This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Trapper's Tips & Tricks Certification Workshop, and The Community Cat Clinic.

In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Cheryl McCormick, CEO of the Athens Area Humane Society, for an energetic and inspiring conversation on scaling high-impact, humane strategies for managing community cats. Drawing on her rich background in wildlife ecology and nonprofit leadership, Cheryl shares how her visit to Operation Catnip in Florida sparked a major shift in her organization's approach—resulting in a game-changing, high-volume spay/neuter initiative dubbed "Snip & Tip."

Listeners will hear how Cheryl and her team implemented this model in Georgia, overcoming scorching summer heat, logistical hurdles, and community challenges to sterilize 166 cats in just two days. She outlines the lean-staff, volunteer-driven model powered by professional trappers, strategic scheduling, and strong partnerships with funders. The episode is filled with practical strategies, insights into vet school partnerships, and tips for leveraging data and geography to reduce feline overpopulation—especially in underserved rural areas.

If you're looking for ways to improve cat welfare, build collaborative rescue models, or create sustainable TNR programs, this episode is a masterclass in innovation and impact at scale.

Press Play Now For:

• How a visit to Operation Catnip inspired a major organizational pivot
• Strategies for high-volume, low-cost sterilization events in rural areas
• Why Cheryl believes cat care is a powerful public health initiative
• Building sustainable vet pipelines through early student engagement
• The magic of "stone soup" funding models for humane programs
• Tips on starting community-based "cat action teams" and local satellite support

Resources & Links:

• Athens Area Humane Society
• Operation Catnip
• RedRover
• Shelter Animals Count
• Fix Georgia Pets
• BISSELL Pet Foundation - Fix the Future
• Georgia Pet Foundation

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Underfoot Podcast, and The Community Cat Clinic.

When a pet emergency nearly cost him both his beloved dog and thousands of dollars, Pietro Kabeya decided enough was enough. In this compelling episode, Stacy LeBaron chats with Pietro, the founder of Farevet, an app designed to bring price transparency and affordability to veterinary care.

Pietro shares the emotional story of his dog King, whose medical emergency revealed an alarming disparity in vet costs—from a $5,000 quote to the same procedure for $1,500 just miles apart. This experience sparked his mission to build a platform where pet parents can compare vet prices in real time, crowdsource cost estimates, and avoid unnecessary financial stress during moments of crisis.

Listeners will discover how FareVet works, why price transparency matters, and how the veterinary care landscape varies across regions. Pietro also introduces their upcoming AI chatbot, which aims to simplify the vet search process and help users budget for their pet's care more accurately. Whether you're rescuing community cats or navigating your own pet's health journey, this conversation is a must-hear for anyone seeking to turn compassion into action—and save money doing it.

Press Play Now For:

• The origin story behind FairVet and the emergency that changed everything
• How massive price discrepancies in vet care sparked a tech revolution
• A look at how crowdsourced data powers the FairVet platform
• Why itemized vet bills confuse pet parents—and how to decode them
• An inside scoop on FairVet's AI assistant and its budgeting potential
• Advice for pet parents navigating emergency care and economic euthanasia

Resources & Links:

• FareVet.com

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Underfoot Podcast, and The Community Cat Clinic.

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Angie Krause, a holistic small-animal veterinarian from Boulder, Colorado, and her veterinary nurse, JoJo Smith. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of feline veterinary care, community cat welfare, and the powerful human-animal bond that fuels it all.

Dr. Angie shares her lifelong love for cats and how her holistic approach—combined with home visits and mobile vet care—provides a less stressful, more authentic picture of feline health. JoJo opens up about the unique emotional richness of end-of-life care and the urgent need to advocate for underserved cats with the same passion and grace we afford to dogs.

From discussing consent in feline handling to championing spay/neuter accessibility and the nuances of community cat caregiving, this conversation will leave you both inspired and informed. You'll also learn about their podcast, Tails of Truth: The Truth About Veterinary Medicine, which dives deeper into these topics.

Whether you're a cat parent, TNR advocate, or simply feline curious, this episode is your invitation to better understand and uplift the cats in your life and community.

Press Play Now For:

• Why consent matters in feline veterinary care
• The unique value of in-home visits for understanding cats
• How Colorado's spay/neuter infrastructure impacts cat populations
• The emotional depth of end-of-life decisions for cats
• Strategies to approach vet visits with grace and empathy
• The role of language in reshaping perceptions about "feral" cats
• How to advocate for cats—even if you don't have one at home

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Angie Krause's website: boulderholisticvet.com
• Podcast: Tails of Truth: The Truth About Veterinary Medicine (available on all major platforms + YouTube)
• Community Cats Central Paper Collar Template
• Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society