Surviving Animal Rescue: Tails of the Nitty Gritty

Sit down with our 5k committee as we approach our annual and super fun 5k Doggie Day held on June 7th, 2025 along the river in Hudson, WI. We talk about all the important details and things to know ahead of time, what the fun-friendly activities will be going on for both adults, kids, and dogs. Take a minute to appreciate our incredible and unique sponsors this year and learn about Mascot Mac and an amazing dog, named Bumper, of our 5k Race Director who crossed the rainbow bridge but his soul lives on and has become the heart of our annual 5k Doggie Day. 

Did you know you don't even need to be present in Wisconsin to support this event? You can run/walk from afar too! 

Also- how fun would a 127 lb Newfoundland be at Puppy Yoga? RIGHT?!

More Information on the 5k Doggie Day

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Meet our Behavioral Support Coordinator, Ashley L and listen in with our Foster Coordinators as we talk about Black Dog Syndrome and how black dogs are often overlooked in adoption programs. We discuss the 3-3-3 rule which is a guideline used when welcoming a new dog to your home. We wrap the epsiode up with some fun and also share how one of our coordinator dreams of being on the hit reality-competition show, Survivor. 

To find photos of some of who we are talking about in the episode, head over to our Coco's Heart Dog Rescue Facebook page and find the post on today's epsiode with photos in the comments!

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Sit in on one of our daily conversations between Foster Coordinators and our Daily Operations as discuss upcoming transport and intakes, numerous momma dogs with puppies needing help in just one small area of the country and how the overwhelming need for rescue is growing by the day. Find out which breeds of dog can be the toughest for our foster based rescue organization to find foster homes for!

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Join us for part 2 of our Lost Dog series where we sit down with our Foster Coordinators and talk about what to do when your dog goes missing, tips and tricks from our personal experience in getting your dog back safely, as well as local and nationwide resources.

We mention the local organization, The Retrievers who offers a website full of knowledge, resources, and support. 

The takeaway- community support and knowing having a lost dog does not make you a bad dog owner. Staying positive and staying hopeful while leaning on the help of others.

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Coco's Heart Dog Rescue travels 1,300+ miles to see firsthand what the stray population looks like in the state with the largest numbers of animals being euthanized at kill shelters due to space. The beautiful state of Texas growing in animal stray colonies and herds specifically in rural areas. Animals neglected, hungry, and in deplorable conditions. We share our take on what we saw in a short time visiting and touch on Texas bulldogs and why in our experience they are different medically than bulldogs in other parts of the country. 

Follow us on social and join in the effort by volunteering, fostering, adopting, and if none of that is doable right now for you, please SHARE and spread the word that these dogs need help. One dog at a time, rescue is teamwork and we can ALL work together. 

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Join us for a chit chat with some of our very own Coco's Heart Dog Rescue Veterinary Team members as we dive into the different veterinary days that are often changing depending on the animals in need of rescue. You may be surprised to hear what can be thrown away in the every day trash and just how busy a veterinary tech on any given day in the clinic. 

Like what you heard? Stay tuned for more from our veterinary team including educational medical topics too! 

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In this two episode series, we discuss all things lost dogs! Episode 1 touches on a current and personal experience of a spirited but loyal chihuahua and her unsolved journey of escaping her foster to adopt home despite the large amount of effort by all parties to keep her safe. We normalize the shame that comes when a dog goes missing on our watch while also sharing some thoughts that may be controversial like using a retractable leash or harness. Episode 1 offers a look at some prevention tools which leads to episode 2 that will go over the steps to take and local resources that may be available. 

Co-hosted by JoHanna Okrasinski, Kayla Kessels, & Sara McLain
Coco's Heart Dog Rescue Staff

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Join us for an hour long chit-chat with some of our Coco's Heart Dog Rescue team as we reveal a long held secret that has to do with the Netflix series, Love is Blind. Get our thoughts on deciding to either clone your dog or consider taxidermy (like... WHAT?!),  learn about some of the things we did in the earlier years of rescue, and about a corgi in charge who decides who comes and who goes from his neighborhood. We had fun reminiscing and simply, talking RESCUE!

For photos and videos of the content described in this video, visit our Coco's Heart Dog Rescue Facebook page and find the post on the episode launch.

Co-hosted by JoHanna Okrasinski, Kayla Kessels, and Erica Mahmood-Nelson

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Have you ever wondered what working at a dog rescue is like? What it's REALLY like? Learn more about being a Foster Coordinator for Coco's Heart Dog Rescue, a non-profit, foster based organization that does not have a shelter facility to house animals- no immediate, quick solution if a dog needs a new place to go. Hear how this role is not just a job but a lifestyle that has burnt them out once before and came back a second time with clearer boundaries and a bond that supports each other in the day to day. Ending abruptly because like all things rescue, life happens, things change, the dogs are calling, so stay tuned for PART 2 of the Day in the Life of A Foster Coordinator!

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This week we dive into the ever-changing and increasingly controversial language of rescue and some of the current "no-no's" and "icks" within the rescue community. Some may surprise you. Some you may or may not agree with. As a volunteer-focused organization, we are always doing our best to be mindful of all opinions and triggers but DANG! It's hard to keep up on everything! 

Co-Hosted by JoHanna Okrasinski, Ashley Kurtz, & Kayla Kessels
Coco's Heart Dog Rescue Staff

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Support the show

View our Coco's Heart rescue merch swag HERE!

We are social on both Facebook & Instagram