WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.789 --> 00:00:06.320 Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who 00:00:06.340 --> 00:00:12.000 see dogs not as toys or tools, but wise souls worth our respect and care. 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:14.559 I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host. 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:20.560 I talk to poor some humans, people who do great work for dogs and their people. 00:00:21.099 --> 00:00:23.360 So come and join us for today's conversation. 00:00:24.836 --> 00:00:26.306 Anke: Hello and welcome, Adam. 00:00:26.366 --> 00:00:28.076 I'm delighted to have you here. 00:00:28.796 --> 00:00:29.856 Adam: Oh, thank you so much Anke. 00:00:29.876 --> 00:00:31.166 Appreciate you having me today. 00:00:32.186 --> 00:00:34.976 Anke: Well, I think we are in for a treat today. 00:00:34.976 --> 00:00:38.911 I really, really look forward to this conversation and I, you know, 00:00:38.991 --> 00:00:41.786 I mean, I guess on Zoom you can't tell, but I've kind of so distracted 00:00:41.786 --> 00:00:43.311 by these cute faces behind you, so, 00:00:45.326 --> 00:00:46.431 so let's just. 00:00:47.426 --> 00:00:48.356 Fill people in. 00:00:48.356 --> 00:00:52.886 Where in this lovely world are you based and what's your business with dogs? 00:00:53.336 --> 00:00:53.636 Adam: Awesome. 00:00:53.636 --> 00:00:55.166 Well, thank you again so much for having me. 00:00:55.166 --> 00:00:56.636 It's truly, truly a privilege. 00:00:56.906 --> 00:00:58.386 Um, furlanthropy. 00:00:58.406 --> 00:01:00.356 We are a brand new charity. 00:01:00.686 --> 00:01:03.806 Uh, we began about two years ago, actually two years ago this month. 00:01:03.806 --> 00:01:07.676 It took two years to get the charity formed, and then two years ago we 00:01:07.676 --> 00:01:09.536 started our, what we call a soft opening. 00:01:09.896 --> 00:01:12.986 And, uh, and so for the past two years, we've been helping 00:01:12.986 --> 00:01:14.336 pets across the country. 00:01:14.616 --> 00:01:18.516 Uh, we're based here in, in Virginia, uh, where I live, but we are a 00:01:18.516 --> 00:01:22.026 hundred percent virtual and we have our, our team is across the country, 00:01:22.026 --> 00:01:23.256 our boards across the country. 00:01:23.736 --> 00:01:27.156 Um, but it's quite, quite a journey, quite a, a story how we got here. 00:01:27.156 --> 00:01:30.126 Very unlikely, uh, journey that I'd love to share with your, 00:01:30.186 --> 00:01:31.386 with your listeners today. 00:01:32.406 --> 00:01:33.066 Anke: I can't wait. 00:01:33.066 --> 00:01:33.501 I can't wait. 00:01:33.516 --> 00:01:35.286 I mean, furlanthropy, that's like so cute. 00:01:35.981 --> 00:01:36.701 Adam: Aw, thank you. 00:01:36.701 --> 00:01:37.031 Thank you. 00:01:37.091 --> 00:01:38.771 Anke: It's like, who can take credit for that name? 00:01:38.771 --> 00:01:40.061 Like, that is super cute. 00:01:40.361 --> 00:01:44.741 Adam: Aw, well, well, so it, it all begins with, um, my wife and I, we, 00:01:44.741 --> 00:01:47.891 we met and married about five years ago and blended our families together. 00:01:48.251 --> 00:01:52.541 And, uh, I had a cat named Kobe, who sadly, uh, passed away, went onto the 00:01:52.541 --> 00:01:56.921 Rainbow Bridge and, and my wife, she had a, a dog Poochie who passed away as well. 00:01:56.921 --> 00:02:00.701 And so we have five teenagers, so plenty of activity in the Spencer 00:02:00.701 --> 00:02:04.571 home, but my wife said those fateful words, honey, I think we need a dog. 00:02:05.096 --> 00:02:07.796 So I said, you know, the most reasonable, logical thing that came 00:02:07.796 --> 00:02:10.286 to my mind, which was absolutely not. 00:02:10.321 --> 00:02:11.516 I, I, I don't want a dog. 00:02:11.696 --> 00:02:14.306 And the truth is, and I know your listeners right now are probably 00:02:14.306 --> 00:02:16.166 not happy with me, but there's a happy, there's a happy ending. 00:02:16.376 --> 00:02:19.766 The truth is, I had a dog named Sterling as a child. 00:02:20.146 --> 00:02:26.386 But for whatever reason, over the last 35 years, I, I just became afraid of dogs and 00:02:26.476 --> 00:02:28.486 I had no idea what I was missing out on. 00:02:28.546 --> 00:02:33.586 So this incredible story, incredible journey, uh, with a lot of arm twisting 00:02:33.616 --> 00:02:34.756 and, you know, being newly wet. 00:02:34.756 --> 00:02:36.616 I wanted to say, yes, of course, honey, whatever you want. 00:02:36.616 --> 00:02:39.826 She said, well, let's just go just to looks so sure how, what, what 00:02:39.826 --> 00:02:41.176 harm could be happen there, right? 00:02:41.176 --> 00:02:45.886 So, so we go down the local Humane Society, and as you can imagine, uh, 00:02:45.886 --> 00:02:48.766 we walk down the hallway of these rows of cages and there's a lot of. 00:02:48.981 --> 00:02:50.031 Dogs that are excited. 00:02:50.481 --> 00:02:54.141 Um, I wasn't sure, you know, if they just wanted to hug me or, or, or what, 00:02:54.141 --> 00:02:57.771 or they're just happy to be, to see someone and wanting to be, be, uh, um, 00:02:57.831 --> 00:03:00.591 adopted, but just kept saying, no, no, no. 00:03:00.591 --> 00:03:02.211 And we get to the final blast. 00:03:02.516 --> 00:03:06.656 Last cage in our tour and back in the corner, we almost missed her. 00:03:06.656 --> 00:03:08.336 It was this little, little lump of fur. 00:03:08.786 --> 00:03:12.356 And, uh, my wife and daughters had walked out out of the, out of 00:03:12.356 --> 00:03:15.506 the, the facility hallway there, and I said, Hey, wait a minute. 00:03:15.506 --> 00:03:16.736 What, what about this one? 00:03:17.366 --> 00:03:20.336 And so just to appease them, of course I had no interest in adopting a dog. 00:03:20.336 --> 00:03:21.326 So just to appease them. 00:03:21.566 --> 00:03:24.716 So sure enough, we, we arranged a meet and greet, but there 00:03:24.716 --> 00:03:26.066 was already a waiting list. 00:03:26.081 --> 00:03:26.371 Whew. 00:03:26.796 --> 00:03:27.486 That's all right. 00:03:27.486 --> 00:03:30.006 We'll just look through the glass and watch as this dog is 00:03:30.276 --> 00:03:34.356 supposedly supposed to be bonding with the potential pet parent. 00:03:34.776 --> 00:03:37.626 Um, but she kept coming over to us and my wife says, honey, 00:03:37.626 --> 00:03:38.646 that that's a sign right there. 00:03:38.646 --> 00:03:39.276 I said, ah, no. 00:03:39.276 --> 00:03:42.756 I think she just knows we have treats, you know, still, again, it's not gonna happen. 00:03:43.541 --> 00:03:47.231 Thankfully, I thought there's a waiting list, so there's no way I'm gonna 00:03:47.231 --> 00:03:49.151 end up having, having to get a dog. 00:03:49.631 --> 00:03:52.241 So as we head home and, and my wife says, you know, honey, we 00:03:52.241 --> 00:03:53.501 always pray about everything. 00:03:53.501 --> 00:03:54.791 So you, you need to pray about this. 00:03:54.791 --> 00:03:55.751 Okay, sure. 00:03:56.051 --> 00:03:59.321 I'll say a prayer, you know, if it's meant to be, and I did. 00:03:59.321 --> 00:03:59.351 I. 00:04:00.356 --> 00:04:03.206 If I'm truthfully honest with you, over the long weekend, there were 00:04:03.326 --> 00:04:07.346 moments that this precious little fur baby came to top of mind and 00:04:07.346 --> 00:04:08.636 I would just sort of dismiss it. 00:04:08.966 --> 00:04:09.296 Alright? 00:04:09.296 --> 00:04:11.906 I'll say a little prayer, but again, it's not gonna happen. 00:04:12.536 --> 00:04:14.516 Well, I get that call on Monday morning, Mr. 00:04:14.516 --> 00:04:16.046 Spencer, she's all yours. 00:04:16.766 --> 00:04:19.886 There must be some kinda mistake here that surely, surely you have me confused 00:04:19.886 --> 00:04:22.616 with somebody that, nope, the other pet parents felt like it wasn't a good fit. 00:04:22.616 --> 00:04:23.996 And so come on down. 00:04:24.896 --> 00:04:27.986 So reluctantly I go down with my wife to the Humane Society. 00:04:27.986 --> 00:04:30.266 We agreed not to tell the kids because we didn't want them to get their 00:04:30.266 --> 00:04:33.416 hopes built up just in case, you know, something happened and we get in 00:04:33.416 --> 00:04:34.856 there and I'm trying to think of Anki. 00:04:34.856 --> 00:04:38.696 I'm trying to think of every excuse I can think of to not get a dog. 00:04:39.506 --> 00:04:42.056 And the lady says those other magic words. 00:04:42.621 --> 00:04:43.791 She's half price. 00:04:44.091 --> 00:04:47.571 And my wife knowing that I'm OCD about coupons said, now honey, how 00:04:47.571 --> 00:04:48.861 do you say no to a half price dog? 00:04:48.861 --> 00:04:49.221 Right? 00:04:49.701 --> 00:04:53.721 So moments later, there's this really awkward picture as they're carrying, 00:04:53.811 --> 00:04:57.081 as I say, this little lump of fur out and they hand her to me, kinda like you 00:04:57.081 --> 00:05:01.101 hand a baby to, to someone, a newborn baby who's never held a baby before. 00:05:01.101 --> 00:05:04.731 There's this really awkward picture where the dog's looking at me and I'm looking 00:05:04.731 --> 00:05:07.671 at it and we're not really sure what's going on, and she can hear my thoughts. 00:05:07.671 --> 00:05:08.601 I don't want a dog. 00:05:08.936 --> 00:05:11.936 And so I'm kind of awkwardly carrying her 'cause she's too frail 00:05:11.996 --> 00:05:13.706 and too scared to walk on her own. 00:05:13.946 --> 00:05:15.056 And here's a true story. 00:05:15.056 --> 00:05:18.836 We're walking out the door, across the parking lot, out of the Humane Society 00:05:18.836 --> 00:05:20.846 heading towards the, the, the vehicle. 00:05:20.996 --> 00:05:24.326 And I'm saying out loud to the dismay of all the people 00:05:24.326 --> 00:05:25.976 around me, I don't want a dog. 00:05:26.006 --> 00:05:26.756 I don't want a dog. 00:05:26.756 --> 00:05:29.756 And I'm saying it louder and louder and then it happened. 00:05:31.226 --> 00:05:33.896 I look down, I see her precious little eyes. 00:05:34.601 --> 00:05:38.591 I get emotional here and I said, I love you and I'm gonna take care of you. 00:05:38.591 --> 00:05:39.521 And I kissed her head. 00:05:40.031 --> 00:05:40.061 Oh. 00:05:40.901 --> 00:05:43.541 My wife had said, did, did you just tell the dog you loved it? 00:05:43.541 --> 00:05:44.381 Did you just kiss her? 00:05:44.381 --> 00:05:45.191 Like, like what? 00:05:45.191 --> 00:05:45.911 What just happened? 00:05:45.941 --> 00:05:46.841 Like what in the world? 00:05:46.991 --> 00:05:49.121 It literally felt like an out of body experience. 00:05:49.121 --> 00:05:52.151 It literally was hazelnut, as we've affectionately named 00:05:52.151 --> 00:05:54.101 her, literally touched my soul. 00:05:54.461 --> 00:05:57.851 And I, and I, I mean that so genuinely and anybody who knows me. 00:05:58.056 --> 00:06:02.406 You know, four or five years ago, this is the furthest that I would be starting 00:06:02.406 --> 00:06:06.276 a charity that helps pets, especially dogs, is the furthest thing from my mind. 00:06:06.636 --> 00:06:11.136 And yet, in that moment, this precious, furry blessing literally 00:06:11.136 --> 00:06:12.966 change the heart of this crusty guy. 00:06:13.386 --> 00:06:16.866 And today, not only do I love her, but I can't walk past a, a pet 00:06:16.866 --> 00:06:18.301 without wanting to talk to it. 00:06:18.301 --> 00:06:20.736 And, and we've since adopted a second, second dog. 00:06:21.216 --> 00:06:24.756 And then hazelnut inspired this incredible charity, which 00:06:24.756 --> 00:06:25.596 I'll talk to you more about. 00:06:25.596 --> 00:06:27.306 But that's the true story of how we got here. 00:06:27.336 --> 00:06:27.396 I 00:06:28.146 --> 00:06:28.566 Anke: love that. 00:06:28.566 --> 00:06:29.166 I love that too. 00:06:29.586 --> 00:06:30.516 That's so funny though. 00:06:33.066 --> 00:06:36.606 And I do actually, especially, I had a similar experience with, with 00:06:36.606 --> 00:06:41.046 this one, the second dog that came to me in this like, well, I hadn't 00:06:41.046 --> 00:06:43.146 planned to, to get a second dog. 00:06:43.146 --> 00:06:43.746 I have a dog. 00:06:43.746 --> 00:06:46.866 Like I, I, you know, and I was literally, I had a moment like 00:06:46.871 --> 00:06:50.136 that, so I kind of totally get it because he was like tiny and. 00:06:51.026 --> 00:06:54.446 He just looked at me and it was like, literally, that's, that's why kind of the 00:06:54.446 --> 00:06:58.856 name also, you know, there's, you kind of like, this isn't a rational kind of thing. 00:06:58.856 --> 00:07:01.646 They just, they touched the soul just right in there. 00:07:02.036 --> 00:07:03.596 I, you know, and it's, it's beautiful. 00:07:03.596 --> 00:07:04.886 It's just, yeah. 00:07:06.086 --> 00:07:08.066 So, so Hazel not still around like so 00:07:09.116 --> 00:07:09.661 Adam: she is, she is Hazel. 00:07:09.661 --> 00:07:10.976 Anke: Not, so she was like, how old is she? 00:07:10.976 --> 00:07:13.526 Because when you say like she was frail, was she just because she was 00:07:13.526 --> 00:07:15.506 like neglected and kind of scared? 00:07:15.506 --> 00:07:16.646 Or was she, is she older? 00:07:17.081 --> 00:07:17.411 Adam: Sure. 00:07:17.411 --> 00:07:19.541 Well, she, we think she was, of course, you know, with the Humane 00:07:19.541 --> 00:07:22.541 Society, you don't always know the history of all the dogs and their ages. 00:07:22.721 --> 00:07:24.941 They estimate that she was about a year old. 00:07:25.301 --> 00:07:25.901 Um, also maybe 00:07:25.901 --> 00:07:26.651 Anke: young dogs still 00:07:26.741 --> 00:07:28.391 Adam: so very young, very frail. 00:07:28.571 --> 00:07:31.901 Uh, she's gained about 40 pounds, uh, actually about 50 pounds. 00:07:32.141 --> 00:07:34.571 10 of those are a little bit too much, uh, lots of treats. 00:07:34.841 --> 00:07:38.531 Uh, but she's gone from this very frail and scared dog to the most happy. 00:07:39.606 --> 00:07:42.096 Loving, I'll say the perfect dog. 00:07:42.096 --> 00:07:43.326 She's just amazing. 00:07:43.711 --> 00:07:47.886 And, and so when I learned about her, her background, uh, that her 00:07:47.886 --> 00:07:51.516 first family had to forfeit her because they couldn't afford her 00:07:51.516 --> 00:07:56.466 lifesaving care, thankfully, uh, the veterinarian proceeded to save her life. 00:07:56.706 --> 00:07:59.796 We know, as you know, two thirds of pets that are euthanized or euthanized 00:07:59.796 --> 00:08:01.236 just because of a lack of finances. 00:08:01.476 --> 00:08:02.851 So hazelnut truly was a miracle. 00:08:03.396 --> 00:08:07.506 Well, she was one of the lucky few that actually got the care that she needed, and 00:08:07.506 --> 00:08:10.866 then they donated her to the main society in hopes that she would get adopted. 00:08:10.866 --> 00:08:15.306 And so, uh, my background is I've been a, a fundraising executive for 20 some 00:08:15.306 --> 00:08:17.496 years for all kinds of, of worthy causes. 00:08:17.496 --> 00:08:19.416 And so I was just stunned. 00:08:19.416 --> 00:08:22.386 I I didn't know the, the, um, pet industry very well. 00:08:23.171 --> 00:08:25.841 And truthfully, my cat was pretty self-sufficient. 00:08:25.841 --> 00:08:27.161 There wasn't a lot of needs there. 00:08:27.161 --> 00:08:30.551 One surgery early on and annual visits, but that was about it. 00:08:30.641 --> 00:08:34.541 And so I just had no idea the hardship, uh, and the crisis that's 00:08:34.541 --> 00:08:37.961 out there around access to care and those financial barriers. 00:08:37.961 --> 00:08:40.721 And so I thought for sure, there's gotta be a program out there. 00:08:41.171 --> 00:08:45.641 And, uh, we've heard of GoFundMe and there's 2000, 2000 literally 00:08:45.641 --> 00:08:49.121 crowdfunding platforms out there, but they're all for profit. 00:08:50.171 --> 00:08:53.891 And so in my mind I'm thinking, well, if the greatest fundraising 00:08:53.891 --> 00:08:57.461 vehicle in the world is crowdfunding, shouldn't that be run by? 00:08:58.211 --> 00:09:02.351 By nonprofit, by fundraising executives, and not just, you know, people 00:09:02.351 --> 00:09:05.231 motivated by check transactions, but motivat motivated by mission. 00:09:05.231 --> 00:09:11.141 And so it took two years, but we created the first ever charity owned and operated 00:09:11.411 --> 00:09:15.581 crowdfunding platform where anybody can come to our website for free. 00:09:15.916 --> 00:09:20.446 They can fundraise for any pet need as well as any pet related or animal 00:09:20.446 --> 00:09:22.126 related cause that they care about. 00:09:22.396 --> 00:09:28.096 And so I'll just say this, that literally, truly hazelnut not only saved my heart and 00:09:28.096 --> 00:09:30.286 rescued me, and she truly did rescue me. 00:09:30.706 --> 00:09:34.996 Uh, she's also inspired help for, for pets all across the country, which is amazing. 00:09:35.716 --> 00:09:37.126 Anke: That's that's fascinating. 00:09:37.276 --> 00:09:39.621 I had no, I mean, I didn't realize how many. 00:09:40.826 --> 00:09:42.566 Pets were euthanized because of that. 00:09:42.566 --> 00:09:46.526 I literally saw something the other day where somebody talked like was a 00:09:46.526 --> 00:09:50.816 video on Instagram or something where somebody was talking about this whole. 00:09:51.476 --> 00:09:57.236 Situation where vet clinics get more and more bought out, you know, and then all of 00:09:57.236 --> 00:09:59.156 a sudden like prices go through the roof. 00:09:59.156 --> 00:10:02.426 And I think, you know, over there, like prices are ridiculous to start with. 00:10:02.696 --> 00:10:06.476 And so apparently it's kind of as like the smaller clinics get bought 00:10:06.476 --> 00:10:10.046 out and taken over by these big companies, it gets worse and worse. 00:10:10.046 --> 00:10:10.946 And so I think that's. 00:10:11.431 --> 00:10:14.341 It's, it's a problem that seems to be on the rise that 00:10:14.341 --> 00:10:15.871 people can't afford the care. 00:10:15.871 --> 00:10:18.571 And I've had clients where they've said, oh, well, you know, 00:10:18.601 --> 00:10:20.911 my dog needed something minor. 00:10:20.911 --> 00:10:24.001 It's like, okay, what's, you know, like some ridiculous 00:10:24.001 --> 00:10:25.861 amount and yeah, the insurance. 00:10:25.861 --> 00:10:30.421 But no, you have to for it out first and then you can start fighting to see whether 00:10:30.421 --> 00:10:32.011 we'll pay you something, so, mm-hmm. 00:10:32.251 --> 00:10:35.131 You know, so I think there's so much of a need for that. 00:10:36.341 --> 00:10:39.941 Adam: There is, there is, you know, in the past, since 2014, so in the past 00:10:39.941 --> 00:10:45.461 10, 11 years, uh, the cost of pet care has risen 60%, which is incredible. 00:10:45.461 --> 00:10:47.051 It's really, really unsustainable. 00:10:47.051 --> 00:10:49.721 If, if you look at that, uh, that those numbers, and we know that 00:10:49.841 --> 00:10:54.791 50 million pets in America today, uh, lack adequate care, uh, lack. 00:10:55.381 --> 00:10:57.571 Uh, access to how to kick where care. 00:10:57.571 --> 00:11:00.391 So just literally the basic care for your pet, your annual 00:11:00.511 --> 00:11:02.071 pet visits, food, and so on. 00:11:02.371 --> 00:11:06.781 Uh, annual vaccines, 15 million pets, which is a lot. 00:11:06.781 --> 00:11:09.991 So it's, it's a crisis that we have to get ahead of and, and I really think 00:11:09.991 --> 00:11:12.001 our, our program being so innovative. 00:11:12.001 --> 00:11:13.471 You mentioned something really important there. 00:11:13.471 --> 00:11:16.171 You said a lot of folks, when a, when a crisis happens for 00:11:16.171 --> 00:11:17.851 their pet, they triage it. 00:11:17.911 --> 00:11:22.951 Triage it by, by sending whatever methods they can, uh, to pay that bill upfront. 00:11:23.386 --> 00:11:27.286 Uh, whether it's a credit card or scratch pay, and then oftentimes, 00:11:27.436 --> 00:11:32.116 regardless of, of how the pet fares after that, um, the pet parent is, 00:11:32.116 --> 00:11:33.526 is now curing this heavy burden. 00:11:34.016 --> 00:11:34.946 This heavy debt. 00:11:35.336 --> 00:11:39.776 And even if that pet does well, what if that pet needs future care? 00:11:39.956 --> 00:11:43.616 If you're a pet parent that's already maxed out your resources, what do you do? 00:11:44.006 --> 00:11:47.876 And so one of the things that's unique about furlanthropy is that you 00:11:47.876 --> 00:11:52.586 can fundraise for future expenses, present expenses, or past expenses. 00:11:52.676 --> 00:11:56.396 And so we, you can raise those funds and get reimbursed for the 00:11:56.396 --> 00:11:57.446 money that you've already spent. 00:11:58.226 --> 00:11:58.946 Anke: Oh, okay. 00:11:59.246 --> 00:11:59.486 So. 00:12:00.791 --> 00:12:02.411 Like, what's the, what's the model? 00:12:02.411 --> 00:12:04.541 So I mean, who, who goes there? 00:12:04.541 --> 00:12:07.871 Is it people who go, well, I can't afford, you know, I want to 00:12:07.871 --> 00:12:11.891 give that pet a home, but I can't afford those ridiculous vet bills. 00:12:12.221 --> 00:12:16.211 And who, who are typically the people who donate are that like, is, is that 00:12:16.211 --> 00:12:20.201 companies or is that private people or, or who's doing the donating? 00:12:21.401 --> 00:12:23.021 Adam: Short answer is yes, all the above. 00:12:23.351 --> 00:12:28.871 Um, what we've seen in the past 18, 20, uh, 24 months, um, about two years now, 00:12:29.201 --> 00:12:32.921 I guess it's been two years, uh, since we first opened our website, uh, we've 00:12:32.921 --> 00:12:35.531 helped 175 pets and we've distributed. 00:12:35.691 --> 00:12:39.171 Just over today, literally today, as did the numbers we just reached. 00:12:39.171 --> 00:12:41.121 I wanna see if we could reach that a hundred thousand dollars mark. 00:12:41.121 --> 00:12:44.631 And we did, which is really exciting to think that our donors have contributed 00:12:44.631 --> 00:12:49.041 not only for our operating costs, which is very slim, um, but also 00:12:49.041 --> 00:12:52.401 they've contributed in all these fundraisers and then direct gifts to 00:12:52.401 --> 00:12:57.171 furlanthropy, um, over a, just, just over a hundred thousand dollars, uh, 00:12:57.201 --> 00:12:58.461 in preventing the suffering of pets. 00:12:58.461 --> 00:13:00.501 And so it's everybody involved. 00:13:00.501 --> 00:13:02.241 It's the, it's the veterinarian. 00:13:02.501 --> 00:13:04.991 Who's maybe having that conversation with a pet parent? 00:13:04.991 --> 00:13:05.711 What do we do? 00:13:06.281 --> 00:13:08.751 And, uh, they're, they're recommending furlanthropy. 00:13:09.011 --> 00:13:12.041 Uh, they can create the fundraising campaign on their behalf. 00:13:12.371 --> 00:13:15.761 Or it's the pet parent coming to the veterinarian and saying, Hey, just so you 00:13:15.761 --> 00:13:17.801 know, this is how I plan to pay this bill. 00:13:17.981 --> 00:13:20.021 You're gonna hear from furlanthropy, they're gonna be calling. 00:13:20.261 --> 00:13:21.401 'cause that's one of the unique things. 00:13:21.401 --> 00:13:23.741 That's why donors love this model. 00:13:24.011 --> 00:13:25.601 There's so much fraud. 00:13:25.721 --> 00:13:27.281 There's so much scams out there. 00:13:27.286 --> 00:13:27.466 Anke: Yeah. 00:13:28.026 --> 00:13:31.176 Adam: And so that was one of the things that really drove this, this whole 00:13:31.176 --> 00:13:35.556 idea, uh, 'cause as a fundraising, uh, professional, it, it really bothers 00:13:35.556 --> 00:13:38.886 me when I see, uh, people who give from the kindness of their heart. 00:13:38.886 --> 00:13:41.106 We know giving is never not personal, whether it's a 00:13:41.106 --> 00:13:42.366 dollar or a million dollars. 00:13:42.636 --> 00:13:46.476 And so to see that gift not go where it's supposed to go is, is gut wrenching. 00:13:46.476 --> 00:13:48.456 So we change that, we solved that. 00:13:48.756 --> 00:13:53.046 Uh, so every single fundraiser that's created, we call a veterinarian 00:13:53.106 --> 00:13:55.146 and we verify this is a real pet. 00:13:55.386 --> 00:14:00.126 This is a real expense and when the money's raised, we send it directly 00:14:00.156 --> 00:14:01.716 to wherever that need is located. 00:14:01.716 --> 00:14:01.746 Oh. 00:14:02.376 --> 00:14:05.736 So that then encouraged the veterinarians to say, you know what? 00:14:06.126 --> 00:14:07.086 I think we'll contribute to this. 00:14:07.116 --> 00:14:09.726 'cause they know ultimately those funds are gonna come to them. 00:14:09.726 --> 00:14:12.576 'cause there's a lot of situations where, you know, the, the veterinarian 00:14:12.576 --> 00:14:16.891 will, will take an IOU or discount services, maybe tragically the pet. 00:14:17.221 --> 00:14:18.361 Passes away. 00:14:18.691 --> 00:14:21.151 Um, or for whatever reason, the pet parent just says, you know what? 00:14:21.331 --> 00:14:22.351 I'm not gonna pay you. 00:14:22.711 --> 00:14:25.051 And then the veterinarian is stuck holding that burden. 00:14:25.321 --> 00:14:28.571 And sadly, I did not know this when I, when I began furlanthropy. 00:14:28.981 --> 00:14:33.271 Sadly, veterinary professionals have one of the highest suicide rates of 00:14:33.301 --> 00:14:35.581 any profession, which is just daunting. 00:14:35.581 --> 00:14:37.891 In fact, we someone who used our, our platform to raise 00:14:37.896 --> 00:14:41.611 $5,000, uh, for a charity that helps veterinary professionals 00:14:41.611 --> 00:14:42.781 with mental health issues, so. 00:14:43.321 --> 00:14:49.501 It's, it's such a special, important, um, niche in here, in this whole, um, 00:14:49.531 --> 00:14:52.741 process of helping not just prevent the suffering of animals, but to 00:14:52.741 --> 00:14:56.971 reduce that financial burden so that, that the veterinary professional 00:14:57.121 --> 00:15:00.661 isn't carrying it, but then also the pet parent doesn't have to carry it. 00:15:01.021 --> 00:15:04.411 Uh, so if they can have that, that, that veterinary expense paid for, 00:15:04.411 --> 00:15:08.041 they're more likely to proceed with, with future expenses as well. 00:15:08.041 --> 00:15:10.711 But again, every fundraiser is verified. 00:15:10.921 --> 00:15:12.781 Funds are sent directly to the need. 00:15:13.871 --> 00:15:18.851 What also makes us really unique is that we are a 5 0 1 C3 registered charity. 00:15:19.181 --> 00:15:23.321 So unlike GoFundMe and the other 2000 for-profit companies, because we're a 00:15:23.321 --> 00:15:28.301 nonprofit, every single donation that you make is tax deductible eligible. 00:15:28.871 --> 00:15:32.531 And so we know with the new tax laws next year, every person, every individual. 00:15:33.116 --> 00:15:36.206 Who has to pay taxes can file up to a thousand dollars in charitable 00:15:36.206 --> 00:15:38.216 giving or 2000 as a house household. 00:15:38.576 --> 00:15:40.856 Um, and so it, it's gonna benefit everybody, you know, 00:15:40.946 --> 00:15:42.626 financially who, who donates. 00:15:43.076 --> 00:15:46.466 But it's, it's, you ask who gives, it's the folks who, who just have 00:15:46.466 --> 00:15:49.976 a heart for what we're doing and, and believe in what we're doing. 00:15:50.036 --> 00:15:55.526 And they value the, those, um, those unique distinctives, um, that making sure 00:15:55.526 --> 00:15:57.506 that it's secure and it's verifiable. 00:15:58.076 --> 00:16:01.676 Anke: That's, that's fascinating because I see it a lot and like here in Spain 00:16:01.676 --> 00:16:06.506 where I'm, you know, like, like rescues, that's usually, you know, was so, you 00:16:06.506 --> 00:16:12.206 know, usually run by a couple of girls with no jobs and scraping by and they're 00:16:12.206 --> 00:16:14.306 constantly, here's my PayPal link. 00:16:14.306 --> 00:16:14.546 Right? 00:16:14.606 --> 00:16:18.086 And then, and then next thing you know, it's like other people write 00:16:18.086 --> 00:16:19.586 on the, on the, on the back of that. 00:16:19.841 --> 00:16:24.401 And then they will just kind of post photos of dogs in misery and 00:16:24.401 --> 00:16:27.311 put their, you know, and then they fa they finance their holidays 00:16:27.311 --> 00:16:28.421 with it or whatever they do. 00:16:28.421 --> 00:16:28.721 Right. 00:16:28.721 --> 00:16:34.301 But it's like, I think that making sure that really goes to the right place, 00:16:34.301 --> 00:16:35.411 I think that gives a lot of, that. 00:16:35.411 --> 00:16:36.431 Builds a lot of trust. 00:16:37.331 --> 00:16:37.511 Adam: It does. 00:16:37.516 --> 00:16:37.796 It does. 00:16:37.796 --> 00:16:38.921 Anke: That makes so much sense. 00:16:39.776 --> 00:16:42.956 Adam: And, and I, I was gonna say, in addition to that, you know, financially, 00:16:42.956 --> 00:16:45.686 what, what makes that really special and unique for the donor as well? 00:16:45.806 --> 00:16:49.916 If you look at crowdfunding globally in general, uh, because again, it's housed by 00:16:49.916 --> 00:16:54.176 for-profit companies, you're limited into the kinds of gifts that you can give to 00:16:54.176 --> 00:16:56.156 a GoFundMe or another platform like that. 00:16:56.156 --> 00:16:57.746 You can only give from your bank account. 00:16:58.126 --> 00:17:00.256 Or I guess you could give from your credit card, but most people 00:17:00.256 --> 00:17:03.286 don't go into debt for charity, so it's literally your bank account. 00:17:03.346 --> 00:17:04.456 Well, what makes it unique? 00:17:04.456 --> 00:17:08.296 What furlanthropy affords individuals is the opportunity 00:17:08.296 --> 00:17:11.121 to give any non-cash asset. 00:17:11.861 --> 00:17:12.941 Towards that campaign. 00:17:12.941 --> 00:17:15.821 So literally our brand new website that I'm excited to 00:17:15.821 --> 00:17:17.351 announce is coming this month. 00:17:17.741 --> 00:17:21.611 And uh, on there you'll be able to click on any pets, a fundraiser, 00:17:21.641 --> 00:17:24.101 any individual's fundraiser, and you can click a button. 00:17:24.101 --> 00:17:27.941 You can give Cash App or Venmo or Apple Pay, but you can also click 00:17:27.941 --> 00:17:29.591 a button and donate stock gifts. 00:17:29.651 --> 00:17:32.861 Directly to that fundraiser, you can click a button and donate from 00:17:32.861 --> 00:17:36.311 your donor-advised fund directly to, to that, uh, fundraiser. 00:17:36.371 --> 00:17:37.691 It's never been done before. 00:17:37.781 --> 00:17:41.351 And so what we're gonna see over the course of the next couple months and 00:17:41.351 --> 00:17:46.031 years is the average crowdfunding gift is gonna go from 10 $20. 00:17:46.661 --> 00:17:50.231 It's gonna skyrocket because now people can give from other buckets of funding 00:17:50.231 --> 00:17:51.006 than just what they have in the bank. 00:17:52.256 --> 00:17:52.706 Anke: Wow. 00:17:52.736 --> 00:17:53.906 That's, that's fascinating. 00:17:54.626 --> 00:17:56.906 I mean, see, I'm like, now that we've got a professional in the 00:17:56.906 --> 00:17:58.556 room here, I'm really curious. 00:17:58.856 --> 00:18:03.356 Um, 'cause I've seen, you know, like people on Facebook as, oh, you know, like 00:18:03.536 --> 00:18:09.386 GoFundMe and all of these for various kind of causes and what I've noticed that 00:18:09.391 --> 00:18:12.746 there's some that do really well, right? 00:18:12.746 --> 00:18:15.596 You come in there and they tell the story and people seem 00:18:15.596 --> 00:18:17.036 to be donating a lot, right? 00:18:17.036 --> 00:18:19.136 And others don't. 00:18:19.376 --> 00:18:19.676 Right. 00:18:19.676 --> 00:18:20.066 So. 00:18:20.846 --> 00:18:25.706 If you were to give a tip for somebody creating a campaign like that, you 00:18:25.706 --> 00:18:30.986 know, what should they be taken into account or what, what should they 00:18:30.986 --> 00:18:35.396 think about when they, how will you present your case so that people 00:18:35.396 --> 00:18:37.676 feel it's worth, um, donating to? 00:18:38.741 --> 00:18:40.151 Adam: Yeah, that's a great, great question. 00:18:40.151 --> 00:18:43.291 And I mean this genuinely, not just because I, I started furlanthropy. 00:18:43.511 --> 00:18:47.801 Um, but truly if you have a need come to furlanthropy for all the reasons 00:18:47.801 --> 00:18:51.341 I just mentioned, you're gonna have a greater chance of, of raising greater 00:18:51.341 --> 00:18:54.221 amounts of money because there's more buckets that we can pull from. 00:18:54.431 --> 00:18:57.041 So that in and of itself, I mean, you can try those other, and they and those 00:18:57.041 --> 00:18:59.201 other, uh, platforms do do good work. 00:18:59.441 --> 00:19:03.341 Um, but donors will, if you give donors an option of more ways for 00:19:03.341 --> 00:19:05.981 them to give and more types of gifts to give, then naturally. 00:19:06.246 --> 00:19:08.346 You are gonna get greater gifts and for folks who need 00:19:08.346 --> 00:19:09.666 that charitable tax deduction. 00:19:10.526 --> 00:19:12.806 Going through furlanthropy, you, you provide that for them. 00:19:12.806 --> 00:19:14.576 So you're gonna get larger size of the gifts. 00:19:14.696 --> 00:19:18.266 And one of the unique things about our platform is with the AI technology 00:19:18.266 --> 00:19:22.016 and, and the robust features behind this, the second you click start 00:19:22.016 --> 00:19:25.586 on your fundraiser, not only is it is it, uh, shared on our website, 00:19:25.706 --> 00:19:27.266 it's immediately shared on Facebook. 00:19:27.266 --> 00:19:29.966 So you have two fundraisers, uh, simultaneously, they're 00:19:29.966 --> 00:19:31.226 both related to each other. 00:19:31.431 --> 00:19:35.241 But you have really two things pushing that need and, and with that it's a 00:19:35.241 --> 00:19:37.371 really e uh, user-friendly platform. 00:19:37.401 --> 00:19:38.691 So it only takes a few minutes. 00:19:38.961 --> 00:19:41.031 Uh, but there's an opportunity there to show videos. 00:19:41.211 --> 00:19:44.361 I can tell you just in the past two years, um, the individuals who 00:19:44.361 --> 00:19:48.051 have done the most successful in their fundraising, it's the images. 00:19:48.596 --> 00:19:51.146 Um, 'cause when you grab someone's heart, you touch someone's soul. 00:19:51.341 --> 00:19:52.526 It, it changes everything. 00:19:52.526 --> 00:19:56.186 And so, um, describing, uh, where the need is. 00:19:56.366 --> 00:19:57.806 Um, but why is that? 00:19:57.806 --> 00:19:59.246 Why is your pet so special to you? 00:19:59.426 --> 00:20:02.066 Why is that furry family member so important to you? 00:20:02.126 --> 00:20:03.476 And sharing those many videos? 00:20:04.156 --> 00:20:05.686 And as many pictures as you can. 00:20:05.926 --> 00:20:09.736 And again, the advantage of furlanthropy is the donor knowing, you know what? 00:20:09.736 --> 00:20:12.106 This is real, I don't even have to question it. 00:20:12.106 --> 00:20:13.066 It's been verified. 00:20:13.186 --> 00:20:14.026 This person's real. 00:20:14.026 --> 00:20:14.896 This pet is real. 00:20:14.896 --> 00:20:15.916 This expense is real. 00:20:16.096 --> 00:20:19.516 And if I give all these wonderful ways that actually benefit me as a 00:20:19.516 --> 00:20:23.626 donor, but if I give, it's actually gonna go directly to the need. 00:20:23.626 --> 00:20:28.306 And so those are all powerful things that have not traditionally existed. 00:20:28.306 --> 00:20:31.396 So we're really upending that traditional model of crowdfunding. 00:20:32.981 --> 00:20:35.291 Anke: I mean, I love that you kind of sent this straight over to 00:20:35.291 --> 00:20:37.961 Facebook because that's also the other, the next question, right? 00:20:37.961 --> 00:20:42.641 I mean, I see it more mostly like in the online business kind of space when people. 00:20:43.706 --> 00:20:48.116 Wanna promote something and then, well, if you don't have an audience, 00:20:48.296 --> 00:20:50.156 like you are kind of stuck, right? 00:20:50.426 --> 00:20:53.486 Because if you don't normally, or if you're not normally access 00:20:53.486 --> 00:20:55.196 active on social media, right? 00:20:55.376 --> 00:20:56.966 You could post whatever you want. 00:20:56.966 --> 00:20:57.866 Nobody's gonna see it. 00:20:57.866 --> 00:20:59.306 Nobody's gonna care, right? 00:20:59.306 --> 00:21:01.646 So, and most people. 00:21:02.016 --> 00:21:04.596 And say, if you are in, in the, in the business space, and like, 00:21:04.596 --> 00:21:07.506 well, that's part of your job to build that audience, right? 00:21:07.536 --> 00:21:07.626 Mm-hmm. 00:21:07.626 --> 00:21:11.856 But if I am having my pet and I'm just doing my life with my pet, 00:21:11.856 --> 00:21:15.246 and now I have a need, I don't necessarily have an audience. 00:21:15.246 --> 00:21:15.606 Right. 00:21:15.816 --> 00:21:21.786 So how, how do you suggest, or how can you help people actually reach, 00:21:22.236 --> 00:21:24.066 um, you know, potential donors? 00:21:24.476 --> 00:21:24.896 Adam: Sure. 00:21:25.076 --> 00:21:28.016 Well, lemme start by saying on that platform, there's a place where 00:21:28.016 --> 00:21:31.196 you can email your, uh, I was just talking to someone yesterday who I 00:21:31.196 --> 00:21:34.436 was shocked and she said I only have three Facebook friends and she's very 00:21:34.526 --> 00:21:36.266 personable and knows a lot of people. 00:21:36.656 --> 00:21:39.266 Um, but she has other connections in other ways and so she's 00:21:39.266 --> 00:21:41.366 able to take a copy that link. 00:21:41.711 --> 00:21:43.241 And put that in the email. 00:21:43.241 --> 00:21:47.291 She's also able to download, you're able to download your, your, uh, fundraiser 00:21:47.441 --> 00:21:48.791 and just having those conversations. 00:21:48.791 --> 00:21:50.741 You know, we get this, these questions all the time, you 00:21:50.741 --> 00:21:51.941 know, can you please help me? 00:21:52.121 --> 00:21:54.251 I'll do anything to help my pet. 00:21:54.641 --> 00:21:56.081 Oh, I can't fundraise though. 00:21:56.231 --> 00:21:56.861 Wait a minute. 00:21:56.951 --> 00:21:58.541 You just said you'd do anything to help your pet. 00:21:58.691 --> 00:21:59.711 So I think there's that stigma. 00:21:59.711 --> 00:22:00.611 A little bit of fear. 00:22:00.791 --> 00:22:04.121 I don't wanna ask anybody for help, but here's the secret, what I've 00:22:04.121 --> 00:22:05.561 learned in 20 years of fundraising. 00:22:05.996 --> 00:22:09.296 It's not about the ask, it's about the donor in their heart. 00:22:09.776 --> 00:22:14.486 And so when people give, the reason why donors give is to ultimately fulfill 00:22:14.486 --> 00:22:16.286 something that's already in their heart. 00:22:16.706 --> 00:22:20.516 Charities think it's their mission, uh, or their cause, but it really starts there. 00:22:20.516 --> 00:22:22.556 They're not gonna give if they don't believe that your pet is 00:22:22.556 --> 00:22:23.756 real and if it's a real need. 00:22:23.986 --> 00:22:26.656 But it starts with fulfilling the why in their heart. 00:22:26.686 --> 00:22:30.196 And so that individual who says, I'm gonna give, I don't know you, but I saw your, 00:22:30.376 --> 00:22:35.416 you're a fundraiser on the furlanthropy website, and, uh, I just lost my dog, 00:22:35.416 --> 00:22:36.886 and I want to give a memory of my dog. 00:22:36.886 --> 00:22:39.226 Or, I'm not allowed to have dogs anymore. 00:22:39.226 --> 00:22:42.316 I can't take care of them, but I love them enough that I wanna support. 00:22:42.406 --> 00:22:47.176 And so those, what you are providing is an opportunity for people to be a blessing, 00:22:47.536 --> 00:22:49.546 um, in supporting your fundraiser. 00:22:50.281 --> 00:22:53.521 If I had a dollar for every time someone said, thank you 00:22:53.521 --> 00:22:55.051 for letting me make this gift. 00:22:55.231 --> 00:22:58.381 Recently someone gave, gave a hundred thousand dollars to another cause 00:22:58.381 --> 00:23:00.211 that I help and, and they cry. 00:23:00.211 --> 00:23:02.551 They said, thank you for letting me give this gift. 00:23:03.091 --> 00:23:05.041 And so sure you can do it tomorrow again if you want. 00:23:05.131 --> 00:23:06.121 No, but, but literally. 00:23:06.241 --> 00:23:06.541 Right. 00:23:06.781 --> 00:23:09.301 But that's the, but that's the heartbeat behind the donor. 00:23:09.301 --> 00:23:13.441 And so it's not as hard and complicated and scary as we make it to be. 00:23:13.741 --> 00:23:15.091 You're just connecting your story. 00:23:15.671 --> 00:23:16.751 With donors hearts. 00:23:16.961 --> 00:23:20.951 And so you have a lot of people and, uh, you can call and, and by the way, they 00:23:20.951 --> 00:23:22.781 can give, they don't have to give online. 00:23:22.931 --> 00:23:24.526 So if you have a conversation with your neighbor. 00:23:25.466 --> 00:23:27.506 And they say, you know, we'd like to help, but, but maybe your 00:23:27.536 --> 00:23:29.156 neighbor wants to be anonymous. 00:23:29.276 --> 00:23:33.126 Um, they can still send a check in the mail, uh, to, to furlanthropy. 00:23:33.146 --> 00:23:37.256 They can send a donor-advised fund gift or a stock gift to us offline, and then we 00:23:37.256 --> 00:23:39.506 can apply that amount to your fundraiser. 00:23:39.776 --> 00:23:43.946 And so you do know a lot of people, even if you're someone who's not on Facebook, I 00:23:43.946 --> 00:23:47.636 promise you there are people in your orbit who would help if you just invited them. 00:23:47.881 --> 00:23:50.761 And then in addition to that, we as philanthropies, we're still 00:23:50.761 --> 00:23:53.461 young, we're still growing, um, but we have a following. 00:23:53.461 --> 00:23:55.441 We have folks who just give us money and say, you know what? 00:23:55.441 --> 00:23:58.681 We don't care what cat you help or what dog, we just want you to help. 00:23:58.861 --> 00:24:03.541 And so we do contribute to, uh, to our, our clients, uh, to fundraisers. 00:24:03.751 --> 00:24:04.201 Campaigns. 00:24:04.201 --> 00:24:05.791 We can't contribute to all of them, obviously. 00:24:06.151 --> 00:24:08.521 Um, but, but we do encourage And, and the other thing I 00:24:08.521 --> 00:24:09.721 would just say real quickly is. 00:24:10.391 --> 00:24:15.506 Tell your veterinarian what you're doing, invite them to give and because if you're 00:24:15.506 --> 00:24:18.131 a veterinarian, I mentioned this earlier, if your veterinarian knows that, number 00:24:18.131 --> 00:24:22.751 one, they're gonna see those funds back, and number two, they get a charitable 00:24:22.751 --> 00:24:24.426 tax deduction, that's a win-win. 00:24:25.196 --> 00:24:25.586 Right. 00:24:25.586 --> 00:24:28.166 I mean, if your veterinarian gave to the local Humane Society or 00:24:28.286 --> 00:24:31.886 local charity, they're gonna get a recognition and a tax receipt. 00:24:31.886 --> 00:24:34.496 But if they give to furlanthropy, they're gonna go get recognition, 00:24:34.556 --> 00:24:36.261 a tax receipt, and Right. 00:24:36.891 --> 00:24:37.181 That. 00:24:37.186 --> 00:24:37.526 Right. 00:24:37.796 --> 00:24:39.296 So it's a win-win for everybody. 00:24:39.296 --> 00:24:43.316 And so, um, so I think there's a lot of distinctives that will really help. 00:24:43.586 --> 00:24:45.086 And, and here's one more thing. 00:24:45.626 --> 00:24:46.526 We, we. 00:24:46.921 --> 00:24:49.681 We distribute funds every single Friday, um, and if it's an 00:24:49.681 --> 00:24:51.631 emergency situation within 48 hours. 00:24:51.631 --> 00:24:54.991 So we don't wait until your, uh, 30 days, or wait until your campaign 00:24:54.991 --> 00:24:56.461 reaches a hundred percent of its goal. 00:24:56.641 --> 00:25:00.061 We wanna get those funds out of our hands that have been raised directly 00:25:00.061 --> 00:25:01.261 to the need as quick as possible. 00:25:01.261 --> 00:25:04.531 And so pet parents appreciate that, veterinarians appreciate that. 00:25:04.801 --> 00:25:06.691 Uh, so it's getting those funds as quick as possible. 00:25:07.351 --> 00:25:10.231 Majority of our fundraisers to date haven't reached a 00:25:10.231 --> 00:25:11.161 hundred percent of their goal. 00:25:11.491 --> 00:25:13.291 That's gonna change with this new platform. 00:25:13.291 --> 00:25:14.131 It's gonna double. 00:25:14.491 --> 00:25:17.791 But what I have found is even the fundraisers that 00:25:17.791 --> 00:25:20.161 raised 75, 80% of their goal. 00:25:21.161 --> 00:25:25.361 Is life changing and it's not always the $10,000 expense. 00:25:25.601 --> 00:25:28.721 We just had a conversation with a, with a precious, uh, senior saint 00:25:28.721 --> 00:25:33.281 recently who is battling cancer, and she said, uh, I, I, I need to 00:25:33.281 --> 00:25:35.411 raise $300 for medicine for my dog. 00:25:35.771 --> 00:25:37.631 My dog is, is battling cancer. 00:25:37.631 --> 00:25:41.831 She says, I just can't imagine spending the, my remaining days without 00:25:41.831 --> 00:25:43.541 my precious, precious for a baby. 00:25:44.021 --> 00:25:46.421 So in that situation, I said, don't worry about the fundraiser. 00:25:46.571 --> 00:25:47.891 We're gonna, we're gonna just gonna pay for it. 00:25:48.221 --> 00:25:50.021 But it's, it's sometimes that barrier. 00:25:50.381 --> 00:25:51.791 It's only a few hundred dollars. 00:25:52.121 --> 00:25:55.121 Now, that might not be a lot to, to some people, but for a lot 00:25:55.121 --> 00:25:56.651 of people that's a huge barrier. 00:25:56.921 --> 00:26:01.901 And so it doesn't take a lot of dollars to make a little transformational difference. 00:26:03.431 --> 00:26:03.851 Anke: Wow. 00:26:03.911 --> 00:26:07.811 I mean, that's, I, I think, sounds like quite emotional. 00:26:07.811 --> 00:26:10.811 Like, you know, you gotta, but we have your little, you know, like 00:26:10.811 --> 00:26:12.161 hot on your sleeve all day long. 00:26:12.161 --> 00:26:12.461 Right? 00:26:13.901 --> 00:26:14.591 Adam: It really is. 00:26:14.591 --> 00:26:15.071 It really is. 00:26:15.071 --> 00:26:15.131 Anke: Yeah. 00:26:17.141 --> 00:26:21.521 I mean, and so now I'm also curious, so, so you are basically, okay, 00:26:21.521 --> 00:26:25.751 it's a nonprofit, but you guys, you guys have expenses as well, so they 00:26:25.751 --> 00:26:29.021 will always be also, I always wonder like how do nonprofits make money? 00:26:29.021 --> 00:26:30.731 Like they kind of need to keep the lights on, right? 00:26:31.511 --> 00:26:32.321 So how does that work? 00:26:33.296 --> 00:26:36.206 Adam: We raise money specifically for our operating costs. 00:26:36.266 --> 00:26:37.856 Um, I can tell you I don't get paid. 00:26:38.066 --> 00:26:39.596 Uh, we have no employees. 00:26:39.596 --> 00:26:42.926 We have a lot of volunteers, a couple contractual people, uh, just to make 00:26:42.926 --> 00:26:45.716 sure that we're, we're doing things as professionally as possible, but 00:26:45.716 --> 00:26:47.876 we run a very slim operating budget. 00:26:48.356 --> 00:26:51.776 You know, sometimes you, uh, look up a charity and you find out their CEO 00:26:51.776 --> 00:26:55.616 is making tons of money, or I got a phone call the other day someone 00:26:55.616 --> 00:26:58.711 wanted me to donate to a cause that I thought was wonderful until they said. 00:26:59.236 --> 00:27:04.636 Only 10% of my gift was gonna go to help that cause always do your homework and, 00:27:04.636 --> 00:27:06.916 and see if it's more than 10, maybe 20. 00:27:06.916 --> 00:27:10.576 My wife and I, we don't give to any organization that gleans more than 00:27:10.576 --> 00:27:13.306 20%, uh, for operating costs for us. 00:27:13.516 --> 00:27:17.836 Uh, we glean 10% of every donation to reserve that to not only help 00:27:17.836 --> 00:27:19.421 fund our operations to have a. 00:27:19.731 --> 00:27:23.151 A robust online program and, and all the legal things that 00:27:23.151 --> 00:27:25.671 come with running a charity and fundraising across the country. 00:27:26.091 --> 00:27:30.321 Um, but also to be able to be in a position to help other, other, uh, 00:27:30.321 --> 00:27:32.211 fundraisers that are less, less popular. 00:27:32.481 --> 00:27:35.601 And so, um, we rely on a lot of unrestricted gifts. 00:27:35.871 --> 00:27:39.471 Uh, I can share with you that Petmart Charities gave us a $204,000 00:27:39.501 --> 00:27:41.481 grant, uh, which was incredible. 00:27:41.751 --> 00:27:46.791 Um, and that was a huge shot in the arm, uh, for this young charity a 00:27:46.791 --> 00:27:48.561 year ago that nobody knew about. 00:27:48.561 --> 00:27:49.431 And they said, you know what? 00:27:49.901 --> 00:27:52.781 You guys are doing so such innovative things, we think you're gonna make 00:27:52.781 --> 00:27:56.201 such a huge impact, uh, that we want to get behind this from the start. 00:27:56.201 --> 00:27:59.351 And so that was a great, uh, not just their support, but having their, 00:27:59.351 --> 00:28:01.721 their endorsement, uh, was awesome. 00:28:01.721 --> 00:28:05.051 So, yes, uh, if there are individuals watching that wanna make a 00:28:05.051 --> 00:28:08.381 donation to help us, it literally goes towards our mission of, of 00:28:08.381 --> 00:28:10.031 preventing the suffering of, of pets. 00:28:11.171 --> 00:28:11.621 Anke: I love that. 00:28:11.621 --> 00:28:11.651 I love that. 00:28:11.891 --> 00:28:16.241 So you were mentioning vets, so if somebody goes, well, you know, my dog. 00:28:16.646 --> 00:28:20.276 Has kind of had an accident and needs to be, needs like, I don't 00:28:20.276 --> 00:28:24.296 know, like massage or chemotherapy or like, you know, chiropractor section. 00:28:24.476 --> 00:28:27.011 Would that also be included or is it strictly beds? 00:28:28.286 --> 00:28:30.506 Adam: Any, any animal related cause and it doesn't have to 00:28:30.506 --> 00:28:32.336 be urgent or emergency related. 00:28:32.516 --> 00:28:33.176 It could be. 00:28:33.176 --> 00:28:37.316 Uh, we had, uh, in, in right here in, in our, our hometown, we had 00:28:37.316 --> 00:28:39.986 an individual who just needed arthritis medicine for her pet. 00:28:40.586 --> 00:28:41.846 And it was just a couple hundred dollars. 00:28:41.846 --> 00:28:45.446 So it doesn't have to necessarily be emergency or life threatening. 00:28:45.806 --> 00:28:50.156 And it's, it's, doesn't have to be just for, um, for pets. 00:28:50.426 --> 00:28:51.566 Uh, for cats and dogs. 00:28:51.566 --> 00:28:52.616 It can be for any pet. 00:28:52.881 --> 00:28:54.501 It could be for equine needs. 00:28:54.531 --> 00:28:56.241 You see a picture of a horse behind me. 00:28:56.451 --> 00:28:59.721 It could be for boarding fees, it could be for food, uh, it 00:28:59.721 --> 00:29:01.101 could be for disaster relief. 00:29:01.101 --> 00:29:04.251 We had an individual who lost everything in a home fire. 00:29:04.581 --> 00:29:07.371 And, uh, a lot, several national and local charities showed up and 00:29:07.371 --> 00:29:10.911 provide financial assistance for the family, but nothing for the pets. 00:29:11.151 --> 00:29:11.241 Mm-hmm. 00:29:11.241 --> 00:29:15.171 And which is often the case in those darkest hours, the pets are often the, 00:29:15.171 --> 00:29:16.971 the least to be the last to be helped. 00:29:17.091 --> 00:29:18.711 And so we raise $500. 00:29:18.961 --> 00:29:20.281 It started a furlanthropy fundraiser. 00:29:20.281 --> 00:29:22.501 We raised $500 and she just cried. 00:29:22.621 --> 00:29:26.191 She said The thought of after losing everything, the thought of being separated 00:29:26.191 --> 00:29:30.511 from my pets just because I couldn't afford to feed them, was heartbreaking 00:29:30.511 --> 00:29:34.681 for me and my kids, and having them with us, our furry family members, keeping 00:29:34.681 --> 00:29:38.606 our families together meant so much in helping us on our road to recovery. 00:29:39.746 --> 00:29:43.196 So, uh, it was just $500, but, so it can be used for that. 00:29:43.316 --> 00:29:46.856 It can be used if you wanna raise to a fundraiser for your favorite charity. 00:29:47.246 --> 00:29:50.756 Uh, it could be a local or national, any animal related cause. 00:29:52.556 --> 00:29:52.976 Anke: I love that. 00:29:52.976 --> 00:29:53.006 I love that. 00:29:53.006 --> 00:29:56.336 So where can people go and, uh, you know, check it out and 00:29:56.336 --> 00:29:58.136 go to the brand new website. 00:29:58.736 --> 00:30:00.806 You know, find, find out more about you 00:30:01.466 --> 00:30:02.766 Adam: furlanthropy.org. 00:30:02.786 --> 00:30:06.686 Just like it sounds furlanthropy, uh, furlanthropy.org. 00:30:07.871 --> 00:30:08.561 Anke: I love that. 00:30:08.741 --> 00:30:10.061 Well, thank you so much. 00:30:10.061 --> 00:30:13.991 This is, was really eye opening and fascinating and it's such beautiful work 00:30:14.021 --> 00:30:18.011 because I've seen, you know, I have, I heard cases where it's like, okay, yeah, 00:30:18.071 --> 00:30:21.281 don't have the money to pay for this and the heart break is, I don't even 00:30:21.281 --> 00:30:24.131 wanna think about, you know, having to. 00:30:24.391 --> 00:30:28.651 Let my dogs like suffer or having to lose them because I can't, 00:30:28.651 --> 00:30:29.521 you know, because of the money. 00:30:29.521 --> 00:30:31.171 So it's just beautiful. 00:30:31.171 --> 00:30:35.611 Thank you so much for coming on and sharing that and I really hope, 00:30:35.671 --> 00:30:39.481 and I have no doubts really that you'll be doing spectacularly well. 00:30:39.481 --> 00:30:40.201 So thank you. 00:30:40.921 --> 00:30:42.181 Adam: Thank you an appreciate you so much. 00:30:42.181 --> 00:30:44.041 Thank you for your kindness and thank you for what you do. 00:30:44.041 --> 00:30:44.731 Appreciate it. 00:30:45.301 --> 00:30:45.606 Thank you. 00:30:45.998 --> 00:30:47.228 Thanks so much for listening. 00:30:47.748 --> 00:30:52.048 If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to subscribe, and leave a review so 00:30:52.148 --> 00:30:53.928 other dog lovers can find the show. 00:30:54.718 --> 00:30:58.208 If you haven't already, head over to soul touched by dogs. 00:30:58.638 --> 00:31:04.208 com and sign up for weekly doggy cuteness tips, recommendations, and personal 00:31:04.308 --> 00:31:06.678 stories to warm your dog loving heart. 00:31:06.678 --> 00:31:10.408 And if you know a pawsome human you think I should interview, 00:31:10.828 --> 00:31:11.968 I'd love an introduction. 00:31:12.448 --> 00:31:14.278 Email me at Anke. 00:31:14.548 --> 00:31:18.783 That's A N k E at Soul touched by dogs.com.