About
Stray Dog Adventures is dedicated to guiding and inspiring individuals to find their voice, live their passion, and transform the world.
We encourage Action from the Inside Out through reflection, creativity, writing, meditation, storytelling, imagery and experiences.
Marilou has spent 20+ years working in corporate settings developing key skills in areas such as leadership development, team building, and public speaking. What matters most to her, however, is how she applies these skills directly into her passion and desire to be a voice for abandoned, abused, and neglected animals. Through her volunteer work as the President of Pet Haven of Minnesota, the largest all volunteer foster-based animal rescue in Minnesota, she has translated these useful skills into action in the world of volunteerism and animal rescue.
In September of 2006, Marilou lost her dog, Shen, a collie/shepherd mix, to cancer of the spleen. As a way to deal with the devastating grief of losing Shen, she began volunteering with Pet Haven, finding comfort in caring for other dogs in need, and connecting with a community of compassionate people.
After one month of volunteering in the dog division, she was asked to step into the role of Volunteer Director. Soon after, she was elected to the Board of Directors. Six months later, she took on the role of President and has grown the organization from a volunteer community of approximately 100 to well over 200 people. In October of 2007, she organized Pet Haven’s first ever signature fundraising event which raised over $16,000. In November, 2008 tPet Haven's second annual Fall Benefit sold out and raised over $20,000.
She has grown Pet Haven from an animal rescue organization, focused strictly on the day-to-day operations of an adoption program, to one where education/outreach, fundraising, events, marketing, communication, public relations, leadership development and creativity are all integral pieces of the overall strategy. Her networking and relationship building skills have been a key force in recruiting, and retaining volunteers, engaging dog friendly businesses to support animal welfare, and garnering increased financial support for this organization.
Marilou’s success is due, in large part, to her creative and collaborative leadership style, her inspiring nature, and her belief in the inherent good of all human beings, and that animal rescue is as much about people as it is about animals.
Finding Your Voice ... Living your Passion
The devastating pain of losing Shen led Marilou to find her voice and move toward her true passion. When one follows their true passion, listening wisely, intently and openly, to an internal call, the inertia of one’s purpose is set free - like a sailboat working in harmony with nature, life unfolds. One sets sail on a journey with the winds of creativity, passion, and clear purposeful vision. The adventure begins, and anything is possible with truth, passion and purpose at the helm.
Marilou holds in her heart, a vision of a day when there will no longer be homeless animals. Her vision, her compassion for animals, and her contagious belief in the healing bond between humans and animals has inspired many to get involved in animal rescue and to contribute their skills, whatever they may be.
Healing through creativity
Upon Shen’s death, Marilou immersed herself in creativity as a way of healing. In this journey, she developed her own interest in writing, photography, story telling and the arts. At the same time, she recognized the potential of creativity to involve new volunteers with Pet Haven, allowing space for people to contribute in many ways. She networked with local artists, photographers, graphic designers and writers, inspiring them to be a voice for neglected animals.
Stray Dog Adventures emerged from the desire to inspire others to find their voice, live their passion, and transform the world.
