EPISODES | Dog Save The People

How caring for dogs transforms who we are as a person and changes our lives for good. Interview series hosted by John Bartlett, fashion designer and animal activist.

How dogs make our lives better.
New episodes posted every other Tuesday!

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.

Mission Inspired w/ Lizz Whitacre

Mission Inspired w/ Lizz Whitacre

Lizz Whitacre is the Founder and CEO of Pawlytics, a cloud-based software for animal shelters and rescues who want to save more dogs. After pursuing different self-started companies and endeavors over the years within the industry, she is today running Pawlytics (a culmination of all her experience) with the aim of implementing an innovative and modern software system for the animal welfare industry in order to help have the most efficient process in place everywhere to find homes for every dog that needs one. It all started with inspiration from her first dog, Rex, who gave her the fuel for this mission.

InterviewJack SommerNovember 10, 2020Rescue / Service

Maternally Grateful w/ Isabel Serna

Maternally Grateful w/ Isabel Serna

Isabel Serna is the founder of Black Lamb Studio, a Miami-based design studio. She recently published a book, Dog Mom: A Love Story, that she wrote and illustrated. It was based on her experience with her dog, Charlie, a french bulldog who she got when she was 30 and who completely changed her perspective on being a nurturer and caregiver – even preparing her for eventually becoming a loving and caring Aunt to a recently born niece.

InterviewJack SommerNovember 3, 2020Art / Creativity, Authors

Like My Own Child w/ Hope Dawson

Like My Own Child w/ Hope Dawson

Hope 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.

InterviewJack SommerOctober 27, 2020Service Dogs

Emotional Constant w/ Chris Blazina

Emotional Constant w/ Chris Blazina

Dr. Chris Blazina is a licensed psychologist, retired professor, and award-winning author. He has been in practice for nearly 25 years, focusing in particular on men and their depression, anxiety, life transitions, grief & loss, relationship problems, and pet bereavement. In his work, Chris has found dogs to be an important companion and part of a male’s life that is not able to be found in the same way as with any human.

InterviewJack SommerOctober 20, 2020Authors, Mental Health

Now and Here w/ Rabbi Gadi Capela

Now and Here w/ Rabbi Gadi Capela

Rabbi Gadi Capela leads the Congregation Tifereth in Greenport on the North Fork of Long Island. Throughout his life, he has had a strong connection to dogs – from always having them as a kid to having several since in his adult life. During his studies and life experience, he has learned about why dogs have such a strong connection to us as humans.

InterviewJack SommerOctober 13, 2020Travel

By Your Side w/ Nathaniel Fields and Danielle Emery

By Your Side w/ Nathaniel Fields and Danielle Emery

This 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.

InterviewJack SommerOctober 6, 2020Service Dogs

Elevating Focus w/ Winnie Au

Elevating Focus w/ Winnie Au

Winnie Au is a photographer based in Brooklyn, NY, who has found a muse in dogs throughout her career. She specializes in creating poignant and playful editorial dog photos. After her own dog, Tartine, received a cancer diagnosis, she pursued a long, traumatic, and expensive treatment plan that ultimately could not save her pet. This experience inspired Winnie to partner with a non-profit for a photo series to raise awareness for those who need financial assistance for medical bills of their dogs. The photo series, Cone of Shame, also flips the negative stigma of dogs wearing cones around their heads and presents them in an artistic, positive, and playful light. The eye-catching photos helped get attention for Animal Haven's Recovery Road Fund, which helps take away the burden of choice based on affordability for your dog’s care.

InterviewJack SommerSeptember 29, 2020Art / Creativity

Too Lucky w/ Kelcey Otten

Too Lucky w/ Kelcey Otten

As a Real Estate agent, Kelcey Otten had the great idea of bringing dogs up for adoption to her open listings (with her clients permission in advance, of course). Ever since she was young, Kelcey was exposed to the rescue and foster world through her mother and has now taken that torch and initiative on her own. She also has two rescues of her own, Stella and Rosie, and has fostered many others.

InterviewJack SommerSeptember 15, 2020Rescue / Service

Heartfelt Change w/ David Toussaint

Heartfelt Change w/ David Toussaint

David Toussaint is a writer, commentator, theatre critic, playwright and author. Since 1997, he has written articles for Brides magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Gay Financial Network, Outsider Ink, Diversion magazine, and more. He was an editor at Conde Nast and a three-time guest editor for Francis Ford Coppola's online magazine Zoetrope. He has also been a full-time columnist for GayWeddings.com, HuffPost, and more. He has also written four books, including one about his dog DJ – who had a big impact on his life and helped him get out of a depression in his 40’s.

InterviewJack SommerSeptember 1, 2020Authors, LGBTQ+

Extension of Me w/ Kimberly Elliott

Extension of Me w/ Kimberly Elliott

FREEDOM 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.

InterviewJack SommerAugust 18, 2020Service Dogs

Growing Together w/ Brad Kriser

Growing Together w/ Brad Kriser

Brad Kriser is the Chief Education Officer of Independent Pet Partners (IPP). Recently, they did a study about the 5 Pillars of Pet Wellness to help dogs and their humans live happier lives. Brad speaks about what those pillars are, why they’re important, and why dogs play such a big part of our lives. He has also had many dogs throughout his life since birth and has had a bond that he could not imagine living without.

InterviewJack SommerAugust 4, 2020Business

Embracing Responsibility w/ Sarah Liss

Embracing Responsibility w/ Sarah Liss

Sarah Liss is a writer and editor. She is the author of the book Army of Lovers, a community history of the late artist and LGBTQ activist Will Munro. While she had always been against having kids, she became more ready and accepting of the challenge of parenthood after the transformative experience she had with her dog, Harriet. Currently, she lives in Toronto with her partner, Lisa, and their two sons and their other dog, Lula.

InterviewJack SommerJuly 21, 2020Family

Proving Dogs Love w/ Clive Wynne

Proving Dogs Love w/ Clive Wynne

Dr. Clive Wynne is the Founding Director & Principal Investigator of Arizona State University’s Canine Science Collaboratory, as well as a Professor of Psychology at the university. In the Fall of 2019, Clive released a book entitled “Dog Is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You” that looked at how affection is the very essence of dogs, backed by scientific evidence. He had help in writing the book from his own dog, Xephos, who helped him form a greater understanding of the human to dog relationship.

InterviewJack SommerJuly 7, 2020People Studying Dogs, Education

Bringing People Together w/ Brian Taylor

Bringing People Together w/ Brian Taylor

Known as “The Dogfather of Harlem" in New York City, Brian Taylor has been running his dog business – the Harlem Doggie Day Spa – for almost a decade. Initially from West Africa, he came over to America when he was 13 years old and found his way to New York City after college. With his business, he’s been very involved in his neighborhood to help bring people together, make the Harlem dog community stronger, and offer the services that people may need. And while keeping the business going during the pandemic has been tough, he’s been finding his way through it and is now about to embark on The Pup Pandemic Relief Tour across the country to help dogs in need of grooming.

InterviewJack SommerJune 23, 2020Rescue / Service, People Working w/ Dogs, Business

Q&A - How Do I Show Affection To My Dog?

Q&A - How Do I Show Affection To My Dog?

For this Q&A minisode, John Bartlett talks about the ways that you can show love to your dog that they will understand. Dogs crave appreciation and look to their owners as the leader of the pack. So how you act, and what you may be feeling towards them, can make them feel loved. He talks about specific examples that can work including certain types of touch, talk, play, and the act of being emotionally present.

Question & AnswerJack SommerJune 9, 2020Q&A

Never Giving Up w/ Peter Philipakos

Never Giving Up w/ Peter Philipakos

Peter Philipakos is a retired Greek-American soccer/futbol/football midfield player. He found a stray dog, Jack, while playing in Greece. The two formed a close bond (along with Peter’s fiancé, Natasha) and grew inseparable. They decided to take him in and give this special dog a happy, forever home. Peter also decided to take an early retirement from playing the game he loved to make sure Jack had the best of everything. Now, the three of them live in Los Angeles, California, living a sunny new life.

Interviews, InterviewJack SommerMay 26, 2020Travel, Freedom Ride

Q&A - How Do Dogs Help Us Make Friends?

Q&A - How Do Dogs Help Us Make Friends?

For this Q&A minisode, John Bartlett answers about how dogs help us make friends. They connect us to people we wouldn’t otherwise meet, are great icebreakers, and even turn into deeply personal connections (especially in places like the dog park).

Question & AnswerJack SommerMay 19, 2020Q&A

Be In The Moment w/ Alan Cumming

Be In The Moment w/ Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming is a three-time Emmy-nominated and Tony-award winning actor. With his husband, illustrator Grant Shaffer, they have always had dogs as part of their pack. Along with strengthening their relationship, the dogs have also taught Alan about being more in the moment at all times. He and Grant have also created two books around their previous dogs, Honey and Leon, and are working on an upcoming animated TV show based on them. Currently, they have two other great dogs by their side in Lala and Jerry.

InterviewJack SommerMay 12, 2020Family, LGBTQ+

Q&A - How Should I Greet A Dog?

Q&A - How Should I Greet A Dog?

For this Q&A minisode, John Bartlett answers about the best way to greet a dog. Importantly, he reminds us to always ask permission from dog owners before touching their animals.

Question & AnswerJack SommerMay 5, 2020Q&A

Teacher's Pet w/ Cara Zelas

Teacher's Pet w/ Cara Zelas

Cara 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.

InterviewJack SommerApril 28, 2020Education, Service Dogs