Spilling the kibble: Who’s your animal welfare hero?
HumanePro readers pay tribute to the people who have impacted their lifesaving journeys
Our field is filled with unsung heroes. Some are leaders; some work quietly in the background. Dedicated to creating a kinder world for animals and people, they spark a ripple effect that grows our ranks and strengthens our cause.
In our latest “Spilling the kibble” column, HumanePro readers pay tribute to the people who have impacted their lifesaving journeys. We hope you’ll be inspired learning about some of the everyday heroes in our midst.
Contribute to our next “Spilling the kibble” column: How does your organization choose names for animals, and what’s the best name you’ve come up with? Email us at info@humanepro.org.
Dr. Sharon Kaschenbach (aka “Dr. K”) with Metro Ferals and Green Acres Pet Center in Mt. Airy, Maryland, is an animal welfare superstar. She has a long history of helping rescues and shelters and providing affordable, accessible vet care for pet owners. A key player in organizing high-quality high-volume spay/neuter clinics for community cats, she has sterilized thousands of cats in our region. Her dedication to animals and her kindness to people are an inspiration to us all. — Linda McMakin, Friends of Montgomery County Animals, Maryland
Courtney Kremer serves as the director of Animal Services for the city of Springdale, Arkansas, a role that comes with its own unique set of challenges. While we hold similar positions in neighboring cities, Courtney encounters a wider array of difficulties, particularly due to the availability of resources and the volume of animal intakes. Despite these challenges, Courtney is unwavering in her dedication. Her commitment to making a meaningful impact is evident in her daily efforts to enhance the well-being of both animals and residents in her community. — Justine Lentz, City of Fayetteville Animal Services, Arkansas
In 2006, Sally Halela started South County Cats, an all-volunteer organization in Washington state, when she saw the need for trap-neuter-return in our area. She also saw the need for low-cost spay/neuter resources for owned cats, which led her to create a voucher program with three partner clinics, funded by donations, grants and fundraisers. Sally had always dreamed of bringing a much-needed spay/neuter clinic to the south end of King County. During the pandemic, she was able to see that dream come true. The clinic has fixed more than 14,000 cats since opening day. In total, Sally has helped more than 30,000 cats and over 100 dogs get spayed or neutered! — Cindy Jaeger, South County Cats Transfer Program, Washington
Virginia McKenna, co-founder of the Born Free Foundation, is my animal welfare hero. I’ll never forget the first time I picked up Born Free by Joy Adamson, about Adamson’s experience transitioning a lion from a life in captivity to a life of freedom, in my elementary school library. At 12, I started a group to bring together other big cat lovers and raise awareness about their plight. I reached out to McKenna, and to my surprise, she wrote back. I still have all the cards and letters she sent me. Although I’m not the big cat conservationist I once envisioned, I’ll always be grateful for McKenna’s kindness and support. Her encouraging words helped me stay true to my passion for helping animals. — Heidi Freestone, Humane World for Animals
My animal welfare hero is Becky French, executive director of Special Pals in Houston, Texas. I met Becky in Walla Walla, Washington, at Blue Mountain Humane Society, where I began my journey in animal sheltering. Becky took me under her wing and taught me everything I know know about this industry. Her extensive experience in the field is guided by her commitment to animals and the people who love and care for them. She took the time to teach me how all the parts of sheltering work together to achieve the goal of saving lives. From shelter medicine to fundraising to enrichment, she can do it all and do it with a positive, fun attitude. Since meeting her seven years ago, she is still my mentor, and I can always count on her support whether it’s related to working on a program or working through compassion fatigue. — Nicole Heskin, American Humane Society
Since joining our team in 2018, animal care officer Shiv Goswami has played an integral part in our humane street dog management program in India. He has captured over 12,000 street dogs, most of them by hand, and worked in five target areas. Every week, he transports dogs to spay/neuter clinics and later returns them to their neighborhoods. Shiv engages with community members with compassion, patience and understanding. His calm demeanor has de-escalated many an irate or confused member of the public during the catching or return of street dogs. Shiv has also helped organize dog behavior workshops and persuaded many community members to support our compassionate approach to street dog management in their neighborhoods. He is a team player, always putting the welfare of his team and the animals in his care first. — Keren Nazareth, Humane World for Animals India
Juli Ulvestad, director of pet resource center operations at the Humane Society of Utah, is the most compassionate and understanding person I’ve had the pleasure of working with. She is very empathetic with people and their situations, allowing them to feel heard. Juli works with the public and with the staff when they’re experiencing personal situations, and she handles it with grace and poise. Without her guidance and understanding, I wouldn’t have made it through a very dark part of my life and continue to work in the animal welfare field. — Ruth Mochel, Humane Society of Utah
Salianna Goss is the kind of person who brings out the best in everyone around her. As Gulf Coast Humane Society’s (Corpus Christi) volunteer and foster coordinator, she has transformed the way we connect with our community, not just by organizing efforts, but by building real relationships. She makes every volunteer and foster feel seen, valued and supported, and because of her, more people are stepping up to help animals in need. Salianna leads with compassion, patience and an unshakable belief in the power of people, and her impact can be felt in every corner of our shelter and beyond. She’s changing lives every day, human and animal alike, and we’re endlessly grateful for her heart, her hustle and her unwavering dedication. — Sammi Powell, Gulf Coast Humane Society, Florida
Michelle Ziel-Dingman, executive director of Snake River Animal Shelter in Idaho Falls, has opened so many opportunities for our shelter, including a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, TNR program and doggy day dates! — Dr. Kasey Sweeney, Snake River Animal Shelter, Idaho
Allison Black Cornelius, CEO of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, goes above and beyond every day. Her dedication to the animals in our community goes far beyond a job title—she leads with dedication, grit and unwavering commitment. Whether she’s advocating for animal welfare policy or rolling up her sleeves alongside staff in the shelter, Allison is always in the trenches, doing whatever it takes to ensure every animal gets the care and love they deserve. — Stephanie Salvago, Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Alabama
Sarah Bowen, chaplain to animals and people who love them, is an amazing listener and teacher. She is an animal advocate who has an amazing ability to journey beside people dealing with grief and compassion fatigue. I marvel at her dedication and selflessness. Her idea to create an animal chaplaincy program has spread to 12 countries! —Jen Tucker, Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania
Eric Thompson’s impact extends nationally as a prominent leader in animal disaster response, training and emergency management, but his influence was deeply felt at KC Pet Project as well. His arrival as interim chief of animal services marked a turning point, bringing stability, direction and a renewed sense of purpose during a challenging time. Eric fostered an inclusive, supportive environment, prioritized professional development and ensured the team had the tools needed to succeed. Though his time in the role was brief, his leadership left a lasting and meaningful impact on the organization and its people. — Lauren Hacker, Kansas City Pet Project, Missouri
