385: What if you found healing through saving abandoned dogs?

This Is Actually Happening

Wondery

True Crime, Tiah, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.6 • 9.9K Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

When a woman is brought to her knees by unimaginable grief, she finds her way forward by transforming her pain into a sanctuary for forgotten dogs.

Today’s episode featured Tamara Corbitt. If you’d like to reach out to Tamara, you can email her at [email protected]. You can find her and her rescue, Travieso Dog Sanctuary on Facebook and Instagram @Traviesodogsanctuary

To see dogs available for adoption or to donate, please visit the website for Travieso Dog Sanctuary at http://traviesodogsanctuary.com.

Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason Blalock

Content/Trigger Warnings: Child loss, Fatal car accident, Grief and traumatic bereavement, Parental abuse (physical and emotional), Substance use as coping, Animal illness and death (parvo, puppy loss), Rescue of abused/abandoned animals, Family estrangement, Descriptions of emotional distress and trauma processing, explicit language

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com

To Pre-Order the Limited Edition BOOK, hand-numbered and signed by Whit for shipping by December 8: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/the-book

Website for Andrew Waits: andrewwaits.com

Website for Jason Blalock: jasonblalock.com

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Intro Music: “Sleep Paralysis” - Scott Velasquez

Music Bed: Uncertain Outcomes

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Wondry Plus subscribers can listen to exclusive episodes of This Is Actually Happening
0:05.0	by joining Wondry Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:09.6	This Is Actually Happening features real experiences that often include traumatic events.
0:13.9	Please consult the show notes for specific content warnings on each episode
0:17.0	and for more information about support services.
0:30.4	Hi listeners. I'm thrilled to share that you can now pre-order the special This Is Actually Happening Book that we've mentioned over the last couple weeks. This is a
0:35.2	beautifully illustrated book of 10 of the most beloved episodes of the show, including an introduction by me. This is a beautifully illustrated book of 10 of the most beloved episodes of the show,
0:39.1	including an introduction by me. This is a limited run of the book and each copy will be hand-numbered
0:44.6	and personally signed. If you pre-order now, we can guarantee shipping by December 8th to arrive in
0:50.4	time for the holidays. To order, please find the link in our show notes. And you can also
0:55.0	find it in our Instagram bio at Actually Happening. So if you're looking for something meaningful
0:59.8	to give this year, one that also helps support the show. This book makes a beautiful gift for a fan
1:05.0	or for yourself. And now on to today's episode. What if you found healing through saving abandoned dogs?
1:14.6	It feels like when you take a sock and turn it inside out.
1:19.6	Maybe put the sock over your head.
1:21.6	You can't see.
1:23.6	You can't think clearly.
1:25.6	You're covered in grief.
1:34.8	From Wondery, I'm Whit Misseldine.
1:38.5	You're listening to This Is Actually Happening.
1:45.2	Episode 385.
1:48.7	What if you found healing through saving abandoned dogs?
	...

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