The Animals Left Behind in the California Fires | Miss Understood #377

Summary

Podcast Summary: Miss Understood with Rachel Uchitel

Episode: The Animals Left Behind in the California Fires | #377

Date: May 26, 2026
Guest: Jessica, founder of Boomer’s Buddies Rescue

---

Overview

This episode centers on the plight of animals abandoned or endangered during the California wildfires, with a special focus on the rescue efforts initiated by Jessica of Boomer’s Buddies Rescue. Rachel and Jessica discuss the shortcomings of the current system, personal rescue stories, and the complexities behind animal shelter crises. The conversation is candid and emotional, highlighting both the heartbreak and resilience found in these experiences, while providing listeners actionable ways to help.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Origins of a Lifelong Love for Animals

• Jessica’s Early Interest in Animals:

  • As a child, Jessica was the neighborhood "animal kid"—neighbors and strangers brought her injured creatures to care for (02:19).
  • "I've always been fascinated by animals and intrigued by them ... not just cats and dogs. I've always had, you know, weird. Had like pet rats when I was a kid and turtles…" — Jessica (02:19)

• Her First Rescue, Boomer:

  • Boomer was a shelter dog suffering from years of kennel stress, who upon being rescued, flourished in Jessica’s care—a transformation that inspired her to formalize her rescue work (04:47).
  • "He just needed a chance, and he just needed to get out of that environment. It's a really stressful environment, especially for big dogs, working breed dogs." — Jessica (05:21)
  • Boomer's passing at age 15, after years of adventures, illustrates the impact a “second chance” can provide (07:20).

The Rescue Landscape: Shelters vs. Rescues

• Shelter Overload and Euthanasia Reality

  • California has roughly 300 city/county shelters, all at over-capacity (18:03).
  • The system is so strained that healthy, adoptable animals are euthanized due to space, or people are advised to release found animals back onto the streets (18:03).
  • "They were turning away animals... saying, put them back on the streets. We don't have the space for them. We don't want to euthanize them." — Jessica (18:03)
  • Rachel and Jessica clarify the distinctions between government-funded shelters (must take animals, euthanize for space) and rescue groups (private, foster-based, focus on high-need cases) (14:55–16:29).

• Common Misconceptions

  • Many believe in "no kill" shelters, but Jessica explains that the statistics are easily skewed (16:34).

• Medical & Behavioral Rescue Focus

  • Boomer’s Buddies prioritizes animals with medical needs or behavioral “strikes”—those most in need but least likely to be adopted (10:04, 12:53).
  • "Healthy animals being euthanized ... that's shocking to most people and they want to bury their head in the sand ... but that's happening on a daily basis." — Jessica (47:35)

Wildfire Rescues: On the Ground During the Crisis

• Firsthand Accounts of Chaos and Courage

  • Jessica recounts navigating roadblocks, dangerous conditions, and overwhelming emotional tolls to rescue animals from zones still burning or smoldering (22:15–28:54).
  • "I was receiving all these calls ... I had to leave and my animals could still be there. Who's going in and helping the animals? And. Nobody. It was nobody." — Jessica (22:15, 00:43)
  • Only Jessica and a friend were able to go in, relying on social media for lists of addresses and adapting plans due to near-total lack of communication infrastructure (28:06).

• Grim and Heartwarming Discoveries

  • Numerous stories of trauma—including owners losing everything, animals perishing or surviving against impossible odds (29:25–35:17).
  • A particularly moving moment: rescuing chickens and cats for an elderly woman, later reuniting her with them and "a little bit of normalcy," culminating in the chickens laying eggs again (35:17).

• Animals’ Loyalty and Resilience

  • Many animals stayed close to the remains of their homes despite catastrophe, a testament to their bond with place and people (34:52).
  • “The cat was in front of the house in the one tree that wasn't burned, and it was just, like, hiding there right in front of her yard.” — Jessica (34:52)

System Failure and The Fight for Change

• No Official Plan for Animals During Disasters

  • California still lacks an official, organized emergency response for animal rescue in such disasters (39:30), despite repeated catastrophes.
  • "We don't have any, like, emergency animal response systems in place for these types of cases." — Jessica (24:36, 39:30)

• Causes of Shelter Crisis

  • Housing instability, rental restrictions, economic stress, and insufficient laws around spay/neuter compound the problem (19:30, 43:43).
  • "It's not about ability, it's about priorities... providing free spay neuters to everybody" is critical, but still lacking (43:43).

• The Public’s Fleeting Attention

  • Rachel notes that animal interest spikes in crisis, then fades with the headlines. Jessica hopes dedicated locals can push real change (42:13).

Actionable Solutions

• How to Help

  • Donations are most needed (51:17).
  • Fostering, volunteering, sharing social media posts, and even photographing shelter animals for social media can have a ripple effect (51:17–52:50).
  • “Every single person can make a small difference. And those small differences is what changes the bigger outcome.” — Jessica (58:29)

• If You Find a Stray

  • Bring it to a shelter—they are still the main point where reunification happens, and California law now requires a 30-day owner search before placement (49:04–49:44).

• On Shelter Work

  • It's often emotionally taxing, misunderstood as glamorous, and people who work in shelters can become desensitized due to constant exposure to suffering (48:05, 53:07–53:58).

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the grim reality:
  "Healthy animals being euthanized ... that's shocking to most people and they want to bury their head in the sand ... but that's happening on a daily basis." — Jessica (47:35)

• On animal loyalty:
  "The cat was in front of the house in the one tree that wasn't burned, and it was just, like, hiding there right in front of her yard." — Jessica (34:52)

• On public responsibility:
  "We can't adopt our way out of this... It's everyone's issue. And we need to make it everyone's issue." — Jessica (43:43)

• On how to help:
  “If you can't foster, donate. If you can't donate, volunteer. If you can't do those, share content on social media.” — Jessica (51:17)

• On hope and resilience:
  “Every single person can make a small difference. And those small differences is what changes the bigger outcome.” — Jessica (58:29)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Jessica’s background & Boomer’s story: 02:19–07:16
• How animal shelters & rescues differ: 14:55–16:29
• California’s shelter system crisis: 18:03–19:30
• Entering fire zones, on-the-ground rescues: 22:15–28:54
• Most memorable rescue stories: 29:25–36:37
• No official wildfire animal rescue plan: 39:30–41:36
• Solutions & what listeners can do: 51:06–58:29

---

How to Support

• Boomer’s Buddies Rescue:

  • Website: boomersbuddies.com
  • Instagram/social: Boomers Buddies Rescue

• General Advice:

  • Start by supporting or volunteering at your local shelter, or donate supplies like blankets and food (59:19–60:15).

---

Final Message

Small acts—donating, sharing, fostering—build toward systemic change. There is overwhelming need, but there is also a way for everyone to contribute, no matter where you live or how much you can give. Remember: headline fades, but the crisis persists.

Transcript

[A]

Nerds.

[B]

Today's episode is sponsored by NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast. Ever Google a money question and end up 12 tabs deep with 12 different answers? This podcast is your shortcut back to clarity. NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast breaks down financial decisions. With a team of trusted journalists, they explain the why behind decisions like investing, home buying and choosing credit cards. With clear research backed insights. No jargon, no misinformation. Make your next financial move with confidence. Follow NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast on your favorite podcast app.

[C]

We are working with animal services to receive and care for pets that are

[A]

being displaced as well. Can you walk me through the day you went into the Palisade fire zones and what that was like?

[C]

I was receiving all these calls. I don't know if my house survived. I had to leave and my animals could still be there. Who's going in and helping the animals and. Nobody. It was nobody.

[A]

How did you get access? I mean, were you given permission or you just figured out a way to get up there?

[C]

I have to be careful before I answer that.

[A]

How many people on the ground did you have?

[C]

It was just my friend and I.

[A]

Is there one amazing story from that rescue that stands out to you that is just like the best thing that ever happened?

[C]

We went to one home where everything was burned. Kat was in front of the house in the one tree that wasn't burned and it was just like hiding there.

[A]

What is California's official plan for animals during wildfires now? Have they changed it at all? Have they made some sort of a plan?

[C]

No. No.

[A]

Jessica, thank you so much for joining me today on Misunderstood. I'm so excited that you're here.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. Giving me this opportunity.

[A]

So, you know, I'm so fascinated by you and everything you're doing now. But how did you, like. Where did your love of animals come from? Are you. Have you always loved animals since you were little?

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. Ever since I was little, I was always that kid that had a lot of animals. Adults would come to my door bringing me injured animals that they would find and asking me to help them. I've always been fascinated by animals and intrigued by them and all animals, not just cats and dogs. I've always had, you know, weird. Had like pet rats when I was a kid and turtles and.

[A]

Wait, how do you have a pet rat? How did that happen?

[C]

Oh, gosh. Well, my dad. It started because my dad had a snake and one time the snake didn't eat the Pet rat or the rat. So then I took it and, like, you know, it became my pet. And then. Yeah, his name was Ben.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. How funny. Do they have. Do rats have personalities? Like, can they be pets?

[C]

They do. They're so inquisitive, but they're so cute. And they're actually very clean, despite what a lot of people think. They are, like, grooming themselves constantly. But, yeah, it was really friendly. Never bit me or anything. And. Yeah.

[A]

So did you, like, at one point ever want to be, like, a veterinarian, or did you know you were going to get into this as something that became part of your life?

[C]

Yeah, actually, I wanted to become a veterinarian. And in high school, I did this, like, health program where all of our. A lot of our core classes were geared around whatever we were wanting to go into. And so I spent a lot of time at veterinarians and zoos my high school year, and then it kind of fizzled. I thought about going into nursing and then ended up going into nutrition because I. For some reason, I don't like the gore when it comes to veterinarian medicine. They are angels. They do a lot, but I'm more of the kind of the rehabilitate sort of aspect of it. But then it's a huge passion of mine, helping animals. And so now I'm in marketing. I do marketing full time, but this is my passion project and something that's super fulfilling to me. And so, I mean, my love for animals kind of transfers into that and having the rescue.

[A]

Right, of course. So what made you start Boomer's Buddies? Was there a specific story or an animal? Who's Boomer?

[C]

Yeah. So Boomer is a dog that I rescued from a shelter. And I actually, I saw his post on social media. One of the shelter volunteers posted him, and she explained that he was in the shelter for four years and that he needed out. And he was suffering from kennel crazy. So he was just, like, spinning in his kennel. And it broke my heart to see this. I saw it all the way in California, and I was like, I couldn't get him out of my mind. I kept going back to the post and seeing if he was rescued week after week, month after month. And then finally I was like, okay, if I'm this invested and if I'm this, like, you know, curious about this dog, then I. I should take it upon myself to go and rescue him. So I did. And I was completely freaked out because his dog was, you know, he was a Staffordshire terrier mix with, like, you know, probably had Pitbull and Black Lab in him. And I had two small dogs at home, so I was really worried. But I flew out to Cal, or I flew out to Florida and brought him back via cargo plane. Cargo. And then I was like, okay, once I get him here, I have enough resources. I could probably adopt him out. But once I got him to California, I was. He just completely transformed. He wasn't this crazy lunatic dog that I saw in the shelter. He. Calm down. He just needed a chance, and he just needed to get out of that environment. It's a really stressful environment, especially for big dogs, working breed dogs. And. And he was just like this big, sweet boy. He was great with my. My chickens, with my cats, with my kittens, with my small dogs. And so I. I realized that there are so many animals like Boomer who just need a chance. And so that's how Boomer's Buddies started.

[A]

Wow. Okay, so. And was the intent to keep Boomer or you were gonna foster him or what was the plan?

[C]

Originally, I was going to try to find him a home, but after I got him and after I had spent time with him, I decided to keep him. I was like, this dog has been through enough already. He doesn't need to be bounced around again. And he fit perfectly into our pack. And so I was like, all right, I will keep him. And then I had been doing rescue work independently for years, and then I was like, I'm going to officially form the nonprofit. And then the name became Boomer's Buddies.

[A]

Right. Well, okay, so now I have to ask, Where's Boomer now?

[C]

So Boomer passed away about three months ago. Three or four months ago.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I'm so sorry.

[C]

Yeah, he was about 15 years old, so I had him for about eight years. He was seven. Seven years old when I rescued him. And. But we had so many adventures. This dog lived a great, um. Everyone fell in love with Boomer. And it was just, you know, I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to. To take Boomer in and give him the best couple of years of his life that he had. But, yeah, unfortunately, he did pass away.

[A]

I mean, it's so interesting. Cause, you know, you. You. Well, if you go on my Instagram feed, all it is. I just got married, so it's like wedding dresses and, like, bachelorette parties or whatever, and then it's all dog stuff. And the dog stuff is, like, cute stuff, but most of it is, like, rescuing dogs and stuff that you don even want to see. And I'll go down a rabbit hole of looking at these things. And, you know, sometimes you wonder if it's AI Cause the stories are so terrible. And you. You get so immersed in, oh, my God, why is somebody not picking up this dog? Like, how is this happening? And two of the dogs that I have, two of the three are from rescues. One is from animal control in Manhattan, which is, like, the absolute worst place that I ever want to be. Like, I walked in there thinking I wanted to volunteer. And actually just talking about it gives me chills. Because being in a place like that, they don't have enough people that walk the dogs. The dogs are staring at metal walls. It's so loud because they're barking. It's the worst place on earth. And I couldn't leave there without a dog. Like, I didn't know if that would work too, because I had a small dog at home. This dog was like a mixture of all these dogs. I didn't know. Probably pit bull, whatever. I did the DNA test and found out she's half Siberian husky, half pit bull. And I didn't know if she would eat my other dog. I didn't know if she'd eat me. You know, she's from the streets of New York, and. And the only history they had is they found her tied to a post with staples in her head. I mean, terrible stories. Yeah. So I. Long story short, listen, now we live in Florida. She has two and a half acres that are gated, literally. I got the house for her and now the other dogs as well. And she's had two ACL surgeries. Cause all she does is run and chase and go up trees. She's living the best life, better than most people. But it is so hard to see all the dogs that need help. And from the ones that are just lost or misplaced or turned in to the ones that really have some terrible, terrible stories. And it sounds like Buddy's friends is something that are. Sorry, Boomers. Buddies. Rescue is. Is a place where you guys mostly focus on animals that are really in extreme need, correct?

[C]

Yeah, yeah. We focus on the medical cases and. Or animals that are marked behavioral because they're either scared or they just need to, you know, decompression time. These animals that are in the shelters are. Are. It's overwhelming. Like you said, it's loud. It's. Their animals are scared. They're not showing their true personality because they can't. They're. They're in, you know, fight or flight mode. And so it's a. It's a stressful environment. So, yeah, we focus on those animals and the animals that are, you know, deemed unadoptable to the public because of those reasons.

[A]

Yeah, you. I had a guy on, which maybe you watched, and that's how we got connected. Maybe Zach Scow. Do you know him? Yeah, I do. And the fact that he, you know, he helped found a company that works now with prisons, and they do this whole thing where they take dogs who are on the euthanasia list and get them and bring them into prisons and work with inmates. And I actually had an inmate on who. Who was incarcerated, I think, for life. Got out after 20 years.

[C]

Wow.

[A]

Part of the reason he got out was because he did so well on the Marley's Mutts program or whatever they called it. I forget, but. And was one of the most fascinating interviews I've ever done. Nicest, like. Nicest guy, like, went to prison at 16. And literally all he does now is he's an artist, an animal artist, and goes back to the prison to teach the guys that he used to be in prison with the class, you know, with the dogs. And then he trains behavioral, you know, dogs like you're talking about that have behavioral issues because he identifies with that, because he feels like he was that person. So he understands the dogs with the behavioral issues. People that are misunderstood, dogs that are misunderstood the most, and they just need to be heard and understood and loved and given a second chance. So, you know, I love that. And I think it's people like you that really help bring attention and awareness to those kind of animals who feel forgotten and left and looked over.

[C]

Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And we can learn so much from those animals. Like, the animals I've taken in have gone through, you know, some of them are. Have been severe abuse cases and rehabilitating them and just seeing them, like, open back up and be, you know, they're so resilient. And we could. We are. I'm always learning from the animals I take in. I'm just like, wow, they're so resilient. They're so forgiving. And it's incredible, you know, the. The synergy between humans and animals that we can learn from.

[A]

Right. So I want to talk. You guys focus mostly on complex medical cases. What does that mean?

[C]

Yeah. So. Good question. So in the shelter systems, they. They email us a list every single day of animals that are deemed a. Unadoptable to the public because of medical issues. And these can be super simple things like, you know, ringworm, which is it's not deadly. It's. It's easily treatable, but it's super contagious. And the shelters do not want them in the shelter system because they can contaminate the other animals and, and humans also. And so they will mark them as, you know, unadoptable and they need to be rescued. So it could be something as simple as that, or it could be other cases like we've taken on, which are animals that have been hit by cars and that need expensive surgeries, complex surgeries that the shelter veterinarians aren't equipped to. To handle because they have a huge influx of animals. And so those animals also will be on those medical list. And we're emailed them every single day by county and city animal shelters. And I just go through the list and see which ones that we can help. And sometimes it's, you know, the cases aren't as bad as we were anticipating, and sometimes they're more severe than we were anticipating. So it's always like that constant juggle of trying to figure out if we have the resources to take them in if it does go one way or another. Because sometimes, yeah, we've taken in animals and it seems like an easy case and all of a sudden it turns in really expensive medical case.

[A]

Right.

[C]

Let's check in on the SERTA counting sheep.

[A]

Why aren't we counting anymore?

[B]

Well, the all new SERTA Perfect sleeper has the Q4 support system that helps relieve aches and background pain.

[A]

We'll never get counted again.

[B]

Nope.

[C]

Save this Memorial Day shop at a

[A]

retailer near you for sure. We have a question. Maybe this is stupid, but. So when a dog is found or surrendered, does that usually go into a shelter and then a rescue is the company that is then taking them and not euthanizing them? Like they get euthanized only in shelters? Like, can you describe the difference? I don't really know, actually.

[C]

Yeah, good question. Because, yeah, there is a difference between animal shelters and rescue organizations. The animal shelters are government funded, Usually government funded. And they are. They have to intake animals. So if somebody is bringing them an animal, they have to intake them. If there's an animal that is found wandering, you know, a good Samaritan can bring them to the shelter.

[A]

That's like an animal control, right?

[C]

Correct. Yeah. Animal control.

[A]

Is that also like what ASPCA is?

[C]

Yes and no. ASQCA is also a shelter, but they aren't government funded. They are private. And so they work a little bit different where, you know, the, the shelter systems that are run by the city and government, these animals have, you know, typically between five to seven days for their owners to come and pick them up. If not, then they are eligible for euthanasia to relieve the constant influx of other animals coming in. And so, but the private rescue organizations or, you know, rescues like the ispca, they are private and they are funded by, you know, donations, grants. And they, we typically, you know, those shelters and rescues won't euthanize unless the cases are so extreme that the animals are deemed, you know, that they can't be medically saved.

[A]

But that, that's the difference. Are there shelters that don't euthanize?

[C]

There are shelters that will, you know, say that they are not, you know, they're no kill. They really don't exist. In California, there's shelters that will say they are no kill. However, they skew the numbers. So they, they can skew this, the statistics and they will say, oh, you know, if an animal came in with a broken leg and they had to euthanize it, that wouldn't go against their euthanasia members. So yeah.

[A]

Okay. So for the most part though, if they're going to like animal control, I mean, are they trying to adopt them, Are they doing anything to adopt them or for the most part, are they just killing them after seven days?

[C]

No, they, they put them up for adoption and they'll, you know, they'll, they'll keep them for as long as possible. And so, you know, even after the five or seven day hold, if they're not adoptable, if they're not adopted, then, you know, and if they have the space and they'll keep them, but if they don't, they don't have a choice. I mean, there, it's just, we have such a severe overpopulation crisis of animals happening in California and other states as well, like Florida, Texas, New York, where there's, you know, high population density of people, it usually kind of goes hand in hand. And so yeah, when you, when you

[A]

say a shelter crisis in California, for example, what does that actually look like? Like they have to euthanize the animals or it's like there's overpopulation where they have to turn away animals. Like, what does that crisis look like?

[C]

Both. So they, we have in California there's roughly about 300 county or city animal shelters. They are all over capacity. They are operating at over capacity. And so if they don't have the room for animals to come in, then they will euthanize healthy adoptable animals simply because of space. They just don't have the space. And so they have to make the space in order for them for other animals to be coming in. And then also, you know, back in. I think this started like a year ago. Our shelter systems became so overcrowded that they were turning away animals. So people were finding animals, bringing them to the shelters, and they're saying, put them back on the streets. We don't have the space for them. We don't want to euthanize them. And, you know, it left the public with this, like, what, what's happening? Yeah, you know, we're finding like baby kittens and they're like, put them back on the streets just simply because we don't have the space. And we, you know, it's, it's just, it's a severe crisis that we're in. And since I've lived in California, which has been about 17 years, it's been the same every year, year after year. It's just we have this problem and I don't, I don't understand how we haven't been able to get ahead of it.

[A]

Would you say that California is an. An animal crisis, like an emergency crisis that no one really wants to admit there?

[C]

Oh, for sure, for sure. And, you know, a lot of our government shelters, they admit it. They're saying, you know, hey, we are in severe crisis mode. You know, our, our mayor has gotten involved and said that they wanted to help, but nothing's done. You know, and, and it's, it's a very complex issue. There's multiple, you know, reasons why we're having this crisis. We have a lot of, you know, unhoused people. We also have a housing crisis where, you know, people aren't. Can't afford the rent or they can't afford, you know, the, the places that do allow animals. And so there's many issues that are making this such a complex crisis that I understand that it's hard for the government to kind of say, hey, where do we even start? But something's gotta happen.

[A]

I mean, it's so interesting, though, because since I was a child, I remember watching the Price is Right and having Bob Barker always say euthanize. I mean, not euthanize, sorry, spay and neuter your pets. And it was, that was the thing, like how you got the word out right now. I live in Florida. I had to take my ring and my next door thing off my phone on a daily basis. It's like, this dog's missing. This dog's lost. I can't keep this dog, a dog found here because I want to take them all in. And I don't understand these people that are like, oh, I have to move and I can't take my dog. Do you know anyone that wants them? I want to, you know, do something terrible to the person saying it, you know, like, how could they treat an animal like that? It's so upsetting to me, and I get so invested in that, and it's. It's really terrible.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, I know, and I agree. Ring and then, like, next door, also the nextdoor app, those have just turned into, like, animal. Like, you know, community involvement for animals.

[A]

Yeah. Which, by the way, that's good, because I can tell you on my Ring app how many times I see, like, owner found, you know, which makes me feel so good. But, like, you. That heartache that you get when you're like, oh, my God, there's this dog that's missing, or you see someone saying, please help me find my beloved pet. That happened to me when I was younger. I was in boarding school and my mother lost my dog. I don't think I've ever forgiven her. I was, like, 13, and it was, like the worst thing that's ever happened to me, you know, So I just. Those things are really hard for me to watch. But I want to talk about, you know, something that I think is pretty amazing. You guys were one of the few rescues that entered the Palisades fire zones to locate, evacuate dogs, cats, and all the other animals. Right. So, I mean, can you walk me through the day you went into the Palisade fire zones and what that was like?

[C]

Yeah, I was, you know, receiving all these frantic calls from. I live in Malibu. And so we were. You know, half our town was burned, and so I was receiving all these calls from, you know, friends and. And neighbors. And they were like, I can't. I don't know if my house survived or I had to leave and my animals could still be there. And who do I call to. To go check on these animals and

[A]

wait just for people to understand that kind of a phone call. Usually these people were out, like, doing something, and then there was a block and they couldn't get. They weren't allowed back to their home. Correct. It's not like they left their animals on purpose.

[C]

This fire happened so quickly, and it was explosive. I mean, we had 100 mile an hour winds. I barely made it home. I was at work, and I saw the fire moving towards the ocean, and I was like, this is gonna go right into Malibu. I knew it. And so I barely. I Mean, I was, like, hauling ass behind a fire truck that was, you know, I was, like, riding it to be able to, like, follow it and get out of the area, to be able to get home. And so a lot of these people were. They didn't have the opportunity to get to go home to retrieve their animals. Some of them were out of town, and the people that were supposed to be caring for them, you know, left because they were scared. And so there was all these variables why people, you know, didn't take their animals or weren't able to rescue their animals, get them out of the fire zone. And so it left a lot of people scrambled when, you know, as the days went on and. And I was, you know, reaching out to people, and I'm like, who's. Who's going in and helping the animals? And nobody. It was nobody. Our state was in such a, you know, I think every resource was, like, frozen because people were. They didn't know what to do. It was such a. A disaster on so many levels. And this highlighted a major issue, which is like, we don't have any, like, emergency animal response systems in place for these types of cases. And so I finally found a way to get into the fire zones, and I was like, okay, I'll just figure this out. I'll go in and do what I can.

[A]

But how did you get access? I mean, were you given permission or you just figured out a way to get up there?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, I have to be careful with how I answer that, because I, you know, when there's a will, there's a way.

[A]

But were fire men or whatever telling you, no, you can't go past this point? I mean, was it like, what were the answers you were getting of why you couldn't get to where you wanted to get? Were other people to get to their homes? It was too dangerous and it was not allowed? I mean, if somebody told me I couldn't get to my animals, I'd be like, that's my risk I'm gonna take.

[C]

Yeah, exactly. And, yeah, no, the roads were closed. There were roadblocks everywhere. People weren't allowed to go back. And even if you were a resident trying to get to your house, they weren't allowing people. And so, of course, there was a, you know, a lot of people that were very upset. And. And so, yeah, we. And we were very careful. We, you know, it was the risk. But, you know, we weren't going to get in the way of the first responders. They were doing their job. Yeah, they allowed us to come through and, and some of them even helped us when, you know, when we were looking for specific homes that we couldn't figure out the addresses because everything was leveled.

[A]

And so wait, and so like set the scene though at this point. Was there still fire everywhere or it was all smoke now or like what was going on around you?

[C]

A little bit of both. I mean, the fire was raging for, you know, I think like 10 days.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And so some of the areas were still on fire or they were reignited.

[A]

And you got in on what day?

[C]

I think it was day five.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[C]

Yeah. And day five or day six. And. Yeah, and so we. Some of the houses were still on fire, Some of the areas were still on fire. There was a lot of smoke still. But it was shocking to see what we saw. I mean, it was just neighborhoods completely leveled. It looked like a bomb had went off. And it was really disheartening because. And we were working off of, you know, people were just reaching out saying, this is my address, can you go check the animals? We weren't going from like house to house because there were. We just would have been. Would have taken way too long. So we were just going off a direct request from residents and we were checking to see if, you know, and I would say 90% of the times it was telling them, sorry, we, we can't find anything. And you know, but just giving them that peace of mind of like, okay, we, you know, we would say, well, you know, we left food and water out just in case, but we didn't see anything. So.

[A]

Right. So were you as you were going through? First of all, I would have been hysterical as a person waiting to hear from you. Right. So were you getting just hundreds of calls of hysterical crying people being like, please help me.

[C]

Yeah. And it was heartbreaking. We were getting call. I was getting calls, text, and I put the word out on social media and I was like, hey, I'm able to get in and if you have an address, send it to me. A description of the animal.

[A]

And so were you asking for volunteers at that time also to help you guys or how many people on the ground did you have?

[C]

It was just my friend and I. She had a four wheel, four wheel vehicle. And I was like, hey, like, I don't have a four wheel vehicle. We're going to need it. Because I, you know, and. And she was like, yeah, let's do this. And so I. We couldn't ask for volunteers because it was logistically very tricky on how we were getting in. And so you Know, I couldn't, I couldn't have like a team or anything, unfortunately. But I put. There was other people, like outside of the fire lines who were coordinating places to take in the animals that we were finding. Foster homes, veterinarians, offices. You know, they were doing all that back end work while we were out in the field. And it made it, it was really difficult logistically because there was no cell phone service, because there was no power.

[A]

Oh, right.

[C]

So we were just, you know, we would have to check the addresses and like, you know, put them in Google Maps beforehand and then go back into the, go back into service. We'd have to drive into service to get service to be able to like either get more addresses or, you know, respond to people. And so it was, it was a nightmare. I mean, it was just. Yeah.

[A]

What was one of the most haunting things you saw in that fire zone?

[C]

I mean, we, there was a lot of, you know, deceased animals that we saw, which was so hard and so sad. And, you know, I, I was, you know, I would tell the owners and give them that peace of mind of, you know, but yeah, it was, it was horrible. And then there was one case in particular that was so sad because it was a woman, an elderly woman, she was 83. Her business burned in Malibu. And then she called me and said, hey, I heard my house is still standing. Can you please go and, and check? I have a, like a 70 year old tortoise that I, that I didn't get out. And I was like, I'm so sorry. And I was like, okay, well that's great that your house is still standing. So I went there and I couldn't find the house. And I was like, she said it was still standing. And then that's when I asked one of the firefighters, I was like, hey, can you help me, like, determine which house is which? Because everything was pretty much leveled. And so I gave him the address and he was like, it's this house, but it's not, it's not standing. And I was like, shit. She told me that it was, you know, her house was still standing, so I had to call her. And I was like, I'm so sorry, but your house is not standing. And like, the firefighter actually went through with me and tried to find the tortoise, but everything was just completely burned. And so I had to tell this poor woman, she lost her business, she lost her animal, she lost her home, and was in the car at the grocery store just waiting for, you know, didn't know what to do. And I just was like, jesus. I mean, it was like a lot of. A lot of cases like that, which was so sad.

[A]

Oh, that's terrible. Heartbreaking.

[C]

There's never been a better time to get outside and experience the benefits of nature, discover nearby trails and explore the outdoors with all trails. Download the free app today and find your outside gang.

[A]

So were you seeing any. Did you find most of the animals that you found because they were stray kind of, and they were running around looking for help, or did you find them in the homes? Like, what about. Give me some good stories?

[C]

Yeah, a little bit of both. We went to homes and, you know, it was crazy because we found a lot of koi fish because obviously, like, the. The ponds didn't burn or if they burned, like, the debris fell in, but there was still water. So there was a lot of koi fish that were alive, a lot of turtles that were kind of hiding in the. In the ponds. And so we were able to go in and rescue those out. That was, you know, super rewarding. I mean, these poor fish were, like, gasping for air because they had been without, like, oxygen and proper filterization for days. And then some of the cases were people that couldn't get back into their. The evacuation zones. And their animals were alive and their houses were intact, but they. Their house there, nobody could feed the animals. And so we went in, we would retrieve the animals, and then. And then we would meet them, meet the owners, and they were so thankful. A lot of them were, you know, cats that were scared and kind of hiding. And then we did see a dog, and we helped them. They were leaving. It was a homeless man, and he was, like, leaving the fire area, and he had walked for miles. And this poor dog, his feet were burned. And so we picked them up, both up, we took them to the vet, and the guy was able to stay with him, with the dog for a couple of days, you know, while the dog got proper care and stuff. And. But, yeah, I mean, it was. It was all over the place.

[A]

I mean, so were you finding animals that you couldn't connect with a home and brought them to a shelter or your rescue?

[C]

No, not necessarily, because we were working off of direct requests from people. So if we did find the animals and they were alive, we would reunite them.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

But also, some of the. Some of the animals that we were finding were. They. Everything was burned around them. And so we. And then the poor people, they were like, I'm staying at a hotel or staying with friends right now because my house burned, and I don't have anywhere to take the animals. And so I took a lot of animals to my place. Like, I had chickens at my place. I found other people in surrounding areas that opened up their yards or their chicken coops or their ponds to take in some of these animals. And also to the vet's offices. They were really great. They were boarding some of the animals for the residents.

[A]

It's fascinating that the animals would stay near their home even after all that happened, as opposed to running as far as they could to get out of the fire. Right. Like, I remember seeing something where a news station was following a man who was looking for his dog way after the fact. They go back to the location for a couple days or whatever, and out of the rubble pops this dog. It was incredible. So, you know, to me, I would think my dog's lost, because even if it was alive, it would have run to get away. So I find that, you know, so, like, heartwarming that the dog feels that connection to home and their owner, even though the home isn't there.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. No, A lot of animals did stick nearby. We went to a. We went to one home where everything was burned, and the lady had a cat, and she was like, can you see if my cat still made it? And the cat was in front of the house in the one tree that wasn't burned, and it was just, like, hiding there right in front of her yard. And so we. We set a trap, and then we got it the next day and brought it to her. But, yeah.

[A]

Is there one amazing story from that, from that rescue that stands out to you? That is just, like, the best thing that ever happened.

[C]

Yeah. There was this older woman again. She was, I think, like, 84 or 85 years old. She had this little house in the very, very top of the mountain, and it burned. It was leveled. We found her two cats still alive. And then also chickens. A lot of them, unfortunately, didn't make it, but I was able to go in, and half of the coop was, like, burned, and then the other, like, five chickens were, like, pushed to the corner, and I was able to get them. And then I had those for three months at my place while she was still kind of getting things situated. And then she ended up moving into a place, and she was like, you know, can I have my chickens back? Like, I just want to feel, like, a little bit of normalcy and, like, a little bit of my life. And I was like, of course. And so I brought her the chickens, and then she texted me, like, an hour later, and she was like, they're already laying eggs. And I was like, oh, my God, that's great, because they weren't laying any eggs. They were so stressed the time that I had them, but. And she was like, thank you so much. You know, I feel a little bit like things are falling back into place a little bit, and I just feel, you know, happy to have my animals back. And I was like, of course.

[A]

So, yeah, from doing all the work that you've done, not necessarily just in the. In the wildfire, but is there one story that, like, emotionally broke you? Like, it could be good, it could be bad, but something that really took a toll on you and. And made you realize the impact of what you do?

[C]

Um, yeah. I mean, there's so many cases.

[A]

I mean, I'm sure there's so many.

[C]

Yeah, there was one. There was one cat that I took on. My vet called me, and she was like, listen, I have this cat that was just surrendered to, you know, to my clinic. The owners just can't deal with its medical issues anymore. Can you. Would you be interested in taking them in? I said, yes. And so I took him in. He was a mess, and. But he was the most loving creature I've ever brought into my. You know, And I've come across a lot of them, a lot of, like, really beautiful, unique souls. But this one was just. There was something about this cat. He was so sweet. And he also came into. Came into my life at a really crazy time when I was going through a. Pretty much a divorce. I mean, I was with this person for 14 years, and so we decided to split ways. And so I had this cat, and I just. Just poured everything into this cat to, like, try to get it to a good place and. But he ended up passing away. But it was beautiful in the sense that, like, I. I was. I was so connected to this cat. And I asked the universe. I was like, please, like, I just want to sign from him that, like, he's happy or he's content. And I know it sounds so quirky and weird, but I was like, I. You know, but then I was. Literally, the very next day, I was out shopping at some thrift store, and I see this giant photo of this painting. And, I mean, I'll tell you, the cat, it was identical to this cat. And I saw it, and I just stopped. And one of the things I loved about this cat was that we would go in my garden and we would just, like, hang out. He would, like, lay right next to me. He had this thing where he would crawl up on my shoulders. And so he'd, like, jump on my shoulders and just walk around my yard with me while I was doing yard work. And so this painting was this. It was giant, but it was this exact cat, and it looked exactly like him. And it was like, on this woman in the garden. And I was like, okay, that's a sign. Like, I'm doing, you know, I'm. I'm doing the right things. I'm on the right path. Because that one messed me up for so long. After I lost him, I was like, okay, I didn't do, you know, I didn't try hard enough or I wasn't doing the right things. But it was. Sometimes it's out of your control.

[A]

Yeah, for sure. So, going back to the wild. Wildfire for a second, what is California's official plan for animals during wildfires now? Have they changed it at all? Have they made some sort of a plan?

[C]

No, no. Are they talking about it?

[A]

I mean, I'm assuming everyone is in an uproar.

[C]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. And, you know, I'm currently working with a few individuals to kind of form something official to be able to kind of, you know, go hand in hand with the firefighters doing what they're doing. But, yeah, we don't have anything in place yet. And that's frightening because fires are still going to happen. Fires have been happening for years and years. And not just fires, but we have floods, we have mudslides, we have rock slides. And so we definitely need to form some sort of formal plan so that, you know, people like me don't have to go in, you know, and try to find a way to get in and that there needs to be a proper channel. So something that we're working on. But. Yeah.

[A]

So you don't feel like California is any more prepared than it was last time? No, no. What do you think slowed you down the most? Was it manpower? Was it bureaucracy? Was it, like, what was the issue? It just happened too fast or.

[C]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, it happened. So, I mean, this fire was, you know, catastrophic, and I think there was many different things that kind of happened, and it really highlighted the. The issues that we're having.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But, yeah, bureaucracy. We weren't allowed. Nobody was allowed in these areas. You know, also, there was. Yeah, it was just. It was a shit show. And our entire state was completely paralyzed. And at a local level, and also in a, you know, overall level, every. Every organization was paralyzed. They didn't know what to do. Also, there was all these other fires popping up and you know, I was evacuated. I evacuated, and I was in a hotel. Then I had to evacuate the hotel because there was another fire that popped up. I mean, just like a week of chaos.

[A]

I'm curious, in California, do you feel like people care when the headlines are going on and then they kind of. The headlines fade and then they don't really care, or is it a consistent thing where people are really paying attention and hoping that they can make change? You know, remember during COVID everybody got animals and then they all, like, surrendered their. Not all, but a lot of people were like, I can't handle this now that I have to go back to work. And, you know, so it almost seems like when. And you know, when people want to care, when it's in the story, in the storyline and the headline, people are paying attention, and then when it's not a headline any longer, that people go back to their lives and let it be someone else's problem.

[C]

Yeah, for sure. I think the locals here are realizing that, you know, and we're not taking our foot off the pedal. We're like, okay, we need to. We can't wait for another disaster to happen to actually, you know, be prepared again. We have to get ahead of it. But I think overall, like, you know, people on the outside looking in. Yeah, I think people. You know, it's like we're faced with so much tragic information every single day that people are kind of going from one thing to the next. And so, yeah, I mean, I. During the fire, I had people from all over the world reaching out to me, like sending our, you know, sending their prayers and stuff. But. But, you know, of course, after a couple of weeks, it's. That dissipates and people are moved on to the next. But I think there's enough angry people locally that know that there needs to be change and they're trying, we're trying hard to kind of make that change happen. Yeah.

[A]

I mean, what do you think the answer is, though? Because I know. I mean, you're in California, here in Florida, I don't know that there's enough rescues or shelters or whatever. And so I loved the idea of going state to state and talking about these programs with prisons and getting the dogs to be in a youth, you know, in a useful situation. You know, to me, it just seems like there are so many people that are animal lovers that we'd all be able to figure it out because we all want to help. But, you know, it. It just doesn't seem like it. It goes anywhere, really.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. And that's a great point. You know, we, it's. California is considered like the fourth largest economy in the world, and yet we are in a crisis all the time when it comes to our animal welfare. And it just goes to show you that it's not about ability, it's about priorities. I don't think that we're prioritizing, and I think that it's a very complex issue that needs to be tackled at different angles. But I think the most important part is enforcing the spay and neuters. Not just enforcing the spay and neuters of the animals, but also providing, you know, free spay neuters to everybody. Because that is. It's a big cost. It's a, you know, it's a significant cost. It's not just, you know, a couple bucks. It can be, you know, especially if you're going to a, you know, a standard vet, veterinarian's office, they're going to charge you between 5 to $600. And that's a lot for some people when people are living paycheck to paycheck. So they just will not get it done. And then next thing you know, that animal has had multiple litters. And so I think getting ahead of it is it. We have to tackle it at all sorts of angles. I think providing free spay neuters in every single area, enforcing the. Those laws of having those, you know, needing the animals, needing to be spayed and neutered the animal. The. Also the housing crisis. We have a crazy housing crisis. People are. Can't afford their rent and, you know, let alone afford a rent that allows animals or pay the extra fee. So it is a very complex issue. But I think, you know, our. We're not doing enough for sure. And it takes. It's not just a community issue. It's not just the government's issue. It's. It's everyone's issue. And we need to make it everyone's issue. And we can't shame the public into saying, you know, we adopt. You know, it's like, yes, obviously I would love everyone to adopt, but we can't adopt our way out of this. This is like the numbers are just too much year after year, too high, year after year. We have to tackle it at different angles. And yes, the community needs to be involved and so does the government. We need to provide better, you know, better laws and enforce those laws.

[B]

And across today's episode, sponsored by NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast, personal finance can feel like a pop quiz. You didn't study for this podcast is your study guide. On NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast, you'll hear from trusted journalists who explain the why behind major financial decisions. You'll get research backed insights and clear pros and cons. Whether you're planning a big purchase or just want to grow your wealth, make your next financial move with confidence. Follow NerdWallet's smart money podcasts on your favorite podcast app, the board.

[A]

Right. Okay, I'm going to ask you a couple rapid fire questions. I feel terrible because usually the rapid fire questions is like, what's your favorite team? What Netflix are you watching? Yours are much more serious. But I mean, I think it's important I want your answers. What's the number one thing you wish every pet owner understood?

[C]

Time. Allowing time. Because you know, people will adopt animals all the time and after two days they're like, oh, this isn't working. And I'm like, you have to allow an animal time to decompress, time to get acclimated into a new environment and realizing that, you know, just have a little bit of patience for sure.

[A]

What's something you see every day that would shock the public?

[C]

Healthy animals being euthanized. I mean, I see videos all the time. I see, I've come into contact with animals at the shelters that are healthy, adoptable, and they're super sweet and friendly. Puppies being euthanized because there's simply, there's just not enough space. And that's shocking to most people and they want to bury their head in the sand and they don't want to admit that's happening, but that's happening on a daily basis.

[A]

Yeah. What do people misunderstand about rescue work?

[C]

That it's glamorous because it's not. I mean, it is exhausting mentally, emotionally. People think, you know, oh, you just like play with, you know, cats or puppies every day. And I'm like, no, it is. And I also, most people in the animal rescue world, they work full time. I work full time. I have a full time job. So it's, it's very hard to juggle and it's not easy to, you know, constantly have to fundraise and then also finding homes for these animals. It's getting harder and harder to find homes for animals because they're are not enough adopters. People are like, I already have like five cats and five dogs. Like, I can't take it anymore. And so yeah, it's, it's, it's very. But it's so rewarding it is very, very rewarding.

[A]

But what would your suggestion be? If somebody found an animal on the street, what should they do with them or where should they bring them?

[C]

Well, I know a lot of people will say that this goes against, you know, what rescuers should do, but I always say bring the animal to the shelter. Because not every person has social media. So they, if you find an animal, you're posting on social media, they might not see that. And we can, we can't assume the worst in people and say, oh, they abandoned their animal. I mean, stuff happens. Doors get left open, you know, delivery people go into the gate and forget to close it.

[A]

That happens every day at my house. It's terrifying. But it happens all the time. So it's not necessarily always people that are just like leaving, leaving the dog on the street, you know, it's people who are desperately searching but just can't find them.

[C]

Yeah. And you know, I tell them, you know, if they're saying, I don't want to bring the animal to the shelter, that's terrible. I'm like, listen, if somebody's looking for the animal, that's the first place they're going to look. They're going to go to the shelter or they're going to call and say, hey, do you guys have, you know, this, does anyone breed in this type of animal? And if the shelter says, sorry, we can't take it because we're over capacity, then that's, that's when you can say, okay. And there is a law now in California where you have to, you have to search for the owner for 30 days at least. You have to post on social media platforms and try to find the owner before you can then either adopt it yourself or find it a home. But there's those channels that are in place and I think starting first by going to the shelter and saying, hey, I found this animal, I think, and then going from there.

[A]

So just to clarify, Boomers, buddies rescue, is that, do you guys have an actual place where you're keeping some animals or they like come to your house?

[C]

They come to my house. We're foster based only.

[A]

So once you find an animal, you'll put them in a home with somebody, you know, who's an appropriate foster. So it's not like you have a location with overhead.

[C]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And on rescue them. Yeah, that's how most rescues work. Most rescues are just foster based only. There are a few that have facilities, but most of us are just foster based only.

[A]

Oh, got it. Okay, what do you need Most right now is it money. Fosters, volunteers, supplies. Like, what do most people in the rescue business need?

[C]

Donations. You know, and that's how I tell people all the time, you know, if you can't foster, donate. If you can't donate, volunteer. But donations are how we operate, and especially for rescues like mine, when we take in animals, we have great partnerships with our veterinarians. They give us a great discount. But it's still very costly. Anyone who has an animal knows that when you go to the vet, it's very costly. And when we're taking on these complex cases, it can get very expensive very quickly. And so donations are the best, best way to help an organization that you're close with, that you can align with. But if you can't donate, then yeah, absolutely. Foster, sign up to Foster. If you can't foster, then, you know, share the content on social media of these rescue organizations that are constantly posting animals. That's how I found. Boomer was a volunteer who was in the shelter. She went into the shelter and just posted this dog. And it wasn't even a shelter worker. It was the volunteer who posted it. And her post went viral and I saw it. But things like that, that don't require you to actually take in an animal or donate, if you don't have the monetary means to donate, you can go into an animal shelter and take photos and videos of the animals that you are pulled to and post them on social media and you never know.

[A]

Such a good idea.

[C]

There's other ways of helping.

[A]

Yeah. Such a good idea. Do you think that people that work in shelters are animal lovers or. Because sometimes I get the feeling they're so cold, you know what I mean? And they're not as affected as the normal person would be to the stories of the animals. Is it just that they have to be like that and they are animal lovers?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, I think it's a little bit of both, to be honest with you. I think it's people who actually care about the animals. And then I think it's people who just need a job and,

[A]

you know,

[C]

and they, they take a job. It's a city job, and so there's great benefits. And. But I. I do think being in that environment, even if you are an animal lover, it's going to turn you because you see all sorts of awful things on a daily basis that you're just like, you can become so desensitized to it. Also, like, I know now I'm. I'm pretty desensitized to everything I just, like, disassociate and I'm like, okay. And nothing really shocks me anymore, but it's. Yeah. When you're. When they're in that environment. And that's why I could never work at an animal shelter, because I would probably jump off of a bridge.

[A]

Totally.

[C]

Yeah. Because you're just seeing the worst in humanity and you're seeing all these animals suffer, and it's sad. Yeah.

[A]

I truly believe there should be some law that if somebody abuses an animal, they should, like, be abused in the same way or really go to prison like they should be. They should face consequences, for sure.

[C]

I believe that also because when you're hurting an animal, you're. It's, you know, you're one step from hurting a person.

[A]

Yeah. More like a child, because they can't even defend themselves, you know?

[C]

Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Do you have any animals you want to highlight that are one of two things, and we'll do both. One that's in a really critical situation that you need donations for, and another one that's a foster that you'd really like to tell us about that's either been in foster for a long time or some. Someone that an animal you feel like is having a hard time getting fostered and you want to get the word out. I mean, getting adopted from a foster.

[C]

Yeah. I'll start off with Honey. She's a German shepherd that we have in our care. She's been with me for about four months now. She was actually adopted out at eight weeks old by our organization, and this family took her in and then they returned her about four months ago because they just didn't have the time for her anymore. And we will always take animals back. So if you adopt an animal and you can't keep, we'll always take the animal back. And so they. They brought the animal. They brought Honey back. She's amazing. But she is a German shepherd. They require a specific owner who understands the breed and who can handle the breed. But she's young. She's two years old. She loves the beach. She loves going hiking. She's great with small dogs. She's a little. She's very timid around new people, like most of these. You know, she's a. She's a guardian dog. So she's going to be very kind of cautious about any new person that comes into your environment. And so that can kind of scare some people. But, you know, she'll give the growl or the. You know, she just doesn't want anything to do with them. But when she warms up. She's. She's great. But, you know, she's a large dog and it is so hard to find anybody to adopt large dogs. It's incredibly difficult. And so she's been with us for four months now, and we are. We still haven't, you know, found any. Anyone to adopt her. And I've actually opened up adoptions to out of state. So if there's any listeners who are, you know, are familiar with the breed and are interested, and we do cover that cost. So if, you know, if there's anyone that is out of state, we do out of state adoptions as well. But, yeah, she's great. She's two years old and her name is Honey.

[A]

Okay. And any case that you require some serious medical attention for an animal that you need a donation for at the moment?

[C]

Yeah, we have an animal in our care. He's been into my care for a year and he. He's had, like, a severe medical skin condition. It's an autoimmune. Autoimmune condition. So he's in and out of the vets. And he was a very costly case because we had to do a lot of diagnostics to. To get him diagnosed and medications and so, yeah, any. Any case that we take on is. I mean, we took on a cat a couple of months ago, a little kitten that was attacked by two dogs and. And poor Face was like, hanging off and. And I. I was expecting it to be, you know, a couple thousand, but it turned. It was almost like $6,000. But the cat is so sweet and he's like, in the best home. He's best friends with the dog, and it's like, so. And it's all worth it, but it's like, oh, boy. That was, you know, a lot more expensive than I thought.

[A]

Yeah, for sure. What is the fastest way that somebody listening today can help you?

[C]

Donations. You know, that's how we can continue to take in more animals. Donations. And I know, like, that's seems so hard to ask for when we are all very, you know, strapped and we're in a weird time where, you know, I don't know if we're in a recession, but we're. It's just. Just feels like it. So.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But yeah, even $5, you know, could help. So. Yeah.

[A]

Last question. What do you want people to remember after hearing this episode that you can

[C]

make a difference and it doesn't have to be this, you know, big. You don't bite off more than you can chew. Don't look at the Overall picture, I think a lot of people get very overwhelmed when they hear statistics or they hear stories like this and they're like, I can't even, you know, I can't adopt or I can't. You can help from a very small point. And that's how change happens. That's how, that's how the universe will make shifts. And, you know, like I said, going into the shelter, posting an animal that you see that you connect with, posting them on social media, you never know that animal could get, could get adopted. But every single person can make a small difference. And those small differences is what changes the bigger outcome.

[A]

So thank you. Tell people where they can find you and where they can donate.

[C]

Yes, boomersbuddies.com is our website and Boomers Buddies Rescue is where you can find us on social media.

[A]

Amazing. Thank you so much for your time. I really wish you the best of luck in everything that you're doing. I thank you. You're great. And all the, you know, you're a hero and all the stuff that you do. And for anyone listening that is not in California that wants to find something that they can be a part of, I would suggest, correct me if I'm wrong, they should find their local shelter and volunteer or donate there or sometimes, I know, near me they take like animal beds and you know, they take all sorts of things, little, you know, blankets. So any little thing you do I think is important and always help helps. Am I wrong?

[C]

Yeah, absolutely. No, you're absolutely correct. And starting with, you know, your local nearby animal shelters and you can kind of get, you can see once you're going in there frequently or volunteering, you can see what the needs are and how you can better help.

[A]

So, yeah, but your, your rescue is very different in the way that you guys are looking at critical medical emergencies and stuff like that. So, you know, again, if people really want to help animals that are in need right now, you know, not just lost, even though both are terrible, but you know, to definitely contact you and, and donate to you. So again, thank you so much for everything you do and we'll stay in touch.

[C]

Thank you. I appreciate it, Appreciate your highlighting all the animal stuff that you do. So thank you. Of course,

[A]

Thank you so much for listening to Misunderstood. I'm your host, Rachel Ukatelle. Please be sure to subscribe to the show and give us a five star rating and review. You can support the show by joining our [e-mail] misunderstood with Rachel, you could tell. Do you have ideas for the show or want to reach out, email [e-mail] that's spelled M I S S. Understood. Thank you so much and I'll see you next time.

[B]

Nerds. Today's episode is sponsored by NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast. Personal finance can feel like a pop quiz you didn't study for. This podcast is your study guide. On NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast, you'll hear from trusted journalists who explain the why behind major financial decisions. You'll get research backed insights and clear pros and cons. Whether you're planning a big purchase or just want to grow your wealth, make your next financial move with confidence. Follow NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast on your favorite podcast app.