Why did I start California Humane Society?

In 2017, I said goodbye to my best friend Rascal, a Yellow Lab. The grief that I experienced permanently changed how I understood our bond with animals. They are clearly our family members, our fur-children, and not simply "property". 

Roxy, my feral Louisiana Catahoula, taught me something different. I adopted her at eight weeks old, and just four hours after I brought her home, she attacked a neighbor’s adult dog for coming near me. She ferociously guarded food, water, toys, space, and me, even from my family. Fearing she would not survive if she ever got separated from me, I learned to train her. She learned commands quickly, but training didn’t erase her guarding behavior. So, I had to learn to manage her surroundings and respect her limits. 

We hike and go for walks through the woods and in parks while keeping our distance from others, always on a 6’ leash. We avoid dog parks, retail stores, and events. When she goes to the vet, I place her in a room and leave, and then the staff comes in to examine her, etc. We can’t be in a room together when other people are present. 

She turns 11 this November (2026) and remains happy, healthy, energetic, and protective. Living with her has taught me that dogs with behavioral challenges can share a fulfilling life with someone, and that their challenges do not make their lives any less valuable.

Those experiences eventually led me to volunteer at my local animal shelter, where I intended to help the longest-term resident dogs find loving homes. I trained and photographed them, created videos, used social media, and shared them through my own network. That process worked.

Princess Paula had spent more than four years in the shelter. Less than two weeks after I began working with her, she was adopted. King Louie had been there about two years and was adopted just eight days after I began working with him. Baron, Anya, Legalus, and others also found homes after long stays.

Shelters have limited staff, funding, space, and time. Outside those walls are volunteers, businesses, photographers, trainers, donors, fosters, adopters, and ordinary people who can help.

My background in retail supply chain and logistics at Dell also made me see the problem differently. Having inventory of something people want is not enough. You have to put it where people can see and interact with it. The same is true for shelter animals.

Most people do not acquire their dogs and cats from animal shelters. They get them from friends and family, breeders, rescue groups, pet stores, online sources, or by taking in strays. So, we work with municipal shelters to bring adoptable animals into the community where more people can meet, pet, and fall in love with them.

That idea became part of the foundation for California Humane Society and Texas Humane Society.