Zack Skow's Unbelievable Battle to Save 300 Dogs from Hell | Ep. 259 | Pt. 1

Mike Drop

Mike Ritland

Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Documentary, Politics, News

4.9 • 6.3K Ratings

🗓️ 30 September 2025

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this powerful episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike sits down with Zach Skow, founder of Marley’s Mutts and the Positive Change prison-dog program. What begins with the chaos of evacuating nearly 300 animals during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan unfolds into Zach’s raw story of addiction, survival, and redemption. From a troubled childhood to end-stage liver failure at 28, Zach was given 90 days to live. Saved by his bond with dogs, he rebuilt his life through sobriety, whole foods, and purpose. His recovery sparked Marley’s Mutts, a movement that rescues animals, transforms prisons, and helped Kern County achieve no-kill status. Together, Mike and Zach tackle the shelter crisis, breeding pitfalls, and the power of community education. Vulnerable, unflinching, and inspiring, this episode is a testament to second chances and leading with purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	We had an evacuation plan.
0:02.0	Almost 300 animals that we are trying to get out of Kabul before America leaves.
0:09.0	The United States government would not support any sort of a mission.
0:13.0	The only way to get a mission carried out was for us to take it on our side.
0:18.0	Imagine we're still in Afghanistan.
0:21.6	We've just left Bogram so logistically we're free because that was where you could pull
0:26.6	off a whole lot of evacuations and exits and with that gone, we're just focused on H-Kaya
0:31.6	and there's very little you can do out of that airport.
0:34.6	We think we're going to be okay.
0:36.6	We think we might be able to make it work. But the commander says to us, hey, we've got to go think we're going to be okay. We think we might be able to make it
0:37.8	work. But the commander says to us, hey, we've got to go, we've got to go quiet. Something bad's about to
0:41.8	happen. We said, what are you talking about? What do you mean? He goes, just in 10 minutes,
0:45.1	turn on CNN. And that's when Abbey Gate blew up. When hunting isn't about hunting at all,
1:00.0	Team Dog features comprehensive and customizable meal plans
1:04.0	with dry and raw food options to meet your dog's unique nutritional needs,
1:09.0	including digestive sensitivities, allergies, or selective
1:13.0	eating.
1:14.2	Did you know combining 75% dry food with 25% raw food delivers robust, nutrient dense meals
1:22.5	for your dog?
1:24.5	Be your dog's hero with Team Dog.
1:37.1	Ladies and gentlemen, as always, it's both an honor and a pleasure to welcome my next guest to the podcast.
1:41.7	He's the founder of Marley's Muts Rescue and Positive Change Prison Dogs program.
	...

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