We zoom out from one Brooklyn block to the entire city — tracing how decades of underfunding, housing instability, and broken policies pushed New York’s animal shelter system to the edge. Featuring advocates, rescuers, and city officials, this episode explores what happens when good intentions meet broken infrastructure — and what it would take to build a more humane, sustainable model for care.

Featured Voices:

* Mike Begej — Colony Caretaker

* Maxwell Branch — Community Program Director, Flatbush Cats

* Angelica Moreira — Community member, Symbie’s mom

* Symbie

* Justin Brannan — New York City Councilmember, 47th district

* Roxanne Kelley — Colony Caretaker

Learn More / Related Links:

* To learn more about Flatbush Cats, visit our website: flatbushcats.org

* Full episode transcript here.

Underfoot is hosted by Will Zweigart and Virginia Marshall. Field reporting by Sarah Gabrielli, with additional reporting by Priscilla Alabi. Episodes were recorded at Good Studio in Brooklyn, and mixed and mastered by Will Whatley. Podcast art was created by Lazy Chief and the series was Executive Produced by None Other.

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