Save A Pooch - Episode 69 From Animal Control to Community Care with Rachel Horton

About this episode

Rachel Horton discusses the shift from reactive animal control to proactive community care in Saginaw County.

In this episode of Save A Pooch, we're joined by Rachel Horton, Director of Saginaw County Animal Care & Control (SCACC) in Michigan. This conversation digs into how a municipal shelter can pivot from reactive enforcement to proactive care. Rachel Horton walks us through SCACC's playbook: early-intervention that keeps pets with their families, community pet-food pantries and access-to-care partnerships, volunteer activation that multiplies impact, and real safeguards for staff against compassion fatigue. We'll also discuss tricky topics—what "live release" does and doesn't measure, why poverty drives pet relinquishment, and how to build trust with residents who are wary of "animal control." EPISODE NOTES: From Animal Control to Community Care with Rachel Horton Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/save-a-pooch-rescue-dog-welfare-pet-life-radio-original--6669238/support .

People in this episode

Guest: Rachel Horton

Topics covered

• animal control
• community care
• pet welfare
• proactive care
• compassion fatigue
• pet relinquishment

Keywords

• animal control
• community care
• pet food pantries
• compassion fatigue
• pet relinquishment
• early intervention
• volunteer activation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Saginaw County Animal Care & Control

Places: Michigan