Meet Kathryn Hurley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Hurley.

Hi Kathryn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in a household about dogs; we always had at least three pups, with my mom recording six at one time! That love turned into a passion after visiting my first animal shelter in high school, and from there, I knew I wanted to work with rescue dogs. I interned, landed my first job in Michigan, then moved to LA, where I was introduced to Wags & Walks. After four incredible years of learning from and growing with the organization, I moved to Nashville in 2019 and Wags & Walks Nashville was born shortly after that. It’s been an incredible three years, and I feel incredibly lucky to have landed in such a supportive community that has allowed us to save thousands of dogs in need.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While running Wags & Walks is my life’s greatest passion, rescue can be emotionally and mentally draining. The highs are some of the best days of my life, but the lows are low.  Knowing our laws and humane education need to drastically improve can feel like an uphill battle – but knowing we bring so much joy to many families keeps us going.  I am grateful that Wags has such a passionate, dedicated team that always shows up and bands together during challenging moments.

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?
I am the Director of Wags & Walks Nashville, a dog rescue/non-profit dedicated to saving neglected & misplaced animals and finding their forever homes. Over the last three years, we’ve rescued over 2,000 dogs and counting. We are an all-breed, all-age rescue that has a strong focus on medical dogs, pit bulls and wrongfully stereotyped breeds, and mama dogs and their puppies! This year, we will be opening our very own Adoption Center here in Nashville. We are always in need of fosters, volunteers, and supporters so we’d love to have more of the community join our team!

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
So many! The pandemic was overwhelming to say the least, especially as a new, small rescue. We knew we had to continue saving dogs, but keeping the humans safe was just as important. We had to build new systems & processes to visit shelters, place dogs in foster homes, and work with our training & medical partners to get the dogs the care they needed. Communication was key – and we did a great job navigating the uncharted waters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wagsandwalks.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wagsandwalksnashville/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WagsandWalksNashville/