Independent rescuer and animal advocate Stephanie Smith joins us for a powerful, eye‑opening conversation about what it really takes to protect animals in communities where resources are thin and the need is overwhelming.

Stephanie shares the story that changed everything for her in 2022 — a heartbreaking discovery that pushed her from “someone who loves animals” to a full‑time advocate working directly with sheriffs, judges, and local officials across multiple states.

She opens up about:

• The difference between keyboard warriors and true community action

• Why video evidence is essential for prosecuting abuse

• How citizens can support law enforcement and push for real change

• The rise and fall of her 14,000‑follower advocacy page, and the impact it made

• Her incredible project, Pet Blessing Box, which helps families keep their pets fed and safe during hard times

This episode is a reminder that one person can spark change — but lasting progress takes a village.

Learn more about Pet Blessing Box:

1. Facebook: facebook.com/petblessingbox

Support Our Mission 🐾 Every single dollar helps our animals directly. Your donations are processed through our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, the power behind the Animal Posse podcast. Your generosity saves lives: 🔗 https://animalposse.com/support

Connect With Us 🌐

1. Websites: animalposse.com | unwantedfeline.org
2. Instagram & TikTok: @ufoanimalrescue
3. Facebook: facebook.com/UFORescue/

About Animal Posse 🐈 Welcome to Animal Posse! We share heartwarming stories and crucial insights to make a real difference for animals in need. As a project of the Unwanted Feline Organization, we are a community of animal lovers dedicated to rescue, advocacy, and education.

Like, Share, and Subscribe to save lives through community, one rescue at a time!

#AnimalPosse #IndependentRescue #AnimalAdvocacy #RescueCommunity #ItTakesAVillage #TNRWorks #CommunityCats #GrassrootsRescue #PetBlessingBox #SupportLocalRescuers #CompassionInAction #RescueStories #AdvocatesForAnimals #DoSomethingNotNothing #AnimalWelfareCommunity

In this episode, we sit down with Sally Williams to discuss Mission Meow's unique crowdfunded grant model, which brings animal lovers together to provide life-changing resources for small feline rescues. Throughout our conversation, Sally explains how focusing on these local, grassroots organizations is the key to solving the overpopulation and care crisis.

We take a deep dive into the importance of collaboration over competition, discussing why the rescue community thrives when we share resources rather than fighting for them. Sally also offers a candid look at compassion fatigue, sharing insights on the emotional toll of animal welfare and how to build resilience against burnout. Whether you are a dedicated volunteer or a lifelong cat lover, this episode offers a roadmap for turning collective action into life-saving outcomes.

Learn more about Mission Meow:

1. Website: MissionMeow.org
2. Instagram: @MissionMeow

Support Our Mission 🐾 Every single dollar helps our animals directly. Your donations are processed through our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, the power behind the Animal Posse podcast. Your generosity saves lives: 🔗 https://animalposse.com/support

Connect With Us 🌐

1. Websites: animalposse.com | unwantedfeline.org
2. Instagram & TikTok: @ufoanimalrescue
3. Facebook: facebook.com/UFORescue/

About Animal Posse 🐈 Welcome to Animal Posse! We share heartwarming stories and crucial insights to make a real difference for animals in need. As a project of the Unwanted Feline Organization, we are a community of animal lovers dedicated to rescue, advocacy, and education.

Like, Share, and Subscribe to save lives through community, one rescue at a time!

#MissionMeow #CatRescue #AnimalWelfare #CompassionFatigue #RescueCats #CollaborationOverCompetition #NonProfitSpotlight #FelineRescue #SupportLocalRescues #CatLovers #RescueCommunity

For most travelers, the Escambia County Welcome Center is a quick rest stop at the Florida state line. But for a colony of nearly 50 cats and kittens, it has become a place of abandonment and survival.

In this episode, guest Veronica Belletto joins the show to share her firsthand account of discovering these animals. What she found wasn't a group of wild, feral cats, but domestic animals—terrified, visible, and struggling to survive just feet away from the highway.

We dive into the reality of the "Welcome Center Colony," the heart-wrenching condition of the kittens on-site, and why these animals have been overlooked for so long.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. Veronica’s initial discovery at the Florida/Alabama line.
2. The difference between feral and terrified domestic abandonment.
3. The urgent need for awareness and rescue in Escambia County.

Contact Veronica here - Facebook

Follow & Subscribe: Don't miss an episode—hit the follow button to stay updated on this story and more.

If you would like to support us, every single dollar helps our animals directly:

https://animalposse.com/support

Websites👇

https://animalposse.com

https://unwantedfeline.org

Social Media👇

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UFORescue/

About our Channel:

Animal Posse is your go-to place for everything animal rescue! Join us as we share heartwarming stories, crucial insights, and ways to make a difference for animals in need. We're proud to be powered by our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, working together to bring animal lovers together and save lives.

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe

#AnimalRescue #CatRescue #animaladvocate #FloridaRescue #AbandonedPets #TNR #AnimalWelfare

What happens when you move into a new home and inherit 12 cats you weren't expecting? For the founder of Southern Pets Animal Rescue, it was the start of a 12-year journey from independent rescuer to a formal nonprofit leader. In this episode, we sit down with Amber Richard to discuss the gritty reality of animal welfare in Church Point, Louisiana—a rural "resource desert" where stray populations are high and professional help is miles away.

Learn more about Southern Pets Animal Rescue - Southern Pets Animal Rescue and Information Station | Facebook

If you would like to support us, every single dollar helps our animals directly:

https://animalposse.com/support

Websites👇

https://animalposse.com

https://unwantedfeline.org

Social Media👇

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UFORescue/

About our Channel:

Animal Posse is your go-to place for everything animal rescue! Join us as we share heartwarming stories, crucial insights, and ways to make a difference for animals in need. We're proud to be powered by our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, working together to bring animal lovers together and save lives.

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe

#AnimalRescue #TNR #SouthernPets #LouisianaRescue #RescueLife #SpayAndNeuter #AcadiaParish #StrayCats #BeTheChange #AnimalWelfare #PodcastAnnouncement #FosterDogs

As we close out December 2025, Animal Posse reaches a powerful milestone — our 48th episode of the year. Join host Dixie Louviere for a heartfelt journey through the moments that defined this season of rescue. From overcrowded shelters to tireless fosters, from animals fighting impossible odds to the people who refused to give up on them, this year has been an emotional rollercoaster of compassion and courage.

In this special Year in Review, Dixie brings together clips from all 47 episodes to honor the rescuers, adopters, volunteers, and—most importantly—the animals whose stories shaped 2025. Whether you’ve been with us since episode one or you’re tuning in for the first time, this tribute celebrates every life transformed and every act of bravery that made this year unforgettable.

If you would like to support us, every single dollar helps our animals directly:

https://animalposse.com/support

Websites👇

https://animalposse.com

https://unwantedfeline.org

Social Media👇

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UFORescue/

About our Channel:

Animal Posse is your go-to place for everything animal rescue! Join us as we share heartwarming stories, crucial insights, and ways to make a difference for animals in need. We're proud to be powered by our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, working together to bring animal lovers together and save lives.

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe

#animalrescue #animalstories #dogrescue #catrescue

In this heartwarming episode, Leslie and Jeri share their journey of feeding and caring for the beloved cats of Lafreniere Park through the Lafreniere Volunteers Civic Association. Listeners will hear how daily acts of compassion—providing food, medical care, and safe spaces—have transformed the park into more than just a green space.

This episode is a celebration of grassroots compassion, showing how caring for animals can ripple outward to strengthen human bonds and civic pride.

You can contact Jeri or Leslie at lafrenierevolunteers@gmail.com

If you would like to support us, every single dollar helps our animals directly:

https://animalposse.com/support

Websites👇

https://animalposse.com

https://unwantedfeline.org

Social Media👇

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UFORescue/

About our Channel:

Animal Posse is your go-to place for everything animal rescue! Join us as we share heartwarming stories, crucial insights, and ways to make a difference for animals in need. We're proud to be powered by our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, working together to bring animal lovers together and save lives.

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe

#AdoptDontShop #AnimalRescue #CommunityCats

#FelineFriends #LafrenierePark

Join us as we talk to Haley Sampey, the passionate founder of the new animal rescue nonprofit, Potato's Place.

Haley shares her journey from dedicated volunteer and foster mom—who rigorously followed up on every stray she took in—to starting her own 501(c)(3). She stresses the critical 3-3-3 rule for successful adoptions and the need to prioritize quality over quantity in placements.

The episode features the deeply emotional story of how the tragic, sudden loss of her beloved French Bulldog, Potato, inspired her to launch the rescue in his honor. Haley also warns against irresponsible breeding practices and the serious health issues common in "smush-faced" breeds.

Learn more about Potato's Place

If you would like to support us, every single dollar helps our animals directly:

https://animalposse.com/support

Websites👇

https://animalposse.com

https://unwantedfeline.org

Social Media👇

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UFORescue/

About our Channel:

Animal Posse is your go-to place for everything animal rescue! Join us as we share heartwarming stories, crucial insights, and ways to make a difference for animals in need. We're proud to be powered by our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, working together to bring animal lovers together and save lives.

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe

#AdoptDontShop #AnimalRescue #RescueDog #AnimalLovers #Animals

In this episode of Animal Posse, we sit down with Alyssa of Aviary Creature Rescue to confront the growing animal welfare crisis in Louisiana. From parish shelters closing their doors to feral dog packs roaming rural towns, Alyssa shares firsthand stories of resilience, heartbreak, and hope. Together, we explore the systemic challenges—lack of spay/neuter access, surrender fees, and community indifference—that fuel the cycle of abandonment and euthanasia. You’ll hear powerful rescue stories and learn how grassroots advocates are fighting for change despite overwhelming odds. This conversation is a call to action for anyone who believes animals deserve better.

Learn More about Aviary Creature Rescue or to get in touch with Alyssa - www.facebook.com/aviarycreaturerescue

If you would like to support us, every single dollar helps our animals directly:

https://animalposse.com/support

Websites👇

https://animalposse.com

https://unwantedfeline.org

Social Media👇

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UFORescue/

About our Channel:

Animal Posse is your go-to place for everything animal rescue! Join us as we share heartwarming stories, crucial insights, and ways to make a difference for animals in need. We're proud to be powered by our 501(c)(3) non-profit, Unwanted Feline Organization, working together to bring animal lovers together and save lives.

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe

#AdoptDontShop #AnimalRescue #RescueDog #AnimalLovers #Animals