Why helping rescue dogs has become one of my greatest passions

I’ve spent most of my career thinking about real estate: buildings, markets, financing and the people who make a company work. Over the past several years, another cause has become just as important to me. Helping dogs in high-risk shelters find loving homes has become one of the most meaningful parts of my life.

Personal input needed: what first drew you to animal rescue. A dog of your own, a shelter visit or a moment that stayed with you would make this article far more personal. Please share it in your own words; nothing has been invented here.

The problem is often visibility

Many shelters do extraordinary work with very limited resources. They are often overcrowded, understaffed and underfunded. In high-risk shelters, the time a dog can wait for a family is limited. What struck me is that many of these dogs are wonderful companions who simply haven’t been seen by the right person yet.

In business, we would call that a marketing problem. And marketing problems can be solved.

Bringing business thinking to rescue

That realization is the foundation of Passion With a Purpose. The idea is to apply the same tools businesses use to reach customers, especially targeted digital advertising, to help adoptable dogs reach the families who are looking for them. A well-placed ad can introduce a dog to hundreds or thousands of people who would never have walked into that shelter.

We focus particularly on dogs with the greatest need: those who have waited the longest and those facing urgent placement deadlines. We also help shelters promote adoption events and draw bigger audiences to them.

Results we can measure

As an investor, I believe in measuring outcomes. That’s true here too. In 2025, the initiative helped 563 dogs find homes. Our goal for 2026 is 1,000. Every one of those numbers represents a dog that left a shelter for a family, and that is the outcome that matters.

I want to be clear that this is collaborative work. Today we work with nine partner organizations, including Cincy CARE. They, along with their staff and volunteers, do the hands-on care, and the adopters open their homes. Our role is to help more people discover the dogs who need them.

Personal input needed: confirm how the 563 figure is counted, and whether the other eight partners can be named.

Why it matters to me

Business has given me resources and experience I never take for granted. Using them to help animals who can’t help themselves feels like one of the best possible uses of both. There’s something deeply rewarding about a cause where success is so clear: a dog who was at risk is now safe, home and loved.

This work has become a passion because it combines what I know with what I care about. And I believe we’re only getting started.