The Top Dog Podcast

We interview the leaders in animal welfare to understand their journey to being the top dog and their vision for how their organization will save more animals lives in the community

The Top Dog Podcast is a kids podcast hosted by Chris Roy, with 50 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Chris Roy hosts The Top Dog Podcast, a kids show with 50 episodes published.

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  Episode #52

  Top Dog Podcast with Britney Tennant | Building the Next Generation of Animal Welfare Leaders

  Oct 1, 202630 minS1

  What does it take to stay in animal welfare for nearly 30 years? For Britney Tennant, it means embracing change, building strong teams, and refusing to let a “no” be the end of the road. In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, Britney Tennant, CEO of Cheyenne Animal Shelter, shares her journey from rescuing kittens as a child to becoming a leader in Wyoming’s animal welfare community. She reflects on founding Black Dog Animal Rescue, the evolution of animal sheltering, and what she has learned about leading people while continuing to advocate for animals. In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ Britney’s nearly 30-year journey in animal welfare ✔ Founding Black Dog Animal Rescue and building an all-volunteer organization ✔ How animal welfare has evolved over the past three decades ✔ The unique challenges facing animal shelters in Wyoming ✔ Why saying “yes” can open unexpected doors ✔ The importance of resilience when change takes time ✔ How Britney shifted her leadership focus from animals to the people supporting them ✔ Building strong teams and helping people become their best selves ✔ Advice for young people who are still searching for their path ✔ Britney’s vision for cultivating the next generation of animal welfare leaders After decades in the field, Britney’s perspective is a reminder that meaningful change rarely happens overnight. It takes persistence, adaptability, strong relationships, and people willing to keep opening doors when the first ones close. Learn more about tools supporting animal welfare organizations: https://doobert.com/ Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of animal welfare.

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  Episode #51

  Top Dog Podcast with Christine Kim | Changing the Way We Think About Homelessness and Pets

  Sep 29, 202628 minS1

  What happens when people are forced to choose between a safe place to live and the animal they love? In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, we sit down with Christine Kim, Founder and Executive Director of My Dog Is My Home, a national nonprofit working to increase access to shelter and housing for people experiencing homelessness with pets. What began as a storytelling exhibition grew into a national organization focused on changing policies, practices, and perceptions around homelessness and the human-animal bond. Christine shares how listening to people with lived experience became the organization's North Star and how partnerships can help communities create more pet-inclusive services. In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ Why people experiencing homelessness should not have to choose between housing and their pets ✔ How storytelling can change hearts, minds, and policies ✔ Building pet-inclusive practices within homeless services ✔ The importance of centering people with lived experience ✔ Creating partnerships and sharing resources across organizations ✔ How research can help establish better pet-inclusive practices ✔ Leading with values, flexibility, and trust ✔ Building an organization designed to outlive its founder Christine's story is a powerful reminder that the human-animal bond doesn't disappear during a housing crisis. For many people, their pets are a source of stability, companionship, and support when they need it most. Learn more about tools supporting animal welfare organizations: https://doobert.com/ Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of animal welfare.

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  Episode #50

  Top Dog Podcast with Natascha Scott | Outsmarting the Toughest Cats in Rescue

  Sep 24, 202624 minS1

  What do you do when a cat is smarter than every trap you've tried? In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, we sit down with Natascha Scott, President of 9 Lives Cat Rescue of Oxford in Mississippi. A plant molecular biologist by day, Natascha has spent nearly 20 years rescuing cats, developing creative solutions for difficult cases, and helping address cat overpopulation in her community. What started as volunteering to help cats on a college campus eventually became a lifelong commitment to rescue. Today, 9 Lives Cat Rescue helps approximately 50 to 200 cats each year, with an entirely volunteer-based team. In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ Natascha's unexpected journey from science to cat rescue ✔ Creative approaches to trapping difficult and trap-savvy cats ✔ Using technology like cameras and drones in animal rescue ✔ The challenges of finding and helping free-roaming cats ✔ Why affordable spay/neuter is critical to preventing overpopulation ✔ Building a volunteer-powered rescue through community support ✔ The emotional highs and lows of difficult rescue cases ✔ Why creativity and persistence can make all the difference Natascha's story shows that animal welfare doesn't always require a traditional background. Sometimes, it takes curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to invent a new solution when the usual approach doesn't work. Learn more about tools supporting animal welfare organizations at https://doobert.com/ Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of animal welfare.

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  Episode #49

  Top Dog Podcast with Daniel Roselle | The Power of Thinking Bigger in Animal Welfare

  Sep 22, 202629 minS1

  What happens when a communications professional turns a passion for community cats into a career in animal welfare leadership? In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, we sit down with Daniel Roselle, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Ventura County. Daniel shares his unconventional path into animal welfare, from trapping cats in a Honolulu office park to leading major changes in animal welfare programs and eventually taking on executive leadership in Ventura County. His journey is a powerful example of how bringing outside experience, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo can create meaningful change for animals and communities. In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ Daniel's unconventional path into animal welfare leadership ✔ How community cats sparked a deeper commitment to animal welfare ✔ Shifting resources from euthanasia toward spay/neuter ✔ Building partnerships between cat caregivers and communities ✔ Using communications and government relations to drive change ✔ Why animal welfare leaders need to think beyond traditional systems ✔ Making an impact at scale while staying connected to individual animals Daniel shares why meaningful change requires more than passion. It takes curiosity, persistence, and the courage to rethink how things have always been done. Learn more about tools supporting animal welfare organizations at https://doobert.com/ Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of animal welfare.

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  Episode #48

  Top Dog Podcast with Brittany Vanderstine | Building a Lifeline for Exotic Pets

  Sep 17, 202627 minS1

  What happens to exotic animals when their owners can no longer care for them? In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, we sit down with Brittany Vanderstine, Director of Wild Exotics Animal Refuge, a New Jersey nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and providing lifelong care for exotic animals. Brittany shares how her experience in animal welfare led her to recognize a major gap in rescue: while large exotic animals often have established sanctuaries, smaller exotic pets such as reptiles, birds, and mammals can have very limited options when they are surrendered, abandoned, or no longer wanted. In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ The overlooked challenges facing exotic animal rescue ✔ Why exotic pets are often surrendered when owners are unprepared for their needs ✔ Building a refuge for animals with nowhere else to go ✔ The importance of education before someone adopts an exotic pet ✔ Caring for animals with complex and specialized needs ✔ The realities of running a nonprofit animal refuge ✔ How rescue organizations can prevent exotic pet abandonment Brittany's story highlights an important lesson for animal welfare leaders: sometimes the biggest opportunities for impact are found in the gaps that others aren't addressing. Learn more about tools supporting animal welfare organizations: https://doobert.com/ Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of animal welfare.

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