The Human-Canine Alliance (TH-CA)

Loneliness is a health risk. Connection is care. Dogs are part of the solution. Loneliness is now considered a greater public health risk than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. — U.S. Surgeon General At the same time, approximately 390,000 healthy dogs are euthanized in U.S. shelters every year. — National shelter outcome estimates These are not unrelated problems. The Human-Canine Alliance (TH-CA) Podcast explores the growing crisis of human loneliness and disconnection—and the overlooked role trained, intentionally matched rescue dogs could play in addressing it. This podcast is about people who feel isolated, disconnected, or unsupported in modern life. It’s about the quiet absence of companionship, routine, and purpose that impacts mental, emotional, and physical health. And it’s about the parallel reality in shelters, where capable dogs lose their lives—not because they lack value, but becaus