Welcome to a new issue of PetStack, a monthly post of pet tales submitted by readers of the newsletter Like People, Like Pets. PetStack illuminates our connection to the intelligence, compassion, inspiration, and love wrapped in four-legged, furry packages.

Perhaps the greatest gift an animal has to offer is a permanent reminder of who we really are.” - Nick Trout

By Cindy…

“Hello?” I muttered with the angst of a teenager rousted out of slumber.

“This is Will County Animal Control. Brandy is here AGAIN!” The caller’s frustration countered my sullenness. Of all the crazy things our stubborn Airedale Terrier did, running TO animal control was tops. My parents supplemented the government-funded program with the bail they frequently paid to retrieve her.

When I first read Holly B. Gutwillinger’s contribution to PetStack, sharp memories of bull-headed Brandy rose from the murky depths of years long buried. My brothers and I tried to train that reluctant girl. She never did succumb to our ineffective and inconsistent methods. We were kids. She was smarter.

When I met Holly two years ago, she was managing her newsletter, Ramblings From the Little Shed, writing a book, and tackling an MFA. A year later, wooosh! A flame ignited, North of Broken & Furever Home was launched, and so too, was her podcast Ramblings from the Little Shed co-hosted with her son, Rogan. This gal is on fire! And smart. Although, her story below makes me wonder!😊

By Holly B. Gutwillinger…

Whoever named our rescue dog Johnny Cash must have had the foresight to know this dog would live up to his namesake. When we met the one-year-old bouncing ball of fur in 2015, he was all black except for a few white spots and exuded confidence.

After three days with us, Cash unexpectedly jumped out of the second-story window of our four-level split house. Our neighbor told us he saw Cash land on the deck, cross the creek, and kept running. We found him an hour later, safe and happily chasing a squirrel. This was just one of Cash’s many shenanigans. His adventures were frequent, and no matter how organized we tried to be, he always stayed one paw ahead.

We blamed his nose for leading him on early spring swims to chase ducks. Fortunately, our canoe broke through the thin ice cover, and we paddled like his life depended on it. Even in his senior years, his vitality is contagious and inspires me to be the best human I can be so he can enjoy a full life.

The Animal Humane Society in Minneapolis, Minnesota holds the state’s largest pet parade during their yearly fundraiser The Walk for Animals. I volunteered at the Leech Lake Legacy booth, selling pet supplies and copies of my book, Mom Loves the Dogs More to raise funds for the organization. Enjoy a few of the highlights of the pets who stopped by to say hello.

BUY A BOOK. MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Today, you have three options to buy Mom Loves the Dogs More: A Memoir of Family Rescue to supoprt organizations making a positive impact on people and pets.

1. Every book purchased through this link will help save lives: a $5.00 donation will be made to The Street Dog Coalition Minneapolis Team to help pets of people experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness.

2. Every book purchased through this link will help support the pets of community members living on the Leech Lake reservation. The net profits, $5.00 donation, will be made to Leech Lake Legacy and their effort to provide veterinary care and surrrender support.

3. Every book purchased through this link will help Who Will Let The Dogs Out (WWLDO) raise awareness and resources for rural and marginalized animal shelters. That’s a $5.00 donation per book! WWLDO’s team has visited 220 shelters and counting. The animal sheltering crisis is not slowing. Please help.

Like People, Like Pets is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and show your support for my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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I bet you know someone in love with their crazy pet. It would brighten my day to know you shared this post.

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Welcome to a new issue of PetStack, a monthly post of pet tales submitted by readers of Like People, Like Pets. PetStack illuminates our connection to the intelligence, compassion, inspiration, and love wrapped in four-legged, furry packages.

Perhaps the greatest gift an animal has to offer is a permanent reminder of who we really are.” - Nick Trout

This woman has a creative gift, was my first thought after reading one Substack story and perusing her website. Then I read the reviews of her book Good Grief: On Loving Pets, Here and Hereafter. It was clear E.B. Bartels, who writes E.B.’s Notes & News, knows how to connect heart to heart. Sprinkle a baby and two turtles onto her stories and the recipes grow richer. The tale she submitted to PetStack reader stories reminds me of the famous quote by swimmer Lewis Pugh. “If you get the basics right, everything else falls into place.” Caring for pets helps one to practice consistency in the actions that matter. E.B.’s tale below is truly a like people, like pets story.

“Nothing prepared me for motherhood quite like having a reactive rescue dog. There are so many parallels I hadn’t expected––Luca, my two-year-old son, also loses his mind every time a truck drives by and comes running whenever he hears a bag of his favorite snacks crinkle. Luca’s special place on the couch is the same spot where our dog Seymour used to perch: leaning on the back of the sofa, nose pressed against the glass of the window, watching the neighborhood activities.

Above all, though, a dog like Seymour required patience and creativity. The first night he spent in our home, Seymour––a stray who had been shipped north from a St. Augustine, Florida shelter––looked at the steep stairs in our old New England colonial with wide eyes. He didn’t know how to climb them. We carried him upstairs to our bedroom that first night, and the following day, every day for that first week, I left treats on the steps, higher and higher each time, until Seymour eventually could zoom up and bomb down the stairs with joyful confidence. I’d never before had a dog so fearful and confused, and it took creativity to figure out how to work with him on his issues, and patience to stick with it, troubleshoot, and try new techniques if the first trick didn’t work.

Luca, too, didn’t know how to use the stairs at first. It takes a lot of patience to stand with him as he insists “Luca do it self” and then takes his sweet time climbing up each step on his hands and knees. So many things now would take two seconds if I did them myself, but “Luca wanna help” and so I take a deep breath and let him put one sock at a time in the washer machine, reminding myself he is learning important skills. And creativity is always necessary when it comes to getting a toddler to eat: Luca refuses his morning yogurt? Throw on some sprinkles and call it “breakfast ice cream.” When Luca recently refused to take his bubble gum amoxicillin for an ear infection, I thought of how I’d hide pills for Seymour in chunks of cheese or hot dogs. Eventually I figured out that Luca was happy to take the “pink medicine” as long as he could sip it up with a fun straw.

Creativity and patience, patience and creativity. Every day, over and over. I had no idea that having a reactive rescue dog would make me a better mom, but taking care of Seymour helped me learn how to take care of Luca, and I know now that taking care of Luca is helping me prepare to care for another future dog, whatever his issues may be. - story by E.B. Bartels”

MIDNIGHT & SNICKERS GOTCHA DAY APRIL 16

As I drove north to Cass Lake, Minnesota, for a Leech Lake Legacy volunteer weekend, I replayed past pet surrender stories in my head—families displaced by fire, children rehoming pets after a parent’s death, the inevitable wave of kittens that comes with spring. Every weekend brings surprises, but none more than Snickers and Midnight.

The two senior boys—brothers from other mothers—were sharing a triple kennel. Skinny Midnight paced frantically, desperate for attention, while plump Snickers huddled in the center litter box, golden eyes fixed anywhere but on me. Their family could no longer afford their care. A foster plan had fallen through, and no one had stepped up for two elderly cats needing medical help.

That Sunday, after more than ninety surrendered pets were loaded into transport vans, I buckled Midnight and Snickers into my car and headed home.

For eight months, they were mine. Midnight made frequent vet visits to manage his hyperthyroidism; Snickers needed surgery to remove an infected canine tooth. As they healed, their personalities blossomed—vocal Midnight, snuggly Snickers—and both imprinted firmly on my heart.

After months of care and a growing social media following, they found their forever home. One of the greatest gifts of fostering is staying connected with adopters who share stories of new love and laughter. It’s been a year since the boys found Kris. I’m forever grateful to their mom.

Happy Gotcha Day.

EMPTY NEST NEXT CHAPTER GIVEAWAY

Big kids. Big transitions. Big emotions. Whether you’re preparing for an empty nest or already in it, you deserve support (and maybe a prize). From now until April 14, 2026, you can enter to win one of four giveaway prizes designed for empty-nesters and parents of older teens and young adults. A small celebration for a big life chapter! Click here to learn about the prizes, the authors and writers who are collaborating, and the details on how to enter.

BUY A BOOK. MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Today, you have two options to buy Mom Loves the Dogs More: A Memoir of Family Rescue to supoprt organizations making a positive impact on people and pets.

1. Every book purchased through this link will help save lives: a $5.00 donation will be made to The Street Dog Coalition Minneapolis Team to help pets of people experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness.

2. Every book purchased through this link will help support veterinary mental health: a $5.00 donation will be made to Not One Move Vet and their effort to honor and elevate sustainable well-being in veterinary professionals.

   

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   Like People, Like Pets is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

I bet you know someone raising a kid or caring for a pet. It would brighten my day to know you shared this post.

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Welcome to a new issue of PetStack, a monthly post of pet tales submitted by readers of Like People, Like Pets. PetStack illuminates our connection to the intelligence, compassion, inspiration, and love wrapped in four-legged, furry packages.

Perhaps the greatest gift an animal has to offer is a permanent reminder of who we really are.” - Nick Trout

With a wicked cough brewing and body aches accumulating, I pulled the covers over my shoulders and burrowed into bed. Whuuummpp. Checkers the cat appeared from nowhere to quickly settle into the bay formed by my hips and legs. His heft a balance of warmth and comfort. Golden-eyed Sunshine, predecessor to Checkers, had a similar agenda – to nestle on my lap whether tucked under a desk or atop a throw warming me on the sofa. Misty, a wee kitten born beneath a neighbor’s porch and entrusted to me at the age of six, was a swirl of dense fog and wispy clouds. She followed me through the tumult of adolescence and into the twists of young adulthood, each night molding herself to the back of my knees.

Three cats crossing decades. Each gracing my life with comforting companionship and a quiet understanding of my needs. Their purrs rested my worries. Their kneading provided connection when loneliness hovered. Day. Night. Healthy. Ill. By my side and knowing.

I am not an island unto myself with my love of cats and their ability to heal. Eighty-five million posts on Instagram have used the hashtag #catlover. SubStack is awash with cat fanciers, too.

One of those writers committed to all things cat is Elyse Cregar of More Cats, Please! The aptly named site caught my eye one day while I scrolled through SubStack Notes. When I clicked on the link to More Cats, Please!, I was entertained by catchy blog titles that begged to be read, like “What if Cats Could Read?” and “News on Mews and Views for the Curious Cat Lover.” I learned from Elyse Cregar’s About page that she is a former librarian, licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park, and author of “madcap fantasy novels for cat lovers ages 8-108.” You now know why I invited her to contribute her thoughts on cats as healers.

CATS AS HEALERS

by Elyse Cregar. March 4, 2026

Felineonline.net

How do cats provide healing for their humans? Let me count the ways. The adaptive strategies that enable cats to function effectively as predators, prey, and companions to humans have evolved over millions of years. We humans are relative newcomers to their offers of companionship and their ability to communicate with us. Any cat lover is familiar with these sometimes mysterious behaviors toward their humans.

PURRING

How many mammals will come to you voluntarily to sit on your lap, settle into a curve of softness . . . and rumble? That low, humming throb emanates from air and tissues vibrating on your hand and lap. Close your eyes and allow yourself to feel the miracle of that sound. An ultimate sign of animal-human contentment, purring may decrease their human’s anxiety levels, possibly even lowering their blood pressure. Even without that wonderful effect, purring is a welcome moment at the end of a long day, during a human’s processing of sadness or tragedy, or simply a slow and lazy response to this wonderful connection between species.

As a side note, many cat owners have found the secret of eye blink communication. Slowly blink your eyes at your cat and she may respond with a slow blink of her own!

KNEADING, THUMPS AND BUMPS

Oh, those wonderful, sweet paws, those terrible sheathed claws! How do they provide healing and comfort? As much as my cat rolls over, zooms around the room and lands on me, she has never once exposed her claws! Once she is done chasing her tail, she may begin kneading my arm or kneading the quilt nearby. Often accompanied by purrs, this kneading can also be seen when mother cat is nursing her kittens. The touch of those cushioned toe beans has always made me feel content. If only in that moment the world can take a hike. My cat and I are a comfort team as I pet her while she kneads and purrs. Even in a busy moment that small head bumping against my leg can slow me down. I reach to pet her. She returns a tap with her paw. These small moments of healing are welcome reminders of her gifts of healing.

MEOWS

Have you ever noticed how many voices your cat offers? There is the whine of hunger, the magical trill, the strange low-pitched warning when kitty sees prey outside the window. The sound that comforts me is that tiny “miu.” When I hear my pet look at me with a soft, small cry, I take that sound as an invitation to sit together. To warm each other’s hearts and bodies. If such a clever, innate predator can speak to me like that, I can believe in a moment of mutual understanding. I find that feeling healing in so many ways.

The ancient Egyptians believed cats had “second-sight, even “insight.” The cat’s eyes could “see all”, hence the name they gave to cats: “mau.” Their powerful night vision linked them to the moon. Is it any wonder that cats have applied their ancient adaptations to their humans? The Cat Goddess, Bastet offered her protection and healing to hearth and home. From within her progeny, she still does.

My early fostering experience was centered on all things dog. Then came Shiloh, our perfect family companion. A girl who loves us equally, eagerly chases balls, and has a fondness for water and sand. She, however, has no patience for other canines. Her herding dog mentality turned me into a cat foster. Enjoy a few photos of a most memorable experience - watching the birth and growth of Ivy’s kittens.

I bet you have friends, family, or co-workers who would enjoy reading PetStack. Make a writer’s day. Please…

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Welcome to a new issue of PetStack, a monthly post of pet tales submitted by readers of Like People, Like Pets. PetStack illuminates our connection to the intelligence, compassion, inspiration, and love wrapped in furry packages.

Perhaps the greatest gift an animal has to offer is a permanent reminder of who we really are.” - Nick Trout

If you’ve ever had a dog rest a paw atop your leg when you were sad or a snuggle their chin under yours when the world felt too overwhelming, you already know what this month’s PetStack is about.

Pets can’t fix our lives, cure our ills, or ease our grief. But their need for routine can pull us back into ours. Their need to connect helps us feel connected. They remind us to get outside, to keep going.

In my own home, foster dogs didn’t magically heal sibling conflict, ease anxiety, or solve ADHD. But every dog offered some kind of remedy. Rascal’s ability to jump like a circus dog into waiting arms softened slammed doors. Odie’s desire to play fetch engaged even the most reticent. Crosby’s ringmaster antics brought our struggling family together to share laughter. Rescue dogs weren’t just passing through our house. They were helping shape the emotional landscape of our family.

This month I invited two writers who have witnessed the healing power of dogs to share their stories. Their experiences are different, but their understanding that animals heal us by staying, showing up, and offering steady companionship when we need it most comes from the same place.

Sometimes it’s not the medicine providing the cure but the warm body beside us that helps us heal.

Susan Hartzler’s stories capture the quiet, almost invisible moments when her dog’s presence can change the emotional temperature of a room. Her Paws on the Go: Soul Stories by Blissdog site is filled with expressive eyes and eager body language able to ignite the joy of a reader. Her depth of storytelling is the reason I asked her to contribute to this month’s PetStack. While her pets have enhanced her life, she’s been witness to the magic they cast on others.

Dogs as Medicine

“I was so nervous the first time Baldwin and I walked into County USC Hospital in Los Angeles. My sweet rescue boy was a high-energy, 30-pound mop of black curls who could play Frisbee for hours and still want more. I wondered how this exuberant, Muppet-looking dog would possibly calm himself enough to be a therapy dog. As we were escorted into the playroom, the sterile hospital smell lingered in the air, my stomach tightened. What if he got too excited? What if he bumped an IV? What if I’d misjudged everything?

Then we met Maria. She was seven years old, fresh from chemotherapy, sitting alone and impossibly fragile—more porcelain doll than child. My heart ached just looking at her. But the moment her eyes landed on Baldwin, she laughed, bright and unexpected, and the room shifted. Color returned to her cheeks as Baldwin hopped onto the couch and stretched across her lap. Maria’s small hand reached out to stroke his chin. Baldwin sighed deeply, lowered his head, and closed his eyes. As his body softened, so did hers. Her breathing slowed. Her shoulders dropped. Healing didn’t announce itself—it arrived quietly, curled up in a rescue dog. That was the moment Baldwin became more than my dog. He became my partner and my teacher. He showed me that presence can be medicine, and that love doesn’t need words.

Today, my pack, Seven and Paige Turner, do their best to fill Baldwin’s paws as therapy dogs, and in their own ways, they do. Seven carries Baldwin’s steady calm, while Paige brings a joyful, intuitive warmth that instantly puts people at ease. Every visit reminds me of that first day—that dogs don’t fix us, but they help us feel safe enough to heal. And sometimes, that’s the most powerful medicine of all.

Angela Schneider and I “met” through the Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) after she required a pick up truck to haul her winnings from the DWAA 2024 writing competition. One of her submissions linked me to her Substack Cameras and Canines newsletter. I was hooked. She writes from the tender space of grief—both her own and that of the people and pets she photographs. Through her gorgeous photography, she helps turn heartbreak into healing memories.

“When Bella came into my life, my grief over Shep was still raw. Acute. The kind of grief that makes mornings feel pointless and the future feel theoretical. Some people might say it was too soon to bring another dog home. But grief doesn’t ask permission, and neither does survival.

Bella didn’t replace Shep. She gave my days a shape again. She needed walks, meals, fresh air. She needed me upright and moving through the world instead of disappearing into it. Loving her didn’t erase the loss I was carrying. Rather, it gave that loss somewhere to live while I kept going.

Dogs aren’t medicine only for grief. They steady us through anxiety, loneliness, burnout and the low-grade overwhelm of being human. They’re a sounding board without advice, a shoulder to cry on that doesn’t need to leave for work. They regulate us through presence alone, pulling us back into our bodies, into routine, touch and the living world. Dogs don’t cure what hurts; they make living with it possible. And sometimes, that’s the medicine that matters most.”

A NEW WAY TO PAY VET BILLS

Every pet parent and animal welfare advocate needs to hear about this new way of funding pet care when funds to pay for care dry up. This podcast edition of Soul Touched by Dogs with Anke Hermann features Adam Spencer and his new non-profit, Furlanthropy. It is a crowd-funding platform specifically for pet care (dogs, cats, horses, reptiles…). Becasue Furlanthropy is a non-profit, people with a need can post on their site for free. Donors can support their cause with cash AND stock, bonds, mutual funds, gifts from an IRA… Funds collected go directly to the need, ex. the veterinarian. This is game-changing for people who love their pets but have run out of funds, AND for donors who seek a safer place to share their love.

3 WAYS TO CELEBRATE DOGS

Winter may be winding down, but the options to celebrate dogs are ramping up.

• February 20: National Love Your Pet Day

• February 22: Walking the Dog Day

• February 26: National Small Dog Day

There are more stories about dogs as medicine in Mom Loves the Dogs More: A Memoir of Family Rescue. Every purchase through this link will help save lives: a $5.00 donation will be made to Second Chance Rescue for every book sold. All the dogs in the book were rescued by Second Chance.

I bet you know a person or two who enjoys reading about people and their pets. Please share to help me grow my audience. More people means more pet stories.

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Welcome to a new issue of PetStack, a monthly post of pet tales submitted by readers of Like People, Like Pets. PetStack illuminates our connection to the intelligence, compassion, inspiration, and love wrapped in furry packages.

Perhaps the greatest gift an animal has to offer is a permanent reminder of who we really are.” - Nick Trout

After I read the story Ken Macko sent to me for PetStack, I immediately replied that I couldn’t believe how eerily aligned his thoughts about animals were to mine. Then I looked at the images he submitted - snow prints, cranes, the curiosity of his cat. I’ve taken similar photos, marveling at the mysterious nature of animals. That depth of wonder and authentic storytelling fill the pages of Ken’s Substack. You learn of his years as a “train man.” His posts peppered with towering engines illuminted in holiday lights. You read of a man in transition who still harbors hope.

Hope, by Ken Macko

Webster defines hope as - to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen to be true.

Ever just sit and watch God’s creatures? What they do, how they act? How do they get around. Do they walk, crawl, fly? Maybe all of the above.

This could be inside with a pet, or outside with nature. Do they need a little human aid to survive, or can they do it themselves? Of course your pet will need your help. My cat cannot survive without my help. I need to love her, feed her, clean up after her, protect her, and provide shelter. She is strictly an indoor cat. But she still has instincts of the wild.

So many creatures, like squirrels or chipmunks for example, will find nuts or similar, but can feast with help from us. Same with birds who will consume seed if you leave it for them but have the instincts to dig for worms. Frogs will catch bugs.

Watching this reminds us that we as humans need to survive. Humans are in effect, primates. Creatures of the wild. We have the instincts to survive. Gods’ creatures do too. When we see how our creatures, domestic and wild act, we have the hope we can survive in the same ways. Hope we can find food for nutrition on our own, hope we will have shelter, hope we can find aid when we need it. The hope we feel loved. We can learn from our animal friends. They have fears as we do. Watching their survival gives me hope I will somehow be able to survive too. We can learn a lot about ourselves and our instincts by watching our wild friends wander about, surviving.

One line at the start of Karen Elizabeth Baril’s “About” page was all it took to hook me. “I live by my golden rule; if you want to make a good story better, put a dog in it.” Yes! Karen is a seasoned writer of all things animal. I met her through her Dog Wise newsletter, commiserating over similar episodes of being attacked by loose dogs. She writes with heart about soul dogs, dog behavior, pet supplies, and training. She reviews books. I hear she’s writing her own. I’m in!

Tucker, by Karen Elizabeth Baril, Dog Wise

Tucker is a miniature long-haired dachshund, toothless, mostly deaf, with one cloudy eye. The city shelter described him as eight pounds of ‘floof’ with just one speed; a slow waddle. Although dozens commented on his post, we were the only ones who applied. “We’re neutering him today,” the volunteer told me over the phone. You can pick him up tomorrow.”

We were led to a room and asked to take a seat. When the door opened, in waddled Tucker, all wobbly eight pounds of him. He was scruffy and bedraggled, a puffy donut collar around his neck as if he was adrift in open waters, the boat long gone. But, it was his expression I noticed first; a toothless smile that announced a dog who saw hope around this scuffed shelter door.

Why hope? The situation was dire. I mean, he was just a very small dog with achy bones and no control over what might come next. That’s the thing about hope; it doesn’t need logic to remain in bloom. Tucker was right. Hope led him straight into his new chapter, a life of fuzzy beds and fleece sweaters and three soft meals a day. Every dog has something to teach us, if we pay attention. Tucker reminds me that hope isn’t a thing to be picked up or put down depending on what direction the wind is blowing. If Tucker could talk, he’d remind us that, “hope is putting your sails up even if the forecast says there’s not the slightest chance of a breeze.”

A DOUBLE DOSE OF HOPE

A dog. A peace walk. An American looking for hope “in terrifying, polarized, uncertain times.” I saved “Where I Find Hope Lately” by Carlyn MontesDeOca of Pawsitive Impact. I thought my purpose was purely to pass it along to you, but I’m saving it for me, too. It soothed my soul after a long conversation with a friend who is terrified for her neighbors and friends under siege by their own government. I hung up the phone, hugged my dog, petted the cat, and reread this story.

HOPE FOR PARENTS

I received great news last week from Erin Miller of unpopular PARENT. Like People, Like Pets newsletter was accepted into the PARENTstack Parenting Directory. The Substack newsletters listed in the directory “cover a wide range of parenting topics and styles – from practical tips to personal essays, expert advice, to lived experience” While my memoir Mom Loves the Dogs More: A Memoir of Family Rescue and Like People, Like Pets provide no expert advice, they offer plenty of personal stories based on lived experience raising teens with mental health challenges.

HOPE FOR NON-PROFITS

“MOM does good.” That’s my new mantra and new venture as I seek partnerships with non-profits focused on animal welfare and teen mental health. The distributor of Mom Loves the Dogs More: A Memoir of Family Rescue has enabled a feature whereby I can share a unique link with a partner. When a supporter of the partner buys Mom Loves the Dogs More using the link, I’ll donate $5.00 for every paperback book sold. December was my first test run with Second Chance Animal Rescue. They featured a cover photo of MOM and the link on their website home page and ran the $5.00 donation promotion in their social media. Guess what? Supporters bought books. Second Chance received a donation from MOM! Interested in partnering? Let me know.

Welcome to PetStack, a monthly curation of stories and photos provided by readers. PetStack was once a stand-alone newsletter until I folded it into the webpages of Like People, Like Pets. It nestles nicely with the weekly themes of the human-animal bond, relationship building, and parenting pets and people through the toughest years.

If I had a nickel for every person who regaled me with stories of how their pet rescued them, I could buy every shelter dog a pup cup. It’s no wonder as there are twice as many U.S. homes with pets than kids. Our relationship with dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, horses…can feel so much easier, whole, and without strings common in human relationships. Easy doesn’t mean without work. That all-in effort we lavish on a pet to help them feel safe and loved returns to us in the forms of trust and connection, proving we are capable of giving and worthy of receiving.

When I posed “who rescued who” to a few Substack writer friends, I wasn’t surprised by the response, just by the stories. In one, we learn of a toothless Substack diva who has her own hashtag and loyal followers. In another, “heart dog” is elevated beyond soulmate.

I never knew Andrew Smith wrote about non-dog related curiosities in his Substack newsletter, Goatfury Writes. I only knew of him as the dad of Dink Dink, the toothless Substack diva. Andrew posts a photo a day of his gal under the hashtag #dailydinkles. He endeared himself to me when I learned he and his partner are long-time senior dog fosters. When I asked if he would be interested in contributing a short story to PetStack, he replied, “I figure the more folks who hear rescue and foster stories, the better.”

“Sometime in 2021, a little monster named Rhubarb came up for adoption. There weren’t any vet records prior to her rescue, so “Rhubarb” was actually just a placeholder name given to her. Still, we thought the name was pretty cute, so Alley and I initially considered keeping the name. This would be our third forever dog together, after Hallie and Molly, her older sisters who are now buried in the back yard.

Because of our experience in fostering and rescuing senior dogs, we understood that she had sustained some kind of injury, where her spine now limited her movement. The end result meant that this dog had to swing her legs from side to side in order to walk, for her legs remained a little too straight to just run normally. This absolutely endeared Alley and me to this little critter.

We were on our way back home from our first trip after the pandemic flipped our sense of time upside down and inside out, so Alley would need to return a week or later to officially snag this little princess—the rescue org was going to adopt her out to someone else! We very nearly kept the name Rhubarb (it was really cute!), but being the proper nerds we are, another name came to mind. It was on the basis of how she walked, and it hearkened back to the 1980s. It was the Dink-Dink song from Spaceballs, where the Dink-Dinks (Mel Brooks’s Ewok parody) do a little song while they are walking along the desert in a particular manner. Dink Dink remains central to our lives today, and I publish a picture over her just about every day over on my Notes.”

(For more stories and photos, take a free ride through Andrew’s Dinklemania: The Book.)

There’s something about Gidget McFidget that draws me into every image of her posted by Dawn Levitt in her Substack Notes and newsletter, From My Heart to Yours. It could be the way Gidget stares past the camera into the soul of the viewer. It could also be the ease at which she snuggles against Dawn. Perhaps it’s knowing this dog helps keep her mom’s heart beating.

Rescued by a Rescue Dog, by Dawn Levitt

“When I arrived at the shelter on a sweltering day in mid-August to evaluate a little dog who had been labeled as a bite risk by animal control and scheduled for euthanasia if a rescue did not claim her, I found a tiny bundle of black fur who met my outstretched hand with a flurry of kisses. I had no choice but to take her home with me. The first night at our house, Gidget screamed for an hour when I tried to get her to sleep in a dog kennel, until I finally relented and brought her to bed. Every bedtime thereafter, she insisted on snuggling against my side where she slept peacefully through the night.

Despite Gidget’s model behavior at home, she turned into an entirely different creature when I took her to adoption events. She immediately went on the offense – snapping, snarling, and screaming at anything on four legs. If she could not be safely adopted, she would be returned to the shelter where she would be euthanized. My heart sank at the thought, so I chose to keep her as my personal dog.

Six years later, Gidget became the one to rescue me. Years prior to adopting her, I received a heart transplant followed by a stellar recovery, but my health declined rapidly in the past year. Cardiologists informed me that I would need another transplant, but the hospital where I received my first gift of life was unable to give me another heart.

I found a transplant center in Nashville willing to accept my case, but I would have to move. The thought of moving across the country terrified me until I discovered a pet-friendly apartment complex near the hospital. If I relocated to Nashville, I wouldn’t be alone. Gidget McFidget would be my constant companion.

After the move, I wanted to hide in the apartment and sulk, but Gidget refused to let me wallow in self-pity. Every day, she demanded I put on my shoes to walk her. At dinner, she pawed my leg as if she wanted me to eat something she could mooch. Instead of exercising and eating for my own sake, I did it for her because I couldn’t allow her to be neglected. She kept me going until the call came with the offer of a brand-new heart.”

GIFT GIVING THAT CAN SAVE A LIFE

Please help me help homeless cats and dogs. For every Mom Loves the Dogs More book purchased with this link, I will donate $5.00 to Second Chance Animal Rescue. Every dog in the memoir was fostered through Second Chance. In addition to supporting the animals they rescue they provide grants to community partners to support vaccinations and spay and neuter surgeries.

Buy MOM! Help Dogs & Cats

ANIMAL SHELTERS AS BAROMETERS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH

Nearly 72% of US households have pets. That’s nearly twice as many households with pets than children. When crises at home spill into community, there is an easy way to measure the fallout. Look to the local animal shelter and their ability to ease suffering. I’ve long held this belief but it was outlined effectively in a post by Ed Boks, former shelter director for many of our nation’s largest shelters from coast to coast. The True Measure of Any Society: Your Local Animal Shelter

SUPPORT FOR SHELTER WORKERS AND RESCUERS

On January 17, Who Will Let The Dogs Out will gather with shelter workers, rescuers, animal control officers, and community members to lead a Stronger Together event. This free retreat is designed to connect people who share a similar mission to help homeless dogs and cats. When people gather for collective solution making, isolation diminishes. Hope returns. The January 17 event in Clermont, Florida is our fourth Stronger Together event. Over 150 people have attended the previous retreats. We expect this location in central Florida to draw a big crowd. Register early to ensure a seat. Visit our Stronger Together Facebook page to learn more or register here. Please share!

I bet you know someone who loves pets and people, too. Please pass this along!

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How do I know when our neighbor is on a walk with Coco? Shiloh loses her mind with barking, growling, whimpering, and pawing at windows. Spittle covers the panes. Scratches are left in the wood. It’s not odd that Shiloh reacts to a dog in her territory, it’s odd that Shiloh’s outsized reaction is to a Coco we almost never see. She and Ben, who live three houses away, can leave their home without passing ours. Even more intriguing is that Shiloh has met Coco only once.

In what can only be described as a freak set of circumstances, Coco was attacked while out on a walk. Her collar broke in the scuffle. As she darted from her attacker, she ran into me and Shiloh. My calf became the recipient of Coco’s adrenaline, while Shiloh remained unscathed. Shiloh might not have been physically harmed, but her “Coco radar” formed instantly. That specialized detector allows her to know things in a manner that remain a mystery to me.

I was curious to know how other people’s pets befuddle them. Two Substack writers share head-scratching stories that will leave you trying to solve their puzzles.

I met Brisa Carleton at a book marketing class with eight other soon-to-be authors. It wasn’t just Brisa’s upcoming novel, Last Call at the Savoy, that was intriguing but that she’s managed to remain humble and thoughtful through a jet-setting life as a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer and head of the Princess Grace Foundation. She is glitz and glamour and a whole lot of wit that she packages in her must-read newsletter Delightful. Delicious. De-Lovely!

“The Curious Case of the Jet-Setting Rawhide My long-haired chihuahua, Mister Big, is a seasoned traveler with more international experience than most influencers and a signature move worthy of a spy novel. Before every trip, he somehow manages to smuggle a rawhide chew into my suitcase. Not the one I’ve already packed for him. A separate one. A secret one. I never see him do it. Ever. The bag will be zipped, the room seemingly dog-free and yet, when I arrive in London or Monaco and unpack, there it is: a single, neatly placed rawhide, tucked like a stowaway between stilettos or in a sock. He’s even slipped them into guests’ bags. I inevitably get the text: “Did your dog pack for me?” At this point, he has rawhides stashed in three time zones. I don’t know if he’s planning for contingencies or just marking territory, but one thing’s clear, Mister Big never travels unprepared.”

Mister Big

Judy Jennings is a writer and pet advocate who touches my soul with her passion for senior pups. Her experience in rescue is her springboard for stories in her Once Cherished, Always Cherished: Soft Landings For Old Dogs newsletter. There she shares adoption and pet care tips while also showcasing dogs in the Cherished Tails Senior Sanctuary program in need of homes.

“Shadow’s most legendary escape was from the Pug Halloween Party at Rebecca and Bob’s. Shadow was half Pug, and we made the list. The festivities were out back by the pool. Shadow hated water so he didn’t try to jump in, and also, I had a firm grip on his leash. “Oh, come on, let the poor dog have some fun!” Rebecca said, glaring at me. Her five Pugs encircled her ankles freely as she assessed me critically. I cracked. Unclipping the leash against my better judgment, I told myself it would probably be okay this time. “Don’t worry, there’s no way he can get out,” Rebecca assured me. Chain link surrounding the back and a six-foot adobe wall enclosing the front lulled me into a false sense of security, and I let Shadow run off to investigate my friend’s acre. Occasionally he would trot by to check out the action, never lingering.

Suddenly, I realized it had been toooo long. Where was Shadow? Rebecca was confident he couldn’t have gotten out, so I searched alone for a while, but there were lots of hiding places. Eventually a search party mobilized when he didn’t turn up. We checked every inch of the fence and found nary a chink. It was impossible for him to have gotten out. My phone rang. “I have Shadow here in my apartment,” a woman’s voice told me. “He trotted in like he owns the place.” I hustled over and collected him from an address three blocks down the street. When we got back, the party had moved into an inner courtyard secured by a medieval-looking wooden gate. Bob pulled it shut and slid over an iron latch that closed with an authoritative thunk. Whew! Shadow was contained at last! We polished off the libations, shaking our heads in wonder. How had he done it? Usually when you hear someone tell a story about a Pug Halloween party, it’s about the costumes.”

Shadow

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Dogs have become like diamonds. We don’t wear them, but we put them on parade beside us on hot sidewalks, shoulder to shoulder in our cars, and sitting with us in hot sand on sweltering beaches. Dr. Nancy Kay of Speaking for Spot outlines how dogs are different than humans when it comes to dissipating heat. Read her comprehensive list of pointers for helping your dog through the heat of the summer.

YOUR PET IS NOT THEIR ORIGIN STORY

Kristi Keller’s newsletter, Dog Snobs, featured a cross-post by dog trainer Karl Anthony. In it, he provides a provocative viewpoint that continuing to label a dog as “a rescue” after adoption may actually prevent that dog from thriving. When we continue to use “rescue” to label our pets, it may keep us from seeing beyond what happened to them to what they are capable of becoming. Our own limits may limit our pets. Check it out.

TRAVELING WITH DOGS

If you love dog stories, you’ll love the summer issue of Ruff Drafts, the quarterly newsletter of the Dog Writers Association of America. It’s devoted to traveling with dogs – with a few cats snuck in for good measure. Page 14 is a story of my honeymoon where Three’s Company, Four’s a Crowd.

THE REAL DOGS OF THE QUAD PRESS

My “pet” project of late has been writing a monthly article for my local paper, The Quad Press. I get to interview neighbors to about write their dogs. No drama. No politics. 100% dogs. My recent story featured Emmy – a brindled dog of seven breeds. No one has guessed her heritage. Can you?

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Courage, a quality of mind or spirt that enables one to persevere in the face of risk, has been equated to a muscle that strengthens with practice. Have a pet? Caring for one provides many opportunities to exercise that muscle. Whether it’s the bravery required to open your heart after devastating loss, the determination to face your deepest fears, or the strength to make impossible decisions, an animal companion can help you become a more courageous version of yourself. The three stories that follow reveal how pets—through their presence, their needs, and even their departures—can unlock reservoirs of resilience within us. They help us to act with love despite fear.

Robin Cangie is a fiction writer and marketing coach whose newsletters are veritable “rabbit holes” where one can spend hours unearthing useful gems. But that’s not how I met Robin. I learned of those things after I was introduced to her feline-focused Meowstack—a cat-a-week newsletter. Witty and irreverent and told from the perspective of each fluffy subject, her stories connect readers via their pets. Robin shared with me that it was her beloved cats who were the source of her courage.

A few months ago, my husband and I said good-bye to our two beloved 16-year-old kitties Cuppy and Stella. We’d had them since they were kittens, and after many years of friendship, we knew it was time. Letting them go broke my heart, but I also know it was the courageous, loving choice. In the days and weeks that followed, I found new courage and resilience in the knowledge that I could experience loss, survive, and keep my heart open for two new kitties that we recently adopted. I’ll always miss Cuppy and Stella, and I’ll always be grateful for their friendship and the lessons they continue to teach me even now.

Cuppy and Stella

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the writer to know if you have a fearful pet. She’s dedicated her profession to researching and advocating for solutions to help people and the animals they love. She is the author of the Companion Animal Psychology newsletter and Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy; and Purr:The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. Launching June 10 is Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. It may be hard to believe, but this superhero of animal behavior science was once afraid of dogs.

As a kid, I wasn’t sure about dogs. I had some bad experiences as a child and it felt like they had scarred me for life, even though I was never actually bitten .I knew to stand still if I was scared and wait for an adult to help, but it was hard to imagine a dog as a friend when they had such big teeth. Then a schoolmate got a chocolate Labrador. She was gentle and friendly and didn’t seem like a threat. She opened a little chink in my armor. But still I would go weak at the knees with fear when I saw an unknown dog. It wasn’t until I was a young adult that I was able to finally do something about this. Then, at last, I learned to love dogs—but it took courage to do so.

I remember deciding to go for a walk on my own in a local park and ignore all the off-leash dogs. It turned out most of them ignored me, so I was able to repeat the experience many times until I felt confident going there. In the process, by watching dogs out of the corner of my eye, I began to feel like I could tell if they were friendly or fearful. As a kid, it had never occurred to me that a dog might be afraid. Now, I felt like I understood them better.

All of a sudden, I was smitten with dogs. And while my particular experience might be unusual, fear of dogs is common in children, affecting 37% of them according to Dogs Trust. And many people, as adults, are still scared of things like mice, snakes, and spiders. One of the problems I faced was that people did not take my fear of dogs seriously because it seemed unreasonable to them.

How funny that this has come full circle and now I advocate for fearful dogs, whose guardians often do not take their fear seriously and blame the dog for being disobedient instead of doing something to help them. But I think it takes courage to help a fearful dog, because it means stepping outside of those outdated cultural ideas about being dominant and instead, recognizing what the dog needs. From that courage comes a wonderful thing—a beautiful relationship with a canine friend who feels safe in your presence.

Zazie and Pepper

I visit Amber Groomes’s weekly newsletter, Dr. Amber Writes, for the nuggets of wisdom she imparts while transforming complex behavioral science into easily digestible solutions for change. Of late, she’s been guiding readers through deep dives into a chosen book, providing a thinker’s guide to topics presented, then engaging authors and readers in live discussions. My question about how her pets have made her more courageous gave her pause, until clarity seeped in.

At first, it was not clear to me how my pets have helped me to be more courageous. I think I have felt most courageous when in the position of helping a beloved pet at the end of their life. When we adopt a young animal, we are not usually thinking about what it will be like to one day say goodbye.

I adopted Buster from the Humane Society in Austin, Tx in 2011. I was living alone and this would be the first time I was the sole caretaker of a dog. I went to the shelter with a certain type of dog in mind, but it was a doofy, slightly bug-eyed terrier mix who stole my heart. Unfortunately, he was sick with heartworm and would require a painful, arduous, and pricey treatment regimen. Thankfully, a local nonprofit would provide the treatment at a steep discount. I believe that going through the treatment together helped us forge a special bond right from the start. The treatment was successful and Buster was my constant companion for 12 years. We drove half away across the country together twice and lived in 4 different states. He was by my side as I got married and welcomed two children, who became his best buddies.

In 2023, Buster’s kidneys started to fail. Treatment may have extended his life, but likely due to his heartworm treatment, he was terrified of the veterinarian’s office. Every visit felt traumatic for him. I had to decide: pursue a treatment plan that would cause Buster a lot of fear and discomfort, in order to have him around longer? Or forgo treatment and keep him comfortable until it was time to let go? Of course, it was really no choice at all. But if you have been in that situation, then you know the pressure and fear of believing you can make the wrong decision. I think making those impossible decisions for our pets, and being beside them until the end, is courageous.

Buster through the years.

WHAT CAN 20 VOLUNTEERS ACCOMPLISH IN A WEEKEND?

Leech Lake Legacy is a non-profit animal welfare organization that has built a pipeline of partnerships to help pets and the people who love them. Last weekend, three veterinarians, three vet technicians, and six support staff volunteered their time to provide low-cost wellness exams, laboratory services, vaccinations, and toe nail clips to 120 pets of people living on a reservation in northern Minnesota where accessibility to veterinary services is severely limited. Eight additional volunteers distributed food and pet supplies, managed the care of animals during the weekend. On Sunday, they loaded them onto transport vans. Two drivers delivered the surrendered pets to partner shelters and rescues who will care for them through adoption. Next month, Leech Lake Legacy volunteers will do it all again. Got time? Volunteer for Leech Lake Legacy. Got money? Donate. Love dogs and cats? Share the link, so others can help.

MOM LOVES THE DOGS MORE

I recently announced that my debut book, Mom Loves the Dogs More: A Memoir of Family Rescue, will launch September 25, 2025. The book chronicles my family’s journey through a decade of animal rescue while raising teens with mental health challenges. I didn’t set out to write that particular book. I had intended, instead, to inspire readers to foster. While fostering dogs is fascinating to many, parenting teens with ADHD and anxiety proved to be of equal interest to my early readers. Much gratitude goes to those brave souls who shared their honest feedback and desire for more of my introspection.

A RECHARGE RETREAT FOR RESCUERS

I flew from Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) to northern Florida to carpool with a friend to southern Georgia (USA). The goal – to help execute a one-day retreat for animal shelter workers, rescuers, animal control officers, community leaders, change makers, and dog lovers. Why? The crisis in shelters is boiling over. Euthanasia rates are climbing. Resources are thinning. Adoptions are slowing. The view may be dire, but we know solutions exist. We are hosting the retreat Stronger Together to find solutions together. Got time? Volunteer as a shelter liaison, connecting the needs of a shelter with the retreat sponsor Who Will Let The Dogs Out (WWLDO). Got money? Donate to WWLDO or a local shelter, rescue, or animal control facility. Love dogs and cats? Share this post to help others connect with these organizations doing good work.

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As a long-time foster to cats and dogs and pet parent to many, I know how caring for animals has given me and my family a greater sense of purpose. It helped our kids experience the satisfaction of working towards a goal and achieving it. They also got to see how their hard work could positively impact another life. This shared sense of purpose has enabled us to make a difference in the lives of many animals while deepening our family connection.

The two woman highlighted below are on opposite ends of the career spectrum yet find equal purpose through their pets.

I first met Anke Herrmann when I was a guest on her award-winning podcast, Soul Touched By Dogs. Her off-air personality was so warm and engaging I didn’t want to pivot to the interview! In those short moments of chit chat, I learned the depths of Anke’s business acumen extend way beyond dog advocacy. She is a maverick business leader and technical whiz. This woman is unstoppable. She thinks it. She does it.

“When my first dog Leo came into my life, I had no idea how profoundly he’d change it. He cracked my heart wide open, and then Good Boy Cai, Hada, and Ms. Lea came along and stretched it even further. Each one deepened my understanding of what it means to be present, to listen, and to love unconditionally.

The quiet commitment to honor and advocate for dogs was the spark behind Soul Touched by Dogs. What began as a simple newsletter has grown into an award-winning podcast and a global platform powered by the belief that dogs are not tools or toys but wise, sentient souls with so much to teach us.

Today, Soul Touched by Dogs is where I connect fellow dog lovers with the kind of kindness-first canine experts I wish I’d known when Leo first arrived. It’s also where I use my skills to help dog professionals grow their businesses so they can help more dogs without burning out in the process.

My purpose? It was curled up at my feet the whole time.

Because dogs aren’t just “man’s best friend” - they help us become better humans. And that, to me, is their greatest gift.”

Anke Herrmann and her kindness-first canines.

Lucinda Rau is not your average high school junior. She showed up and spoke up at Humane Lobby Day at the Minnesota State Capitol. Her questions were thought-provoking. Her ideas inspiring. By sharing her story, she helped our team secure the signatures for the Humane Pet Store bill. I can’t help but believe this young woman will do great things.

“Having pets not only gives you a constant companion, but provides you with a sense of purpose you otherwise might not have felt. My three birds, Rizzo, Rebel and Leia, put a sense of meaning into my life. Caring for creatures so much smaller than me, and earning their trust is a constant reassurance and steadiness. Knowing that something so vulnerable, with a completely different experience with the world and communication, trusts me and loves me is a sense incomparable with anything else. Knowing that something so fragile is willing to trust you, and building a relationship with an animal that doesn’t understand our language is so special, and something you can’t get out of anything else.

This trust and dependence gives you a sense of purpose you might not have had otherwise, knowing that this animal depends on you. They rely on you not only for basic necessities like food and water, but for companionship, love and compassion, and knowing that these little birds wait for me to get home every day after school, and are so excited to see me, gives me a reason to rush home and see them, and spend time with them whenever I can. Without these birds I would be missing something very important in my life, and I don’t know how else I could fill that void. Pets give us a sense of love and wonder that you must cherish every day, and that’s what I do.”

Lucinda Rau with RIzzo, Rebel and Leia.

How does your pet give you purpose?

Leave a comment below!!!

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How do I know that winter is waning? My walks with Shiloh take longer as I stop to chat with neighbors emerging from their cocoons. The comradery of a community that survived another season warms my soul as much as the sun.

I wouldn’t know these neighbors well nor would I be as inclined to talk if it weren’t for the ever-present dog at my side. Prior to rescuing my first pup, I would wave warmly to neighbors while I walked or jogged. My forward motion, however, conveyed “I’m busy.” Once dog fostering and dog walking became a permanent component of my daily routine, I began to engage with people. Like the weather, my dogs were a safe on-ramp to conversation.

I know in my heart my connection to humans has been enriched because of my connection to animals. I was curious to know if this was true for others. Below are the stories of three Substack writers I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know. Perhaps you’ll see yourself in their experience. Please share your comments below.

Pamela Cummins, once known as Cat Woman, isn’t shy about calling herself a “crazy cat lady.” Her five felines fight for her affection. She honors their relationship through stories she shares in her Attitude of Cattitude Substack newsletter, copious photos and videos in Substack Notes (If you’re a cat lover, you can easily lose track of time scrolling her Notes!), and her wearables shop, Pamela’s Purrfect Creations.

“My first thought on how cats help improve my relationships with people is honestly I purrfer to be around my kitties than most people. Why? Because they accept me for who I am, my strengths and flaws. I can be my weird, freaky self around them, and they still love and accept me. More importantly, is the kitties are who they are. They are loving, hissy, playful, sleepy, and all their other unique personalities. They express to others how they feel, make boundaries, then all is well.

This has helped me put people who aren’t themselves, don’t accept me for me, and who are just wanting to take from me, out of my life or at a distance. I’ll help folks when I can, yet it doesn’t mean they’re in my inner circle. Instead, the inner circle of my kind of people is small. My relationships are so much better when we are ourselves and helps the love for each other deepen.”

Darin Gabbert is a busy guy on Substack. I met him first at Your Best Horse Relationship where I was drawn to his photos of horses and philosophy of prioritizing one’s relationship with them. Then I learned about Darin’s Substack where he displays his work as a studio photographer. I spent many years in photo studios “pushing peas” as a food stylist, making products and recipes look appetizing. I never learned a darned thing about operating a camera, but I do appreciate a well-lit photograph. I suggest you indulge in his photos of antiques, art, and jewelry but not until you find out why he’s known as @Tallhorselover.

“I know many people who are not comfortable around horses, or at least they know that they won’t like horses if they ever got close to one. They will protest their distaste for horses, up to the point where they put their hands on the horse. That touch can change your whole outlook.

Winston Churchill has a famous observation regarding the outside of a horse, being good for the inside of a man. There is a calming influence, being around the horse. Horsepeople have known about this effect for centuries, science is only now beginning to understand the how’s and why’s. My bad days are made better by spending quiet time with my horse.”

One of the most endearing qualities of Substack writers is that they engage in their craft from all corners of the world and with every topic imaginable. Bill Adler is an American writer who lives in Japan and writes four newsletters of varying content – Sign Spotting, which is as you guessed, a quicky post about unique signs; A Better Wrist about watches and watch collecting; short stories and flash fiction under the newsletter name Fiction by Bill Adler (Did you know Bill is an author who has sold more than a million copies – holy grail!), and Stray Cats of Japan which is how I learned about Bill.

“Ten years ago, *Kinmo lived as a stray in a park near my apartment building. My girlfriend and I sat with her, warming her with our laps in the winter and holding an umbrella up on days it rained. Other neighborhood residents and workers visited Kinmo, too. Some fed her; one made sure she was free of fleas; another gave her clean water. But none of us knew each other until a year later when my girlfriend created a chat group for us. Fast forward several months and a typhoon was about to strike Tokyo. We conferred online and decided to meet in the park, capture Kinmo and bring her to my apartment—just for the storm’s duration, after which we’d return her to her natural environment. It turned out that Kinmo’s temporary shelter became permanent; she liked the warm floor and soft bed more than cold benches and soggy soil.

Our group of ten still keeps in touch and we sometimes have Kinmo parties at my apartment. Two of our group who met because of Kinmo got married last year; Kinmo is also a matchmaker.”

*Kinmo is short for kinmokusei, a fragrant flower that blooms in Japan in October, and sweetened the air in the park where she lived.

Do you have a pet you’d like featured in PetStack? Send a direct message (DM) to Cindy Ojczyk on Substack. Please send 3 to 6 pictures along with few lines describing your featured pet(s).

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How many times has your pet made you laugh – just today? Pets are the unsung stand-up stars of our households. Whether it’s a puppy obsessed with chasing its tail or a cat who steals slippers, our non-human companions have an endless supply of comedic material. They seem to have an innate talent for turning even the most ordinary moments into laugh-out-loud memories.

If you need a little pick-me-up, scroll through the stories and photos three PetStack readers have shared for your enjoyment. I bet you can relate to the silly faces and goofy antics of their four-legged jokers.

Kristi Keller writes the wildly popular Dog Snobs newsletter with a large dose of comedy who always gets the reader thinking about canines and their companions. Can you guess which photo is my favorite? I’m curious which one made you think my pup does that, too!

I would need a full-time camera crew to really showcase how Dezi makes me laugh. I firmly believe she tries to speak human when she communicates with me. And for a 90 lb dog she has an uncanny ability to insert herself into spaces she doesn’t fit just to get my attention. Even when she sleeps I laugh because she sleeps with her nose smashed into her bed so hard that it sounds like she’s suffocating 🤣 She doesn’t even have to try being funny, she just is. I often wonder if she was born this way or if I somehow created this monster?!

Kristi Keller and her stand-up gal, Dezi. (photos provided by Kristi Keller)

When Henny Hiemenz is not musing in his four newsletters, including Silent Punt and Empty Calories & Male Curiosity, he is busy podcasting, walking pups at a local shelter, or indulging in his dogs’ joy.

Maverick: This cutie guy spent the first six months of his life in a cage at a breeding facility for animal testing. He is the happiest dog we’ve ever had. We love his hugs, howls (we call them aroos; see video below at mealtime), and mischievousness. When he’s not stealing socks and eating them (only one trip to the doggie ER so far) he can be found cuddling right next to you. Sometimes he is so happy & sleepy in his kennel that we have to coax him out. He also has a hilarious routine when he goes potty where he has to spin in hilarious circles (video). It is not as hilarious when it is 5 degrees out.

This is Maverick (photo below) trying to jump over a wall at a local bar that allows dogs. There were other doggos he was trying to go play with. That is my wife trying to catch him…we didn’t know he was gonna do that.

Darla: We adopted her 8 years ago from the shelter where I now volunteer. She was (and is) white and at the time of her adoption the shelter thought she might be deaf. Turns out she listens…she just doesn’t always care about what you are saying. She is sooo sweet, but not in a cuddly way. She has lots of little weird things she does on a daily basis. In the mornings she does this cute little hop from the rug in our dining room to the runner in the mudroom (VIDEO). Another thing we love about her is how sweet she is to her little brother Maverick. He is much more energetic than her (ok, maybe you could call him hyper) but she puts up with him so nicely. Sometimes Maverick will nibble on her ears, or aroo at her because she has the toy he wants, and when they are relaxing he very often needs some part of his body to be touching hers. Sometimes even going so far to put his head or paw ON her. Sweet Darla just let’s him.

Daral sunbathing, celebrating, and snuggling. (Photos provided by Henny Hiemenz)

Katia Colitti is a champion of all things cat. In her newsletters, Minding Mittens and Letters to Mosi, this lawyer and animal welfare scientist, explores cat health and welfare, the close bonds we forge with our feline companions and the grief associated with their loss. She also connects present to past by exploring art and literature. I was transported from my home in the Midwest to lands abroad while scrolling through her photos of “cats” she found while traveling. The breadth of images represent the depth of love humans have had for these crazy creatures through millenia. Katia’s own stories share her profound love for the feline friends who’ve purred beside her.

Margo loves “playing the roulette” - lying on her side and swatting with one, and sometimes both, paws at balls going around a round plastic toy resembling a roulette wheel (usually, she gets an irresistible urge to play this very noisy game when I am trying to meditate or watch something). Most times of the day, she can be found relaxing on her back, all four paws with her delicious white ‘socks’ up in the air, usually in the strangest of places: think, the middle of a busy hallway or by the kitchen cabinets. She is a little furry bundle of light and joy, and we don’t know what we would do without her.

I am just realizing that 90% of my photos of Margo are of her lying on her back because she does it all the time and looks so funny doing it that I just can’t resist :)

Do you have a pet you’d like featured in PetStack? Send a direct message (DM) to Cindy Ojczyk on Substack. Please send 3 to 6 pictures along with few lines describing your featured pet(s).

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For three women, their pets weren’t just companions—they were the spark that ignited a fire. Inspired by the unconditional love and resilience of their furry friends, they embarked on new paths, one small step a time. From advocating for animal welfare to building supportive communities and spreading kindness, these women prove that even the simplest acts of compassion can ripple out and transform their worlds and those around them.

Cara Achterberg

“I met Ms Fanny Wiggles in a dog pound in Huntingdon, Tennessee in the summer of 2019. It was an awful, deserted place with filthy kennels in the blazing sun where unclaimed dogs were ‘euthanized’ once their time was up.

When I brought Fanny home she blossomed into the best frisbee dog we’ve ever had and her once dull brown coat turned chestnut.

I couldn’t save all the dogs that day, but Fanny is a daily reminder that there are so many dogs still down there just like her.

Not long after bringing Fanny home, I formed Who Will Let the Dogs Out, a nonprofit that works to raise awareness and resources for homeless dogs and the heroes who fight for them.

We continue to work to find solutions that will create real shelters and finally put an end to dog pounds.”

(Cindy’s note: Cara has written a game-changing book based on 150 visits to rural animal shelters, dog pounds, and rescues. It will help transform dog pounds into true shelters while helping the people working hard to help animals. Buy a copy today! Who Will Let the Dogs Out: Stories and Solutions for Shelters and Rescues.)

Cara and Ms Fanny Wiggles

Heidi Zawelevsky

“My animals inspire me every day. I started writing with them and about them on Substack in August 2022. The newsletter, Conversations with Critters, reflects my lifelong love of all creatures great and small.

My cats are Chris and Jasper, and I adopted my little senior dog, Jojo, in October 2024. I have also featured my two dogs, Panda and Star, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2024. Their antics lift me up and their love sustains me.”

(Cindy’s note: We all wish we knew what deep thoughts occupy the minds of our pets, especially how they interpret their world and ours. Naturalist and animal lover, Heidi, explores that very concept through “conversations” between her menagerie. Read for the antics. Stay for the poetry.)

Chris, Star, Jojo, Heidi and Jojo, Jasper, Panda

Freya V Locke

“Having had dogs all my life, I thought I knew what I was doing, until my Moo, an 8 week old Tibetan Terrier X Cavalier King Charles came into my life. He was absolutely adorable, and cuddly and I fell in love with him instantly when I met him at four weeks old. The day I went to view the litter, he did a roly-poly on my foot, then I picked him up, he fell asleep on my hand, and I was smitten. Four weeks later he was home with me.

It began as itching, which led to him chewing bald patches in his fur. He stopped eating and would throw up blood. He also would pass blood at the other end. Slowly his behaviour became really aggressive and he would lay and tremble on my lap. It was heart-breaking. I begged and begged the vets to help him, but they kept telling me that an intolerance or allergy test wouldn’t work. We tried a hydrolysed diet, which didn’t work either, and he deteriorated further.

At 18 months, he was half the weight he should have been and the vets wanted to put him to sleep. But I refused, which in hindsight was quite brave of me, as I live with PTSD and Generalised Anxiety Disorder, after an awful, violent marriage a long time ago, and standing up to anyone, let alone those in authority is scary. The local trainers didn’t want him in their classes, because of the aggression, so I didn’t know where else to turn but the internet.

I found a few little udemy type courses and fell into a rabbit hole of learning about nutrition and behaviour. From there I started to take more in-depth and high level courses until I qualified as an accredited behaviourist and began helping out at the local puppy class, working for an online dog behaviour school doing admin and social media etc in return for more courses, and doing bits of dog walking to gain experience.

Eventually, I branched out on my own and in 2017 my first dog behaviour business, Locke’s Dogs, was born. From there I developed the Fun Not Fear® Club and approach to teaching anxious dogs, and took up writing. I also started working with some of the dog behaviour organisations in more substantial roles, such as being the Co-coordinator of ICAN: International Companion Animal Network, and on the committee as secretary and membership officer at The Association of INTODogs. I was gifted The Dog Welfare Alliance also, which I run as a separate entity to my Locke’s Dogs - Fun Not Fear® Company.

I’m now on my second level 6 behaviour course, and aiming to achieve clinical animal behaviourist status by 2026. Moo went from strength to strength, once I worked out how to formulate him a fresh diet, I sourced tests from USA for him which showed intolerances to all kinds of things, plus an allergy to storage mites that are found in kibble. He changed seemingly overnight into the dog I knew he could be. He was seriously clever and would do tricks in the park for the local kids, he entertained people from our front garden in lockdown, he visited my Nan weekly almost as a therapy dog, and his aggression left and was replaced by a whole gang of doggy friends in the park.

Sadly he was taken from me aged 6, due to a very odd grass seed injury. He was the love of my life and I was broken. He passed in my arms, the same hour as my Nan (for whom I was a carer), and I have no idea how I survived the loss, it’s a haze. But through him I learned so much and now I tell his story with so much pride. He taught me so much, and it is because of him that I do what I do - I never want to see a dog in pain or distress if they can be helped to live a fantastic life.”

Freya and Moo

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For all the grand aspirations and lofty ambitions people chase, its often our four-legged companions that bring out our best. A dog’s relentless optimism or a cat’s quiet confidence can leave lasting impressions that need no human words to communicate. Their whole-hearted presence may nudge us out of complacency or awaken something deep inside. The pets of my fellow Substack writers helped them do more, become more, and achieve more than they ever imagined.

Do you have a pet you’d like featured in PetStack? Send a direct message (DM) to Cindy Ojczyk on Substack. Please send 3 to 6 pictures along with few lines describing your featured pet(s).

James Branson, who writes Three Retrievers Newsletter, is not a person with nothing to do. Helping lost dogs find their way home keeps him fully engaged in his community at all hours of the day and night. James and his search teams have experience in over 10,000 missing pet cases!

“Everything I do these days, Three Retrievers Lost Pet Rescue, and my nonprofit, Useless Bay Sanctuary, it all started with Kelsy. I saw her picture as a puppy in the shelter and I drove a hundred miles to adopt her. I always wanted to work with her as a search dog, and then one day we went to the off leash park and there was a flier on the bulletin board offering training to teach your dog to find lost pets. I immediately knew that was the work I wanted to do with Kelsy. She was my search dog for eight years. I still think of her every day.”

There were a number of reasons why Scott Ko was inspired to create FloofStack, It all began with his newsletter The Curiosity Mindset, where he explores curiosity as a way to help people make sense of the world, to overcome challenges, and to connect with each other.

“I believe there is more that connects us than separates us. But in order to do that, we need to be open to that possibility, which is why I’m so locked in on curiosity. There’s so much that can be opened with a simple question. As a crazy cat man, it’s really only a hop and a skip away from curiosity to the spiritual animal of ‘cats’, which brought me to FloofStack. Pets are pretty universal. I get cats aren’t for everyone, but they (along with all our other pets) represent a different form of connection that so many people can relate to. There’s a joyful simplicity to their lives, yet they represent some of the most steadfast companions that people can have. We can laugh at (or with) them, get a cuddle when we’re down, and find a different type of fulfilment. As long as people like cats, then all subscribers to Floofstack are welcome!”

The sweet floofs that call Nur Nadar their own proved their worth is better than a suave pick-up line. With faces that plead, “Pet me,” how could anyone pass their circle and not step in?!

“Meelo is 3, bear is 2. Meelo I raised during a really challenging period in my life where I really learned the value of having something outside myself to focus on almost 24/7 (Samoyed puppies are infamously challenging). Bear I raised while moving back out on my own solo adventure in NYC. Met a ton of people through him and a bunch of friends and dates/girlfriend at the time. Dogs added a lot of passion to my life.”

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” – Anatole France

More pet stories are coming.

Enjoy other people’s pets? Share this story and encourage them to submit to PetStack.

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When I first conjured up the idea of “joy” as the theme for this PetStack post, my mind overflowed with images of spirited puppies tumbling in a heap and feisty kittens stalking catnip mice. As a long-time foster parent to canines and felines young and old, I’ve spent countless hours capturing the playful antics of these furry companions.

But why limit joy to those who yip and meow when the world is full of wonderful creatures who squawk, snort, neigh, squeak, and peck their way into our hearts. The line between their joy and ours blurs beautifully, creating a tapestry of mutual delight.

Reminder: If you have a pet you’d like featured on PetStack, let me know! I’m curious! Send a direct message (DM) to Cindy Ojczyk on Substack. Please submit 3 to 6 pictures along with few lines describing your featured pet(s).

As a former interior designer, I was drawn to the stories in Under the Jacarandas where Sandra Stephans and her partner have committed to the restoration of a centuries-old home in Portugal. The photos of the feral flock of chickens inhabiting their landscape is a big reason I keep returning to her site!

“My chickens are such a symbol of this property we bought, which has been abandoned for 34 years. The chickens were apparently left in their coop to fend for themselves, and over time they went wild and lived in the trees. The rooster is the symbol of Portugal, making this place seem particularly Portuguese, especially since there are more than 20 roosters, all of whom get along, being part of the same extended family. As we are restoring the houses and gardens, we figure we owe it to the flock to restore their sense of safety in the world. And maybe get some eggs! They are smart and have individual personalities; we are raising four little orphan hens from just days old, and they’ll be the future of a much more domesticated flock that eschews the trees for the safety of the coop at night - we hope!”

Chloe Ackerman, a writer who drew me in with her Dog Lover’s Guide to Feeling Better, sent me a message asking if I’d consider rats for this PetStack. Would I? You bet!

“These are my three rats, Penelope, Juniper, and Jezebel. I had them several years ago, so they’re no longer with me, but I thought it would be lovely to honor them in Petstack. “I went to the pet store to get two rats (because you should never have just one, of course). But much like tribbles, you tend to find yourself with more, and so I walked out with sisters shy Juniper and fiery Jezebel, and Penelope the sweetie.

If you’ve had the pleasure of reading FloofStack and scrolling through image after image of fanciful felines from around the globe, you will have gotten to know Scott Ko and his “bestest girl,” Samantha.

“I’ve had Sam since she was a kitten (adopted from a shelter) and the first moment we met, she was purring. She’s a one in a million cat with that really balanced temperament where she’s independent but not aloof. She’s friendly without being needy. Playful but not destructive. And whenever we play fight, she would never scratch, even though I’ve never trimmed her nails. But perhaps the best way to describe her is that she’s the type of cat that when faced with food or company, she’ll always come say hi first. She’s just the best girl, and she never fails to cheer.”

Jeanne Grant, who documents her lifelong dream to build a healing sanctuary for animals and humans in her newsletter A Good Spot, began fostering after the passing of her long-time, four-legged companion, Ande. She didn’t raise her hand for an easy assignment. No. She jumped into wrangling puppies – two spirited siblings, growing like weeds.

How could I start this post referencing playful kittens and not include one! This feisty little girl provided a weekend’s worth of entertainment while I volunteered for Leech Lake Legacy during their veterinary wellness and surrender event.

If you’d like to see more pets from people over the moon in love, check out these posts.

• PetStack First Edition features a cornucopia of dogs, cats, horses, and a big-eared donkey along with a smattering of alternate monikers. Because, what pet has only one name?!

• Women Inspired: Issue 1 is the first story in a series to elevate the animals whose lives and personalities inspired their people to make a difference in the world.

More pet stories are coming. Be sure you are subscribed to PetStack to get the latest delivered to your inbox.

Enjoy other people’s pets? Share this story and encourage them to submit to PetStack.

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