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Episode 1: Lauren & Kyle's Introduction to My Pet Project

  • underdogpetrescue
  • Feb 20
  • 4 min read


The Heart Behind the Mission


I’m Lauren Brinkman, and I am thrilled to invite you into my latest passion project: the launch of the My Pet Project podcast and video series. For years, I’ve worked behind the scenes of animal rescue and our affordable veterinary clinic, but we realized that to truly change the world for these animals, we need to go beyond the day-to-day operations.


We’re taking you with us "boots on the ground" to share the stories that often go untold. Our goal is to provide awareness, foster a community of advocates, and build a coalition of people talking to one another to find systemic solutions. We want to show you the reality of the animal welfare world—the struggles, the victories, and the incredible people who refuse to give up. This isn't just about moving and providing veterinary care for animals; it's about shifting the landscape of animal welfare together.


The Underdog Story: From a Basement to a Full-Service Clinic

The story of Underdog Pet Rescue and Vet Services began in 2012, right in my basement near Madison, Wisconsin. Back then, I was just trying to pull animals from high-volume shelters and find them foster homes. As we grew, worried about finances, I was constantly haunted by a heartbreaking question: "Is this animal’s condition urgent enough to be seen by a doctor?" In those early days, the $50 exam fee was a massive barrier that kept animals from getting the care they deserved. I knew we had to do better.

In 2017, we opened our own veterinary clinic to provide affordable care and ensure that Underdog and pet owners no longer had to choose between feeding their family and treating their pets. Today, we are a full-service nonprofit vet clinic with:

  • Four staff veterinarians providing high quality medical care.

  • 200 dedicated foster homes across the Madison area.

  • Deepening partnerships stretching from Wisconsin to the Southern United States.

I feel lucky because Underdog has the ability to make an impact. I could work 20 hours a day and I would be fulfilled in the sense of knowing that the work I'm doing is making the world a better place.


The Southern Journey: Eye-Opening Realities in Alabama and Tennessee

While the Midwest is a relatively "safe" place to be a homeless pet, my recent trip to visit our source shelters in Alabama and Tennessee was life-changing. Traveling through Calhoun County (Aniston and Hobson City), we saw a reality that felt like a different world.


The Southern rescue landscape is defined by stark challenges:


  • Socioeconomic Disparity: In towns like Aniston, the closing of the military base a couple decades ago left financial devastation. We saw a downtown where what felt like only half of the buildings were occupied, with trees literally growing through dilapidated storefronts.

  • Systemic Neglect: In Hobson City, a town with a 98% Black population, the lack of resources and the historical weight of racism are palpable. People there are facing high poverty rates, making spay and neuter nowhere near the top of peoples’ to do lists.

  • The Scale of Overpopulation: We witnessed packs of 20 dogs roaming the streets and pregnant dogs laying in the dirt. It feels like a "third-world country" for animals, where the sheer volume of life far outweighs the available resources.

  • Historical Context: Visiting the site of the Freedom Riders’ bus attack in Aniston reminded us that the challenges these communities face are rooted in generations of economic and social struggle.


The People Behind the Animal Shelters

Amidst this devastation, we met the "movers and shakers" who are the only thing standing between these animals and certain death. We’ve formed a trauma bond with these incredible individuals—they feel like family because we share a common, grueling purpose:


  • Sam (Tennessee): A total force of nature. She acts as a hub for five or six shelters, coordinating life-saving transports that reach as far as New York and Canada.

  • Shaun (Manchester City Shelter): A kind-hearted man who manages the shelter single-handedly, caring for dozens of dogs a day.

  • Jackie (Shaun’s Daughter): Shaun’s 10-year-old daughter is the heart of the operation. She picks out "special" dogs for preferential treatment, giving them love and dressing them up in outfits to help them feel loved.

  • Amanda (Calhoun County): A manager with a supernatural memory. She knows the individual names, temperaments, and histories of over 100 dogs currently in her care.


The Strategic Solution: Why Spay and Neuter is Non-Negotiable

If there is one thing this journey has taught us, it is this: We cannot adopt our way out of this crisis. Adoption is a beautiful thing, but without a strategic plan for prevention, we are just "chasing our tail."


At Underdog, we advocate for a non-negotiable approach to population control:


  • Pediatric Spay/Neuter: Our doctors perform procedures on healthy animals as young as 8 weeks old and 2 lbs. This is the only way to ensure an animal never reproduces. Waiting until they are older—the "old school mentality"—is not based on modern shelter science and only leads to more accidental litters.

  • The Failure of Vouchers: We have seen that voucher programs are largely ineffective. The administrative burden of following up is too high, and they often fail the very people they are meant to help.

  • Local Application: This isn't just a Southern problem. My friend Jamie at the ASPCA uses a map with "red dots" to show veterinary deserts right here in Wisconsin. We are currently deploying our Mobile Clinic to these areas to provide access where none exists.

Building a Compassionate Community

The goal of 'My Pet Project' is to move beyond the "drop in the bucket" mentality. We want to create a coalition where we share the stories, images, and solutions that can actually move the needle. Whether you are an adopter, a donor, or someone who just found a stray beagle, you are a piece of this puzzle.


Get Involved. We need your voice. We want your feedback, your ideas, and your perspective as we build this community together.


As we always say, the work is tireless, but the purpose is everything. The sum of the parts is much greater than each individual piece.

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