Abandoned Dogs Give Hope to Many
With so many abandoned dogs in shelters, it is easy to lose hope. But for the dogs who do get adopted, lives are changed forever. Not just for the dogs -- but for the people who open their homes and hearts. Katherine Carver is the author and photojournalist of the beautiful book: Abandoned: Chronicling the Journeys of Once Forsaken Dogs which has been endorsed by Jane Goodall. It shows heartfelt photos of dogs left in shelters – sad, lonely, hungry – and then once adopted a follow-up one year later in photos and stories of their happy lives and the joy they have brought to their new families. These inspiring stories of resilience will make you want to run to your shelter and take a little ball of love home!
Listen to Episode #57 Now:
BIO:
Katherine Carver was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1978. She was introduced to photography during high school. In 2011, she found herself behind a camera lens creating photographs of her first dog, a rescue Shetland Sheepdog named Biscuit, who inspired Carver’s great passion, interest, curiosity, and the study of dogs in her work.
Abandoned: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs is Carver’s debut book, released on October 1, 2024. ABANDONED has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the Baltimore Sun, L'Oeil de la Photographie (The Eye of Photography Magazine), Psychology Today, Modern Dog Magazine, and AARP The Magazine. ABANDONED has also the subject of several podcasts and radio interviews, including NPR.
Carver's photographs have been published in international publications such as, L’Oeil de la Photographie, Four&Sons, and My Modern Met. Carver holds a Juris Doctor, with Honor, from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband, daughter, and rescue Shetland Sheepdog, Victory. To learn more, visit: www.katherinecarver.com and www.biscuitsspace.com.
Transcript:
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Announcer: Pet Life Radio.
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Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
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Announcer: Let's talk pets.
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Announcer: Welcome to The Human-Animal Connection show, where we believe we can communicate with all animals.
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Announcer: Join us as we explore the 33 principles and healing methods of The Human-Animal Connection.
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Announcer: As animal lovers, we know that you share our commitment to making the world a kinder place for all creatures.
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Announcer: Together, let's embrace the transformative healing power of The Human-Animal Connection.
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Genie Joseph: Hello, everyone.
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Genie Joseph: Welcome to The Human-Animal Connection podcast.
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Genie Joseph: I'm Genie Joseph, and today I have a delightful guest with me.
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Genie Joseph: I have Katherine Carver, and among many things that she does, she is the author of a book called Abandoned.
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Genie Joseph: It's a photographic book, and it's all about chronicling the journeys of once forsaken dogs, and she follows them to see the course of their adoption and how they change the lives of the people that they've come to.
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Genie Joseph: So we're going to just really have a wonderful deep dive into the beautiful things that can happen when people adopt a dog, especially a dog that might not have had a chance.
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Genie Joseph: So Katherine, hello and welcome to the show.
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Katherine Carver: Thanks so much for having me today.
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Genie Joseph: Yeah.
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Genie Joseph: Well, would you just briefly tell us your journey?
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Genie Joseph: I know you didn't start out planning to write a book like this.
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Genie Joseph: Well, what were you doing before you wrote this book, and how did you come to write this book?
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Katherine Carver: Yeah, it's a little bit of an interesting story.
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Katherine Carver: So my husband and I back in 2011 adopted a little Shelty rescue dog named Biscuit.
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Katherine Carver: And both of us had never had a dog before in childhood.
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Katherine Carver: He was our very first dog.
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Katherine Carver: And he came into our lives and he just changed my life.
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Katherine Carver: I became a more present person.
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Katherine Carver: I became more interested in abandoned dogs like him.
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Katherine Carver: Biscuit was left abandoned on a road in North Carolina and brought to a Shelty rescue in Maryland where we reside.
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Katherine Carver: And I just wanted to learn more about how these dogs came to be abandoned and what happened to them, really.
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Katherine Carver: And I've always loved photography.
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Katherine Carver: And when Biscuit entered my life, one of the gifts that he gave me additionally was bringing photography back into my life.
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Katherine Carver: So I embarked on this project where I photographed dogs in the mid-Atlantic region who were residing in shelters and rescue organizations.
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Katherine Carver: And I photographed them.
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Katherine Carver: And then I tracked the same dogs and photographed them roughly a year later.
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Katherine Carver: And since they had been adapted, so roughly a year's time spans the two photographs of the dogs, and also copy their stories of each dog with each photograph, accompanies each photograph in the book.
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Genie Joseph: Now, the physical judge is back one step.
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Genie Joseph: What inspired you to get a dog?
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Genie Joseph: You and your husband had never had a dog.
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Genie Joseph: What made you think this would make our lives better?
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Genie Joseph: What did you think when you were adopting?
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Katherine Carver: It was kind of on a, it was a little bit on a whim.
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Katherine Carver: We just had come to a place where we thought it would be as prior to having any kids.
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Katherine Carver: We just thought it would be a really interesting exercise experience, you know.
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Katherine Carver: We had never done it before, and we wanted to be sure it was a rescue dog that was really important to us.
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Katherine Carver: I'm not sure if you're aware, but in 2023, 3 million dogs entered shelters and rescues.
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Katherine Carver: 2 million of those dogs received permanent homes, but that, however, left, unfortunately, 1 million dogs who did not receive a home.
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Katherine Carver: And there's a huge overpopulation crisis in our country for a myriad of different reasons, which we don't necessarily have to get into.
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Katherine Carver: But it is a big problem in what has been so nice about the timing of this book, which has been over a decade in the making, as it's come out at a time where it's very timely that the crisis is very real.
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Katherine Carver: Yeah.
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Genie Joseph: And when you went to the shelter, what was it about Biscuit that made you say, this is the one I'm going to take home?
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Genie Joseph: There's maybe 100 dogs here or my shelter, there's 500 dogs waiting for homes.
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Genie Joseph: What made you pick Biscuit?
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Katherine Carver: So interestingly, Biscuit came from a rescue organization, and he just ended up being the one for us.
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Katherine Carver: I called around to rescues and he just was the one that was really available and seemed to be a good match when I talked to the rescue directors on the phone.
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Katherine Carver: Then we went and met him and of course took him home.
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Katherine Carver: He cowered behind tables, his son was madded, he needed to put on more weight, and just his overall demeanor was just sad.
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Katherine Carver: And what really was remarkable, which is also mirrored in the book, is that Biscuit really metaphorically and physically changed in so many ways.
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Katherine Carver: He really came into his own beautiful Shetland sheepdog, who, if you look at his picture the first day we met him and took him home to a year later, I mean, he just was remarkable.
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Katherine Carver: He came into his own, he felt like he had a life, he really knew he was safe, and a trusting friendship developed blossom between us.
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Katherine Carver: And he really opened my heart in so many ways.
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Katherine Carver: And like I said before, just became very interested in these dogs.
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Katherine Carver: He was one of many dogs.
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Genie Joseph: Right.
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Katherine Carver: Find themselves in this predicament.
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Genie Joseph: And when you first met him, were you a little concerned?
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Genie Joseph: I know he was scared.
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Genie Joseph: He probably didn't bond right away, or did you know right away?
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Genie Joseph: What was it like that first meeting, the first time you met?
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Katherine Carver: There was just something in his eyes, they were so wanting that we just said, he's the one regardless, and we were able to have the time and patience to develop.
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Katherine Carver: When you bring a dog home, it's not necessarily so different from a baby.
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Katherine Carver: They're not the same, of course, but you're bringing a new being into your family system, and you're really takes time.
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Katherine Carver: Each dog comes from a different background.
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Katherine Carver: Each dog has different trauma.
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Katherine Carver: Each story is different.
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Katherine Carver: And I think it's really important that people realize how open you need to be, how patient you need to be and kind of take the dog's lead.
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Katherine Carver: I mean, that's really an unfolding that happens.
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Katherine Carver: And we were very fortunate to have a really remarkable experience with Biscuit.
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Genie Joseph: Yeah.
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Genie Joseph: And that's so important for people to recognize.
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Genie Joseph: People with beautiful hearts and they may rescue a dog.
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Genie Joseph: And on day one, it may not be the dog of their dreams.
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Genie Joseph: And it's important to understand that it does take time for dogs to heal, to recognize that their life is new now and that this is permanent and that these people are good people and everything is going to be good.
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Genie Joseph: And they can make that transition.
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Genie Joseph: But for some people, when they take that traumatized or scared dog home, it's not picture perfect on day one.
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Genie Joseph: So congratulations for sticking it through.
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Genie Joseph: That's really wonderful.
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Genie Joseph: So I guess you were an attorney before.
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Genie Joseph: Is that right?
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Katherine Carver: I still am.
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Genie Joseph: You still are.
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Genie Joseph: Okay.
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Genie Joseph: And you had this love of photography.
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Genie Joseph: And Biscuit helped you kind of reconnect with this love of yours.
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Genie Joseph: So in a way, he saved you.
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Genie Joseph: You know, he kind of brought you back to your heart, to your soul purpose or at least one of them.
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Genie Joseph: So that's wonderful.
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Genie Joseph: So let's talk a little bit about some of the dogs that you worked with.
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Genie Joseph: I know there was a dog called Dogwood.
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Genie Joseph: What was his story?
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Genie Joseph: He ended up in a nursing home.
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Genie Joseph: Tell us the story of Dogwood.
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Katherine Carver: Yeah, his name is actually Dagwood.
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Genie Joseph: Oh, Dagwood.
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Genie Joseph: Okay.
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Katherine Carver: And he, it's an interesting story.
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Katherine Carver: He was the first dog that I'm aware of and in this project where a nursing home facility actually adopted him.
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Katherine Carver: This organization tried many different places, rescue organization shelters, and they all said no.
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Katherine Carver: But one of the rescues I worked with said yes.
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Katherine Carver: He was very anxious at first, and the contact at the nursing home said, let's just give this a try.
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Katherine Carver: And the rescue said, yeah, go ahead.
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Katherine Carver: Let's give this a try and see how it goes.
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Katherine Carver: And he had a remarkable story in that he became the resident dog of very many, I'll call them grandparents in quotes, who didn't necessarily have family or friends that could regularly come and visit.
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Katherine Carver: And he literally became a companion with so many people who were in a situation where they needed love and companionship.
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Katherine Carver: And he was a constant force.
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Katherine Carver: And he also very much physically changed and emotionally changed.
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Katherine Carver: And he became the star of that nursing home and the light and really came into his own and was so helpful.
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Genie Joseph: It's so wonderful for facilities to be able to have a dog in residence.
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Genie Joseph: It's not every facility understands what it takes to help a dog to adjust into that.
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Genie Joseph: And it has to be the right dog who enjoys many people, many touches all the time, all love all the time.
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Genie Joseph: It's not for every dog.
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Genie Joseph: But you mentioned that he was anxious at first, and he did learn kind of what his new role and purpose was in life.
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Genie Joseph: And that's really just beautiful.
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Genie Joseph: And was there one central person that was kind of like his person, or was he equal loving everyone?
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Katherine Carver: No, it's my understanding that he, I think he had, I'm certain there were a few people he was closer to than others.
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Katherine Carver: But generally speaking, he was there for every senior who was living there.
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Katherine Carver: And I'll also add that it's really important to note that these dogs are so incredibly resilient.
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Katherine Carver: They are so loyal, so loving despite the circumstances they found themselves in prior to being adopted.
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Katherine Carver: And I think that's what's so beautiful.
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Katherine Carver: And that also the lives of the human companions are equally enriched.
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Katherine Carver: I can vouch for that personally speaking with Biscuit.
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Katherine Carver: And it is mirrored throughout my book with accompanying stories of how much these dogs positively impacted their new human companions' lives.
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Katherine Carver: These people couldn't imagine their life without these remarkable dogs.
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Genie Joseph: Yeah, it's just extraordinary and inspiring.
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Genie Joseph: And I think dogs can show us that healing is possible, that no matter what you've been through, you know, no matter how barren it was or mean it was, and it's an inspiration for us humans to recognize that healing is possible.
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Genie Joseph: And to see it in a dog.
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Genie Joseph: You start with a dog coming out of the shelter, anxious, scared, not sure, you know, whatever, all kinds of behaviors.
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Genie Joseph: And then through love and time and patience and healing, not only is the dog healed, but everyone around is healed too.
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Genie Joseph: So it's just a beautiful model for healing, the notion of healing each other.
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Genie Joseph: And, you know, of course we think, well, I rescued this dog.
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Genie Joseph: Yes, that's true.
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Genie Joseph: And the dog rescued me right back.
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Katherine Carver: That's very true.
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Katherine Carver: It's so true.
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Genie Joseph: Very true, yeah.
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Genie Joseph: And is there one central person that walks the dog at the nursing home or everybody take turns or how does that work?
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Katherine Carver: They, I think he did have one main person, a staff person who helped with his general care, if you will, and took care of him in that respect with walkings and feedings.
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Katherine Carver: There was one that person who-
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Genie Joseph: Yeah, it really does take one central person at least to be responsible, make sure that the nails are trimmed and gets the vet and gets the shots and so on.
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Genie Joseph: But in a situation like that, we just really want to encourage you if you know of a facility that maybe has a central person like that is willing to do that.
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Genie Joseph: We do, of course, visiting dogs.
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Genie Joseph: We'll take the therapy dogs into these facilities, but they come for an hour or whatever.
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Genie Joseph: A dog that can stay there and be there when people need comfort is just a beautiful experience that reinforces our hope and our faith in humanity and dog manatee.
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Genie Joseph: Great.
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Genie Joseph: I know also in your book, you tell a story of Dreyfus, who was a three-legged dog.
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Genie Joseph: Tell us Dreyfus' story.
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Katherine Carver: He has also quite a remarkable story.
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Katherine Carver: Dreyfus had been waiting for home for quite some time.
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Katherine Carver: He, as you mentioned, is a tripod with three legs.
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Katherine Carver: His adopter, and Dreyfus is still living, his adopter is just remarkable as well.
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Katherine Carver: She stated how she saw him and everyone passed on him because of his, if you will, his disability or his special needs.
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Katherine Carver: She decided to adopt this dog and she still to this day says that he may have special needs, but he can do everything any other dog can do.
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Katherine Carver: He's provided wonderful companionship and they're just incredibly bonded, but she didn't look at him and say, this is a dog with special needs.
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Katherine Carver: She looked at this dog and said, this is a dog that needs a home and love.
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Katherine Carver: She adopted him and it's been wonderful.
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Katherine Carver: I mean, her life is forever changed and a permanent family member in the app home.
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Genie Joseph: Yeah.
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Genie Joseph: I know when I was volunteering at the shelter, there was a three-legged dog that I worked with because I do some healing with dogs who've had trauma, and a woman came in, she was a 911 operator and she had three legs herself and she adopted the three-legged dog.
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Genie Joseph: So between them, they had four legs.
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Genie Joseph: It was just the love of her life.
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Genie Joseph: Ironically, two years later, I met her on a therapy dog visit.
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Genie Joseph: We were working with the 911 operators, and she told me about her three-legged dog.
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Genie Joseph: I said, I knew one at the shelter and I said, do you have a picture?
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Genie Joseph: It was the dog I had worked with.
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Genie Joseph: It's just extraordinary.
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Genie Joseph: She said the same thing.
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Genie Joseph: He could do everything, he could go on walks with her, and he was strong and healthy.
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Genie Joseph: It's so inspiring when animals can show us the way to healing and show us the way that they, we don't have to be limited by, in many ways.
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Genie Joseph: We're not totally at the mercy of our past when we're able to heal.
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Genie Joseph: That's really wonderful.
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Genie Joseph: Well, good.
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Genie Joseph: We're going to take a short little break.
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Genie Joseph: When we come back, I want to hear about Mario.
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Genie Joseph: We'll be right back in just a moment.
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Genie Joseph: You're listening to The Human-Animal Connection.
00:14:54.140 --> 00:15:02.440
Genie Joseph: I'm speaking with Katherine Carver, and she is the author of Abandoned, Chronicling the Journeys of Once Forsaken Dogs.
00:15:02.520 --> 00:15:04.280
Genie Joseph: We'll be right back in just a moment.
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00:16:25.020 --> 00:16:29.360
Announcer: Hey friends, if you like what you're hearing and want to learn more, check out Dr.
00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:36.820
Announcer: Joseph's book, The Human-Animal Connection, Deepening Relationships with Animals and Ourselves.
00:16:36.820 --> 00:16:44.120
Announcer: Or visit the website thehumananimalconnection.org to book an online consultation.
00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:46.480
Announcer: Thank you for loving animals.
00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:48.180
Announcer: Now back to the show.
00:16:49.640 --> 00:16:52.020
Announcer: Let's talk pets on petliferadio.com.
00:16:59.389 --> 00:17:03.889
Genie Joseph: Welcome back, you're listening to The Human-Animal Connection and we're talking with Katherine Carver.
00:17:03.889 --> 00:17:14.729
Genie Joseph: And one of the other wonderful things about her book is that a portion of the proceeds are being donated to the SPCA International, and that's always good when that happens.
00:17:14.729 --> 00:17:17.549
Genie Joseph: So tell us about Teddy.
00:17:17.549 --> 00:17:18.929
Genie Joseph: This is a very special dog.
00:17:18.929 --> 00:17:20.949
Genie Joseph: Tell us Teddy's story.
00:17:20.949 --> 00:17:25.009
Katherine Carver: Yeah, he was originally named Mario, as you said, and renamed Teddy.
00:17:25.009 --> 00:17:42.469
Katherine Carver: So this family adopted Teddy, and this family had two children, two girls, and it was very important to this family that their children be exposed to caring for a dog, for having a hand in learning more about dogs.
00:17:42.469 --> 00:17:57.669
Katherine Carver: And what was really beautiful about this story is in this family, these girls got firsthand experience caring and learning about learning about how to take care of a dog, you know, for an extended period of time.
00:17:57.669 --> 00:18:01.689
Katherine Carver: They had him for, I think, close to 10 years.
00:18:01.689 --> 00:18:17.209
Katherine Carver: And I can also say personally, I have a daughter and she is also fortunate to have an experience with our second dog, Victory, who is also rescue Shelty after whom we got several months after Biscuit passed away.
00:18:17.789 --> 00:18:24.329
Katherine Carver: So it's a really, really educational for children to be around animals.
00:18:24.329 --> 00:18:28.869
Katherine Carver: You learn so much and they are so caring towards the children as well.
00:18:28.869 --> 00:18:31.029
Katherine Carver: It's just very beneficial.
00:18:31.029 --> 00:18:36.349
Genie Joseph: Yeah, I know we had a program working with the women's prison and we would bring the therapy animals in.
00:18:36.349 --> 00:18:40.509
Genie Joseph: And it was so important because a lot of these women had not been nurtured themselves.
00:18:40.509 --> 00:18:43.949
Genie Joseph: And, you know, we think, oh, well, it's totally instinctual being a mother.
00:18:43.949 --> 00:18:45.049
Genie Joseph: Well, it isn't always.
00:18:45.149 --> 00:18:53.369
Genie Joseph: So, you know, learning how to both give love and also receive love really helps heal at such a deep level.
00:18:53.369 --> 00:18:56.369
Genie Joseph: And for children to understand, you know, dogs have needs.
00:18:56.369 --> 00:18:57.089
Genie Joseph: You have to feed them.
00:18:57.089 --> 00:18:57.729
Genie Joseph: You have to walk them.
00:18:57.729 --> 00:18:58.669
Genie Joseph: You have to take care of them.
00:18:58.669 --> 00:19:02.069
Genie Joseph: You have to observe their emotions and be kind to them.
00:19:02.069 --> 00:19:06.109
Genie Joseph: And, you know, it's such good training for lives as adults.
00:19:06.109 --> 00:19:07.689
Genie Joseph: So I think it's wonderful.
00:19:07.689 --> 00:19:12.389
Genie Joseph: I mean, not all children are ready for dogs and some children need more supervision than others.
00:19:12.509 --> 00:19:24.149
Genie Joseph: But when it's right, it can just be life-changing for children, especially children who are feeling a little bit isolated and not as connected and to have a being that loves them completely for who they are.
00:19:24.149 --> 00:19:26.749
Genie Joseph: It can really transform an entire family.
00:19:26.749 --> 00:19:27.529
Katherine Carver: It really does.
00:19:27.529 --> 00:19:33.229
Katherine Carver: And it's really good educational and for awareness purposes, especially as these children get older.
00:19:33.229 --> 00:19:38.789
Katherine Carver: They're more likely to have a dog or rescue dog of their own Sunday.
00:19:38.789 --> 00:19:39.469
Genie Joseph: Exactly right.
00:19:39.469 --> 00:19:40.149
Genie Joseph: And that's what we want.
00:19:40.869 --> 00:19:42.969
Genie Joseph: Is there so many animals out there?
00:19:42.969 --> 00:19:46.069
Genie Joseph: I won't just say dogs, but there's so many animals out there that need good homes.
00:19:46.069 --> 00:19:52.309
Genie Joseph: So if you're in a position to open your life and your heart, we certainly encourage you to adopt.
00:19:52.309 --> 00:19:56.089
Genie Joseph: So Katherine, let's talk a little bit about how this writing this book affected you.
00:19:56.089 --> 00:19:57.669
Genie Joseph: What was this journey like for you?
00:19:57.669 --> 00:19:59.629
Genie Joseph: How did it change your life?
00:19:59.629 --> 00:20:01.869
Katherine Carver: Yeah, it's an interesting journey.
00:20:01.869 --> 00:20:07.109
Katherine Carver: It's been a long journey over 10 years on a lot of levels, a lot of perseverance.
00:20:09.249 --> 00:20:13.289
Katherine Carver: But it really opened my heart to all these different dogs.
00:20:13.289 --> 00:20:19.269
Katherine Carver: And I always kept the vision of this with Biscuit and with Victory.
00:20:19.269 --> 00:20:26.749
Katherine Carver: You know, on times that I think I wouldn't have even finished this project because it was much more involved than I had bargained for at the beginning.
00:20:26.749 --> 00:20:32.449
Katherine Carver: That it could have the hope of getting published and helping dogs in need and raising awareness.
00:20:32.449 --> 00:20:41.509
Katherine Carver: So that was vital to keep me going and also to, in the hopes of raising awareness.
00:20:41.509 --> 00:20:43.749
Katherine Carver: I've learned a lot about myself.
00:20:45.369 --> 00:20:51.209
Katherine Carver: You know, just trusting this process that at times was very murky and unclear.
00:20:51.209 --> 00:21:05.009
Katherine Carver: A lot of problem-solving, a lot of unanticipated roadblocks that came up and figuring out ways how to deal with those to keep moving the project forward, which wasn't always easy, but I'm very proud that I finished it.
00:21:06.429 --> 00:21:14.129
Katherine Carver: And unfortunately, it's garnered a lot of endorsements, including Jane Goodall.
00:21:14.129 --> 00:21:15.489
Katherine Carver: I'm really proud of that.
00:21:16.029 --> 00:21:21.469
Katherine Carver: And my hope is that even if it helps a couple dogs, it will have been worth doing.
00:21:21.469 --> 00:21:22.049
Genie Joseph: Absolutely.
00:21:22.049 --> 00:21:25.869
Genie Joseph: Well, I know that it will help more than a couple.
00:21:25.869 --> 00:21:36.649
Genie Joseph: Yeah, it's such a good thing for people to recognize that maybe take your attention off yourself and your own problems for a little while and go help another little being that needs a whole new life.
00:21:36.649 --> 00:21:43.629
Genie Joseph: And the rewards are so great because not only will you be helping that dog, but you're going to be helping yourself in the process as a by-product.
00:21:43.629 --> 00:21:52.209
Genie Joseph: Because the love that comes when you really give your heart to another being, it is just completely transformative.
00:21:52.389 --> 00:22:02.629
Katherine Carver: Yeah, it's the most rewarding thing outside of having a child that I have ever done while simultaneously being one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life.
00:22:02.869 --> 00:22:07.929
Katherine Carver: So, yeah, it's very rewarding to see it finished.
00:22:07.929 --> 00:22:16.649
Katherine Carver: And since you can't see the book listening to this, the images are black and white, square with flat backgrounds.
00:22:16.649 --> 00:22:24.809
Katherine Carver: And I did that intentionally to really get to the essence of each dog, so the viewer can really hone in and really see that dog.
00:22:24.809 --> 00:22:35.509
Katherine Carver: And my hope is that the viewer can see emotional and or physical changes between the photographs of each dog, the two photographs.
00:22:36.109 --> 00:22:37.989
Katherine Carver: That was my hope, anyways.
00:22:37.989 --> 00:22:38.909
Genie Joseph: Yeah.
00:22:38.909 --> 00:22:57.089
Genie Joseph: So seeing a dog when they're just at the adoption stage and maybe frightened or hungry or skinny or whatever, they're mangy, and then seeing the effects of being at home for a year and having love and having that safety, having that security, is just transformative.
00:22:57.089 --> 00:22:59.529
Genie Joseph: And to see that in pictures, I think, is really powerful.
00:22:59.709 --> 00:23:04.729
Genie Joseph: So I hope that people will go ahead and get your book.
00:23:04.729 --> 00:23:09.049
Genie Joseph: Tell people where they can get a hold of it and how they can find you.
00:23:09.049 --> 00:23:10.089
Katherine Carver: Sure.
00:23:10.089 --> 00:23:18.689
Katherine Carver: You can visit my website, katherinecarver.com, which is K-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E, Carver, C-A-R, vsnvictorer.com.
00:23:19.949 --> 00:23:26.229
Katherine Carver: And there's more information that you can see, more information about the book and also where you can order the book.
00:23:26.809 --> 00:23:36.909
Katherine Carver: And there's also dog rescue resources that I've included on my site as well, for anyone contemplating deciding to get a shelter or rescue dog.
00:23:36.909 --> 00:23:38.029
Genie Joseph: Wonderful.
00:23:38.029 --> 00:23:42.849
Genie Joseph: So what's next on your horizon now that you've finished this wonderful accomplishment?
00:23:42.849 --> 00:23:45.269
Genie Joseph: What's next for you?
00:23:45.269 --> 00:23:52.369
Katherine Carver: I have some ideas on some projects, but at this present time, I'm kind of very present with this book.
00:23:53.229 --> 00:23:53.709
Genie Joseph: Yes.
00:23:53.709 --> 00:23:54.669
Genie Joseph: It's like having a baby.
00:23:54.669 --> 00:23:56.709
Genie Joseph: It's not just getting it out there.
00:23:56.709 --> 00:23:59.469
Genie Joseph: Then you got to get it out there and out there.
00:23:59.469 --> 00:24:00.029
Katherine Carver: Right.
00:24:00.149 --> 00:24:04.069
Katherine Carver: So it's a process which I've enjoyed.
00:24:04.069 --> 00:24:15.749
Katherine Carver: And so yes, I have ideas for some other projects, but at this point, I'm kind of savoring that the book is out, which is what I've worked towards for so long.
00:24:15.809 --> 00:24:16.529
Genie Joseph: Yeah.
00:24:16.529 --> 00:24:25.609
Genie Joseph: And we know, I know from, having volunteered thousands of hours at the shelters, having good pictures can make the difference between a dog getting adopted and not getting adopted sometimes.
00:24:25.609 --> 00:24:31.929
Genie Joseph: So that's a wonderful process to share that with shelters and with people.
00:24:31.929 --> 00:24:37.789
Genie Joseph: Because I think sometimes what I would say to people, like at the shelter I work at, we often have 500 dogs.
00:24:37.789 --> 00:24:41.469
Genie Joseph: And I'll say to people who are adopting, why did you pick that one?
00:24:41.469 --> 00:24:43.729
Genie Joseph: And they'll say, oh, it was the way he looked at me.
00:24:43.889 --> 00:24:46.629
Genie Joseph: I just couldn't leave him there.
00:24:46.629 --> 00:24:50.129
Genie Joseph: And it is the power of seeing into their soul through their eyes.
00:24:50.189 --> 00:24:51.329
Katherine Carver: It really is.
00:24:51.329 --> 00:24:51.929
Katherine Carver: It really is.
00:24:51.929 --> 00:25:04.969
Katherine Carver: A lot of the adopters commented to me about how they, when they saw the dog literally online or in person, they just knew something about their eyes, or it reminded them of a former dog they had lost.
00:25:04.969 --> 00:25:10.789
Katherine Carver: They just had some sort of connection that was really strong that pulled them towards that particular dog.
00:25:10.789 --> 00:25:13.469
Katherine Carver: So I think everything kind of happens for a reason.
00:25:13.589 --> 00:25:17.709
Katherine Carver: And dogs got to our lives, and they have so much to teach us.
00:25:17.709 --> 00:25:19.169
Katherine Carver: I've learned so much.
00:25:19.169 --> 00:25:26.029
Katherine Carver: I'm a much better person for having a rescue dog in my life.
00:25:26.029 --> 00:25:29.349
Katherine Carver: I cannot imagine life without one.
00:25:29.349 --> 00:25:30.649
Genie Joseph: Wow, beautiful.
00:25:30.649 --> 00:25:32.369
Genie Joseph: Well, thank you, Katherine, for your book.
00:25:32.369 --> 00:25:36.189
Genie Joseph: Thank you for sharing all this wonderful information with our listeners.
00:25:36.189 --> 00:25:41.169
Genie Joseph: And we look forward to hearing all about your next projects as they progress.
00:25:41.169 --> 00:25:42.089
Katherine Carver: Thank you for having me.
00:25:42.569 --> 00:25:43.889
Katherine Carver: We'll see you again.
00:25:43.889 --> 00:25:47.889
Genie Joseph: Well, thank you for tuning in to the Human-Animal Connection podcast.
00:25:47.889 --> 00:25:50.109
Genie Joseph: We'll see you at the next episode.
00:25:50.109 --> 00:25:51.749
Genie Joseph: Aloha for now.
00:25:51.749 --> 00:25:55.049
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00:25:55.049 --> 00:25:57.809
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