About Jodie Jacobs
Hi, I’m Jodie!
Animals have been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Over the years, that love led me to volunteer with animal organizations, pursue training in animal care and advocacy, become a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and eventually discover animal chaplaincy.
In 2023, I was ordained as an Animal Chaplain through Compassion Consortium, a path that brought together so much of what had already been meaningful in my life: caring for animals, supporting the people who love them, and honoring the profound relationships we share.
Today, through Fosters & Ferals Animal Chaplaincy, I offer compassionate support through many seasons of the human-animal bond, from welcoming and celebrating animals in our lives to accompanying them and their people through illness, end-of-life, loss and remembrance.
At the heart of all of it is a simple belief: every animal matters, and every bond deserves to be honored.
How Fosters & Ferals Began
Fosters & Ferals began in 2021 with the Fosters & Ferals Challenge, when I made a donation to a different animal organization every single day for an entire year. My goal was to help as many animal charities as possible, large and small, by both donating and raising awareness about their work.
It was an incredible year that introduced me to so many wonderful people and organizations devoted to helping animals. You can still learn about the 365 organizations supported through the challenge in the Donation Directory.
Since then, Fosters & Ferals has continued to grow and evolve along with me. What began as a year-long giving challenge has become a home for my animal chaplaincy work, community support, remembrance, advocacy and the many ways I continue to care for animals and the people who love them.
The work may look different today than it did when Fosters & Ferals began, but the heart behind it has never changed: compassion for animals and a desire to make a difference in their lives.
My Work With Animals
My connection with animals extends beyond my chaplaincy work. I am a licensed New York State wildlife rehabilitator and have had the privilege of caring for injured and orphaned wildlife, with the hope of giving them the opportunity to return to the wild whenever possible.
I also serve on the Board of Directors of Farm of the Free Animal Sanctuary in Good Hope, Georgia, an organization dedicated to providing lifelong sanctuary and compassionate care for rescued farmed animals.
I serve as an Ambassador for the Animal Communication Collective, a community devoted to deepening understanding and connection between people and animals.
Each of these experiences continues to shape the way I see animals and the work I do. They remind me that compassion is not limited to the animals who share our homes. It extends to farmed animals, wildlife, animals in rescue and sanctuary, and all the beings with whom we share this world.
Animal Chaplaincy
Becoming an Animal Chaplain brought together many things that had long been important to me: my love of animals, my belief in the significance of the human-animal bond, and my desire to offer compassionate support when it is needed.
My chaplaincy is rooted in presence, compassion and respect for each person's individual beliefs. Sometimes that means sitting with someone who is facing the loss of a beloved companion. Other times it may mean creating a ceremony, offering a blessing, celebrating the arrival of a new animal, remembering an animal who has died, or simply making space for someone to talk about an experience that matters deeply to them.
I believe the relationships we share with animals deserve to be recognized and honored, not only at the end of their lives, but throughout the journey we share with them.
Qualifications & Training
My work is supported by specialized training in animal chaplaincy, pet loss and bereavement, companion animal end-of-life care, animal hospice, animal Reiki and wildlife rehabilitation.
Animal Chaplaincy Training Program Graduate & Ordained Animal Chaplain — Compassion Consortium
Certified Pet Loss Bereavement Specialist — PetLoss Partners
Companion Animal End-of-Life Doula — University of Vermont
Animal Hospice Group Certification Program Graduate
Let Animals Lead® Animal Reiki Level III Practitioner
Two Hearts Pet Loss & Grief Companioning Certification
Fear Free Shelter Program Graduate
New York State Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator
