The Rescue Dog Pod – Featuring Neil Laird

In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield Brown, President of Stray Dog Support, welcomes Emmy-nominated producer and author Neil Laird for an in-depth conversation about storytelling, compassion, and rescue. The episode celebrates the power of second chances—both for animals and for the stories that bring their journeys to light.

Neil shares highlights from his extensive career creating documentaries for major networks such as National Geographic, Discovery, the BBC, PBS, and the History Channel, reflecting on what first inspired him to pursue documentary filmmaking and how working in more than 70 countries shaped him personally and professionally. He discusses balancing factual accuracy with creative storytelling and how industry recognition influenced his path.

A significant focus of the episode is Neil’s work in animal welfare media, including Dogtown, which documented the rehabilitation of abused and neglected dogs, and Puppy Bowl, which celebrates rescue dogs finding new homes. He talks about the emotional challenges and rewards of filming rescue stories, the role entertainment plays in shaping public attitudes toward animal welfare, and the importance of spotlighting rescue organizations and movements.

The conversation also explores Neil’s transition into fiction writing with his Prime-Time Travelers novel series. He explains how his real-life experiences in television production inspired the humor, chaos, and historical adventures in his books, and shares insights into blending history, fantasy, and queer storytelling. Neil offers a preview of upcoming projects in the series, including Prime Time Troy.

The episode concludes with personal reflections on identity, creative purpose, and the future of storytelling across podcasts, streaming platforms, and independent publishing. Neil leaves listeners with advice for aspiring filmmakers and authors who want to create meaningful work, while Helen wraps up by thanking listeners and encouraging continued support for rescue—both canine and creative.

In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, we dive into a topic that’s deeply personal and often left unspoken — compassion fatigue. Whether you’re involved in animal rescue, veterinary work, or any kind of caregiving role, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Our host opens up about their own experience with compassion fatigue — the emotional and physical exhaustion that can come from caring deeply, day after day. Together with Patricia Smith, Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist and founder of the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project, we explore what compassion fatigue really is, how it differs from stress and burnout, and why those who dedicate their lives to helping others are particularly vulnerable.

Patricia shares powerful insights from over two decades of research, teaching, and advocacy, as well as practical strategies for promoting wellness, creating a self-care plan, and finding a path toward healing.

This episode is a reminder that you’re not alone, and there is no shame in struggling when your work revolves around empathy and care.

Speaker Bio

Patricia Smith is a certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist and founder of the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project. She has been speaking and facilitating workshops on the subject nationally and internationally for the past 23 years. She first learned about compassion fatigue as the Training and Development Director at Humane Society Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area. She served as a consultant for American Humane for several years, and then the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York City. With a background in journalism, she has authored five books on the subject including Stress, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Handling in Veterinary Practice, published by Grupo Asis, an international publisher of veterinary medicine books and materials. She presented a TEDx talk entitled: Navigating the Path to Wellness; Compassion Fatigue in Caregiving. The talk can be viewed at www.compassionfatigue.org.

Listen now on Podbean, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts, and take a moment to care for the most important life you rescue — your own.

In this episode of The Rescue Dog Pod, host Helen Summerfield-Brown, founder of Stray Dog Support, welcomes Katherine Lacefield, founder of Just Be Cause Consulting and host of The Just Be Cause Podcast.

Katherine shares her 20+ years of experience in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors, offering insights into how organizations can reignite their passion for fundraising, overcome scarcity mindsets, and embrace conscious philanthropy — an approach rooted in purpose, compassion, and sustainability.

Listeners will learn about Katherine’s signature programs — the Fundraiser Co-Pilot, Power Session, and Turbogrant — all designed to help nonprofits build stronger, more joyful, and more sustainable funding strategies.

The conversation dives into:

• The challenges smaller rescues face in securing long-term funding
• Emerging fundraising trends, including peer-to-peer and social media-driven campaigns
• The mindset shift required to move from survival mode to thriving with purpose
• How fundraising, when done with heart, can become a powerful act of service — not just for animals, but for entire communities.

Helen and Katherine close with a message of hope, reminding listeners that every act of generosity — big or small — contributes to a larger movement of compassion and change in the animal welfare world. 🐾