Daily Inspiration: Meet Kati Scheibeler

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Kati Scheibeler.

Hi Kati, We are so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always been involved in animal welfare, my mom being the biggest contributor to my interest. We lost a dog we never got back when I was a kid. Over time I became involved in and learned tracking and trapping techniques from friends in rescue and recovery- and it became a much bigger part of my life approximately 7 years ago.

Now, I work with a variety of people, mostly women, in Denver, Fremont County, and across the state. We have even provided guidance for others across state lines. We communicate with other trapping groups in other states. We connect and collaborate in creative ways to ensure pets get to safety and home to their owners.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The hardest part about pet recovery is managing the people. Sometimes owners don’t listen, and sometimes owners aren’t the best and are negligent. Sometimes good people want to help but cause interference. Sometimes landowner support isn’t available. Sometimes communication with authorities can also prove difficult but we find we maintain very good working relationships with most agencies.

Additionally, money can be a factor in recovery so we donate a lot of our own to equipment, subscriptions, bait, etc. Sometimes shelter support and space can be an obstacle.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am currently a stay-at-home mom (and many of the women I work with are retired or are homemakers). Some do trapping more professionally but almost all we associate with are nonprofit or volunteer-based. I work part-time on and off for an agency I’ve been with for nearly 10 years in an investigative/enforcement role as well.

So for me, pet recovery is not a full-time gig- although it probably could be. We- the people I work with- are constantly monitoring social media, Craigslist, and shelters, scanning animals, picking up stray and DOA animals, and communicating with various groups working on matching lost and found pets, making flyers, and chatting with owners.

Usually, I am the one who communicates with law enforcement or provides more compliance information and trapping and tracking directives. We help raise money and help owners make sure they’re taking all the appropriate steps related to finding their pet.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risks can be varied in this work- from financial burden to unmonitored traps. We are very much about risk mitigation when dealing with animal welfare. We have laws and steps for a reason. But when trapping sometimes you might have to use high-reward bait when there are predators around. That is sometimes scary but necessary.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086897686300&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/IsInwdBQ4EA?si=Vf8CVwt_qLEfbXZQ
• Other: https://www.9news.com/article/life/animals/women-find-lost-pets/73-ecc133b9-4793-4ddd-bf57-55604587b070