The simple idea behind the show is how the selfless act of caring for a dog transforms who we are as people.
This responsibility often awakens in us a greater understanding that all people, all creatures, are connected as one.
It helps us learn to love ourselves, connect with one another, and treat all living beings with empathy and respect.
Cadaver dogs, who are trained to pick up the scent of human remains, can be very helpful in locating someone missing in the present or filling in the gaps of history on burial sites. Author Cat Warren's dog Solo was a singleton and wasn't suited to be a therapy dog, but had a terrific nose at smelling – so she soon found herself in an entirely new world of scent detection dogs.
Read MoreWhen the Hall of Fame swimmer Lynne Cox learned about how water rescue dogs were saving people in European waters, she had to learn more for herself. In Italy, she saw how impactful these dogs are for the community and for protecting humans.
Read MoreWhen the world was feeling overwhelming, Kristin Ann Jones just wanted to stay at home and avoid stress – but her dog Archer was able to get her outside of her head and explore the beautiful nature around them in the Pacific Northwest.
Read MoreAfter finishing his service in the Marines and working with the CARE humanitarian organization, Robert Macpherson was trying to figure out his way in the world. Eventually, he found his answer in the form of Blue the service dog.
Read MoreAs an elementary school teacher who also helps raise pups for the nonprofit Guide Dogs of America, Holly has seen firsthand how much a positive impact it can make to have dogs in the classroom environment.
Read MoreTraveling in airports can make you feel stressed and anxious. What better way to take a moment to breathe and escape than with petting a dog? The Pets Unstressing Passengers (PUPs), founded by Heidi Huebner, brings therapy dogs into the airport environment to help find comfort amidst the chaos.
Read MoreAshley McCaffrey was suffering from PTSD after her time in the Air Force and was in search of a solution to help her persevere. She found it in Hope, the service dog she was connected with through K9s for Warriors, who has given her a new lease on life again.
Read MoreDr. Linda Harper is a clinical psychologist and pet bereavement specialist who helps people to overcome the loss of their pets by focusing on upholding the positive bond, legacy, and spirit we share with them.
Read MoreChris Hannah and his “deaf superhero” pitbull, Cole, go to schools in the Tri-State area to teach about the importance of empathy and bringing empowerment to those with special needs. Through the lens of a dog, the message is able to be communicated in a manner that resonates in a special way.
Read MoreAfter being inspired to write by her soulmate dog, Christine Hassing’s new book tells the stories of how service dogs make a transformative impact on veterans struggling with PTSD through their unconditional acceptance.
Read MoreAmy Shelle is the Founder of Dogs for GRETA, which trains service dogs for survivors of sexual assault diagnosed with PTSD. Usually, civilians have few options for service dog training as it is typically reserved for veterans. As a sexual assault survivor, Amy recognized an unmet need for service dogs for people with similar situations to hers and started her own specialized service dog training program.
Read MoreJenni Williams was moving around with her husband, who was serving in the British Army, and wasn’t able to work when they came to the U.S. on assignment. She wanted to do volunteer work instead, and landed on fostering. It turned out to be one of the most important decisions she ever made. When she later had her daughter, Eve, who has a very rare chromosome condition and epilepsy, Jenni was able to understand how Eve showed love in a nontraditional and nonverbal manner thanks to her canine soulmate, Jess, and the other dogs she had fostered.
Read MoreJake Windell is an LA county firefighter who has a therapy dog, named Echo, who he brought into his fire station to help make a difference in the ongoing mental health crisis of the military, police, and firemen. Through the Peer Support Team that Jake is involved with, they are trying to make actionable changes to address mental health issues. One of the successful efforts so far has been with Echo, where having a dog around provides comfort to the firefighters and allows them to feel more comfortable to talk about how they may be handling job related stress.
Read MoreHope Dawson is a mother of two kids and a wonderful dog, Coco, who all come together to be a family. After going through a domestic violence situation, Hope was able to go to the People and Animals Living Safely (PALS) program in New York City at the Urban Resource Institute (URI), where they were able to stay together. Coco helped Hope, and the kids, during this unsettling time and gave them much-needed support to get through it.
Read MoreThis is a special episode of Dog Save The People with two guests from the same organization. First up is Nathaniel Fields, the CEO of the Urban Resource Institute (URI). It’s a nonprofit organization that has done crucial work in the New York City community for 40 years now – including the development in the past decade of People and Animals Living Safely (PALS) program under URI. The creation of PALS in 2013 made it the first pet-friendly domestic violence shelter in NYC. Second up in the episode is Danielle Emery, the Director of PALS. Today, it serves as an important and safe place for dog-owners suffering from domestic violence to be able to escape to and stay together with their dogs, who play a crucial and important role as part of their family in the healing process.
Read MoreFREEDOM RIDE - Kimberly Elliott is the Founder of the Be Like Josh Foundation. She is a proud dog mother to Josh, a dog with cerebellar hypoplasia. While initially being nervous about being able to take care of a dog with a disability and what that might be like, Josh has completely transformed her world for the better. Her aim with his organization is to enlighten others about his condition and using that as a tool for a general acceptance of our fellow beings.
Read MoreCara Zelas is a teacher whose dog, Little Dude, has done therapy work with her at hospitals and schools. After this experience, Cara decided to use her educational background to create a curriculum and a series of books to help young kids learn about lessons like kindness and empathy. Parents and teachers will likely find this helpful for teaching their kids – especially right now, while everyone is at home and learning remotely, but also really for any time you seek to expand children’s social and emotional intelligence.
Read MoreAround two years ago, Grace French started having intense nightmares while dealing with personal trauma, getting little-to-no sleep. She turned to training with a dog to help wake her up during them and overall help with her anxiety. The results made a big difference, and Grace has been able to keep improving and moving forward ever since with the help of her trusty sidekick, Bentley. In addition, Grace is the Founder and President of The Army of Survivors, a national organization focused on education, advocacy, and support for child athlete survivors of sexual violence.
Read MoreAudrey Hendler is the Founder and Executive Director of A Fair Shake, a program that uses the power of registered therapy dogs to help middle school children develop a foundation of empathy and self-esteem, and reduce bullying. As the kids learn to work with the dogs they learn about themselves and each other in ways that open up new possibilities for their lives.
Read MoreJason Kraus holds a Master’s Degree in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security. He worked as a government contractor, conducting background investigations, as well as investigating financial crimes for Ernst & Young. But while he may have been the most unlikely person to have written a children’s book about a rescue dog, that’s exactly what he has done. Now, he’s on a mission to educate kids and schools about the rescue world through his story with his dog, Gibson aka Bubbins.
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