Transcripts
Welcome to Animal Posse, the podcast dedicated to the
2
00:00:05,125 --> 00:00:08,154
people and rescues making a
difference in the lives of animals.
3
00:00:09,137 --> 00:00:11,687
Thank you for coming on
the show today, Karen.
4
00:00:11,687 --> 00:00:14,424
I am eager to learn about.
5
00:00:14,949 --> 00:00:18,129
The unique jobs you have in
the animal welfare community.
6
00:00:18,289 --> 00:00:19,729
It seems like you do a lot.
7
00:00:20,594 --> 00:00:24,074
I understand your group's
Slomba Shelter Solutions.
8
00:00:24,434 --> 00:00:28,244
It plays a unique role in the
animal welfare community by helping
9
00:00:28,244 --> 00:00:32,714
shelters and rescues improving their
operations and thus saving more lives.
10
00:00:33,054 --> 00:00:36,924
I can't wait to hear about that
specific need that your group fills.
11
00:00:37,194 --> 00:00:42,107
But before we start with that, can you
tell us how you came to be involved
12
00:00:42,107 --> 00:00:44,327
in animal rescue and animal welfare?
13
00:00:45,422 --> 00:00:51,692
Karen: Yeah, interestingly
enough, it was 2001, which kind
14
00:00:51,692 --> 00:00:53,522
of dates me, but it was 2001.
15
00:00:53,522 --> 00:00:56,312
I was living in Buffalo, New York, and I.
16
00:00:56,777 --> 00:01:02,807
Went to a PetSmart and saw a cat that I
fell in love with, and so foolishly, I
17
00:01:02,807 --> 00:01:07,547
called the director of the rescue and I'm
like, Hey, can you tell me about this cat?
18
00:01:07,547 --> 00:01:09,557
And she's sure, do you wanna adopt it?
19
00:01:09,557 --> 00:01:09,887
I'm like.
20
00:01:10,482 --> 00:01:14,537
No, I just wanna know about the cat
now that I've been in rescue forever.
21
00:01:14,577 --> 00:01:18,627
The kind of person I was at that moment is
the kind of person that makes us all crazy
22
00:01:18,867 --> 00:01:21,027
'cause like, why are you wasting my time?
23
00:01:21,357 --> 00:01:25,687
But it was an organization
called 10 Lives Club and very
24
00:01:25,687 --> 00:01:27,877
small organization at the time.
25
00:01:28,382 --> 00:01:32,102
And I started volunteering for
them and the next thing I knew
26
00:01:32,102 --> 00:01:33,632
I was running their shelter.
27
00:01:33,932 --> 00:01:37,622
The next thing I knew I was their
director of operations, and then I
28
00:01:37,622 --> 00:01:41,132
got recruited to a shelter in Florida.
29
00:01:41,432 --> 00:01:43,892
Now, before I go into the
Florida thing, let me tell you
30
00:01:43,892 --> 00:01:46,172
that 10 Lives Club now today.
31
00:01:46,967 --> 00:01:54,297
25 years later is adopting out about
3,500 cats a year, which is remarkable,
32
00:01:54,687 --> 00:01:56,637
especially since it's just cats.
33
00:01:57,027 --> 00:02:02,587
And today we brought in 50
cats from Jefferson Parish.
34
00:02:02,947 --> 00:02:03,787
Animal shelter.
35
00:02:04,237 --> 00:02:06,727
So we were really excited about that.
36
00:02:06,727 --> 00:02:11,527
Excited to be able to help J Paws
and excited to bring animals here
37
00:02:11,527 --> 00:02:12,937
that we knew we could get into homes.
38
00:02:12,937 --> 00:02:13,777
So that was fun.
39
00:02:15,097 --> 00:02:16,267
Dixie: Yeah that's amazing.
40
00:02:16,267 --> 00:02:17,107
50 cats.
41
00:02:17,107 --> 00:02:17,167
Wow.
42
00:02:18,567 --> 00:02:21,687
Karen: And from Jefferson Parish
especially, because, that's where
43
00:02:21,687 --> 00:02:23,667
you're calling me from is, Louisiana.
44
00:02:23,667 --> 00:02:25,197
So it's like how ironic.
45
00:02:25,527 --> 00:02:25,737
Yeah.
46
00:02:25,787 --> 00:02:29,177
Yeah, so then I just went into
animal sheltering for a lot of years.
47
00:02:29,227 --> 00:02:34,937
I was a directors of a place called
Cat Depot and then a place called
48
00:02:35,307 --> 00:02:37,977
Nate's Honor Animal Rescue Center.
49
00:02:37,977 --> 00:02:43,627
And then I was the executive director of
the Animal Welfare League of Charlotte.
50
00:02:44,797 --> 00:02:49,537
And to be perfectly honest,
from that last job I was fired,
51
00:02:50,377 --> 00:02:51,667
which I share with everybody.
52
00:02:51,667 --> 00:02:52,867
It was like, this happens.
53
00:02:52,867 --> 00:02:55,987
It's like just like in football,
like coaches get fired and
54
00:02:55,987 --> 00:02:57,007
they land on their feet.
55
00:02:57,007 --> 00:02:57,307
Right?
56
00:02:57,877 --> 00:03:02,737
Sometimes in animal welfare, especially
when you're running a nonprofit,
57
00:03:03,217 --> 00:03:07,262
sometimes you're board of directors
can, really make life a little hard.
58
00:03:07,262 --> 00:03:12,002
And so there was a lot of philosophical
differences between myself and my board.
59
00:03:12,572 --> 00:03:16,132
And one day I walked in my office,
they're like, yeah, we decided
60
00:03:16,132 --> 00:03:17,542
we're going in another direction.
61
00:03:17,542 --> 00:03:20,452
And I was blindsided and devastated and.
62
00:03:21,432 --> 00:03:22,362
What am I gonna do?
63
00:03:22,362 --> 00:03:26,862
And so I started Slomba Shelter
Solutions just at that time, just
64
00:03:26,862 --> 00:03:30,962
thinking oh, I guess maybe I can call
my friends and ask them for work.
65
00:03:30,962 --> 00:03:32,132
I'll do consulting.
66
00:03:32,462 --> 00:03:38,672
But it just morphed into this thing
that is way bigger than I ever imagined.
67
00:03:39,091 --> 00:03:42,992
So we do a lot of consulting
for organizations, especially
68
00:03:42,992 --> 00:03:48,432
in New York because there is a
law now that standardizes, the
69
00:03:48,432 --> 00:03:50,892
animal care in animal shelters.
70
00:03:51,312 --> 00:03:54,852
So there is, there are a lot of
things that shelters in New York
71
00:03:54,852 --> 00:03:59,272
need to learn to be in compliance
with this new law which has been very
72
00:03:59,272 --> 00:04:00,832
challenging for a lot of shelters.
73
00:04:00,832 --> 00:04:04,442
And then but it's good to have
guidelines that everybody follows, right?
74
00:04:04,442 --> 00:04:08,092
And then so we do a lot
of consulting in other.
75
00:04:08,612 --> 00:04:13,262
States and municipalities on their
operations, but the main focus
76
00:04:13,262 --> 00:04:14,582
of my business is spay neuter.
77
00:04:16,072 --> 00:04:18,862
We stop me because I just
keep talking and talking.
78
00:04:19,192 --> 00:04:19,942
Spay and neuter.
79
00:04:19,942 --> 00:04:24,682
So our company provides supplemental
spay neuter support mostly for
80
00:04:24,682 --> 00:04:29,112
animal shelters, but also for some
high volume spay, neuter clinics.
81
00:04:29,607 --> 00:04:30,717
Across the country.
82
00:04:31,077 --> 00:04:35,427
So the, the pop-up clinics that we
do at the L-A-S-P-C-A with Spay Mart
83
00:04:35,827 --> 00:04:40,177
that's just one area where we do them,
but we do them really all over the
84
00:04:40,177 --> 00:04:45,187
country where there's just not enough
spay neuter appointments for people
85
00:04:45,187 --> 00:04:46,747
to be able to get their animals done.
86
00:04:46,747 --> 00:04:50,197
And a lot of the shelters are
having backlogs of spay neuter.
87
00:04:50,737 --> 00:04:54,337
So we just created teams to go
into shelters around the country.
88
00:04:54,337 --> 00:04:54,852
We have about.
89
00:04:55,772 --> 00:05:01,892
I'd say 200, a little over 250
veterinarians that work for us right now.
90
00:05:02,462 --> 00:05:07,672
And probably 300 ish veterinary
technicians and we travel 'em
91
00:05:07,672 --> 00:05:10,252
around the country and it's
really been very successful.
92
00:05:11,522 --> 00:05:15,662
Dixie: When you do these spay neuter
clinics and you staff that, how do
93
00:05:15,662 --> 00:05:17,432
you go about recruiting the staff?
94
00:05:17,432 --> 00:05:20,687
And are you able to offer a lower
price for shelters and rescues?
95
00:05:22,472 --> 00:05:28,422
Karen: Yeah, so what we do is for example,
if I use the L-A-S-P-C-A, for example,
96
00:05:28,422 --> 00:05:33,372
we were fortunate enough Spay Mart and
myself to get a grant from PetSmart
97
00:05:33,372 --> 00:05:40,182
Charities that allowed us to offer really
cheap, like $25 surgeries for rescues
98
00:05:40,282 --> 00:05:42,522
across the Greater New Orleans area.
99
00:05:43,042 --> 00:05:48,862
It depends on where, what your
funding sources or situations are.
100
00:05:49,462 --> 00:05:55,072
But our costs are relatively low
because, we're paying our vets and
101
00:05:55,072 --> 00:05:57,172
vet techs obviously a reasonable rate.
102
00:05:57,172 --> 00:06:00,622
We don't wanna ask them to volunteer
because that's just not sustainable.
103
00:06:01,367 --> 00:06:03,917
And then we, pay for the consumables.
104
00:06:03,947 --> 00:06:08,257
We pay the L-A-S-B-C-A for the
consumables, and then my company
105
00:06:08,467 --> 00:06:12,547
marks everything up just a
little bit, but not enough where.
106
00:06:13,807 --> 00:06:18,487
Surgeries like we can easily, even
without a grant, we can do spay neuter
107
00:06:18,487 --> 00:06:25,637
for $65 a piece which is in our eyes
relatively reasonable when a lot of
108
00:06:25,637 --> 00:06:31,097
places, a lot of private practices
are asking for $500 for spay neuter.
109
00:06:31,547 --> 00:06:35,477
So we are able to keep it a
little bit more affordable.
110
00:06:37,497 --> 00:06:38,462
Dixie: Do you have a permanent.
111
00:06:39,507 --> 00:06:44,217
Shelter or a permanent clinic for this, or
is this just all strictly like a pop-up?
112
00:06:45,237 --> 00:06:46,287
Karen: Yeah, it's all popups.
113
00:06:46,317 --> 00:06:51,607
So we go into, and that's the, our
secret sauce is we go into clinics
114
00:06:51,667 --> 00:06:56,827
when they're closed, so they're not
utilizing the equipment or the space.
115
00:06:57,257 --> 00:07:03,517
So we go in and we will, perform our magic
like on, on Saturdays when we do these at.
116
00:07:04,087 --> 00:07:08,497
The Louisiana SBCA, for example,
we do a hundred cats and then, we
117
00:07:08,497 --> 00:07:09,907
leave and we clean up and we leave.
118
00:07:09,907 --> 00:07:10,957
It's like we were never there.
119
00:07:10,957 --> 00:07:13,447
I always say it's like ServPro
liquid never even happened.
120
00:07:14,077 --> 00:07:15,437
But the it's.
121
00:07:16,577 --> 00:07:18,377
It's not in a permanent space.
122
00:07:18,377 --> 00:07:23,597
We've done them at j ps, we've done
them at a Terrebonne animal shelter.
123
00:07:24,087 --> 00:07:28,827
So you know, we can really take it
any place where there is available
124
00:07:28,827 --> 00:07:34,977
equipment and a partner shelter that is
interested in expanding their capacity.
125
00:07:36,297 --> 00:07:41,067
Dixie: And so if let's say the shelter
or the rescue was short on funds for
126
00:07:41,067 --> 00:07:45,117
that, then it, would you be able to
do it, like you said, for the $65?
127
00:07:46,722 --> 00:07:47,202
Karen: Oh yeah.
128
00:07:47,252 --> 00:07:51,332
Yeah, no, so like, when we had the
grant, we did it for everyone for $25.
129
00:07:51,332 --> 00:07:56,592
Now that we've run out of that grant
funding, we're able to do it for $65.
130
00:07:56,592 --> 00:07:59,102
And sometimes, like there's a woman in St.
131
00:07:59,102 --> 00:08:02,852
Mary's Parish who works so hard
and she pays for a lot of it
132
00:08:02,852 --> 00:08:04,262
out, out of her own pocket.
133
00:08:04,622 --> 00:08:08,332
There are cases where I will
discount what I'm getting.
134
00:08:08,892 --> 00:08:12,612
What my company is making out of
it so that we can make it a little
135
00:08:12,612 --> 00:08:17,542
bit less expensive for the rescues
who are just really struggling and
136
00:08:17,542 --> 00:08:19,882
are who are working tirelessly.
137
00:08:19,882 --> 00:08:24,142
Sometimes we'll do things like that so
we can make it even more affordable.
138
00:08:24,142 --> 00:08:25,942
Like sometimes we can make it 45.
139
00:08:26,452 --> 00:08:31,522
We can't really go much lower than 65 on
TNR unfortunately, because that includes
140
00:08:31,522 --> 00:08:33,822
vaccines and so there's a little bit more.
141
00:08:34,142 --> 00:08:36,631
Involved in that with the rescues.
142
00:08:36,631 --> 00:08:40,022
They pay a little bit extra if
they want vaccines, but most of
143
00:08:40,022 --> 00:08:42,692
the rescues do their own vaccines,
so they don't really need it.
144
00:08:42,692 --> 00:08:43,952
They just need the surgeries.
145
00:08:44,897 --> 00:08:47,987
Dixie: That would be great for some
of the rural parishes that we have.
146
00:08:48,017 --> 00:08:49,277
'cause I know we have a lot of 'em.
147
00:08:49,447 --> 00:08:51,097
And that's their biggest need.
148
00:08:51,427 --> 00:08:56,527
Like they can't find the low cost options
like we have here in Jefferson Parish,
149
00:08:56,527 --> 00:09:00,447
which is a much bigger parish than the
smaller parishes that are around here.
150
00:09:00,497 --> 00:09:02,647
And some of them don't
even have a shelter.
151
00:09:03,037 --> 00:09:03,097
Yeah.
152
00:09:03,097 --> 00:09:07,307
So that would definitely be like a
good thing to to introduce them to.
153
00:09:07,307 --> 00:09:08,597
Hopefully they can hear this.
154
00:09:08,747 --> 00:09:10,757
And find out about it
and contact you maybe.
155
00:09:11,892 --> 00:09:12,822
Karen: Yeah, absolutely.
156
00:09:12,822 --> 00:09:17,892
We are always interested in creating
new partnerships and especially in
157
00:09:17,902 --> 00:09:19,672
those areas where there's just nothing.
158
00:09:19,932 --> 00:09:25,612
It's really great to be able to,
provide services that no one can get.
159
00:09:25,832 --> 00:09:31,712
The challenge is in those places, is
there gonna be a facility that will allow
160
00:09:31,712 --> 00:09:33,122
us to come in if they don't have it?
161
00:09:33,152 --> 00:09:34,142
Like shelters are.
162
00:09:34,662 --> 00:09:38,382
Usually the no-brainer, because
shelters are like, yes, please,
163
00:09:38,382 --> 00:09:40,342
spay and neuter cats or dogs.
164
00:09:40,342 --> 00:09:43,392
And so sometimes we'll have
to partner with a clinic and
165
00:09:43,392 --> 00:09:45,672
that's not quite always as easy.
166
00:09:46,332 --> 00:09:52,062
And then, there's like Spay Nation in
Lafayette who have, they've got a mobile
167
00:09:52,062 --> 00:09:56,657
clinic and so we, we could talk to them
about doing a mobile clinic in, in some.
168
00:09:57,412 --> 00:10:00,382
Parishes that are like, just have nothing.
169
00:10:00,872 --> 00:10:06,802
Right now we're mostly doing L-A-S-P-C-A
and Jefferson Parish for the moment.
170
00:10:08,592 --> 00:10:12,612
, Dixie: How many cats, let's
say just in Louisiana, are you
171
00:10:12,612 --> 00:10:15,972
doing with these, pop-up clinic
clinics let's say in a given year.
172
00:10:18,032 --> 00:10:20,642
Karen: We do, we, this year
we've done 'em once a month.
173
00:10:21,282 --> 00:10:23,262
And we do a hundred cats each time.
174
00:10:23,262 --> 00:10:25,422
So I guess 1200 cats.
175
00:10:25,422 --> 00:10:26,172
Does that make sense?
176
00:10:26,272 --> 00:10:26,722
Dixie: Yes.
177
00:10:26,722 --> 00:10:27,142
That's a lot.
178
00:10:27,142 --> 00:10:27,202
Yeah.
179
00:10:27,592 --> 00:10:29,482
Imagine how many cats that would be.
180
00:10:31,252 --> 00:10:34,822
Karen: I know if they were
reproducing and we've talked about
181
00:10:34,822 --> 00:10:36,802
maybe trying to do twice a month.
182
00:10:37,327 --> 00:10:38,917
But we're just not there yet.
183
00:10:39,517 --> 00:10:41,947
But always open to other situations.
184
00:10:41,977 --> 00:10:46,192
As a funny thing, Michelle, who's the
director of Jefferson Parish Animal
185
00:10:46,192 --> 00:10:49,232
Shelter was here today with her 50 cats.
186
00:10:49,772 --> 00:10:53,522
And we were talking, I said, I really
wanna get in and do some more public
187
00:10:53,522 --> 00:10:55,232
surgeries for Jefferson Parish.
188
00:10:55,652 --> 00:11:02,072
Jefferson Parish is really unique because
you guys have the J-S-P-C-A and you have.
189
00:11:02,547 --> 00:11:05,157
The fix a feline and fix a canine program.
190
00:11:05,457 --> 00:11:10,587
So it's very easy for us to do
surgeries anywhere in Jefferson Parish
191
00:11:10,587 --> 00:11:14,567
because it's the clients don't really
need to find the funding 'cause it's
192
00:11:14,567 --> 00:11:16,397
there through those two programs.
193
00:11:17,087 --> 00:11:19,007
I wish everybody had that program.
194
00:11:19,057 --> 00:11:23,467
It's such a great program that
J-S-B-C-A runs Kudos to them.
195
00:11:24,457 --> 00:11:28,087
Dixie: Yeah, it is a wonderful program
and it's a shame that there's more
196
00:11:28,087 --> 00:11:29,797
people that don't take advantage of it.
197
00:11:31,107 --> 00:11:31,437
Karen: Yeah.
198
00:11:31,437 --> 00:11:34,297
And I think that it's just that
people, should know about it,
199
00:11:34,297 --> 00:11:35,377
but they don't know about it.
200
00:11:35,427 --> 00:11:40,687
So I wish there was a way for everybody to
do a little more education on it, now that
201
00:11:40,687 --> 00:11:42,367
I think about it, it might be a great.
202
00:11:42,832 --> 00:11:47,842
Idea to have some of those local
rescues all be promoting JS
203
00:11:47,842 --> 00:11:52,412
PCA's fix AFE line program and in
addition to their own, of course.
204
00:11:52,412 --> 00:11:55,502
Really the more that word gets
out, the more animals will
205
00:11:55,502 --> 00:11:56,942
be done in Jefferson Parish.
206
00:11:56,942 --> 00:12:00,852
And people don't realize how lucky
they are to live in Jefferson
207
00:12:00,852 --> 00:12:02,232
Parish if they have pets.
208
00:12:02,937 --> 00:12:07,917
Dixie: Yeah it's true and it is hard
even though when you tell people
209
00:12:07,917 --> 00:12:10,972
about the program sometimes it's still
hard to get 'em on board with it too.
210
00:12:12,927 --> 00:12:14,097
Karen: Tell me why you say that?
211
00:12:14,097 --> 00:12:16,797
It's just that they don't, just don't
wanna spay and neuter their pets.
212
00:12:17,477 --> 00:12:18,107
Dixie: I don't know.
213
00:12:18,157 --> 00:12:19,687
I guess that's the big mystery.
214
00:12:19,687 --> 00:12:23,107
I know there are situations, if I'm
on social media or something and I
215
00:12:23,107 --> 00:12:26,517
see somebody that has a has a cat,
especially if they're giving the cat
216
00:12:26,517 --> 00:12:29,507
away, the first thing that I'm gonna ask
is, Hey, is I can't spayed or neutered?
217
00:12:29,972 --> 00:12:34,482
Good answer is that cat in an area
where you have low cost spay or
218
00:12:34,482 --> 00:12:38,392
neuter, because even in Orleans
Parish, they have programs in Orleans.
219
00:12:38,392 --> 00:12:40,282
Of course we have the one in Jefferson.
220
00:12:41,402 --> 00:12:45,872
I don't know, like there was one just
the other day, it was a kitten and yeah.
221
00:12:45,962 --> 00:12:48,542
So my first thing is, okay,
can we keep this kitten?
222
00:12:48,542 --> 00:12:49,592
It's one kitten.
223
00:12:50,432 --> 00:12:51,547
Can we keep that kitten in a home?
224
00:12:51,597 --> 00:12:51,657
Yeah.
225
00:12:52,317 --> 00:12:56,617
And so I asked the question, hey first
is the kitten spayed or neutered?
226
00:12:56,617 --> 00:12:57,907
It looks like it's two pounds.
227
00:12:57,907 --> 00:13:01,117
No telling and of course answer's no.
228
00:13:01,637 --> 00:13:01,927
Okay.
229
00:13:01,927 --> 00:13:04,717
Why are you getting rid of the kitten?
230
00:13:04,817 --> 00:13:06,437
That's the second thing
that I'm gonna ask.
231
00:13:06,437 --> 00:13:09,477
'cause if it's something, like I
can't afford to get it spayed or
232
00:13:09,477 --> 00:13:11,217
neutered, or, I need some food.
233
00:13:11,247 --> 00:13:12,867
Okay let us find a solution for you.
234
00:13:13,057 --> 00:13:17,307
And so this particular situation
the kitten was not spayed, it was a
235
00:13:17,307 --> 00:13:21,417
kitten they found that was outside
and they just couldn't have more than
236
00:13:21,417 --> 00:13:23,517
one, and they needed it gone asap.
237
00:13:24,667 --> 00:13:24,937
Okay.
238
00:13:24,967 --> 00:13:28,147
So they had another cat already, but
they weren't willing to work with a
239
00:13:28,147 --> 00:13:30,097
rescue to try to, get it in a home.
240
00:13:30,547 --> 00:13:33,907
And they ended up finding a home for
it, which is aggravating because.
241
00:13:34,492 --> 00:13:35,602
Now it's not because the
242
00:13:35,602 --> 00:13:36,682
Karen: cat's still not spay.
243
00:13:36,682 --> 00:13:39,547
Dixie: And and in that situation
too, I was even like, okay, you found
244
00:13:39,547 --> 00:13:43,237
it a home, have them contact me,
I will give them the information.
245
00:13:43,487 --> 00:13:45,207
But good is that gonna happen?
246
00:13:45,547 --> 00:13:50,042
It's just sometimes people seem to
make up excuses too, there was another
247
00:13:50,042 --> 00:13:53,772
one, it was an adult cat beautiful cat.
248
00:13:54,492 --> 00:13:57,642
And they had an existing cat in the home.
249
00:13:57,642 --> 00:14:00,792
So the female cat had five kittens.
250
00:14:01,392 --> 00:14:03,642
She found homes for all the five kittens.
251
00:14:03,642 --> 00:14:06,862
Unfortunately, I don't know how
that went with the spay and neuter?
252
00:14:07,532 --> 00:14:11,907
But the adult cat the mom was not spayed.
253
00:14:12,207 --> 00:14:16,002
The excuse she used for that was
that it was only five months.
254
00:14:16,452 --> 00:14:17,952
That since she had her kittens.
255
00:14:17,952 --> 00:14:20,182
And yeah, of course you
could go get her spayed now.
256
00:14:20,182 --> 00:14:23,202
You could get her spayed, a month,
a week after she has the kittens.
257
00:14:23,572 --> 00:14:23,932
Sure.
258
00:14:23,932 --> 00:14:24,802
And the mantra
259
00:14:24,802 --> 00:14:26,692
Karen: now is fixed by five.
260
00:14:26,752 --> 00:14:27,052
Yeah.
261
00:14:27,052 --> 00:14:28,552
Fixed by the time they're five months.
262
00:14:28,552 --> 00:14:28,792
Dixie: Yeah.
263
00:14:28,842 --> 00:14:30,702
So you don't even get into that situation.
264
00:14:31,042 --> 00:14:35,172
But, of course she didn't do that, so I
was like, okay, let's see what we can do.
265
00:14:35,172 --> 00:14:36,672
Why are you getting rid of this cat?
266
00:14:36,672 --> 00:14:38,872
Oh it's not getting
along with my male cat.
267
00:14:39,112 --> 00:14:39,562
Okay.
268
00:14:39,562 --> 00:14:43,102
, I'm assuming the male was neutered or she
would've had more kittens and I was Right.
269
00:14:43,102 --> 00:14:43,942
The male was neutered.
270
00:14:43,997 --> 00:14:47,877
So I'm like your issue is
the female is not spayed.
271
00:14:48,427 --> 00:14:49,297
That's your issue.
272
00:14:49,397 --> 00:14:53,657
If you go spay the female, chances
are it will end up working out with
273
00:14:53,657 --> 00:14:55,037
a, just a little bit of patience.
274
00:14:55,037 --> 00:14:55,097
Yeah.
275
00:14:55,697 --> 00:14:57,387
And no, then it came.
276
00:14:57,387 --> 00:14:58,557
I can't keep it.
277
00:14:58,857 --> 00:14:59,277
Okay.
278
00:14:59,947 --> 00:15:01,237
Let us work with you.
279
00:15:01,417 --> 00:15:03,907
And we even said there's
a popup clinic coming up.
280
00:15:03,907 --> 00:15:06,187
We can get you into the pop-up clinic.
281
00:15:06,607 --> 00:15:07,147
Can you go?
282
00:15:07,147 --> 00:15:07,712
Oh, always.
283
00:15:07,712 --> 00:15:07,952
Yeah.
284
00:15:07,982 --> 00:15:08,272
Yeah.
285
00:15:08,317 --> 00:15:10,357
Can you get the cat to the pop-up clinic?
286
00:15:11,037 --> 00:15:12,387
Now it's my car's broken.
287
00:15:12,997 --> 00:15:13,147
Oh, Lord.
288
00:15:13,147 --> 00:15:15,857
And so it's just like one
excuse after the other.
289
00:15:15,857 --> 00:15:18,677
This person ended up contacting
three different rescues.
290
00:15:19,077 --> 00:15:22,677
All of them offering the same help,
but it's like one of these things
291
00:15:22,677 --> 00:15:26,007
where she wants to get rid of the
cat, but then she's not willing to
292
00:15:26,007 --> 00:15:30,087
put up any effort at all in trying
to get the cat into the appointment
293
00:15:30,297 --> 00:15:33,504
or even bring the cat to somebody
who can go get it spayed or neutered.
294
00:15:35,034 --> 00:15:35,244
Karen: Yeah.
295
00:15:35,244 --> 00:15:40,854
It's interesting because when I
ran shelters I used to recognize
296
00:15:40,854 --> 00:15:43,974
pretty regularly, like by the
time they're calling us, right?
297
00:15:44,514 --> 00:15:45,084
They're done.
298
00:15:45,264 --> 00:15:50,514
Like people do not wanna take one extra
step, and if we can figure out how
299
00:15:50,514 --> 00:15:54,384
to get to them before they're calling
us, if we can figure out how to.
300
00:15:54,819 --> 00:15:59,559
To get the word out there and
educate the community how simple it
301
00:15:59,559 --> 00:16:03,939
is, because usually they only call
us when they're at their wits end.
302
00:16:03,989 --> 00:16:06,689
So that's, that is really frustrating.
303
00:16:07,649 --> 00:16:09,629
I think that, maybe the answer is.
304
00:16:10,004 --> 00:16:14,234
Let us come get the cat and have it
spayed and neutered and would you be
305
00:16:14,234 --> 00:16:18,254
willing, maybe not, but would you be
willing to try it and see if it works
306
00:16:18,254 --> 00:16:20,354
when she spayed or neutered or foster her?
307
00:16:20,384 --> 00:16:25,694
'cause we don't have space in the shelter
until we can, help you find a home.
308
00:16:26,294 --> 00:16:28,844
And sometimes if you meet
'em halfway, they'll do it.
309
00:16:29,114 --> 00:16:34,364
But the funny thing is with dogs, people
who have dogs, especially men who have
310
00:16:34,364 --> 00:16:38,654
dogs, I hate to say it, but they're like,
I don't wanna take away his manhood.
311
00:16:38,704 --> 00:16:39,694
It's are you serious?
312
00:16:39,694 --> 00:16:40,084
Really?
313
00:16:40,414 --> 00:16:43,444
Like I can't take those,
that dog's testicles.
314
00:16:43,444 --> 00:16:44,044
I can't do it.
315
00:16:44,074 --> 00:16:45,364
Like I just, I can't.
316
00:16:45,939 --> 00:16:51,254
It's a morally disturbing thing to do,
and I'm like no, you don't understand.
317
00:16:51,674 --> 00:16:54,194
Like we, we really have to do this.
318
00:16:54,194 --> 00:16:57,194
So that has been a struggle for
me is to have that conversation
319
00:16:57,584 --> 00:16:59,534
with people who just feel like.
320
00:17:00,324 --> 00:17:03,414
It's unnatural to take
that from a boy dog.
321
00:17:04,223 --> 00:17:04,584
Boy.
322
00:17:04,614 --> 00:17:10,013
Cats are easier because they tend to spray
and their urine tends to smell really bad.
323
00:17:10,013 --> 00:17:12,654
So people are like, alright,
I gotta get the cat neutered.
324
00:17:12,704 --> 00:17:16,154
But male dogs are a struggle
to convince some people.
325
00:17:16,979 --> 00:17:17,909
But you know what?
326
00:17:17,909 --> 00:17:21,689
We never have a shortage of
people, coming to us to get their
327
00:17:21,689 --> 00:17:22,829
animals spayed and neutered.
328
00:17:23,159 --> 00:17:25,049
I'm sorry you've had those struggles.
329
00:17:25,659 --> 00:17:26,739
'Cause it is frustrating.
330
00:17:27,339 --> 00:17:28,779
Dixie: Yeah, it is frustrating.
331
00:17:28,779 --> 00:17:32,619
And I think to me the most
frustrating part is that when they
332
00:17:32,619 --> 00:17:33,999
want it to happen immediately.
333
00:17:34,849 --> 00:17:36,979
And they're not willing to
wait a little bit of time.
334
00:17:36,979 --> 00:17:40,899
'cause a lot of them don't understand
that these people that are in rescues the
335
00:17:40,899 --> 00:17:44,619
animal shelter's a little bit different,
but people that are in rescues, they work.
336
00:17:44,994 --> 00:17:45,774
Full time.
337
00:17:45,894 --> 00:17:51,179
So they're all volunteers and they
cannot always take an animal right
338
00:17:51,179 --> 00:17:53,399
away when you say, I'm moving tomorrow.
339
00:17:53,399 --> 00:17:54,809
Can you take this animal?
340
00:17:54,809 --> 00:17:56,909
You should have given us
a little bit more time.
341
00:17:56,909 --> 00:17:57,089
Yeah.
342
00:17:57,089 --> 00:18:00,959
We could have helped you, but not in
just a few hours because we all work.
343
00:18:01,309 --> 00:18:02,719
Karen: It's sad because I think.
344
00:18:03,649 --> 00:18:07,009
If people knew that maybe they
would do it differently, but
345
00:18:07,009 --> 00:18:08,419
they just don't know any better.
346
00:18:08,479 --> 00:18:12,969
But it puts you guy or the whoever
the rescue is in a horrible bind
347
00:18:12,969 --> 00:18:15,029
because, half the time you're full.
348
00:18:15,079 --> 00:18:16,669
So you can't take a cat.
349
00:18:17,059 --> 00:18:22,039
You could take a cat a week from now,
or two weeks from now, but not today.
350
00:18:22,469 --> 00:18:27,859
So it's a shame that once again, people
just, they don't, they're not, we are not.
351
00:18:28,459 --> 00:18:32,779
Educating them enough, and I'm not
sure how to educate them more, but
352
00:18:32,839 --> 00:18:34,219
I sure wish we could figure it out.
353
00:18:34,609 --> 00:18:34,939
Dixie: Yeah.
354
00:18:34,939 --> 00:18:38,929
That would be the thing to figure
out, to definitely get it to the point
355
00:18:38,929 --> 00:18:42,029
where when they think of getting a
pet that's what they think about.
356
00:18:42,219 --> 00:18:44,309
'Cause I know for me, that's
how I've always been, yeah.
357
00:18:44,704 --> 00:18:47,654
I've always grown up and I'm
like, okay, we gotta a new cat.
358
00:18:47,654 --> 00:18:49,424
We've gotta go get it spayed or neutered.
359
00:18:49,634 --> 00:18:51,944
And I've been like that
ever since I was a child.
360
00:18:52,224 --> 00:18:53,664
But it's getting, people.
361
00:18:54,244 --> 00:18:55,924
To think like that as well.
362
00:18:57,049 --> 00:19:00,739
Karen: I think that also, it
depends who you grow up with.
363
00:19:00,789 --> 00:19:04,839
I have run into, young people who
are like my cat's pregnant, and
364
00:19:04,839 --> 00:19:06,759
I'm like, oh, how did that happen?
365
00:19:07,159 --> 00:19:07,789
I don't know.
366
00:19:08,029 --> 00:19:11,889
We used to, growing up, we always had
cats that would come, home pregnant.
367
00:19:11,949 --> 00:19:17,199
And I'm like, all so the disconnect
was in the family where the family
368
00:19:17,249 --> 00:19:19,229
didn't make it a priority.
369
00:19:19,379 --> 00:19:22,589
So this is what these people
have learned growing up.
370
00:19:22,589 --> 00:19:27,659
So it's like you almost can't blame
anybody for not doing better because
371
00:19:27,659 --> 00:19:34,139
in most cases, if they knew what an
impact it would have, I'd say a lot of
372
00:19:34,139 --> 00:19:36,279
them would probably do it or how much.
373
00:19:36,764 --> 00:19:38,564
It impacts the health of the animal.
374
00:19:38,564 --> 00:19:43,749
Like a dog or a cat is much less
likely to get testicular cancer
375
00:19:44,349 --> 00:19:46,299
if they are neutered, right?
376
00:19:46,299 --> 00:19:47,859
So that right there.
377
00:19:47,919 --> 00:19:52,449
Same thing with cats, like much
less likely to get mammary cancer
378
00:19:52,449 --> 00:19:55,749
or ovarian cancer if they're spayed.
379
00:19:56,249 --> 00:20:00,869
Not to mention like a omera, which
is an infection of the uterus that
380
00:20:00,869 --> 00:20:05,679
happens, relatively frequently to
unspayed female cats and that's
381
00:20:05,679 --> 00:20:07,869
fatal if it's not addressed.
382
00:20:08,379 --> 00:20:11,799
I think if they knew all that,
maybe they do things differently.
383
00:20:12,069 --> 00:20:17,709
And I do think there that people
feel like their barrier is financial,
384
00:20:18,129 --> 00:20:21,729
even though there's a fix a feline
program, they just don't know about it.
385
00:20:22,304 --> 00:20:25,194
Especially if you call your normal
vet, you're just a private practice
386
00:20:25,194 --> 00:20:27,984
vet and you're like, hi, how much
would it cost to spay my cat?
387
00:20:27,984 --> 00:20:29,394
And they're like $600.
388
00:20:29,514 --> 00:20:30,924
Nobody has that kind of money.
389
00:20:31,224 --> 00:20:34,164
And it's funny 'cause private
practice are raising the prices
390
00:20:34,164 --> 00:20:35,574
on spay neuter, which is sad.
391
00:20:35,574 --> 00:20:37,794
Not except for Genevieve Wisdom.
392
00:20:37,794 --> 00:20:39,204
I'm gonna give a shout out to her.
393
00:20:39,234 --> 00:20:40,104
'cause she's amazing.
394
00:20:40,104 --> 00:20:41,184
She keeps her prices low.
395
00:20:42,774 --> 00:20:42,954
Dixie: Yeah.
396
00:20:42,954 --> 00:20:46,914
Now I did run into one
situation where I found a cat.
397
00:20:47,334 --> 00:20:48,714
Very friendly little cat.
398
00:20:48,714 --> 00:20:51,684
And so I figured he belonged to somebody
just because of the way he was acting.
399
00:20:52,164 --> 00:20:56,634
And I happened to find the owner of the
cat, and of course he was not neutered.
400
00:20:57,414 --> 00:21:00,444
So I asked her, I'm like,
Hey, why isn't he neutered?
401
00:21:00,444 --> 00:21:04,044
And she said she went to go
take him to the vet and the
402
00:21:04,044 --> 00:21:06,264
vet wanted to charge like $400.
403
00:21:06,594 --> 00:21:07,854
And I was like, oh, I gotcha.
404
00:21:08,484 --> 00:21:10,464
So she did let me get 'em neutered.
405
00:21:10,514 --> 00:21:11,264
Karen: Oh, thank God.
406
00:21:11,264 --> 00:21:14,504
But, and some people are,
they're like so grateful when
407
00:21:14,504 --> 00:21:15,824
you give them an alternative.
408
00:21:16,254 --> 00:21:19,374
I'm on the board of an organization
in Niagara Falls, New York, called
409
00:21:19,374 --> 00:21:21,234
Better Together Pet Resource Center.
410
00:21:21,864 --> 00:21:26,774
And this is a consistent thing we
hear, like people come in with pregnant
411
00:21:26,774 --> 00:21:32,904
cats or adult cats that male cats that
are spraying or, and it's not that
412
00:21:32,904 --> 00:21:36,654
they don't want to get their animals
fixed, they just can't afford it.
413
00:21:37,374 --> 00:21:38,664
At regular prices.
414
00:21:38,664 --> 00:21:41,754
So we did a vaccine clinic
and at our VA vaccine clinic.
415
00:21:43,734 --> 00:21:49,294
Everyone that showed up it was like
for people who, were not didn't have
416
00:21:49,294 --> 00:21:51,334
the means to do it on their own.
417
00:21:51,334 --> 00:21:55,174
So we had this vaccine clinic and we
asked everybody if we were able to
418
00:21:55,174 --> 00:21:57,604
give you an opportunity to spay and
neuter your cat, would you want it?
419
00:21:57,604 --> 00:21:59,449
Every single person said yes, everyone.
420
00:22:00,619 --> 00:22:02,639
And it , wasn't just cats,
it was cats and dogs.
421
00:22:02,689 --> 00:22:08,679
So we made a deal with one of
the local clinics and we provided
422
00:22:08,679 --> 00:22:10,059
transportation for all these people.
423
00:22:10,059 --> 00:22:13,659
So all the people who were able
to get to our vaccine clinic
424
00:22:13,959 --> 00:22:15,279
just brought their animals there.
425
00:22:15,339 --> 00:22:17,619
We provided transportation to the clinic.
426
00:22:17,979 --> 00:22:20,109
'cause transportation's
another big problem.
427
00:22:20,619 --> 00:22:24,464
So that worked really well and I
was really excited to learn that.
428
00:22:25,019 --> 00:22:28,739
Every single person there
wanted to get it done.
429
00:22:29,219 --> 00:22:32,009
They just didn't think that they
could because of the prices.
430
00:22:33,609 --> 00:22:37,229
Dixie: I've heard that from a few
other people that I have interviewed
431
00:22:37,229 --> 00:22:40,219
that live in New Jersey and New York.
432
00:22:40,269 --> 00:22:41,664
So their rescues are in
New Jersey and New York.
433
00:22:43,159 --> 00:22:45,769
It's funny because they
said the same thing.
434
00:22:45,769 --> 00:22:49,669
They said over there, it's a financial
barrier, so when they find they
435
00:22:49,669 --> 00:22:50,424
can get it done they get it done.
436
00:22:51,439 --> 00:22:54,109
And I was telling them, it's just here.
437
00:22:54,109 --> 00:22:57,379
It's just so weird because we
have it, but we just cannot get
438
00:22:57,379 --> 00:22:58,409
the people on board with it.
439
00:23:00,889 --> 00:23:04,129
Karen: Again, I think it's if more
people understood it was there.
440
00:23:05,749 --> 00:23:11,349
Then more people would do it, so
the question is maybe , we maybe
441
00:23:11,349 --> 00:23:16,839
collectively, like everybody in the
rescue arena in the New Orleans area,
442
00:23:16,839 --> 00:23:19,369
did you do a series of billboards.
443
00:23:19,429 --> 00:23:20,539
They're not expensive.
444
00:23:20,539 --> 00:23:24,169
There's a guy actually who owns a lot
of billboards around there who is a.
445
00:23:24,864 --> 00:23:30,314
A fan of rescue and about the fix
the feline and canine program, but we
446
00:23:30,314 --> 00:23:37,514
would see a lot more people getting
involved in doing it and having it taken
447
00:23:37,514 --> 00:23:42,104
care of their pets and the program's
been around for a really long time.
448
00:23:42,554 --> 00:23:45,284
But you tell me how is
it advertised right now?
449
00:23:47,169 --> 00:23:50,829
Dixie: Maybe it's 'cause I'm in
rescue, but I see it like all over,
450
00:23:50,829 --> 00:23:54,339
there's the groups on social media
that aren't just animal groups.
451
00:23:54,389 --> 00:23:56,429
And they share it everywhere.
452
00:23:56,429 --> 00:23:57,329
You know what I mean?
453
00:23:57,789 --> 00:23:58,509
I don't know.
454
00:23:58,574 --> 00:24:00,704
If we could figure that
out, we're all set.
455
00:24:01,874 --> 00:24:02,624
Karen: Exactly.
456
00:24:02,814 --> 00:24:07,254
Honestly, , I mean it would be really
interesting, a fun experiment to
457
00:24:07,254 --> 00:24:12,834
try to get all the local rescues
to like, at the same time do a mega
458
00:24:12,834 --> 00:24:15,234
promotion on the fix a feline program.
459
00:24:15,444 --> 00:24:19,914
Because like for instance, the Louisiana
SPCA, they take fix a feline vouchers.
460
00:24:20,044 --> 00:24:25,284
I mean they they would do it like
all the Jefferson Parish rescues and
461
00:24:25,284 --> 00:24:26,904
there are a lot of really good ones.
462
00:24:27,624 --> 00:24:31,884
Jefferson Parish would also, I
think, try to get the word out.
463
00:24:31,884 --> 00:24:37,054
But I've learned that social media,
like we all rely on it more than,
464
00:24:37,684 --> 00:24:41,374
not, more than we should, but
we rely on it as being the only.
465
00:24:41,664 --> 00:24:45,594
The goal to get the word out and we
forget some of the ways that we used
466
00:24:45,594 --> 00:24:47,364
to do it before there was social media.
467
00:24:47,824 --> 00:24:51,514
So I do think that there's, there's a
lot of people who don't have the internet
468
00:24:51,514 --> 00:24:53,344
or who don't have a Facebook page.
469
00:24:53,834 --> 00:24:55,994
So they're not seeing that message.
470
00:24:57,289 --> 00:25:02,269
If you think about it, the private
practices, if somebody comes to them
471
00:25:02,899 --> 00:25:07,339
and asks to get their animal fixed and
they say it's gonna be $400, they're
472
00:25:07,339 --> 00:25:14,089
not, they're likely, sadly, the private
practice is not likely to say however.
473
00:25:14,479 --> 00:25:18,769
We can get it for you with this voucher
where they're gonna make a lot less money.
474
00:25:18,869 --> 00:25:22,559
That's also a challenge because
they're probably not promoting it,
475
00:25:23,219 --> 00:25:27,369
but they are re redeeming vouchers,
which right there is really important.
476
00:25:27,369 --> 00:25:30,879
Like they're doing something good, but
they're not necessarily promoting it.
477
00:25:31,659 --> 00:25:34,449
Dixie: Back to your clinics
though, when you do your clinics.
478
00:25:34,509 --> 00:25:34,569
Yeah.
479
00:25:34,879 --> 00:25:37,199
How long does it take to do a hundred cats
480
00:25:38,639 --> 00:25:40,139
Karen: Around six hours.
481
00:25:40,189 --> 00:25:41,569
Five to six hours.
482
00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:46,209
Depending on if, we get a good
groove going with our surgery
483
00:25:46,209 --> 00:25:49,639
team we usually start at about
eight o'clock in the morning.
484
00:25:49,639 --> 00:25:53,149
We're usually done around one,
two o'clock at the latest.
485
00:25:53,879 --> 00:25:55,259
So that's how long it takes.
486
00:25:56,099 --> 00:26:01,989
Dogs take longer, but my surgeons
love love, love cat days 'cause cats
487
00:26:01,989 --> 00:26:05,109
are way easier to spay than a dog.
488
00:26:05,739 --> 00:26:05,949
Dixie: Yeah.
489
00:26:05,949 --> 00:26:08,314
And I know a cat neuter is
just a matter of minutes.
490
00:26:09,169 --> 00:26:10,219
It's like really fast.
491
00:26:11,449 --> 00:26:11,869
Karen: Yeah.
492
00:26:11,869 --> 00:26:16,759
It's 30 seconds and for vets who are,
surgeons who are high volume trained,
493
00:26:17,149 --> 00:26:23,059
like most of our high volume surgeons
will do a spay like in six minutes.
494
00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:24,949
It's really remarkable to watch.
495
00:26:26,029 --> 00:26:26,329
Dixie: Yeah.
496
00:26:26,509 --> 00:26:27,499
Yeah, it is.
497
00:26:27,599 --> 00:26:30,599
I've actually seen my vet
do a neuter, so I know it.
498
00:26:30,659 --> 00:26:32,219
I know they're like really fast.
499
00:26:32,219 --> 00:26:34,319
She was done in just
not even five minutes.
500
00:26:35,189 --> 00:26:38,129
Karen: Yeah, not enough time for you
to pass out from looking at all at
501
00:26:39,384 --> 00:26:43,309
the insides of the cat, which happened
to me once when I was watching a
502
00:26:43,309 --> 00:26:45,049
necropsy, which was really mortifying.
503
00:26:45,806 --> 00:26:47,576
Dixie: No I watched her do a spay too.
504
00:26:47,576 --> 00:26:49,106
I was actually fascinated by it.
505
00:26:49,106 --> 00:26:50,216
I thought it was pretty cool.
506
00:26:50,216 --> 00:26:50,696
But, oh.
507
00:26:51,641 --> 00:26:54,551
Karen: You can come and watch our
surgeons do space anytime you want.
508
00:26:55,421 --> 00:26:59,111
Dixie: When you staff your clinics,
do you use volunteers as well
509
00:26:59,111 --> 00:27:01,151
or is it all just regular staff?
510
00:27:02,561 --> 00:27:04,371
Karen: We do, , we use volunteers.
511
00:27:04,371 --> 00:27:08,421
, We love to have volunteers and we never
feel like we can quite have enough.
512
00:27:08,911 --> 00:27:13,531
Obviously the technical part
of it has to be done by people
513
00:27:13,531 --> 00:27:15,361
who are experienced and fast.
514
00:27:15,361 --> 00:27:19,681
But we have, a lot of people, we try
to get volunteers to help with check-in
515
00:27:19,681 --> 00:27:21,511
and checkout, which is so important.
516
00:27:21,511 --> 00:27:23,051
And then we teach.
517
00:27:23,481 --> 00:27:28,691
Volunteers how to clean the surgical
instruments and wrap 'em up to put them
518
00:27:28,691 --> 00:27:30,731
in the autoclave for sterilization.
519
00:27:31,221 --> 00:27:36,411
If we have a lot of ferals, we are always
excited if we have a volunteer who will
520
00:27:36,411 --> 00:27:41,271
help us with cleaning the traps while
the cat is in the, on the surgery table.
521
00:27:41,271 --> 00:27:44,201
Yeah, so there's a lot of
opportunities for volunteers.
522
00:27:44,631 --> 00:27:46,881
And usually we have.
523
00:27:48,101 --> 00:27:52,661
Plenty, but sometimes we don't have
quite enough and it makes us sad.
524
00:27:53,431 --> 00:27:55,861
It makes our teams have to
work a little bit harder.
525
00:27:56,441 --> 00:28:00,191
Always, I always want volunteers
if anyone's listening, who
526
00:28:00,221 --> 00:28:01,481
might be interested in that.
527
00:28:02,111 --> 00:28:04,391
And the volunteers are
recruited through spay.
528
00:28:05,801 --> 00:28:07,301
Dixie: And that would be for local.
529
00:28:07,301 --> 00:28:09,071
How many states , do you do this in?
530
00:28:09,401 --> 00:28:13,061
Karen: Right now we are in, let me
see if I can do this real quick.
531
00:28:13,541 --> 00:28:17,051
New York Florida, like hugely in Florida.
532
00:28:17,051 --> 00:28:18,191
That's our biggest market.
533
00:28:18,581 --> 00:28:21,906
Louisiana, Mississippi New Mexico.
534
00:28:23,301 --> 00:28:24,051
Texas.
535
00:28:24,741 --> 00:28:29,241
We're working on Chicago and
Massachusetts, Georgia, South Carolina.
536
00:28:30,951 --> 00:28:34,881
I think that's it right now, but
we're looking for world dominance.
537
00:28:35,181 --> 00:28:35,901
I'm just kidding.
538
00:28:36,141 --> 00:28:39,811
Where, any state that calls us and
has an interest and has a little
539
00:28:39,811 --> 00:28:45,501
bit of funding to make it happen,
we will, mobilize and make it work.
540
00:28:46,091 --> 00:28:50,201
Some states are a little
harder, like for example, in.
541
00:28:51,131 --> 00:28:55,691
New York, if you're a vet tech,
you have to be a licensed vet tech
542
00:28:55,691 --> 00:28:59,011
in New York and you have to have
your license from New York State.
543
00:28:59,011 --> 00:29:03,511
So it limits our pool of technicians
that we have to work with.
544
00:29:04,051 --> 00:29:07,081
Whereas in Louisiana, you
don't have to be licensed.
545
00:29:07,561 --> 00:29:12,121
So in the event we are doing an, we're
doing a popup clinic and we have two
546
00:29:12,121 --> 00:29:14,491
surgeons and we need seven technicians.
547
00:29:15,066 --> 00:29:20,346
If I only have five local technicians who
are available that weekend, then I can fly
548
00:29:20,346 --> 00:29:26,396
technicians in from Florida and I'm not
worried about the licensing piece of it.
549
00:29:26,546 --> 00:29:29,456
Whereas in New York, it's oh, I
can't fly somebody in from Florida.
550
00:29:29,486 --> 00:29:32,286
'cause they're not licensed.
551
00:29:32,656 --> 00:29:37,576
The weird thing, every state has different
rules, so it makes it complicated.
552
00:29:38,056 --> 00:29:42,786
But, we love the states that don't have
the licensing requirements for Fed Techs.
553
00:29:43,606 --> 00:29:48,706
, Dixie: When you do have a pop-up clinic,
where are your staff coming from?
554
00:29:48,706 --> 00:29:51,656
Do they like live in the cities
and the states that you're
555
00:29:51,656 --> 00:29:53,426
using, or do you fly them in?
556
00:29:55,871 --> 00:29:57,311
Karen: It depends on where we are.
557
00:29:57,311 --> 00:30:03,971
So like with Louisiana and Florida, for
example, I have enough technicians locally
558
00:30:04,451 --> 00:30:06,511
that there's no point in flying them in.
559
00:30:07,316 --> 00:30:10,526
Dixie: You said that you also do
like consulting with the shelters?
560
00:30:11,426 --> 00:30:11,666
Yes.
561
00:30:13,146 --> 00:30:15,756
When you do consulting with
the shelters I'm just curious.
562
00:30:15,756 --> 00:30:19,236
You mentioned there's this new law
in New York, so can I ask about that?
563
00:30:20,166 --> 00:30:20,916
Karen: Yeah.
564
00:30:20,946 --> 00:30:24,816
It's a really crazy law and
we're all really curious to
565
00:30:24,816 --> 00:30:26,466
see how it's gonna play out.
566
00:30:26,466 --> 00:30:27,276
So it's called the.
567
00:30:28,941 --> 00:30:32,331
New York State Companion Animal.
568
00:30:32,361 --> 00:30:34,131
Wait, let me think if I can remember this.
569
00:30:34,491 --> 00:30:39,741
New York State Companion Animal Standard
of Care Act, which is really long.
570
00:30:40,251 --> 00:30:45,671
And as of December 1st, all
shelters have to comply with this
571
00:30:45,781 --> 00:30:47,911
this law, which is very extensive.
572
00:30:48,781 --> 00:30:50,911
So it's certain.
573
00:30:52,276 --> 00:30:57,976
For example, there are legal
dimensions of cages to hold
574
00:30:57,976 --> 00:31:00,766
animals in that are acceptable.
575
00:31:00,856 --> 00:31:06,036
And hey, if you have cages that are
smaller than that, it's not in compliance.
576
00:31:06,036 --> 00:31:10,806
And so it's basically against the
law to house an animal that way.
577
00:31:11,196 --> 00:31:12,696
The law also requires.
578
00:31:13,671 --> 00:31:18,711
That you have written protocols for
every aspect of your operations and
579
00:31:18,711 --> 00:31:21,081
especially your medical protocols.
580
00:31:21,571 --> 00:31:26,131
If you have a veterinary staff, the
law requires that you have training
581
00:31:26,131 --> 00:31:28,721
manuals that are approved by the state.
582
00:31:29,141 --> 00:31:35,111
It's really crazy like training manuals
that, so you have a whole training
583
00:31:35,231 --> 00:31:40,541
component of your shelter and it's not
just Hey, we just have 'em shadow us.
584
00:31:40,851 --> 00:31:43,041
There has to be materials for training.
585
00:31:43,491 --> 00:31:46,821
So there's a lot of things
that, a lot of rescues.
586
00:31:48,136 --> 00:31:51,676
Are very nervous because they're
like, we're just a little rescue.
587
00:31:51,676 --> 00:31:57,016
Like I did a consult with an organization
not too long ago, and they're in a
588
00:31:57,016 --> 00:32:04,246
storefront and they adopt kittens out,
really, mostly only kittens, and they're
589
00:32:04,786 --> 00:32:08,926
a free roaming, for lack of a better term.
590
00:32:08,926 --> 00:32:11,536
It's almost like an adoption center.
591
00:32:11,536 --> 00:32:14,266
But the animals live there, so
they're considered a shelter.
592
00:32:15,136 --> 00:32:19,006
And I've really struggled with this one
because they don't have the appropriate
593
00:32:19,966 --> 00:32:22,426
living space according to the law.
594
00:32:22,486 --> 00:32:22,936
Okay?
595
00:32:23,476 --> 00:32:26,606
And they all the animals are free roaming.
596
00:32:26,606 --> 00:32:30,836
And there's, if you have free
roaming cats, the law says, and
597
00:32:30,836 --> 00:32:34,686
this is nuts, the law says you
can only have 12 cats in a room.
598
00:32:35,136 --> 00:32:36,996
And it doesn't matter how big the room is.
599
00:32:36,996 --> 00:32:38,496
So if the room is ginormous.
600
00:32:38,776 --> 00:32:39,826
Only 12 animals.
601
00:32:39,826 --> 00:32:44,866
And that to me is very arbitrary, but
it's what they came up with in this law.
602
00:32:45,196 --> 00:32:49,096
So they usually have 30 little
kittens running around this space.
603
00:32:49,726 --> 00:32:53,356
To me it's not an ideal way to
do it, but it works for them.
604
00:32:53,841 --> 00:32:55,821
They don't have a lot of illness.
605
00:32:55,921 --> 00:33:00,721
They take precautions to make sure that
they're weighing the kittens regularly
606
00:33:00,721 --> 00:33:02,491
to make sure that everybody's eating.
607
00:33:02,491 --> 00:33:05,751
And when I say kittens, not
teeny tinies, but four month old.
608
00:33:05,751 --> 00:33:06,681
Three month old.
609
00:33:07,281 --> 00:33:08,941
And they're doing good work.
610
00:33:08,941 --> 00:33:13,501
They're getting animals into
homes and for me, it's very hard
611
00:33:13,501 --> 00:33:17,211
for me to tell them, you guys.
612
00:33:18,201 --> 00:33:21,831
The way you're set up, you might
not be able to continue to operate.
613
00:33:21,881 --> 00:33:23,321
That's a very hard thing.
614
00:33:23,891 --> 00:33:27,521
But the way the law is set up is
that the Department of Agriculture
615
00:33:27,521 --> 00:33:34,451
will come in and they will inspect,
and as they inspect, they can issue
616
00:33:34,451 --> 00:33:36,581
fines or they can shut a shelter down.
617
00:33:37,301 --> 00:33:42,051
So on one hand, it's a great law because
it'll, it'll keep us from having.
618
00:33:43,171 --> 00:33:47,341
Rescues who are spinning outta
control, if that makes sense.
619
00:33:47,671 --> 00:33:49,801
Like rescues who have too
many cats and the animals are
620
00:33:49,801 --> 00:33:51,811
not humanely being cared for.
621
00:33:52,231 --> 00:33:56,426
But one of the big fears as
we roll into this law is that.
622
00:33:57,751 --> 00:34:03,271
A lot of rescues are gonna be forced to
shut down, which is not gonna be helpful
623
00:34:03,841 --> 00:34:06,751
it's a very interesting time in New York,
624
00:34:06,801 --> 00:34:11,261
but if the Department of Agriculture
ends up shutting, rescues down,
625
00:34:11,321 --> 00:34:15,920
I do think that we'll go back in
and try to amend the legislation.
626
00:34:16,716 --> 00:34:18,666
But it's gonna be really interesting.
627
00:34:19,626 --> 00:34:23,761
The other kind of consulting that we do
is we go into shelters and help them.
628
00:34:25,551 --> 00:34:30,371
Rewrite their SOPs and maybe assist
them in coming up with programs
629
00:34:30,371 --> 00:34:32,571
that are working around the country.
630
00:34:32,571 --> 00:34:36,321
But that specific shelter doesn't
really know about the program.
631
00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:41,446
There are like kitten diversion programs
for shelters that not everybody uses.
632
00:34:41,900 --> 00:34:45,891
And there's a managed admission is
something that not everybody does.
633
00:34:45,891 --> 00:34:47,661
It's helpful for them to learn.
634
00:34:48,516 --> 00:34:52,146
I love to think that, everybody
wants to hire me, but it's not me.
635
00:34:52,476 --> 00:34:56,286
It's really, I have a lot of people
that I know, like I have a very wide
636
00:34:56,286 --> 00:34:59,976
network of experts in the field,
and I'm very lucky to have that.
637
00:35:00,336 --> 00:35:04,566
So I just basically look at a shelter,
say, what are you looking for?
638
00:35:04,626 --> 00:35:08,226
Like even one shelter, they're
hiring all new staff because they're
639
00:35:08,226 --> 00:35:09,906
about to open their new building.
640
00:35:10,731 --> 00:35:12,441
And they're like, can you help us hire?
641
00:35:12,441 --> 00:35:15,591
So it just depends on what the
need is, and then I'll find the
642
00:35:15,591 --> 00:35:18,021
expert and put 'em together.
643
00:35:18,321 --> 00:35:19,911
So that's really what we do.
644
00:35:20,286 --> 00:35:24,716
I wish I had more time to personally
do consults, but 'cause I love it.
645
00:35:24,716 --> 00:35:28,786
It's fun to help people be better,
but it's a lot and we have a
646
00:35:28,786 --> 00:35:31,576
very tiny team in terms of admin.
647
00:35:31,916 --> 00:35:32,936
There's a lot to do.
648
00:35:33,701 --> 00:35:37,001
Dixie: Looking ahead, what is the
biggest goal you hope to achieve
649
00:35:37,061 --> 00:35:40,151
in the next five years to further
your cause of animal welfare?
650
00:35:41,831 --> 00:35:45,461
Karen: I would say looking ahead
in the next five years, ultimately
651
00:35:45,461 --> 00:35:48,941
I would like to be in all 50
states, spaying, neutering animals.
652
00:35:49,391 --> 00:35:51,701
To me, the consulting stuff is fun.
653
00:35:51,731 --> 00:35:55,191
It's a nice little offshoot,
but honestly, people.
654
00:35:55,926 --> 00:35:57,096
Spaying and neutering.
655
00:35:57,156 --> 00:35:59,736
If we're not doing that,
we're spinning our wheels.
656
00:35:59,976 --> 00:36:03,336
And so ultimately I'd like
to be able to do that.
657
00:36:03,366 --> 00:36:06,516
Oh, and the other thing, and I don't know
if I can do this in five years, maybe.
658
00:36:07,716 --> 00:36:08,406
Six.
659
00:36:08,466 --> 00:36:09,096
No, I'm just kidding.
660
00:36:09,096 --> 00:36:10,016
Maybe I'm just teasing.
661
00:36:10,411 --> 00:36:16,061
One of my major goals major goals is to
start, and I'm actually partnering with
662
00:36:16,061 --> 00:36:20,771
some really cool organizations on this,
but starting to figure out how we can
663
00:36:20,771 --> 00:36:26,621
train more veterinarians to do high volume
spay neuter, because a lot of times I have
664
00:36:27,071 --> 00:36:30,551
veterinarians who come to me and say, Hey,
I'd really like to participate in your.
665
00:36:31,061 --> 00:36:34,841
In your pop-up clinics and I have to tell
them no, because you're not fast enough.
666
00:36:35,486 --> 00:36:37,766
I don't wanna say it quite that way,
but it's , if they don't have the
667
00:36:37,766 --> 00:36:41,966
speed, then we can't provide the
numbers that we're contracted to do.
668
00:36:42,326 --> 00:36:47,666
So if we can train more people, and
then you think about it like the private
669
00:36:47,666 --> 00:36:50,306
practitioners who do a 45 minute spay.
670
00:36:50,951 --> 00:36:54,401
If we can teach them to do even
a 10 minute spay, then they
671
00:36:54,401 --> 00:36:56,791
can probably do more, right?
672
00:36:56,821 --> 00:36:58,411
Like more in a day.
673
00:36:58,651 --> 00:37:00,931
A day, because time is money.
674
00:37:00,931 --> 00:37:06,541
If they, if it takes 'em 45 minutes to
do it, that's their time for 45 minutes.
675
00:37:06,901 --> 00:37:09,331
But if you teach 'em to do it
quicker, then they could do four
676
00:37:09,361 --> 00:37:14,461
surgeries in that time or five,
and they're not gonna lose money.
677
00:37:14,761 --> 00:37:15,691
Does that make sense?
678
00:37:15,751 --> 00:37:16,056
It does.
679
00:37:17,296 --> 00:37:18,706
Yeah, so we wanna do that.
680
00:37:18,706 --> 00:37:21,766
We wanna teach a lot of like
students coming outta school.
681
00:37:21,816 --> 00:37:26,556
What's really terrifying is when
students graduate from vet school,
682
00:37:26,976 --> 00:37:31,926
most of them have only one or two
spas or neuter under their belt, and
683
00:37:31,926 --> 00:37:35,976
then they go into private practice and
they're like, oh my gosh, can I do it?
684
00:37:36,006 --> 00:37:36,756
It's scary.
685
00:37:36,756 --> 00:37:37,626
It's scary to them.
686
00:37:37,626 --> 00:37:39,186
So we'd love to be able to.
687
00:37:40,416 --> 00:37:45,546
And put together some coaching
scenarios for students so they can
688
00:37:45,546 --> 00:37:50,466
get more experience actually doing the
surgeries with coaches who will make
689
00:37:50,466 --> 00:37:52,766
sure that they're, gaining confidence.
690
00:37:53,246 --> 00:37:57,046
And then it's, it, we have more,
if they can be confident and feel
691
00:37:57,046 --> 00:38:00,156
good about what they're doing, we're
gonna have more surgeons a more.
692
00:38:00,546 --> 00:38:04,776
People graduating from vet school
who wanna be spay surgeons.
693
00:38:05,196 --> 00:38:08,406
Our biggest dilemma is that it's
hard for them to have the confidence
694
00:38:08,406 --> 00:38:11,046
to do it or to build their speed.
695
00:38:11,046 --> 00:38:15,666
So if we can provide opportunities
for students to do that, then
696
00:38:15,666 --> 00:38:17,376
that's a win for the universe.
697
00:38:17,826 --> 00:38:18,606
Dixie: Definitely.
698
00:38:18,976 --> 00:38:18,986
Karen: Yeah.
699
00:38:19,541 --> 00:38:19,841
Yeah.
700
00:38:19,841 --> 00:38:22,811
So I think training is a big
piece of what I'd like to do and
701
00:38:22,811 --> 00:38:25,631
make, just trying to provide more
spay neuter around the country.
702
00:38:26,601 --> 00:38:31,281
Dixie: Before we end the call, I would
like to know how many spays and neuter
703
00:38:31,371 --> 00:38:35,511
with all of your pop-up clinics do you
estimate that you have done in a year?
704
00:38:37,341 --> 00:38:41,301
Karen: That's so hard 'cause I just, I
haven't counted and I should, I would
705
00:38:41,301 --> 00:38:44,781
say probably, this is such a ballpark.
706
00:38:44,861 --> 00:38:47,501
I'd say probably 30,000.
707
00:38:47,891 --> 00:38:48,761
Dixie: Wow.
708
00:38:50,201 --> 00:38:54,216
And to think about that and then just to
imagine what the number could have been
709
00:38:54,396 --> 00:38:55,476
Karen: I know.
710
00:38:55,476 --> 00:38:57,906
I swear, even if you do
a hundred, it's like.
711
00:38:58,716 --> 00:39:02,976
The numbers are astronomical when you
think about what you're preventing.
712
00:39:03,786 --> 00:39:08,966
But yeah, we do a lot of surgeries
in a lot of places, so I'm gonna say
713
00:39:08,966 --> 00:39:10,946
30,000 is probably my best guess.
714
00:39:11,486 --> 00:39:11,546
Dixie: Wow.
715
00:39:12,701 --> 00:39:14,931
Thank you so much for
coming on the show today.
716
00:39:14,931 --> 00:39:16,101
I enjoyed speaking with you.
717
00:39:17,076 --> 00:39:19,626
Karen: I enjoyed speaking with
you and thank you for having me.
718
00:39:19,656 --> 00:39:22,576
That's all the time that we
have for today's episode.
719
00:39:22,636 --> 00:39:23,806
Thank you for listening.
720
00:39:23,856 --> 00:39:27,576
If you are enjoying our show, please
consider leaving us a donation.
721
00:39:27,906 --> 00:39:30,736
A hundred percent goes to our animals.
