About this episode

The episode discusses how service to animals can awaken the soul through the experiences of volunteers Jill and Scott at the Humane Society.

Welcome back to The Secrets of Being. I open this episode with a quote that perfectly captures the spirit of our conversation: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” That truth comes alive as I sit down with Jill and Scott, who met through volunteering at the Humane Society in San Diego and have made service to animals a meaningful part of their lives. We talk about what it really means to show up for animals who need care, patience, and safety. Jill and Scott share their weekly volunteer routines, from completing safety training and cleaning kennels to walking dogs and learning how to navigate different behaviors with compassion and awareness. Jill reflects on her extensive volunteer experience, including hundreds of hours at the Humane Society and time spent working at a no-kill shelter, where the emotional weight of caring deeply without being able to save every animal is very real. This episode goes beyond volunteering. We explore how being present with animals teaches us about unconditional love, emotional regulation, and living in the now. Jill shares touching stories about long-term shelter residents, successful adoptions, and how even…

People in this episode

Host: Dawn Airhart Witte

Guests: Jill, Scott

Topics covered

• animal service
• volunteering
• unconditional love
• emotional regulation
• no-kill shelters
• animal care

Keywords

• animal care
• volunteering
• Humane Society
• no-kill shelter
• emotional connection
• unconditional love
• kennel stress

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Humane Society, no-kill shelter

Places: San Diego

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