# 028: Fix Before You Feed with Julie Jacobson

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497/028-fix-before-you-feed-with-julie-jacobson
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497/028-fix-before-you-feed-with-julie-jacobson.md
Podcast: [United We Spay](https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497)
Published: 2026-03-05T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://0759aabc-07b2-466f-8bc4-9f829c391c44.libsyn.com/028-fix-before-you-feed-with-julie-jacobson
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/0759aabc-07b2-466f-8bc4-9f829c391c44/USA_Ep028_Jacobson_Master.mp3?dest-id=4225473
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/united-we-spay-6721497/episodes/028-fix-before-you-feed-with-julie-jacobson
Duration seconds: 1717

## Resource

In this episode of United We Spay , host Stacy LeBaron talks with Julie Jacobson, founder of Spay Tennessee and a longtime advocate for prevention-focused animal welfare. Julie shares how her journey began in a small Tennessee county with no veterinarian, no shelter, and no animal control—and how that experience led her to shift from rescue work to a strategy centered on spay and neuter. Over time, Julie helped dramatically reduce the number of unwanted litters in her community and expanded her work statewide, building a network that connects spay-neuter clinics, assistance programs, and funding opportunities across Tennessee. She explains why fixing owned pets—and ideally every pet in a household—is one of the most effective ways to reduce overpopulation , and how many impactful programs can be coordinated from a desk through smart partnerships, grant writing, and community outreach. Julie also discusses the challenges facing spay-neuter efforts today, including veterinary shortages, shifting funding priorities, and the importance of sustainable programs. Her practical insights offer a roadmap for communities looking to create lasting change through prevention. In this episode you will hear: Why prevention—not rescue—is the real long-term solution to pet overpopulation The surprising power of fixing all pets in a household instead of just one How Julie helped reduce puppy litters in her community from 100 per year to just a handful Practical steps to start a spay-neuter assistance program in your county Grant-writing tips that dramatically increase funding success Why many effective spay-neuter programs can be run from a desk instead of the road The growing impact of veterinary shortages on spay-neuter access Smart strategies for sustainable funding, estate gifts, and…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/united-we-spay-6721497/episodes/028-fix-before-you-feed-with-julie-jacobson/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497/028-fix-before-you-feed-with-julie-jacobson.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.