Local StoriesFebruary 17, 2025

Daily Inspiration: Meet Laura Baker

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Baker

Hi Laura, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have had the pleasure of working in animal welfare for 15 years now. I started as a volunteer in college and fell in love with nonprofit animal sheltering work. I graduated with a degree in Animal Sciences from The Ohio State University, and I knew I wanted to work in animal shelters. I started as an animal care tech in Florida caring for over 10,000 dogs and cats every year with no air conditioning! I was quickly promoted to Animal Cruelty Investigator, where I loved being in the field and helping the animals and people of our community. Once I started a family, I knew I wanted to move closer to home (Ohio). We landed in Nashville because it was close to home but still required planning if our parents or in-laws wished to visit. I accepted the job as Director at Williamson County Animal Center in 2013 and switched from the government to nonprofit by accepting the Director position at Nashville Humane Association in 2017. Growing up, I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian and a ballerina. Little did I know that the perfect career for me was actually animal sheltering.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It is the best job in the world, but some misunderstandings exist. My personal goal is to change how folks view shelters and shelter animals. We are no longer the “dog pound”, but rather a community of animal lovers who work tirelessly and hand-in-hand with our community members to think outside of the cage to save as many lives as possible.

Animal welfare is a community lift, and I am blessed to be in Nashville, where there is no shortage of animal lovers.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

It takes a community to make an impact, specifically in the animal welfare world. I help lead that community charge for the animals and humans in Nashville and Tennessee. 2024 marks 10 years since I moved and called Nashville home. Statistically, our shelter teams helped 43,000 animals find their second chances in an adoptive home over that decade. As the animal world has changed, efforts and resources have shifted to help in the service of adoption, keeping an animal out of the shelter, and retaining it in a loving home. I have helped make that pivot and stretch community and shelter resources while collaborating with peer agencies like Metro Animal Care and Control and Pet Community Center to meet the ever-changing community needs.

I pride myself on being a mother first. I have an 11-year-old son named Bronson and a 10-year-old daughter named Marlowe. Motherhood has been my life’s greatest challenge and most rewarding adventure. Outside of my role as a mom, I am a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator through the Animal Welfare Association of Advancement. I earned my master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University in the fall of 2024. I have served as Board President of the Animal Care and Control Association of Tennessee since 2018. In my free time, I volunteer with Pinups for Pitbulls, promoting responsible pet ownership of any breed. I also enjoy volunteering and fundraising for the Ike & Ella Fund, a nonprofit named after my late niece, Ella, that aims to pay for children’s funerals.

I am always looking for lifesaving opportunities impacting animals, individual pet owners, and our community (two-legged and four-legged). In 2023, I helped Nashville Humane Association become the first shelter in the SE United States to be Kulture City certified. This certification states that NHA is trained and equipped to help any sensory needs of our visiting clients. This helps NHA to be accessible to our entire community that we serve.
News Coverage

The most recent innovative venture I have led was creating a first-of-its-kind reunification station in Davidson County. This station helps provide pet finders with 24/7 access to a microchip scanner. This resource helps increase the number of animals that make their way back home, decreases the number of animals unnecessarily entering the already overcrowded sheltering system, and increases customer service for the kind pet finder. Knowing that local rural shelters could benefit from this new resource, reunification station kits were created by Nashville Humane Association and provided at a low cost to local peer shelters. We have proudly helped provide these for Maury County, TN, and Simpson County, KY.

It is important to me to “think outside the kennel” and change the perception of who animal shelters are and the services that they provide. I encourage every community to tour their local animal shelter and get involved. If you cannot donate, volunteer, or adopt – follow them on social media or advocate their services to a loved one. It takes the entire community to help save as many lives of animals as possible, all while having a good time!
News Coverage

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I survived an F-4 tornado in high school. I was working at a local movie theatre when it hit. I lost my job and my car and it was definitely traumatic, but it made me enjoy every day and see how quickly life can change for the good or for the bad.

Pricing:

Sliding Scale Adoption Fees – https://nashvillehumane.org/adoption/adoption-process/

Contact Info:

Website: https://nashvillehumane.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nashvillehumane/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NashvilleHumaneAssociation/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nashvillehumane/
Twitter: https://x.com/nashvillehumane
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NashvilleHumane
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/nashville-humane-association-nashville

Suggest a Story: NashvilleVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.