Meet Cathy Stanley

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cathy Stanley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cathy, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I run a non profit dog rescue organization in Los Angeles and I feel like the success of my brand is directly connected to the transparency in which I run the non profit. I want to include my donors and supporters in as much as possible, so they can feel emotionally connected to the dogs they donate to.

I use social media and a lot of video and livestreaming to give my audience the feeling that they are really here and behind the scenes with the day to day activities of rescuing animals.

One thing that I do with a lot of intention, is that I don’t promote my brand to make it all about me. I make it all about the dogs and that is what attracts new supporters.

Being gracious and always thanking my supporters, and using language such as “us” and “we” instead of “me” and “I” makes the donors feel like they are a valued member of my dog rescue team.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a small business owner by day but my real passion is Camp Cocker Rescue, the non profit dog rescue that I founded in 2007.

I had gone to New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, to help with the animal rescue efforts there. I really had so much to learn but I was eager to make a difference and was lucky to find a group of rescuers that were well organized and had a good system for rescuing dogs and cats that were left behind, getting them photographed, listed online to find their former owners, and to get them started with medical care from the starvation and dehydration they had suffered through.

I ended up driving from New Orleans back to Los Angeles with several dogs and those were the first dogs that started it all. It took me awhile to raise the funds to get their medical bills paid off as well as to get them all adopted to thoroughly well screened new homes. Once I adopted them all out, I realized that I could actually do this . . . rescue dogs.

Thus is how I began to go to local animal shelters in Los Angeles to rescue dogs from euthanasia.

Animal rescue has filled the hole in me that was looking to feel purposeful. I had to struggle to overcome childhood trauma and then alcoholism that followed in my twenties. I got sober at thirty years of age. I am a strong believer in therapy and seeking help and knowing when to ask for help from others. I used to think that asking for help and support from others was a sign of weakness, but now I understand that allowing myself to be vulnerable is a sign of strength. I have to ask for help on a daily basis or I would not be able to run an animal rescue group. There is something very rewarding to me about the idea of new beginnings. So many of the dogs that I rescue have been written off and labeled as not worth saving (I rescue a lot of major medical dogs). It feels full circle for me – every dog I rescue is helping to heal the part of myself that needed rescuing years ago.

What sets me apart from others is that I run my non profit like a small business. I have processes in place, I keep everything organized, there is a protocol for each new dog that gets rescued, the vetting that they must get, then there is a process for how a dog gets adopted, a lengthy and thorough screening process for adopters. I try to thoughtfully match up each dog to adopters that would best match their needs. I also consider the expectations of adopters to make a good match of dog to adopter as well.

I am proud that Camp Cocker Rescue has a reputation for being thorough with how we vet our dogs and rehome our dogs.

Running an animal rescue organization is not easy, it can be very stressful, there are no days off, no vacation, no holidays off. I am literally “on call” 24/7, 365 days a year. This seems like a lifestyle that most people would not want, but it gives me such a huge sense of purpose and has changed my life.

It was not easy or fast to get my rescue group to where it is today. It was one day at a time, very systematically putting one foot in front of the other, being consistent, stable, reliable and remembering that I am responsible for the lives of any dogs that I rescue, and I am responsible for where I adopt them to. I take my responsibility to them very seriously.

Something that has helped me along the way, is that I am eager to always be learning – ALWAYS. If a day goes by and I have not learned something new, then I am not living up to my potential.

I find that people who understand and accept that they don’t know what they don’t know, until they know it, tend to be more successful because they are always learning from a place of being humble and expanding their knowledge every day.

My animal rescue organization has given me so much more than I ever expected. I have found purpose by giving back without expecting anything in return. This experience has been truly life changing. People can find their purpose at any age, it’s never too late!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take them to all dog friendly places, to Malibu to walk the beach with some dogs, then take them to eat on Malibu Pier, then would take them on some of my regular routes, visit some animal shelters, and show them what life is like as an animal rescuer.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that I wish I could thank.

At the top of the list are my volunteers who dedicate a tremendous amount of their time to our cause, and they don’t ever ask for credit or anything in return. They volunteer their time for the right reasons, as a gift to the dogs they are helping.

The other people that deserve a lot of recognition are the people who donate so that my rescue group can keep moving forward and continue to change the lives for homeless dogs.

One of my favorite inspirational books is Give and Take by Adam Grant. He talks about successful people who give back and help others or mentor others along the way. I love this philosophy and I personally really enjoy mentoring others.

Website: CampCocker.com

Instagram: CampCockerRescue

Linkedin: cathy-stanley-campcockerrescue

Twitter: CampCockerRescue

Facebook: CampCockerRescue

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/camp-cocker-rescue-los-angeles

Youtube: CampCockerRescue

Other: TikTok.com/campcockerrescue 

Image Credits
All photos are amateur, personal photos taken by myself or volunteers