Theresa (Terry) W. Fossum, DVM, MS, PhD, Diplomate ACVS – SAB Co-chair

 Dr. Terry Fossum, a board-certified veterinary surgeon with 35 years of experience as a clinical surgeon, researcher, academic administrator, and entrepreneur. Experience in clinical trial design, naturally occurring animal disease, drug and device development, animal health, and good laboratory practices. Proven track record as an executive leader, program developer, and fund-raiser. Broad experience in company start-up, R&D, corporate finance, consulting, and program management. Author of the best-selling veterinary textbook, Small Animal Surgery.

Dr. Fossum is currently the CEO and Co-founder of Dr. Fossum's Pet Care and the CEO of Epic Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Fossum was the Vice President of Research and Strategic Initiatives at Midwestern University and was formerly the Vice Chancellor for Global and Corporate Partnerships for the Texas A&M University System, as well as a co-founder of Rescue Therapeutics, Inc. (a TAMU spin-out company developing novel therapeutics for cancer and immune-mediated disease). 

Dr. Fossum received her D.V.M. degree in 1982 from Washington State University, completed a surgical residency and Master of Science degree in 1986 from the Ohio State University and received a Ph.D. in Veterinary Immunology from Texas A&M University in 1992. She received Board Certification in Veterinary Surgery in 1987 and joined the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M later that year. In 1992, she completed a Ph.D. in Veterinary Microbiology. 

Dr. Fossum also established the no longer active National Veterinary Cancer Registry (NVCR) in 2013, which is a national database formed to identify and register pets diagnosed with cancer in order to facilitate and promote medical treatments that lead to advances, higher success rates and eventual cures for cancer in pets and people. A joint effort between the CARE Foundation, Baylor University Medical Center (BUMC) at Dallas and the Texas Veterinary Oncology Group – the NVCR advances veterinary cancer research by gathering information from pet owners whose pets are diagnosed with a naturally occurring cancer and pairing them with emerging medical treatments.

 

Jaguar Health Announces Launch of the First U.S. Canine Cancer Registry and Canine Cancer Care Index

 

"Canine Cancer: Take C.H.A.R.G.E." (Canine Health And ReGistry Exchange) Based on Nationwide Gallup Poll of Pet Owners and Initial Assessment of More Than 35,000 Canine Medical Records

Initial Data from Gallup Poll of More Than 3,500 Dog Owners Suggest Nearly Five-Fold Greater Incidence of Canine Cancer Than Human Cancer; More Than 80 Percent of Respondents Believe a Registry is Needed to Help Dogs with Cancer

Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Scientific Advisory Board of Veterinary Oncologists and Experts Support Adoption of New Comparative Oncology Diagnostic Codes to Strengthen Registry Impact

Join us TODAY for Special NYC Media Event and Performance to Celebrate the Launch of Take C.H.A.R.G.E. on National Canine Cancer Awareness Day

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2022 / Jaguar Health, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAGX) today announced the launch of Canine Cancer: Take C.H.A.R.G.E. (Canine Health And ReGistry Exchange), a first-of-its-kind national Canine Cancer Registry and Canine Cancer Care Index to provide the veterinary community and dog owners with important incidence and prevalence data to help guide canine cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions. Launched on the first National Canine Cancer Awareness Day and co-sponsored by Jaguar Animal Health, TogoRun, and Ivee, the initiative will initially access information about canine cancer from two key sources: a nationally representative multi-year Gallup survey of U.S. dog owners, and a retrospective review of more than 35,000 anonymous canine patient records uploaded into a secure customized database with more than 830 confirmed cancer diagnoses.

The Gallup survey, conducted in March 2022, estimated the prevalence - the percent of U.S. dogs with cancer in 2021 - was 3.4 percent, less than the approximately 5 percent prevalence in humans that year. The survey also found that the incidence - the percent of U.S. dogs newly diagnosed with cancer in 2021 - was 2.8 percent, which is approximately five times the 0.57 percent incidence of newly diagnosed cancer in humans that year. This finding is startling since researchers have assumed that canine cancer rates mirror human cancer rates.

"We established Take C.H.A.R.G.E. to fill a major research gap among the veterinary community and dog owners in the United States because, until now, there has been no nationally based dog owner survey or registry focused on canine cancer," said Jaguar Health founder, president and CEO Lisa Conte. "The information from Take C.H.A.R.G.E. will provide the first ever national representation of the incidence and prevalence of canine cancer and will help inform decisions that advance the quality of life of both dogs with cancer and their owners. The data may also provide insights to help better understand cancer in humans."

Other key findings from the Gallup survey include:

• More than 8 in 10 dog owners favored the creation of a canine cancer registry to better understand the disease and advance treatments
• After mixed-breed dogs, the 10 most represented breeds in the survey were: 1) Labrador, 2) Chihuahua, 3) Pitbull, 4) Golden Retriever, 5) German Shepherd, 6) Yorkshire, 7) Dachshund, 8) Boxer, 9) Beagle, and 10) Shih Tzu
• 68 percent decided not to treat their dog for cancer due to the age of their dog (54 percent), treatment cost (39 percent), treatment side effects (38 percent), or other reasons
• Across all dog owners, the vast majority (92 percent) said they did not have pet insurance at the time of diagnosis
• Nearly 3 in 4 dog parents who experienced canine cancer in the past 10 years were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience during treatment, even though only 39 percent reported that their dog was actually cured or went into remission
• While a high proportion of dog owners (46 percent) ‘strongly agreed' that their dog received high quality cancer care, only 30 percent strongly agreed that they knew what to expect during their dog's cancer treatment
• When asked to imagine how difficult it would be for members of their household to manage various chemotherapy-related side effects, the percent of all dog owners rating them as difficult or very difficult were: pain (60 percent), urinary incontinence (43 percent), diarrhea (41 percent), vomiting/nausea (39 percent), decreased appetite (20 percent), and fatigue/lethargy/lack of energy (19 percent)
• Dealing with canine cancer has a major impact on dog owners' well-being, including depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, and missing work or other obligations; for example, 63 percent of respondents reported feeling a lot of stress and 58 percent reported feeling down and depressed a lot during their dog's cancer
• Dog owners' ability to manage their dog's side effects from cancer treatment, such as pain, urinary incontinence, and diarrhea, is the best predictor of key well-being outcomes of the pet owner
• However, many dog parents find managing treatment side effects especially challenging:

• 92 percent of dog owners with no canine cancer experience and 65 percent of those with canine cancer experience said they knew little or nothing about side effects
• Only 22 percent ‘strongly agreed' that they have been able to manage their dog's cancer treatment side effects well, and only 29 percent have a clear understanding of potential side effects of treatment
• Having a veterinarian who cares about a dog's comfort, high quality of care, and thorough explanation of treatment options were most critical to overall treatment satisfaction, whereas management of side effects was the most important factor in determining the negative impact canine cancer has on dog parents' well-being

The complete results of the Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Gallup survey of pet owners can be found here.

Canine Cancer Care Index

In addition to assessing canine cancer incidence and prevalence, and dog owners' perceptions, emotions and experiences related to canine cancer, Gallup used data from the survey to calculate a Canine Cancer Care Index that reflects three dimensions related to canine cancer care: knowledge, quality of care, and canine comfort. Ranging from 0 (the worst possible score) to 100 (the best possible score), the Index will help assess whether canine cancer care experiences are improving, worsening, or staying the same for dog owners and their dogs over time. Gallup determined that the baseline for the Canine Cancer Care Index is 80.5 or a B-, indicating a clear need for improvement.

"Protecting dogs from cancer begins with knowing its impact by breed, type, age, gender, and location," said Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Scientific Advisory Board co-chair Dr. Terry Fossum, DVM, MS, PhD, Diplomate ACVS. "The U.S. has lagged behind other countries where there are multiple canine health registries and there have been several attempts by other groups to establish a U.S. registry without success. We have to do better for our dogs and we believe Take C.H.A.R.G.E. finally will give us the tools we need to advance canine cancer care."

Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Scientific Advisory Board

The Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) includes eight leading U.S. veterinarians specializing in canine oncology and surgery. One of the SAB's first and most important activities is driving adoption of a consistent canine cancer diagnostic coding system and supporting the goals of the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute Comparative Oncology Program.¹ Comparative oncology is the study of naturally developing cancers in pet dogs and other animals as models for human cancers. It provides a novel approach to generate new information about cancer, for example environmental risk factors, genetic determinants, and evaluation of new treatment approaches. In support of comparative oncology, the SAB is encouraging veterinary clinics to adopt coding practices that align with the recently published Veterinary International Classification of Diseases for Oncology Canine Tumors First Edition, or Vet-ICD-O-canine-1,² which is based largely on the most recent version of the human cancer coding system, ICD-O-3.2.³

"The heart of any cancer registry is its cancer coding system," said SAB co-chair Dr. Craig Clifford, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology). "As we continue to enhance the Take C.H.A.R.G.E. registry, we will incorporate Vet-ICD-O-canine-1, as it is a user-friendly, easily accessible, comprehensive resource for veterinary doctors, researchers, and specialists. This will allow us to make more ‘apples to apples' comparisons of canine cancers in the United States and other countries and regions, which in turn will help us better understand and treat canine cancer."

The Take C.H.A.R.G.E. SAB members include:

• Dr. Craig Clifford, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), SAB Co-chair. Director of Blue Pearl Science and Medical Oncologist at BluePearl Pet Hospital in Malvern, PA.
• Dr. Theresa (Terry) W. Fossum, DVM, MS, PhD, Diplomate ACVS, SAB Co-chair. CEO and Co-founder of Dr. Fossum's Pet Care and CEO of Epic Veterinary Specialists.
• Dr. Susan Ettinger, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), also known as Dr Sue Cancer Vet®. Practicing veterinary cancer specialist, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Fidu, a teleconsulting company for veterinarians.
• Dr. Trina Hazzah, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), CVCH. President and co-founder of the Veterinary Cannabis Society, the first US-based non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization building awareness of cannabis as medicine for pets.
• Dr. Chad M. Johannes, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Oncology). Associate Professor, Colorado State University, ACVIM Oncology Specialty President Elect.
• Dr. Doug Thamm, V.M.D., Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology). Barbara Cox Anthony Professor of Oncology at Colorado State University and Director of Clinical Research for the Flint Animal Cancer Center.
• Dr. David Vail, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology). Professor of Oncology, Barbara A. Suran Chair in Comparative Oncology, Director of the Barbara A. Suran Comparative Oncology Research Institute, University of Wisconsin.
• Dr. Rachel Venable, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology). Owner, Pet Cancer Care Consulting, Arizona.

Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Website

Data from the Registry will be accessible to the public via an interactive, easy-to-use dashboard on the Take C.H.A.R.G.E. website, with open access for clinical practitioners and academia to all canine cancer medical record data for research purposes. The Registry will continue to grow as veterinary clinics and pet owners upload medical records of dogs with cancer at no cost to the clinic or pet owner. The data is de-identified, anonymized, and protected following General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) guidelines to ensure participant information privacy.

Take C.H.A.R.G.E. will also focus on raising awareness of canine cancer by promoting the first annual National Canine Cancer Awareness Day on May 23^rd so dog owners will have access to the latest information on types of cancers by breed, symptoms, and treatment options.

Take C.H.A.R.G.E. SAB member Dr. Sue Ettinger said, "Recent advances in chemotherapy, as well as advances in managing chemotherapy side effects such as vomiting, poor appetite, or diarrhea, should be discussed with veterinarians and canine oncologists to ensure dogs are benefiting from the latest canine cancer science."

Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Launch Event

Dog owners and members of the veterinary community are encouraged to visit TakeChargeRegistry.com for more information, including how to upload canine cancer medical records and how clinics can participate in the Registry. The public and media also are invited to a special event and performance by multiple Broadway stars, including Academy-award nominated actor Chazz Palminteri and Grammy-award winning actress Jenn Colella, at Madison Square Park in New York City on Monday, May 23^rd, 2022, from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. EDT to celebrate the launch of Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Those who cannot attend the event can still watch virtually here.

About Jaguar Health, Inc., Jaguar Animal Health, Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. & Napo Therapeutics S.p.A.

Jaguar Health, Inc. is a commercial stage pharmaceuticals company focused on developing novel, plant-based, non-opioid, and sustainably derived prescription medicines for people and animals with GI distress, specifically chronic, debilitating diarrhea. Jaguar Animal Health is a tradename of Jaguar Health. Jaguar Health's wholly owned subsidiary, Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., focuses on developing and commercializing proprietary plant-based human gastrointestinal pharmaceuticals from plants harvested responsibly from rainforest areas. Jaguar Health is the majority shareholder of Napo Therapeutics S.p.A., an Italian corporation established by Jaguar Health in Milan, Italy in 2021 that focuses on expanding crofelemer access in Europe.

For more information about Jaguar, please visit https://jaguar.health. For more information about Napo Pharmaceuticals, visit www.napopharma.com.

About TogoRun

TogoRun is an award-winning, full-service strategic communications agency specializing in global health and well-being. Woman-owned, independent, and named after Togo, the hero sled dog from the 1925 Race for Mercy, TogoRun works in partnership with clients committed to advancing innovative solutions that support a healthier planet, close health disparity gaps, and embrace a vision of equitable abundance. TogoRun is part of the GMJ Global network of companies and a proud signatory of CEO Action of Diversity & Inclusion. The TogoRun Team has collectively been responsible for more than 220 industry awards. Visit Togo here: www.TogoRun.com.

About Ivee

Ivee (Intelligent Veterinary Enhanced Experience), is an animal health data-focused software company and is a product of Snowcap Innovations Inc. For more information about Ivee, visit www.Iveesoftware.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements." These include statements regarding Jaguar Health's expectation that it will host a launch event May 23, 2022 for the Take C.H.A.R.G.E. initiative, the belief that Take C.H.A.R.G.E. data may provide insights to help better understand cancer in humans, and the expectation that the Registry will continue to grow. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "aim," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are only predictions. Jaguar has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond Jaguar's control. Some of the factors that could affect our actual results are included in the periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by applicable law, Jaguar does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

 

RALEIGH, NC (August 5, 2021) - The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the health of all dogs and their owners, announces that Dr. Cynthia Otto is the recipient of the 2021 Asa Mays, DVM Excellence in Canine Health Research Award.

Named for Dr. Asa Mays, a member of CHF’s first Board of Directors in 1995, the award is a biennial honor presented to a research investigator who demonstrates meritorious achievements in furthering the mission of identifying, characterizing, and treating canine disease and ailments. Stephanie A. Montgomery, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Chair of CHF’s Scientific Review Committee, will present the award during the 2021 AKC Canine Health Foundation National Parent Club Canine Health Conference on Saturday, August 14. The conference, sponsored by Purina, will follow a virtual format this year and features distinguished researchers presenting the latest medical and scientific advancements in canine health.

The cornerstone of Dr. Otto’s AKC Canine Health Foundation funded research has been the 9/11 Medical Surveillance Study, now in its 20^th year. Since 2001, Dr. Otto has received almost $600,000 in funding to study the physical and behavioral consequences of search and rescue dog deployment to the 9/11 disaster sites. To date, the work has produced 11 peer-reviewed publications describing the short and long-term effects of deployment on toxicology, behavior, mortality, the dog-handler relationship, and more. Findings will help us protect not only the health and safety of search and rescue dogs, but provide valuable translational information benefitting the health of human handlers and first responders.

“Dr. Otto’s groundbreaking research and dedication to advancing the health of working dogs and their handlers exemplifies the AKC Canine Health Foundation’s mission and vision,” says Dr. Montgomery. “This One Health approach can accelerate medical discoveries that impact both species. We are honored to present Dr. Otto with this award and look forward to our continued collaboration to benefit the health of all dogs and their owners.”

Data analysis from the 9/11 Medical Surveillance Study is ongoing with funding through CHF Grant 02322: Analysis of the Health, Behavioral, and Longevity Data Collected in the 9/11 Medical Surveillance Longitudinal Study. This work is part of CHF’s $11.4M active research portfolio encompassing all aspects of canine health. View CHF’s Research Grants Portfolio at akcchf.org/portfolio.

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About CHF
Since 1995, the AKC Canine Health Foundation has leveraged the power of science to address the health needs of all dogs. With more than $62 million in funding to date, the Foundation provides grants for the highest quality canine health research and shares information on the discoveries that help prevent, treat and cure canine diseases. The Foundation meets and exceeds industry standards for fiscal responsibility, as demonstrated by their highest four-star Charity Navigator rating and GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency. Learn more at www.akcchf.org.

THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB’S WILDLY POPULAR

‘DOWN AND BACK’ PODCAST RETURNS FOR SEASON 2

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club (AKC^®) is proud to announce the return of the popular podcast series, “Down and Back: Stories From the American Kennel Club Archives”. Season two kicks off today.

AKC Historian Bud Buccone returns with all-new stories of purpose-bred dogs that will continue to delight a new generation of listeners. The first episode, “Top Dogs and Underdogs,” explores the 2020 breed popularity list, a favorite topic among the dog-owning public. Other episodes this season include: “How Dogs Become Recognized,” “Dogs of Myth and Legend,” “Canine Heroes of 9/11,” and “Form Follows Function.” Each episode is a riveting look into the history and milestones of our canine best friends.

“No one tells a story quite like Bud Buccone,” said Gina DiNardo, AKC Executive Secretary. “We’re thrilled at how well-received season one was and cannot wait to continue bringing the world of dogs to people in this innovative way.”

“Down and Back: Stories From the American Kennel Club Archives” can be found on all podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, Tunein, Castbox, Google Podcast) and on akc.org/podcast TODAY!

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About the American Kennel Club

Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.  Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. AKC Clubs comprise America’s largest rescue network. For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.

Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers

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It’s time for a long-overdue upgrade to dog waste bags… My name is Max Leahy, and I am the founder of PnT Pets Inc., and the inventor of Poop ’N Tie dog waste bags. It has been said that "necessity is the mother of all invention.” This necessity is what lead me to create Poop ’N Tie bags. I grew up in a suburb of New York City with two Old English Sheepdogs. Our house had a dog run out back, so I never had to think about picking up after them right away. In fact, it never crossed my mind. When I relocated to Los Angeles, I got my first “fur-child.” She is a beautiful Australian Shepherd with two bright blue eyes named Scout. I quickly learned the trials and tribulations of picking up and conscientiously throwing away the poop. I tried many different dog waste bags and found them to be sub-par in quality. The problem was as Scout grew larger, it became more difficult to tie the full poop bag as she pulled on her leash. I tried bags similar to plastic shopping bags with handle ties. They were much easier. However, none of these came in a roll format, let alone bags that would fit into a roll dispenser for a leash. I began my quest to find an adequate poop bag that met my needs. One day after taking out my kitchen trash, it struck me that a drawstring poop bag might be the solution. Sometimes, the answer is right in front of you. I experimented cutting a drawstring kitchen bag into smaller bags and afterwards using a food saver machine to seal the edges - and - Eureka! The Poop ’N Tie bag was born. www.poopntie.com add PETRADIO in the promo code box for 20% off your first order

Wishing you and yours peace and love this Easter holiday and Passover We have all been through a trying year and as the country opens, we pray everybody will remember to stay safe through their travels and gatherings with friends and family. We continue to rescue unfortunate angels that once again are being abandoned and found their way to the shelters. Your love and support help us to continue saving innocent lives. Your Easter tithings mean the world to the dogs! We have included pictures of a few of our recently rescue dogs and the bewildering story of sweet “Bruno” who we recently rescued. Easter treats for your four-legged best friends! While many of you continue to share food from your table, we encourage you NOT to feed them human food from your dinner table. For their health, feed grain free, limited ingredient dry food and canned foods, such as Evengers and Against the Grain 100% straight meat with no stews. You can also steam their meat and add to their dry food. I feed a mix with apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, salmon oil, and hemp seeds. (available through our Amazon smile link) We encourage you to add immune support, probiotics that are foil wrapped or out of the refrigerator section at your health food store, for proper processing, and www.nzymes.com granules and bac- pak. You all know about healthy gut digestion by now and these are so important for your best friends as well! For treats we suggest dried duck or chicken treats. Sweet potato strips wrapped with duck are readily available as well and the dogs love them. Smart Bones and Dream Bones have vegetable-based chew sticks and bones. We no longer feed rawhide! There is formaldehyde in rawhide, a major no-no for your best friend! Keep all kids Easter candy away from your pets! You do not need a visit to the veterinarian! For the vegans out there, I can suggest visiting our store www.LBWFstore.org And picking up a copy of my book “Going Vegan” Of course, that will come after Easter, but it makes a great gift! As a special vegan Easter dinner and a real treat for yourselves, try vegan ham, vegan egg salad, a beautiful red leaf lettuce salad with broccoli, mushrooms, carrot strips, add pine-nuts, cranberries and my favorite dressing is Annie’s Goddess dressing! For dessert have a vegan carrot cake or vegan cupcakes available for you and your family and there’s many wonderful vegan ice cream alternatives! Wishing you love and peace to your family this Easter and Passover time. Your Easter donations to LBWF make a world of difference to the rescued dogs in need! With Love as always, Linda Blair for the rescued dogs of Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation DONATE Bruno's Story ‌ Bruno was recently rescued by LBWF. While taking his freedom pictures, we noticed a strange lump in his left side of his chest and took him to the vet for some answers. Nothing was defined except may be a simple large cyst. We scheduled him for his surgery to remove the cyst. Upon my return to the veterinarian to pick Bruno up, the doctor placed a 9 mm hollow point shotgun shell in my hand! I gasped! This was the unknown cyst in Bruno‘s body! Somebody had shot this magnificent and truly kind, sweet dog with absolute intent to kill! I have seen and been through everything with the dogs, but I have never rescued a dog that had been shot. It took my breath away as I am sure it does yours. I was and continue to be so angry! I work so hard rescuing dogs, and this just took my breath away! The world has many people who do not share our love of the animals and for this, we must pray harder for peace and for these criminals to pay the price for what they do to innocent lives! Animal cruelty has never stopped. Your donations support LBWF to make a difference and to continue fighting on for the animals that need our help! April is Prevention of Cruelty To Animals Month There's No Excuse For Animal Abuse! Meet Hank & Holly! Two of our recent rescues LBWF Rescue Support Store Please visit our store www.LBWFstore.org and help support the LBWF Rescued dogs with all kinds of fun new merchandise! Autographs Now Available! Merchandise Available! Several different designs! www.LBWFStore.org Facebook ‌ Twitter ‌ Instagram ‌ Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation | 10061 Riverside Dr. Suite 1003, Toluca Lake, CA 91506

To put it simply, there’s little Dianne Scott doesn’t do. Between her successful modeling and acting career, her role as full-time wife and stepmom to three, and her devotion to advocating for pit bulls, Scott has allowed her creativity and artistry to pour out of her in far more ways than one. From performing in various film and television shows, gracing the cover of magazines, and turning her passion for pups into something tangible through her web series Neighborhood Watch, her Instagram page A Tale of 2 Pitties (which has gathered a community of 104k pit bull lovers), and her newly published children’s book series, A Tale of Two Pitties, Scott has gained an extensive amount of experience through her adventures. I was given the incredible opportunity to chat about her fondest memories, greatest advice, and future projects. Q: So you’ve done so many incredible things in your career. Before we jump into that, I’d love to know about your life before your career. How did your childhood and your upbringing inspire you to pursue a career in the industry? D: I knew when I was about eight or nine that I was a performer. I was always putting on silly skits and being ridiculous. I would force my friends and family to sit while I did something outrageous, and it was all to make them laugh—I really, really loved to make people laugh. I think it started because, I’m 5’10 now, so I was always very tall and very awkward as a child and I think I kind of leaned into my comedic ability to kind of compensate for how I didn’t feel beautiful or attractive. I was like “Okay, I’m really funny and I can make people laugh and that’s an even bigger gift,” and so I did that. I also started to write stories when I was in junior high and high school because I always loved to write. I still do and I’ll touch more on that later. So, as I got older and grew out of my ugly duckling phase, thank God, that was when my modeling career started, but I’ve always known I wanted to act. I was always performing and doing plays growing up. After high school, I went to Westmont College for a year and soon realized “Wait, this is not what I want to do,” so after that, I moved down to San Diego for a while, eventually made it to LA, and here I am now. Q: Could you tell me about your early career? What was your life like when you first moved to Los Angeles? DIANNE SCOTT, THE ACTRESS D: So I kind of hopped all over the place because I was honestly lost for a little while, which, aren’t we all in our early 20s? So when I finally made it up to LA, I had a very successful modeling career. But eventually, I thought, wait, I don’t want to do this, I need to be heard! I need to use my voice because I have a lot to say! So my first break was on the show Bones, which was my first co-star, so that was awesome. Then I zigzagged in and out of modeling and acting and was on a few other shows. I was on How I Met Your Mother, where I got to work with Neil Patrick Harris who is just so lovely and so funny. But I have to say the pinnacle of my career up until this point was, as far as working with absolute legends goes, I got to work on the movie The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. One day of filming, in particular, there was a scene where I was working with Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi, and Jay Mohr. It was twelve, maybe thirteen hours on this scene, and, girl, when I tell you it took everything in my being and acting training to not just crack up every time Jim Carrey looked over at me and made eye contact! It was just incredible, that was an amazing experience. Something else I got to work on that was just phenomenal was Face Off. I was a series regular for a few years and that was one of my favorites because you come on set and you have no idea what’s going to happen to you. They work you into these insane creatures and it was just so fun and fed my creative need so much. Q: What was it like adjusting to the people that live and work in Hollywood? As someone who moved from a suburb to LA at a young age as well, it was definitely culture shock for me. How has that adjustment been for you? D: When I first came to LA in my early 20’s, I was just clueless. I look back and I realize how many people were taking advantage of me and lying to me, and how starstruck I was and blind to it I was. So, it’s definitely tough. You have to have really thick skin and really know who you are and fortunately, over the years I found some really good people to hold onto. I went through a lot of friends and eventually found the right people, and that’s so important to stay grounded because it’s a very tricky industry. Q: So, switching gears to another one of your passions, you’re known for being a huge advocate for pit bulls. Can you tell me when and where this passion sort of stemmed from? DIANNE SCOTT, THE ACTRESS D: Yes, so in 2012 my husband saw a picture of a dog at a shelter and just had this urge to adopt him. I saw the picture and said, “That’s a pit bull, aren’t pit bulls dangerous?” because I didn’t know anything at the time. So I was like, “Can’t they lock their jaws, and aren’t they not safe around children?” And my husband, bless his heart, just kind of laughs and says “No, that’s a stereotype. That’s a bias you probably heard through the media.” The crazy thing was when I thought about it, I didn’t even know where I had heard that, it was just a fact rummaging around in my head. So thank God we took a chance on this dog. We brought him home, named him Hurley, and fell madly in love as one does when they take a chance on a pit bull. My mind was just blown at how what I thought was true was proven to be completely wrong by this beautiful, sweet boy. So something kind of awoke inside of me and shortly after Hurley we adopted another dog and I created an Instagram for them. Hurley died when he was four of lymphoma, and at this point, my social media following had grown pretty big. I had so much support from this amazing, insanely strong community of pit bull lovers and advocates on social media, and yes, it shattered my world. But also, in losing him, I realized what one of my missions in life was supposed to be, and it was to advocate for these dogs that are so misunderstood. So in 2016, shortly after Hurley died, we rescued another pit bull mix, so we have two again. He’s continued Hurley’s legacy, and over the years my passion in this whole mission has just continued to grow. Q: How did this passion for pit bulls connect with your love of writing? When did you feel inspired to connect the two and write A Tale of Two Pitties? D: When Hurley was still alive we had cats too, and when I married my husband I became a full-time stepmom to three, so we had a very full house. I started writing these children’s books because there are so many amazing stories with my life and these animals, you know? My pit bull loves on my cat and they just have this bromance that was featured on Ellen, and it was impacting so many people around the world! I thought, “I need to write these books and make them fun and educational!” and I couldn’t stop writing. So, I have five published on Amazon right now and I have no desire to stop, so I’m going to keep writing. I mean we now have two dogs, four cats, three children—the stories are just never going to end! Q: How has it been taking on this new hat of being an author? Seeing that you’re an actor, model, and now author, I’d love to hear your opinion on how these things connect. D: Yes, they definitely balance. As an artist, there are so many things that just pour out of you in any outlet you can find, and I’m just finding more as I get older, which is so lovely. When I became a full-time stepmom I didn’t know what I was doing. I don’t have any biological children and I decided to put a hiatus on my career so I could really adjust and be the best version of myself for them and for my husband and not lose my mind. In doing that, that’s when things really started ramping up in me artistically and all these different outlets appeared. So I kept writing and I created a web series called Neighborhood Watch with my dog, and I looked back and thought, “How funny is it that I stopped acting professionally for a while, but I couldn’t stop acting?” So, I created a series with my dog as my co-star (who is a phenomenal co-star, I must say)! It just goes to show if you’re meant to do something it’s going to manifest in some way. Now that our kids are older, I’ve since gone back to acting and it’s like picking up where I left off, but even better. Q: For our readers interested in keeping an eye out for you, are there any projects you’ve recently worked on or that you’re planning to do in the future? D: Yes, I do! So I was just part of a film released last weekend called Super Bois. The film is about people with special needs and pit bulls and shining this beautiful bright light on them. I have a niece with Down syndrome and I have pit bulls, so these were just two incredibly amazing causes I’m very passionate about. Just the way that it all happened was insane and I never expected to be a part of this film. I got to play opposite Marty York, who plays ‘Yeah-Yeah’ in The Sandlot, which is one of my all-time favorite movies to this day, so being able to play opposite him was just such a cool, amazing experience. It’s just a beautiful movie, so that’s really exciting. I also just did a documentary on plant-based dog food. Now, I’m not vegan or plant-based, so when they approached me to do it I was pretty skeptical. But when we did it, all of our dogs’ digestive issues, rashes, and allergies that we’ve spent so much money on disappeared within a week of being on this food and nothing has come back since. So, this documentary was just released last week, it’s by Wild Earth dog food, and I’m really excited about it. Q: Lastly, if you had one piece of advice for our readers who are aspiring to be actors, models, or authors, what would it be? D: Yes, I have a lot of advice! For someone wanting to pursue acting, I think a huge key is knowing who you are as a person, as an artist, as a soul, and making sure you’ve done as much of the inner work as you can. Meaning, for example, I remember getting to LA in my early 20s and not really having a sense of identity. I was so easily swayed one way or the other; it was hard for me to say no, and there were just so many things that were a recipe for disaster. So now, when I look back, I realize that was another reason I didn’t have as much success early on. I think knowing who you are, taking the time to figure out who you are, and really getting strong in what you believe, what you’re going to say yes or no to, and above all, this piece of advice goes for anything you’re pursuing, never ever give up on the desire that is in your heart. They are not random, they were put there, and you can do something so special that can help an endless amount of people if you follow that. If you live your life in fear, at the end of your life you’re going to be so regretful, and you’ll never know what you’re missing out on if you don’t leave your comfort zone. You have no idea of the path and you can’t predict what’s going to happen, so you just have to trust that what you’re meant to do is going to happen and just keep going no matter what.