February 24, 2025 • 29 mins
Alex Tonner, founder of Paws for life tells us about her love of dogs, what the organization does to help animals in need and why they paired with Pacific Northwest organizations following the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Jessemin McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. And joining me now
is Alex Tanner, founder of Pause for Life, and I
can't wait to talk to you today, Alex and everything
about what this foundation does.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
One, thank you so much for your time. And two,
how are you today?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Thank you for having me on. I'm super excited to
talk to you. I am doing great today. Yeah, and
my organization is based in Los Angeles, which you know,
everybody knows. We've just had the recent fires. And we're
an organization that has a shelter and we pull from
our local city shelters, but we also do free training
for the community. We have nine trainers on staff, and
(00:42):
we also run a couple of prison programs where we
take the shelter dogs. If someone adopts from their shelter,
we train that dog for six weeks for free. It
stays at the prison, it lives there for six weeks
and we train the dog. You know, it's basic commands
and party great train and socialization and everything else. Well
that's a majority of what we do.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, well, yeah, I would love to dig into that
a little bit again. Alex Tunter with Paul's for Life
right here with me Jessamin McIntyre's The Out of Voice.
I would like to go back to the beginning with you,
because you're the founder of this.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
How did it start?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
You know? Everyone asks me that, especially with the prison program,
and I would love to say that was my idea,
but it wasn't. It was actually a captain of a
yard at the time that was an on a yard.
It was the only honor yard in America, meaning that
everyone on that yard they were wifers without parole and
they were they committed their lives to just give them
(01:38):
back and doing good. And so when you walked onto
that yard, it was almost like walking onto a college campus.
And her idea was to get dogs into prison. And
so she approached a volunteer that was at the prison
at the time working as a lawyer, and she had
one of our puppies, and she asked her about the puppy,
and then you know, said would the organization be willing
(01:59):
to come in and do a dog program? And we
jumped at it. So that's how it started. And then
from there we opened up our center six years later
and that became a re entry program. So the guys
that were inside that were actually you know, save and
life sentences, but were getting commuted by the governor at
a phenomenal rate. We hold the highest amount of commutations
(02:23):
of any other program within CDCR in California, So we're
pretty proud of that. I'm pretty proud of what the
program does for people that are incarcerated, not just inside
but outside too.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
That is just an amazing thing to hear on both
the sides of the shelter dogs and those who are
affected by them when they are actually serving life sentences.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
It's really really amazing to hear.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Again, this is Alex Tanner joining me, founder of plaus
for Life, and I really like that you are so
gracious and not taking credit for that as well. It
sounds like you're a really good collaborator. And yeah, you know,
and I'd like to bring it locally too. You were
discussing the fact that everybody in Los Angeles has been
affected by the wildfires and that there were a lot
of dogs that were displaced. You'd like you to talk
(03:09):
about how it relates to us locally. You've worked with
cilg Mean and the Quarterlian Companion Animal Center.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
How did all of that come about.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, I mean I've been so we do transports. We've
been doing them for five years, but on a very
small scale with twenty dogs once a month ago and
to Cordelane pretty northwest in Washington, you know, Seattle. And
so when when the fire started, it was almost a
knee jo reaction to everybody in animal welfare to be like,
(03:41):
oh my god, we have to move these dogs and
cats and so and so it was amazing because partners
started to reach out saying, we can take fifty dogs,
we can take twenty cats, we can and we were like, wow,
we should really jump on this. And Wings of Rescue,
who you know, did all the flights just kept on
(04:02):
saying give do you want another day? Do you want
another day? How many planes do you want? And so
we literally pulled in three hundred and twenty six dogs
in twenty one days. And we were sending them out
eighty dogs, ninety dogs, one hundred and forty one dogs
at any given time on flights. And I think what
people don't realize. They think that we just take them
(04:24):
from the shelter and then we put them on a flight,
but we have to actually present them to the partners
and make sure we're sending them the absolute best of
the best because we don't want any you know, mishaps
with our partners. And then we have to do hell
seats and make sure that they're healthy to fly, and
our team also has to deal with the one hundred
(04:44):
percent intake of more dogs. So it was it was
a frantic three weeks, but we did it, and we
were all super proud of what we did, and we
were amazed by the people in Seattle, how they lined
up and they took these animals. I mean, it was
just so heartwarm and that everybody wanted to help. So
that was the I mean, it was great. It just
(05:06):
it's opened up the gates again for us to say, hey,
do you want a couple of dogs? You know, obviously
not eighty, but you know, every month now, I think
people will continue to take from LA because our shelters
are rough, you know, and they were super overpopulated and
the dogs would dying for space. And that's you know,
in this day and age, we shouldn't be killing animals
(05:26):
for space. You know, we should be coming up with
better programs and more innovative ideas on how to actually
prevent the dogs from entering a shelter and not housing dogs.
We just can't house dogs and expect a better outcome
when there's no programs in place.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I completely agree with you.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
As we had talked a little bit off the air again,
Alex Tanner joining me with Pause for Life, and I
have fostered in the past, and this is grassroots out here.
Like you just said, people just lined up and that's
what I've witnessed. The organization that I foster through is
called dog on Seattle, and I know that they have
a sprinter van that comes from Texas and high kill
(06:08):
shelters and they take the dogs here right.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, I'm sure you know them.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Well, but it is grassroots and it is one person
at a time. I wanted to ask you where your
passion came from.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Well, you know, since I was a kid, I always
loved dogs. I actually stole a dog when I was
five years old and kept it in for two days.
The woman, you know, my mother, eventually found it and
then I cried so much that the woman gave me
the dog.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
No.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah, I mean I just bought it home and didn't
give it back, you know. But it's just been my passion,
my whole life to be involved with animals. And then
when I came to this country, I obviously wasn't involved
with animals because I was busy, you know, with my
career and stuff. And then and then I adopted a
dog in two thousand and eight, and it changed, It
changed everything for me. That dog started it all, and
(07:00):
so that's when I became heavily involved in animal welfare.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
It's amazing. I absolutely love it.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I think we have kindred spirits, to be honest, because
I had all the animals growing up. My mother is
actually a wildlife rehabilitator, So we had our pets with
you know, dog catch and chillas and hamsters and you
know fish, but we also had hawks and owls and seagulls,
and yeah we did. We did a little bit of
(07:26):
it all. But for some reason, dogs were my my heart,
I guess. So that's why I continue as well. And
do you know it's I think one of the things
that you had said earlier too is about the people
lighting up, and I was talking about my experience with dog.
God is just that one thing at a time, and
I don't know if people out there know how significant
(07:48):
that can be. You had that one dog when you
were a kid. Yeah, can you talk a little bit
about that.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Yeah. I mean it's like, you know, so here's the thing.
People come into our center and we say to them.
You know, they're like, oh, I can't take an animal
home and bring it back. You know, I have to
keep it. And it's not a decision I want to make.
And we're like, but you're not. That's not the best
thing for that animal. You know, you want take this dog.
Give us the details on this dog. If it goes
into a home, even for twenty four hours, at least,
(08:15):
we're getting some information on that dog so we can
find them the right home that he deserves, you know.
I mean, I think it's about people. You know, you
want people to feel good about what they're doing and
not put any guilt on them. And even when adotting
a dog, we always say, you can bring this dog
back and we will find you the right match. Don't
feel guilty. You can't guilt people into taking animals. But
(08:36):
it's like you've got to empower them and make them
feel like they're doing the right things, the right thing
for themselves and for the dog. So I think even
just you know, encouraging people to take a dog for
twenty four hours for a cup of coffee. Take that
dog for a cup of coffee. See how it is,
you know, and people.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Go for a walk.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah, exactly. Just take it for a height, pick it
up on a Saturday morning, like we don't care. Just
get that dog out of the shelter and out hiking
or you know, out into the public and then come
back and tell us how it did. And then we
can pass that information on to adopters, potential adopters, you know.
I mean the one thing that we do here, our
dogs play outside all day every day. We have a
(09:16):
round about ninety dogs on a yard. We have six
yards and they're out all day and you know, they
come in at night and it's quiet. You can need
to pin drop because they've been they've had that exercise
and about that Enrichmond of the day. And I think
that's super important if we're going to kennel animals, to
do it in a way where they're not actually suffering
(09:37):
from being in a kennel. You know, it's a positive experience,
not just for the people that come in, just for
the dog as well. That's being house here.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
That is a exactly what I've had the privilege of learning.
It sounds like you're just with my own experience, but
it sounds like you're not just educating or rehabilitating dogs,
but you're educating people at the same time.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yes, yes, yes, And we offer free train into the public.
They can come any day of the week, get free
train and they sign up, you know, and it's free
training for life. Regardless of where you got your dog from.
You know, we don't care. If you're having a problem
with a dog, we will train that dog for free.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
We are talking to Alex Tanner, found founder of Pause
for Life, and I'm really excited about everything that you're
saying right now because it's very close to my heart
and a lot of people up here in Seattle as well.
I'm just I wanted to ask you a few questions
because you guys are based in LA but obviously have
connected with some of the Pacific Northwest area. And I
(10:32):
don't know if missoul accounts, but it does to me
in western Montana. So we have Seattle, Cordaline, and Missoula
on the list here. And what can people do up
here that would help you guys?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Oh, I think you know people they should go to
the organizations locally to them, foster, adopt, donate, volunteer. I think,
you know, anything is better than doing nothing. Just do
one thing and enjoy it. You know, if you're going
to volunteer, do something that you really want to volunteer, do,
but help your local organizations. And then that way it
(11:07):
helps those too if they're going to take dogs from us,
you know. But I always think just getting involved, even
if it's just going in and doing dishes, you know,
dog bowls, it's still help the organizations. I mean, every
little bit of volunteer work helps an organization. And so yeah,
I would say get involved with your local organizations. Yes,
(11:28):
that would be the best thing for those dogs.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
And I just love that there are partnerships up and
down the West coast that it is so lovely and
I really appreciate everything that you guys do because a
lot everyone obviously was devastated for the people and the
families and everyone's suffering through the LA wildfires, and I
really sincerely hope that you and your family are okay.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
We were, yeah, we were fine. We didn't have power
for five days, but that is nothing in comparison to
what people are going through. And went through at the time.
The one thing that we are doing, and as an organization,
we are you know, we have a contract with the
city of La so all the dogs that have been
truly displaced by the fires and they've lost their homes
are housed at our facility and so instead of at
(12:12):
the shelter, because the shelter will hold those animals for
the owners, you know, for a certain amount of time
while they get back on the feet. But those animals
don't get enriched at the shelters like they do here.
So we take those dogs and we hold them here
and they get enriched all day and walked and you know,
they have sweaters on at night, and yeah, they're pretty spoilt.
(12:34):
You know. I have these big burly guys with a
rolling cart with the sweaters and they have to put
them on all the short haired dogs. So it's great.
So yeah, so we actually just we just gave our
first fire dog back yesterday, went to one of the families. Yeah,
he got picked up and it was great because the
dog of face was like, who are you? And then
(12:54):
you remember them and he went bersark and it was lovely. So,
you know, we were happy to hold them.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Can you tell me a little bit more about the
family or person that you return the dog to.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Yeah, So they were over with the eaton fire in
Pasadena and they all of their fence and was destroyed.
The house is fine, but they were evacuated and couldn't
get back in. They couldn't take their dog to the
places they were trying to find to stay, and so
the only alternative was to take it to the shelter.
(13:28):
And so the shelter obviously said, you know, we'll hold
the dog until whenever you guys get in touch. And
so once the dog came in under you know, it's
owned and it's a fire dog, then it gets transferred
over to us. So they were they came yesterday to
pick it up and were pretty thrilled about it. They've
had they had the dog, you know, since he was
(13:49):
like four months old and he was two. He was
a dogo and he was just he was the sweetest dog,
you know. He walked out with a sweater on, and
we gave them food and leave everything else that they need,
blankets and stuff, so and off he went. So it
was great.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Yeah, Yeah, it's kind of twofold emotionally too.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Because you're so excited to you know, return these families
together when it comes to the animals and the people
who raise them. But it also is said to say
goodbye to a you know, yeah it is.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Yeah, but we get more dogs in. You know, it's
a space for another dog. So that's the way we
look at it. It's like the prison. When we send
these dogs into prison and these guys train them for
six weeks, the owners say, don't they get sad? And
I said, no, we always have another dog right there
that day. New dogs come in when those dogs leave,
so it's not it's you know, they're never without and
they always get correspondence back from the families, you know,
(14:44):
with banking them what they've done for the family and
the dog and pictures, so you know, they given back
to society, the society that they took from. So it's
like it's like a twofold and.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
That is absolutely unbelievable. I don't know if you've.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Had any personal experience with those who are incarcerated and
dealing with the dogs, but if you do, what is
your favorite part of that?
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I mean, I've been running this program for eleven years,
so you know, people would email me and I'm like, oh,
I just got out of prison, you know, and they're like,
what so, but these you know, I think what a
lot of these men be when they see you know,
when they when they face met the dogs. It was
total unconditional love and respect. And you know, in prison
(15:31):
and especially you know, we were the first of an
animal organization to go into a Level four Especially in
a level four prison, you know, you're not you're not
to show any feelings or become vulnerable or any of that.
And that's what these dogs did for that population and
continue to do. And so it's it's a win win
(15:54):
because it opens up emotions for people that you can't
just you can't learn that in a classroom. You've got
to feel it. You've got to be present for it. So,
you know, I think that's what it does for incarcerated people.
And also it's great for the animals because they see
these dogs are coming from shelters and they feel like
they've got the same type of history. You know, that
(16:14):
they are in a cage, they locked up, they don't
you know, the face is decided for them, and so
it's like a new lease on life for both.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
I just am loving this so much, and I think
it's all positivity and it feels like there's some negative
vibes out here recently in the in the world, and
you are doing just absolute amazing work. And I was
so excited when I you know, I got an email
that I work in radio and I got an email
that's and I was saying, well, hold on, I need
(16:47):
to talk to this person.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
I need to know who is doing work.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yes, So I wanted to also ask how big is
your operation again?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Alex Tanner, who is the founder of Pause for.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Life, just really doing amazing work when it comes to
helping out the animal population dogs, cats, and most recently
at the in the LA wildfires.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
But Alex, I just want to know who you work
with every day.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah, so I work with I mean, there's twenty six
of us here, you know, and we work pretty hard
on getting these dogs out and enriching them so and
ninety of the team are formally incarcerated. So so that's
you know, we have a medical team. You know that
that's amazing. And it's a family, you know, we're one
(17:33):
big family, and and you know we all work hand
in hand together, one compliments the other and without each other.
We wouldn't be successful. And that's the truth because not
one person do it alone. So you need the help
of others to be able to put this type of
operation together, you know. I mean, we're always wanting to
help no matter what. And I think that you know,
(17:56):
you've got to take out yourself, save and path and
just be you know, you got to help, and I
think everything comes to you once you do that.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
You know, Yes, yeah, you're creating a community within a community,
and it's a little bit of a dichotomy of the
kind of communities, but you're all helping each other.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty wonderful.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
I love it so much. I could talk to you
for hours, but I know that we still got a
couple of minutes. So when you when you paired, you
discussed pairing with people that would help get the dogs
in Wings of Rescue.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Can you tell me a little bit about them.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
I know it's not necessarily your company foundation, but I
would love to hear more about them.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yeah, so Wings of Rescue contacted us. We normally do
flights with dogs my co pilot, that's our that's our
flight partner, but Whens the Rescue came in because dog
is my copilot doesn't fly during the winter season because
of the type of planes they have, and so Wings
of Rescue contacted me and was like, hey, you know
you want to do this, and I was like, yeah,
let's do it. And he thanks God. He like, Rick,
(19:01):
who is the president of Wings of Rescue, came on
the flight I was actually sent them to Seattle, and
he was like, you do know you need two planes
for the rights and I was like, I do okay,
and he was within minutes we had two planes. You
know that we were able to load all these animals
onto because we were so overloaded with the amount of
(19:22):
animals that we were bringing in. So, I mean, they
were just a huge help. And you know, it doesn't
it's expensive for them to plate, but they you know,
they they they did it, and they continue to ask us,
have you, you know, do you want to send any dogs.
I think everyone's taken a breath right now because the
population is down. You know, we're housing the dogs that
(19:43):
we have that are truly you know, displaced from the fires,
and we're just concentrating on local now. So you know,
we're super appreciative of the dogs that went to Seattle
and got adopted and we see these pictures with these
dogs in there homes and it's just it's just so hot.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Well you get to see that. I love that.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah, it's great, It's absolutely great. You know. If that's
the one thing with our partners that will like, you know,
share some information, you know. And the other the flip
side of that is if they're having a problem with
the dog, they can call us. We'll do a zoom
with them, We'll talk to them about that dog. You know,
we still stay involved with We see it through and
I think you know, it's not just putting an animal
on the plane and saying goodbye. It's about seeing it
(20:26):
through and making sure that everyone on and is happy
in all of it, you know, from the partner to
the adopter to the dog.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Again. Alex Hunter joining me, Jasmine McIntyre.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
This is the Seattle Voice, And thank you so much
because I just really love everything because, like you said,
you see it through and I think a lot of times,
I mean I always look at you know, Easter, people
buy chicks and baby rabbits and things like that.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
And yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Yeah, and I don't think people understand the commitment when
it comes to taking care of any any animal. You know,
I say animal, but it almost feels wrong because I'm
like any it's almost like a child that you're bringing
into your home and your life, and you have to
think about it. This is a multi year commitment that
you're making and you have to be educated. So if
(21:15):
I know that you are based in Los Angeles, as
we mentioned, but I want to know how people, let's
say people have taken these jogs, cats, anyone that you've
transported to Seattle through your partners, how can they get
in touch?
Speaker 3 (21:30):
They can? They can go to our website and they
can contact us through our website or they can email
us that pauseflife Canine dot org. So I mean that's
you know, they can absolutely. I mean I have. So
when they get the Raby's certificate in LA, they taught
my personal information on the Raby certificate. We're trying to
change that. I get phone calls from people saying, do
(21:51):
you know the history of my dog? And I talk
to them and I pull up the paperwork and I
walk them through it. And it's great because you know,
they're so excited to try and figure out where their
dogs came from and the experience that they had before
they adopted them, So you know, I try to talk
them and give them as much information as possible because
I know I would want the same information for my dog.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
You're educated, Yeah, you know what you need.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
I would love to get that information from someone, you know.
But you know, so I've had a few calls of people.
It was super sweet and super kind and thrilled with
their animals. And I just answer the questions as best
as I can, you know.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Because you know the information one to give them and
then you know the answer to those questions. And I
know that you know from your passion for this that
you would also want to anticipate the questions that they need,
but also have the information to answer those questions. Yeah,
you gave me some advice that I can relate to
our listeners about how they can help locally. But how
(22:54):
are you guys funded? Down at Pause for Life?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
So I raised seven three percent of all funds, and
then the prison programs we put in for grants and
state funding for those programs. So but we are you know,
we we raise our money. We have to, you know,
so we pound the pavements. I mean, I don't know,
I have no shame of asking people to help when
(23:20):
it comes to you know, LA and our organization, So
because I know it's going to a greater cause, you know,
and it's it's not me, not going to me, it's
going towards the animals though, And that's what is truly
in my heart, you know, and as been for many years.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And the people that you are helping with the prison program,
I think that that should not go forgotten. That actually
it's not just the dogs and cats, the animals that
are being helped.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
It's that you found a way.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
To help a population that probably gets forgotten.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
So that is pretty amazing.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
And then the one thing I did want to say
is that we plan on blue plan on making a
blueprint of our prison program, and our partner in Washington
wants to try it in a prison close to here,
so we're in the works of doing that so she
can replicate it. And it's actually, you know, it comes
in from our side, custodial side, you know, what they're
(24:18):
going to experience, what needs to be set up, and
so hopefully by twenty twenty six, you know, we'll have
something in Washington that could run a similar program and
help shelters.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
This is very, very exciting to me.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Yeah, yeah, so we're happy to help.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
That is great.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
And I I talked to you about the shelter program
that I've fostered through, and I I just know that,
you know, I'm a part of their group, a part
of their bat signal lists that they send out when hey,
we really don't want these dogs to go to the shelter.
And I didn't understand it until I started working with
them as just a volunteer foster. But I understand and
(25:00):
how that can be super distressing for a dog to
go to the kennel. I should say, you know, we
really don't want a kennel dogs, But I didn't understand.
And so can you just tell me and everyone out
there a little bit more about why that is not
the option.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Why it's not the option to go to the kennel.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Why it's the worst option.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Oh why because that dog is not getting the enrichment
or the the the you know, the human connected connect
Like they're not connecting with a human or any they're
in the inn when it goes to it, when it
goes to any kind of boredom facility, you know, it's
dogs don't go to a board and facility. It's not
a day spar it's boarding. They're locked in a tiny
(25:44):
little space and it's normally four by eight is what.
You know that that's the smallest that can be legally
for dogs to be held, and so that's where they're at.
If they get out for five minutes a day, they're lucky,
you know. So a dog is never going to grow
or in or you know, change being in a board
and facility. So even short term fostering and is so helpful.
(26:07):
If Dog Gone Seattle is getting dogs in and they
need someone for a week, it's super helpful. Like people
welcome foster's short term fosters just as much as long
term fosters, so you know, it just it helps everyone
across the board. It helps them. It eases people's minds
when they get dogs in that it's going into a
(26:28):
home and it's got that. And then it gives time
for the organization to find another alternative, whether it's a
long term foster or an adopter, you know, because we
always need time and there's never enough time.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Oh you know, I feel your sister, I feel you
on that one. I Alex, please forgive my sentimentality here,
but I really love doing this on my show as
we close out here, I love this story. It's kind
of a short story slash poem, and so I'm going
to tell it to you and you may have heard
it or not, and then you can tell me your
(27:03):
story that relates. So this little girl is walking on
a beach and hundreds of starfish are washed up, and
she's just flinging them back into the sea, one at
a time. And she's never she's a little girl, she's
never gonna get them all back in. But then this,
you know, older gentleman comes up and just asks, what
are you doing. There's no point, it doesn't matter what
(27:24):
you're doing, and she flings one back into the sea
and says, it matters to that one. And then a
later iteration of that was that the older gentleman actually
joined her and started checking them back.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
And I wanted to ask if you had a starfish.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Story, and well, I think all the dogs that we
bring in a starfish stories, you know. But I think
you know for me, when I go to a shelter
and I see a senior dog at a shelter, and
I think I have to take that dog, regardless of
what it's like with other dogs. I take that dog
and we either house them here or we find them
(28:03):
a foster. And you know, those dogs, and I mean
senior at fourteen, fifteen years old and they don't have
a lot of time left, but you know, they spend
the last of their days in a home being loved
and know and that they're not in that shelter. Is
my staffish story basically because it kills me when I
(28:26):
do go to the shelters and I see a senior,
it's just it's heartbreak. And I feel like the younger
dogs can you know, the pretty resilient, but I think
seniors just don't deserve to be in shelters period. So
you know, and I recently took one and he lasted
three weeks, but you know, he went to the most
amazing foster and it was brilliant because he was in
(28:48):
he was at South La Shelter in Los Angeles, which
is the worst shelter that we have, and it was
horrific conditions and we got him out and he you know,
he died peacefully with his foster. So that's what I love.
You know, That's always amazing to me that we can
do that. So yeah, I love them all.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
I am right there with you.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
I am right there with you, and I just really
love as I wrap this up, but what I love
is that you can just do one small thing. And
that's everything that you have told me through this very
long time that you have spent with me, and I
really really appreciate your time, Alex. But that little thing
that you can do, like just a walk, just a coffee,
(29:31):
just a week, or for life, depending on if it works,
it could be anything, but just a little bit can
really help. Alex Tanner, Pause of Life. Thank you so
unbelievably much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Oh thank you for having me. It will be speaking
to you.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
You've been listening to Seattle Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle.
I'm Jessman McIntyre and don't forget. For show ideas and
to find out how your voice can be heard, email
Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia Dot you
This is Jessemin McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. And joining me now
is Alex Tanner, founder of Pause for Life, and I
can't wait to talk to you today, Alex and everything
about what this foundation does.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
One, thank you so much for your time. And two,
how are you today?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Thank you for having me on. I'm super excited to
talk to you. I am doing great today. Yeah, and
my organization is based in Los Angeles, which you know,
everybody knows. We've just had the recent fires. And we're
an organization that has a shelter and we pull from
our local city shelters, but we also do free training
for the community. We have nine trainers on staff, and
(00:42):
we also run a couple of prison programs where we
take the shelter dogs. If someone adopts from their shelter,
we train that dog for six weeks for free. It
stays at the prison, it lives there for six weeks
and we train the dog. You know, it's basic commands
and party great train and socialization and everything else. Well
that's a majority of what we do.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, well, yeah, I would love to dig into that
a little bit again. Alex Tunter with Paul's for Life
right here with me Jessamin McIntyre's The Out of Voice.
I would like to go back to the beginning with you,
because you're the founder of this.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
How did it start?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
You know? Everyone asks me that, especially with the prison program,
and I would love to say that was my idea,
but it wasn't. It was actually a captain of a
yard at the time that was an on a yard.
It was the only honor yard in America, meaning that
everyone on that yard they were wifers without parole and
they were they committed their lives to just give them
(01:38):
back and doing good. And so when you walked onto
that yard, it was almost like walking onto a college campus.
And her idea was to get dogs into prison. And
so she approached a volunteer that was at the prison
at the time working as a lawyer, and she had
one of our puppies, and she asked her about the puppy,
and then you know, said would the organization be willing
(01:59):
to come in and do a dog program? And we
jumped at it. So that's how it started. And then
from there we opened up our center six years later
and that became a re entry program. So the guys
that were inside that were actually you know, save and
life sentences, but were getting commuted by the governor at
a phenomenal rate. We hold the highest amount of commutations
(02:23):
of any other program within CDCR in California, So we're
pretty proud of that. I'm pretty proud of what the
program does for people that are incarcerated, not just inside
but outside too.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
That is just an amazing thing to hear on both
the sides of the shelter dogs and those who are
affected by them when they are actually serving life sentences.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
It's really really amazing to hear.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Again, this is Alex Tanner joining me, founder of plaus
for Life, and I really like that you are so
gracious and not taking credit for that as well. It
sounds like you're a really good collaborator. And yeah, you know,
and I'd like to bring it locally too. You were
discussing the fact that everybody in Los Angeles has been
affected by the wildfires and that there were a lot
of dogs that were displaced. You'd like you to talk
(03:09):
about how it relates to us locally. You've worked with
cilg Mean and the Quarterlian Companion Animal Center.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
How did all of that come about.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, I mean I've been so we do transports. We've
been doing them for five years, but on a very
small scale with twenty dogs once a month ago and
to Cordelane pretty northwest in Washington, you know, Seattle. And
so when when the fire started, it was almost a
knee jo reaction to everybody in animal welfare to be like,
(03:41):
oh my god, we have to move these dogs and
cats and so and so it was amazing because partners
started to reach out saying, we can take fifty dogs,
we can take twenty cats, we can and we were like, wow,
we should really jump on this. And Wings of Rescue,
who you know, did all the flights just kept on
(04:02):
saying give do you want another day? Do you want
another day? How many planes do you want? And so
we literally pulled in three hundred and twenty six dogs
in twenty one days. And we were sending them out
eighty dogs, ninety dogs, one hundred and forty one dogs
at any given time on flights. And I think what
people don't realize. They think that we just take them
(04:24):
from the shelter and then we put them on a flight,
but we have to actually present them to the partners
and make sure we're sending them the absolute best of
the best because we don't want any you know, mishaps
with our partners. And then we have to do hell
seats and make sure that they're healthy to fly, and
our team also has to deal with the one hundred
(04:44):
percent intake of more dogs. So it was it was
a frantic three weeks, but we did it, and we
were all super proud of what we did, and we
were amazed by the people in Seattle, how they lined
up and they took these animals. I mean, it was
just so heartwarm and that everybody wanted to help. So
that was the I mean, it was great. It just
(05:06):
it's opened up the gates again for us to say, hey,
do you want a couple of dogs? You know, obviously
not eighty, but you know, every month now, I think
people will continue to take from LA because our shelters
are rough, you know, and they were super overpopulated and
the dogs would dying for space. And that's you know,
in this day and age, we shouldn't be killing animals
(05:26):
for space. You know, we should be coming up with
better programs and more innovative ideas on how to actually
prevent the dogs from entering a shelter and not housing dogs.
We just can't house dogs and expect a better outcome
when there's no programs in place.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I completely agree with you.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
As we had talked a little bit off the air again,
Alex Tanner joining me with Pause for Life, and I
have fostered in the past, and this is grassroots out here.
Like you just said, people just lined up and that's
what I've witnessed. The organization that I foster through is
called dog on Seattle, and I know that they have
a sprinter van that comes from Texas and high kill
(06:08):
shelters and they take the dogs here right.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, I'm sure you know them.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Well, but it is grassroots and it is one person
at a time. I wanted to ask you where your
passion came from.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Well, you know, since I was a kid, I always
loved dogs. I actually stole a dog when I was
five years old and kept it in for two days.
The woman, you know, my mother, eventually found it and
then I cried so much that the woman gave me
the dog.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
No.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah, I mean I just bought it home and didn't
give it back, you know. But it's just been my passion,
my whole life to be involved with animals. And then
when I came to this country, I obviously wasn't involved
with animals because I was busy, you know, with my
career and stuff. And then and then I adopted a
dog in two thousand and eight, and it changed, It
changed everything for me. That dog started it all, and
(07:00):
so that's when I became heavily involved in animal welfare.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
It's amazing. I absolutely love it.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I think we have kindred spirits, to be honest, because
I had all the animals growing up. My mother is
actually a wildlife rehabilitator, So we had our pets with
you know, dog catch and chillas and hamsters and you
know fish, but we also had hawks and owls and seagulls,
and yeah we did. We did a little bit of
(07:26):
it all. But for some reason, dogs were my my heart,
I guess. So that's why I continue as well. And
do you know it's I think one of the things
that you had said earlier too is about the people
lighting up, and I was talking about my experience with dog.
God is just that one thing at a time, and
I don't know if people out there know how significant
(07:48):
that can be. You had that one dog when you
were a kid. Yeah, can you talk a little bit
about that.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Yeah. I mean it's like, you know, so here's the thing.
People come into our center and we say to them.
You know, they're like, oh, I can't take an animal
home and bring it back. You know, I have to
keep it. And it's not a decision I want to make.
And we're like, but you're not. That's not the best
thing for that animal. You know, you want take this dog.
Give us the details on this dog. If it goes
into a home, even for twenty four hours, at least,
(08:15):
we're getting some information on that dog so we can
find them the right home that he deserves, you know.
I mean, I think it's about people. You know, you
want people to feel good about what they're doing and
not put any guilt on them. And even when adotting
a dog, we always say, you can bring this dog
back and we will find you the right match. Don't
feel guilty. You can't guilt people into taking animals. But
(08:36):
it's like you've got to empower them and make them
feel like they're doing the right things, the right thing
for themselves and for the dog. So I think even
just you know, encouraging people to take a dog for
twenty four hours for a cup of coffee. Take that
dog for a cup of coffee. See how it is,
you know, and people.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Go for a walk.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah, exactly. Just take it for a height, pick it
up on a Saturday morning, like we don't care. Just
get that dog out of the shelter and out hiking
or you know, out into the public and then come
back and tell us how it did. And then we
can pass that information on to adopters, potential adopters, you know.
I mean the one thing that we do here, our
dogs play outside all day every day. We have a
(09:16):
round about ninety dogs on a yard. We have six
yards and they're out all day and you know, they
come in at night and it's quiet. You can need
to pin drop because they've been they've had that exercise
and about that Enrichmond of the day. And I think
that's super important if we're going to kennel animals, to
do it in a way where they're not actually suffering
(09:37):
from being in a kennel. You know, it's a positive experience,
not just for the people that come in, just for
the dog as well. That's being house here.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
That is a exactly what I've had the privilege of learning.
It sounds like you're just with my own experience, but
it sounds like you're not just educating or rehabilitating dogs,
but you're educating people at the same time.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yes, yes, yes, And we offer free train into the public.
They can come any day of the week, get free
train and they sign up, you know, and it's free
training for life. Regardless of where you got your dog from.
You know, we don't care. If you're having a problem
with a dog, we will train that dog for free.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
We are talking to Alex Tanner, found founder of Pause
for Life, and I'm really excited about everything that you're
saying right now because it's very close to my heart
and a lot of people up here in Seattle as well.
I'm just I wanted to ask you a few questions
because you guys are based in LA but obviously have
connected with some of the Pacific Northwest area. And I
(10:32):
don't know if missoul accounts, but it does to me
in western Montana. So we have Seattle, Cordaline, and Missoula
on the list here. And what can people do up
here that would help you guys?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Oh, I think you know people they should go to
the organizations locally to them, foster, adopt, donate, volunteer. I think,
you know, anything is better than doing nothing. Just do
one thing and enjoy it. You know, if you're going
to volunteer, do something that you really want to volunteer, do,
but help your local organizations. And then that way it
(11:07):
helps those too if they're going to take dogs from us,
you know. But I always think just getting involved, even
if it's just going in and doing dishes, you know,
dog bowls, it's still help the organizations. I mean, every
little bit of volunteer work helps an organization. And so yeah,
I would say get involved with your local organizations. Yes,
(11:28):
that would be the best thing for those dogs.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
And I just love that there are partnerships up and
down the West coast that it is so lovely and
I really appreciate everything that you guys do because a
lot everyone obviously was devastated for the people and the
families and everyone's suffering through the LA wildfires, and I
really sincerely hope that you and your family are okay.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
We were, yeah, we were fine. We didn't have power
for five days, but that is nothing in comparison to
what people are going through. And went through at the time.
The one thing that we are doing, and as an organization,
we are you know, we have a contract with the
city of La so all the dogs that have been
truly displaced by the fires and they've lost their homes
are housed at our facility and so instead of at
(12:12):
the shelter, because the shelter will hold those animals for
the owners, you know, for a certain amount of time
while they get back on the feet. But those animals
don't get enriched at the shelters like they do here.
So we take those dogs and we hold them here
and they get enriched all day and walked and you know,
they have sweaters on at night, and yeah, they're pretty spoilt.
(12:34):
You know. I have these big burly guys with a
rolling cart with the sweaters and they have to put
them on all the short haired dogs. So it's great.
So yeah, so we actually just we just gave our
first fire dog back yesterday, went to one of the families. Yeah,
he got picked up and it was great because the
dog of face was like, who are you? And then
(12:54):
you remember them and he went bersark and it was lovely. So,
you know, we were happy to hold them.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Can you tell me a little bit more about the
family or person that you return the dog to.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Yeah, So they were over with the eaton fire in
Pasadena and they all of their fence and was destroyed.
The house is fine, but they were evacuated and couldn't
get back in. They couldn't take their dog to the
places they were trying to find to stay, and so
the only alternative was to take it to the shelter.
(13:28):
And so the shelter obviously said, you know, we'll hold
the dog until whenever you guys get in touch. And
so once the dog came in under you know, it's
owned and it's a fire dog, then it gets transferred
over to us. So they were they came yesterday to
pick it up and were pretty thrilled about it. They've
had they had the dog, you know, since he was
(13:49):
like four months old and he was two. He was
a dogo and he was just he was the sweetest dog,
you know. He walked out with a sweater on, and
we gave them food and leave everything else that they need,
blankets and stuff, so and off he went. So it
was great.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Yeah, Yeah, it's kind of twofold emotionally too.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Because you're so excited to you know, return these families
together when it comes to the animals and the people
who raise them. But it also is said to say
goodbye to a you know, yeah it is.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Yeah, but we get more dogs in. You know, it's
a space for another dog. So that's the way we
look at it. It's like the prison. When we send
these dogs into prison and these guys train them for
six weeks, the owners say, don't they get sad? And
I said, no, we always have another dog right there
that day. New dogs come in when those dogs leave,
so it's not it's you know, they're never without and
they always get correspondence back from the families, you know,
(14:44):
with banking them what they've done for the family and
the dog and pictures, so you know, they given back
to society, the society that they took from. So it's
like it's like a twofold and.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
That is absolutely unbelievable. I don't know if you've.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Had any personal experience with those who are incarcerated and
dealing with the dogs, but if you do, what is
your favorite part of that?
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I mean, I've been running this program for eleven years,
so you know, people would email me and I'm like, oh,
I just got out of prison, you know, and they're like,
what so, but these you know, I think what a
lot of these men be when they see you know,
when they when they face met the dogs. It was
total unconditional love and respect. And you know, in prison
(15:31):
and especially you know, we were the first of an
animal organization to go into a Level four Especially in
a level four prison, you know, you're not you're not
to show any feelings or become vulnerable or any of that.
And that's what these dogs did for that population and
continue to do. And so it's it's a win win
(15:54):
because it opens up emotions for people that you can't
just you can't learn that in a classroom. You've got
to feel it. You've got to be present for it. So,
you know, I think that's what it does for incarcerated people.
And also it's great for the animals because they see
these dogs are coming from shelters and they feel like
they've got the same type of history. You know, that
(16:14):
they are in a cage, they locked up, they don't
you know, the face is decided for them, and so
it's like a new lease on life for both.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
I just am loving this so much, and I think
it's all positivity and it feels like there's some negative
vibes out here recently in the in the world, and
you are doing just absolute amazing work. And I was
so excited when I you know, I got an email
that I work in radio and I got an email
that's and I was saying, well, hold on, I need
(16:47):
to talk to this person.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
I need to know who is doing work.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yes, So I wanted to also ask how big is
your operation again?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Alex Tanner, who is the founder of Pause for.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Life, just really doing amazing work when it comes to
helping out the animal population dogs, cats, and most recently
at the in the LA wildfires.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
But Alex, I just want to know who you work
with every day.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah, so I work with I mean, there's twenty six
of us here, you know, and we work pretty hard
on getting these dogs out and enriching them so and
ninety of the team are formally incarcerated. So so that's
you know, we have a medical team. You know that
that's amazing. And it's a family, you know, we're one
(17:33):
big family, and and you know we all work hand
in hand together, one compliments the other and without each other.
We wouldn't be successful. And that's the truth because not
one person do it alone. So you need the help
of others to be able to put this type of
operation together, you know. I mean, we're always wanting to
help no matter what. And I think that you know,
(17:56):
you've got to take out yourself, save and path and
just be you know, you got to help, and I
think everything comes to you once you do that.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
You know, Yes, yeah, you're creating a community within a community,
and it's a little bit of a dichotomy of the
kind of communities, but you're all helping each other.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty wonderful.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
I love it so much. I could talk to you
for hours, but I know that we still got a
couple of minutes. So when you when you paired, you
discussed pairing with people that would help get the dogs
in Wings of Rescue.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Can you tell me a little bit about them.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
I know it's not necessarily your company foundation, but I
would love to hear more about them.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yeah, so Wings of Rescue contacted us. We normally do
flights with dogs my co pilot, that's our that's our
flight partner, but Whens the Rescue came in because dog
is my copilot doesn't fly during the winter season because
of the type of planes they have, and so Wings
of Rescue contacted me and was like, hey, you know
you want to do this, and I was like, yeah,
let's do it. And he thanks God. He like, Rick,
(19:01):
who is the president of Wings of Rescue, came on
the flight I was actually sent them to Seattle, and
he was like, you do know you need two planes
for the rights and I was like, I do okay,
and he was within minutes we had two planes. You
know that we were able to load all these animals
onto because we were so overloaded with the amount of
(19:22):
animals that we were bringing in. So, I mean, they
were just a huge help. And you know, it doesn't
it's expensive for them to plate, but they you know,
they they they did it, and they continue to ask us,
have you, you know, do you want to send any dogs.
I think everyone's taken a breath right now because the
population is down. You know, we're housing the dogs that
(19:43):
we have that are truly you know, displaced from the fires,
and we're just concentrating on local now. So you know,
we're super appreciative of the dogs that went to Seattle
and got adopted and we see these pictures with these
dogs in there homes and it's just it's just so hot.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Well you get to see that. I love that.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah, it's great, It's absolutely great. You know. If that's
the one thing with our partners that will like, you know,
share some information, you know. And the other the flip
side of that is if they're having a problem with
the dog, they can call us. We'll do a zoom
with them, We'll talk to them about that dog. You know,
we still stay involved with We see it through and
I think you know, it's not just putting an animal
on the plane and saying goodbye. It's about seeing it
(20:26):
through and making sure that everyone on and is happy
in all of it, you know, from the partner to
the adopter to the dog.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Again. Alex Hunter joining me, Jasmine McIntyre.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
This is the Seattle Voice, And thank you so much
because I just really love everything because, like you said,
you see it through and I think a lot of times,
I mean I always look at you know, Easter, people
buy chicks and baby rabbits and things like that.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
And yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Yeah, and I don't think people understand the commitment when
it comes to taking care of any any animal. You know,
I say animal, but it almost feels wrong because I'm
like any it's almost like a child that you're bringing
into your home and your life, and you have to
think about it. This is a multi year commitment that
you're making and you have to be educated. So if
(21:15):
I know that you are based in Los Angeles, as
we mentioned, but I want to know how people, let's
say people have taken these jogs, cats, anyone that you've
transported to Seattle through your partners, how can they get
in touch?
Speaker 3 (21:30):
They can? They can go to our website and they
can contact us through our website or they can email
us that pauseflife Canine dot org. So I mean that's
you know, they can absolutely. I mean I have. So
when they get the Raby's certificate in LA, they taught
my personal information on the Raby certificate. We're trying to
change that. I get phone calls from people saying, do
(21:51):
you know the history of my dog? And I talk
to them and I pull up the paperwork and I
walk them through it. And it's great because you know,
they're so excited to try and figure out where their
dogs came from and the experience that they had before
they adopted them, So you know, I try to talk
them and give them as much information as possible because
I know I would want the same information for my dog.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
You're educated, Yeah, you know what you need.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
I would love to get that information from someone, you know.
But you know, so I've had a few calls of people.
It was super sweet and super kind and thrilled with
their animals. And I just answer the questions as best
as I can, you know.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Because you know the information one to give them and
then you know the answer to those questions. And I
know that you know from your passion for this that
you would also want to anticipate the questions that they need,
but also have the information to answer those questions. Yeah,
you gave me some advice that I can relate to
our listeners about how they can help locally. But how
(22:54):
are you guys funded? Down at Pause for Life?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
So I raised seven three percent of all funds, and
then the prison programs we put in for grants and
state funding for those programs. So but we are you know,
we we raise our money. We have to, you know,
so we pound the pavements. I mean, I don't know,
I have no shame of asking people to help when
(23:20):
it comes to you know, LA and our organization, So
because I know it's going to a greater cause, you know,
and it's it's not me, not going to me, it's
going towards the animals though, And that's what is truly
in my heart, you know, and as been for many years.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And the people that you are helping with the prison program,
I think that that should not go forgotten. That actually
it's not just the dogs and cats, the animals that
are being helped.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
It's that you found a way.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
To help a population that probably gets forgotten.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
So that is pretty amazing.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
And then the one thing I did want to say
is that we plan on blue plan on making a
blueprint of our prison program, and our partner in Washington
wants to try it in a prison close to here,
so we're in the works of doing that so she
can replicate it. And it's actually, you know, it comes
in from our side, custodial side, you know, what they're
(24:18):
going to experience, what needs to be set up, and
so hopefully by twenty twenty six, you know, we'll have
something in Washington that could run a similar program and
help shelters.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
This is very, very exciting to me.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Yeah, yeah, so we're happy to help.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
That is great.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
And I I talked to you about the shelter program
that I've fostered through, and I I just know that,
you know, I'm a part of their group, a part
of their bat signal lists that they send out when hey,
we really don't want these dogs to go to the shelter.
And I didn't understand it until I started working with
them as just a volunteer foster. But I understand and
(25:00):
how that can be super distressing for a dog to
go to the kennel. I should say, you know, we
really don't want a kennel dogs, But I didn't understand.
And so can you just tell me and everyone out
there a little bit more about why that is not
the option.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Why it's not the option to go to the kennel.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Why it's the worst option.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Oh why because that dog is not getting the enrichment
or the the the you know, the human connected connect
Like they're not connecting with a human or any they're
in the inn when it goes to it, when it
goes to any kind of boredom facility, you know, it's
dogs don't go to a board and facility. It's not
a day spar it's boarding. They're locked in a tiny
(25:44):
little space and it's normally four by eight is what.
You know that that's the smallest that can be legally
for dogs to be held, and so that's where they're at.
If they get out for five minutes a day, they're lucky,
you know. So a dog is never going to grow
or in or you know, change being in a board
and facility. So even short term fostering and is so helpful.
(26:07):
If Dog Gone Seattle is getting dogs in and they
need someone for a week, it's super helpful. Like people
welcome foster's short term fosters just as much as long
term fosters, so you know, it just it helps everyone
across the board. It helps them. It eases people's minds
when they get dogs in that it's going into a
(26:28):
home and it's got that. And then it gives time
for the organization to find another alternative, whether it's a
long term foster or an adopter, you know, because we
always need time and there's never enough time.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Oh you know, I feel your sister, I feel you
on that one. I Alex, please forgive my sentimentality here,
but I really love doing this on my show as
we close out here, I love this story. It's kind
of a short story slash poem, and so I'm going
to tell it to you and you may have heard
it or not, and then you can tell me your
(27:03):
story that relates. So this little girl is walking on
a beach and hundreds of starfish are washed up, and
she's just flinging them back into the sea, one at
a time. And she's never she's a little girl, she's
never gonna get them all back in. But then this,
you know, older gentleman comes up and just asks, what
are you doing. There's no point, it doesn't matter what
(27:24):
you're doing, and she flings one back into the sea
and says, it matters to that one. And then a
later iteration of that was that the older gentleman actually
joined her and started checking them back.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
And I wanted to ask if you had a starfish.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Story, and well, I think all the dogs that we
bring in a starfish stories, you know. But I think
you know for me, when I go to a shelter
and I see a senior dog at a shelter, and
I think I have to take that dog, regardless of
what it's like with other dogs. I take that dog
and we either house them here or we find them
(28:03):
a foster. And you know, those dogs, and I mean
senior at fourteen, fifteen years old and they don't have
a lot of time left, but you know, they spend
the last of their days in a home being loved
and know and that they're not in that shelter. Is
my staffish story basically because it kills me when I
(28:26):
do go to the shelters and I see a senior,
it's just it's heartbreak. And I feel like the younger
dogs can you know, the pretty resilient, but I think
seniors just don't deserve to be in shelters period. So
you know, and I recently took one and he lasted
three weeks, but you know, he went to the most
amazing foster and it was brilliant because he was in
(28:48):
he was at South La Shelter in Los Angeles, which
is the worst shelter that we have, and it was
horrific conditions and we got him out and he you know,
he died peacefully with his foster. So that's what I love.
You know, That's always amazing to me that we can
do that. So yeah, I love them all.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
I am right there with you.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
I am right there with you, and I just really
love as I wrap this up, but what I love
is that you can just do one small thing. And
that's everything that you have told me through this very
long time that you have spent with me, and I
really really appreciate your time, Alex. But that little thing
that you can do, like just a walk, just a coffee,
(29:31):
just a week, or for life, depending on if it works,
it could be anything, but just a little bit can
really help. Alex Tanner, Pause of Life. Thank you so
unbelievably much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Oh thank you for having me. It will be speaking
to you.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
You've been listening to Seattle Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle.
I'm Jessman McIntyre and don't forget. For show ideas and
to find out how your voice can be heard, email
Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia Dot you
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com