Ashley Bishop takes over the mic solo for this episode of Keep it Humane: The Podcast as she sits down with the team from Anti-Cruelty, Chicago’s oldest and largest open-door animal welfare organization. Founded in 1899, Anti-Cruelty has spent more than a century evolving alongside the animal welfare profession while staying committed to the bond between people and pets.
Ashley and her guests dive into the realities of modern sheltering, including access to care, community outreach, veterinary affordability, pet retention, and what sustainable animal welfare really looks like in 2026. The conversation explores how organizations can move beyond statistics and focus on helping both animals and the humans who love them.
From the challenges facing shelters nationwide to the importance of collaboration, innovation, and compassion fatigue awareness, this episode offers an honest look at where the profession has been — and where it needs to go next.
Whether you work in animal welfare or simply care about animals and the communities they live in, this episode is packed with insight, perspective, and a few laughs along the way.