{"podcast":{"title":"United We Spay","slug":"united-we-spay-6721497","podcast_index_feed_id":6721497,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/494283/rss","website_url":"https://www.unitedspayalliance.org/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/a/7/9/5/a795a5dc01dbc474e5bbc093207a2619/Final_UWS.jpg","author":"United Spay Alliance","episode_count":33,"summary":"Welcome to United We Spay - the show dedicated to promoting affordable spay/neuter services across the USA and beyond. In each episode, we delve into the heart of a movement that's changing the lives of animals and communities for the better. Our mission is clear: build awareness, educate, and empower. In this podcast, we'll explore the inspiring stories and voices that drive the spay/neuter movement, all while keeping our eyes on the bigger picture. Hosted by Stacy LeBaron, our team at United Spay Alliance is here to make a difference by tackling the root causes of overpopulation, ensuring that every animal has the chance for a better life. Join us as we embark on a journey to address the problems and pain points faced by grassroots rescue and shelter workers, and the general public. We'll answer the three most common questions we receive, discuss the challenges of finding low-cost spay/neuter services, and explore strategies for recruiting more veterinarians to support these crucial efforts. What truly irks us is when the animal welfare space fixates on the symptoms of overpopulation, rather than focusing on prevention through spay/neuter. We believe it's time to change the conv…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-02T18:19:15.165816+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497"},"episode":{"title":"Beyond the Boundaries: The Inspiring Story of Dr. Jeff, the Rocky Mountain Vet with Melinda Grohol","slug":"beyond-the-boundaries-the-inspiring-story-of-dr-jeff-the-rocky-mountain-vet-with-melinda-grohol","published_at":"2026-05-07T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497/beyond-the-boundaries-the-inspiring-story-of-dr-jeff-the-rocky-mountain-vet-with-melinda-grohol","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497","url":"https://0759aabc-07b2-466f-8bc4-9f829c391c44.libsyn.com/beyond-the-boundaries-the-inspiring-story-of-dr-jeff-the-rocky-mountain-vet-with-melinda-grohol","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/0759aabc-07b2-466f-8bc4-9f829c391c44/USA_Ep030_Grohol_mixdown.mp3?dest-id=4225473","summary":"What does it take to go beyond what's prescribed, to follow a calling, and to tell a story that simply won't let you go? In this episode, Stacy LeBaron speaks with Melinda Grohol, a longtime freelance writer whose passion for people and animals led her to write the official biography of Dr. Jeff Young — the beloved veterinarian known to millions as Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet on Animal Planet. Melinda's connection to spay/neuter runs deep. Growing up in a time when pet reproduction was simply left to nature, she witnessed firsthand the consequences of unchecked overpopulation. That early awareness, deepened by friendships with shelter workers and encounters with advocates like Esther Mechler and Dr. Jeff himself, solidified her belief that spay/neuter is the most powerful tool available for preventing animal suffering. The book, Beyond the Boundaries: The Life and Times of Dr. Jeff, the Rocky Mountain Vet , traces Dr. Jeff's remarkable journey — from his pivotal early decision never to euthanize healthy animals, to his work training veterinarians both in the U.S. and around the world, to the personal challenges that have shaped his life and career. Melinda shares the stories that moved her most, including the chapter featuring letters from former students Dr. Jeff trained, the forward written by United Spay Alliance founder Esther Mechler, and memorable tales of Fred the clinic dog — a golden retriever Dr. Jeff rescued and who now tends to recovering patients in the clinic. Melinda herself is a bookseller at Barnes & Noble with a long career writing about people and causes that make a difference. She describes feeling genuinely compelled to tell Dr. Jeff's story — certain that if she didn't, she would regret it for the rest of her life. In this episode you will hear:…","meta_description":"What does it take to go beyond what's prescribed, to follow a calling, and to tell a story that simply won't let you go? In this episode, Stacy LeBaron sp…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1493,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/united-we-spay-6721497/episodes/beyond-the-boundaries-the-inspiring-story-of-dr-jeff-the-rocky-mountain-vet-with-melinda-grohol/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/united-we-spay-6721497/beyond-the-boundaries-the-inspiring-story-of-dr-jeff-the-rocky-mountain-vet-with-melinda-grohol.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}