I have loved animals as far back as I can remember. And when I say love, I mean I LOVE! I loved animals more than people and almost as much as my barbies. Just kidding, I would have totally given up my barbies to get another dog. You can ask anyone who knew me as a child, animals have had my heart since day 1!
I was lucky enough to be born into a pet-friendly family that included a poodle named Fufu. You can see her as a baby with my parents in the photo above. I loved Fufu a lot, but my parents were really her people and I wanted a dog of my own. I had been asking for a dog for my whole life! Which was about 5 long years at this point. Then one day...
My parents surprised us with a new dog and my heart exploded! Here I am with my sister Shawna and our dog Goldie. My Dad adopted Goldie from our local animal shelter, we called it the "pound" back then. She was my first "rescue" and I loved her so much. You can hear all about Goldie in Episode 16 of the podcast.
Episode 16: Pet Stories of My Childhood Dogs
As I got older, I continued to ask for more pets. I was obsessed with the movie Lady and the Tramp and loved the idea of having a puppy. When I was old enough to take on the responsibility, my parents agreed and I got to get a dog of my own. That puppy turned out to be my soul dog Champ.
Champ, pictured with me above, full name Champagne Norman Marty, aka "Champers". He was a cocker spaniel (Hi Lady and the Tramp reference) and terrier mix. I picked him out of a litter of 6 puppies and my sister paid $5 for me to adopt him. That $5 changed my life.
I got Champ at a time when I was dealing with serious health issues and had to miss most of my 7th grade year. It was hard to be away from school and my friends, but Champ was my best friend and always there for me. The bond we shared inspired my love of animals and my dedication to help them in the future. When people ask me why I decided to start a podcast about pets, I tell them about Champ.
Who am I? I'm Julie Marty-Pearson, dedicated Fur Mom, lifelong animal lover, pet enthusiast, and all around animal advocate. That's me in the photo above, frazzled and sleepless, with my adorable foster kittens Pumpkin and Harry in November, 2022. Spoiler Alert! Pumpkin was a foster fail and a "purrfect" addition to my fur family.
I started my podcast, The Story of My Pet, to share my stories and yours about all of the incredible pets that have impacted our lives. The podcast started with a few friends and has grown to include stories from all over the the U.S. and other countries including Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. The purpose of the podcast is to spread the love our pets bring to us and advocate for those animals in need. Now the purpose of the podcast is to help save as many animals as we can. But I can only do that with your help. Each podcast episode highlights an animal shelter, rescue group, or non-profit organization that is helping to improve the lives' of animals in need. Listen to the podcast, follow the animal shelters and rescue organizations on social media, and spread the message to start helping animals today.
Animals need us now more than ever! Here I am above at my local animal shelter adoption event helping to get this sweet shelter pup a forever home. Please consider donating your time, money or supplies to your local animal shelters and rescue organizations. You can volunteer, sign up to be a pet foster, or even consider adoption if the time is right to add to your fur family. Not sure how can you help animals in need? Check out the following podcast episodes to learn more about animal rescue, fostering, adoption, and volunteering!
Learn about dog rescue, fostering, and adoption in Episode 28
Learn about the power of love when rescuing shelter dogs in Episode 27
Learn about animal rescue for dogs and horses in Episode 23
Learn all about fostering kittens in Episode 20
Learn about animal shelters and how to volunteer and foster in Episode 12
