

657

:

the leash, we'd go for a walk, and then

I'd come back, and that's what we did.

658

:

After his adoption, I just became

her dog sitter for her, and I moved

659

:

away and I came back and it had been

nine years and I hadn't seen her.

660

:

And I went over to her house and I got to

the front door and the dogs come up to me.

661

:

They had not seen me in nine years.

662

:

The dogs come up to me, Percy stands

there for a minute and I'm looking

663

:

hi Percy, how you doing buddy?.

664

:

And he took a good sniff of me and

all of a sudden he went right to his

665

:

basket, he grabbed his leash, brought

it to me, and I looked at her and I

666

:

said you know what I'm about to do?

667

:

And she goes, yeah, I'll see

you in about a half hour.

668

:

Dixie: Wow,

669

:

Dezzie: that's awesome.

670

:

After nine years he immediately

went and got his leash and he

671

:

took me right back on our walk.

672

:

Dixie: Wow.

673

:

That is awesome.

674

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

675

:

But I get a lot.

676

:

A couple weeks ago I was feeling

down and I put out in the universe,

677

:

what am I doing with my life?

678

:

And that day I probably got nine.

679

:

Nine different people messaged

me with updates on how

680

:

great their dogs were doing.

681

:

So there's a lot of success stories

in it, and that's what keeps us going.

682

:

Even in these hard times, we're having

trouble getting food and we're having

683

:

trouble getting, any kind of support

because everybody's having a rough time.

684

:

Dixie: Yeah.

685

:

Dezzie: And about the time

where I wanna give up and I just

686

:

wanna say, okay, you beat me.

687

:

I can't I'm done.

688

:

I'll start getting emails out of

the blue, like God's trying to

689

:

tell me, nah, you ain't done yet.

690

:

You're just upset today.

691

:

Put your big pants on and

let's go back to work.

692

:

And I'll start getting pictures

and updates and just amazing

693

:

stories on how great or funny

things that the dogs are doing.

694

:

And I get a lot of those.

695

:

Some of 'em are going back 15 years.

696

:

Dixie: Yeah.

697

:

So

698

:

that definitely is what

makes it worthwhile.

699

:

I love getting

700

:

Dezzie: it does

701

:

Dixie: the updates, or just out of the

blue, somebody will send you a photo and

702

:

be like, oh, look how so and so's doing.

703

:

And you see 'em living their best life

704

:

Dezzie: and it's the greatest

705

:

feeling.

706

:

Dixie: Yes,

707

:

it is.

708

:

It definitely

709

:

is.

710

:

Dezzie: Yeah.

711

:

, Okay.

712

:

Because, people are always asking, because

the previous two jobs I did before I

713

:

started in dogs, I made a lot of money..

714

:

And people are always asking

me, do you miss the money?

715

:

I was like, yes, I do.

716

:

I don't miss the work,

but I do miss the money.

717

:

And in this right now, in the last

couple years, the struggle because

718

:

our dog food, just dog food alone

costs me a thousand dollars a month.

719

:

Just dog food is a

thousand dollars a month.

720

:

And you keep looking and it's like,

how am I gonna keep doing this?

721

:

And people ask me all the time,

it's like, how do you afford it?

722

:

And I'm just like, I don't

know the grace of God.

723

:

I'm not sure.

724

:

Because

725

:

It's just always there.

726

:

Dixie: Yeah.

727

:

The one thing about rescue that a lot of

people don't realize is how much of your

728

:

own money you have to spend on rescue.

729

:

Everybody will start a rescue.

730

:

Oh yeah.

731

:

And they think all this money is just

gonna come pouring in on donations and

732

:

it's, oh no, your own money that you

are using to take care of these animals.

733

:

Dezzie: Absolutely.

734

:

And now, don't get me wrong,

I have some amazing helpers.

735

:

I've got a few that are dedicated

to helping probably get five

736

:

bags of dog food a month.

737

:

I need 30.

738

:

But I'm guaranteed because I know these

certain people that are doing these

739

:

donations, they are absolutely faithful

to it, and it's a bag of dog food.

740

:

And one of 'em, she told me, she was like,

it's two cups of coffee, for the month.

741

:

She gives up

742

:

two cups of coffee and she can buy

me a bag of dog food every month.

743

:

Which is amazing that people would

744

:

do that, so I do get

donations, don't get me wrong.

745

:

And I do get help.

746

:

There's somebody else here too

though, that I, wanna mention her

747

:

by name, she's been pretty amazing.

748

:

With getting people to donate and help.

749

:

Tonda.

750

:

Johnston and that woman is amazing.

751

:

We had, a medical issue.

752

:

And her people before the night

was over, it was taken care of, so

753

:

there are some that will stand up

when you need it, but there's just

754

:

so many right now asking for help.

755

:

How do you choose?

756

:

Because everybody needs help right now.

757

:

Dixie: Yeah, I understand that for sure.

758

:

Thank you, so much for taking

the time to speak with me.

759

:

I really appreciate it.

760

:

I enjoyed our conversation.

761

:

Dezzie: It was lovely talking to you, mam.

762

:

Great.

763

:

I'm so glad you called me and

thank you for thinking of me.

764

:

Dixie: That's all the time that

we have for today's episode.

765

:

Thank you for listening and

we hope you join us next week.

766

:

If you know somebody that loves animals

as much as I do, please send 'em our way.

767

:

We would love to talk to 'em.

768

:

If you are enjoying our show, please

consider leaving us a donation.

769

:

A hundred percent goes to our animals.

770

:

Paws in

771

:

the night Claws in the

fight Whiskers twitch and

772

:

tails

773

:

take flight

774

:

They’re calling in Stories to spin

From the wild to the heart within

775

:

Broken wings and hopeful springs

We’re the voices for these things

776

:

animal posse hear the call.

777

:

We stand together.

778

:

Big and small Rescue tales We’ve

got it all Animal posse Saving

779

:

them

780

:

all

781

:

The vet’s got tips The rescuer’s

grit The foster homes where love

782

:

won’t quit From a pup in the rain to

a bird in pain , Every soul’s worth

783

:

the

784

:

strain

785

:

Animal posse

786

:

Hear the call

787

:

We stand together Big

788

:

and small Rescue tales We’ve got

it all Animal posse Saving them all

789

:

Every caller tells a tale, every

howl a whispered wail, we rise up.

790

:

We never

791

:

fail.

792

:

This

793

:

is

794

:

the

795

:

bond

796

:

The holy grail

797

:

Animal posse Hear the call We stand

together Big and small Rescue tales We’ve

798

:

got it all Animal posse Saving them all

799

:

Every caller tells a tale Every howl

a whispered wail We rise up We never

800

:

fail This is the bond The holy grail.

801

:

Song by Suno.ai

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