Her Story
About Sally
Sally Hubbard serves as Director of Humane Investigations and Community Programs at Save-A-Pet in Grayslake, Illinois. She began her career in animal welfare in 2003 after earning a bachelor's degree in animal sciences from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 2002. Hubbard started as a veterinary technician and advanced through the organization, now leading humane investigations, community programs that support pet retention, spay-neuter services, and a trap-neuter-release program she established for community cats. She maintains certification as an Animal Welfare Administrator through the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, which she renews every three years. Hubbard attributes her professional success to her family and the dedicated staff team at Save-A-Pet. She works remotely from her farm in Indiana while continuing to support the organization through trainings, dog play groups, and staff education on animal behavior.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sally
01What do you attribute your success to?
100% my family, and then the team of staff that I work with. We're very lucky to have such a wonderful team.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Take care of yourself to avoid compassion fatigue, which is common in the field. It's okay to take care of yourself because if you're not there, you're not there to help the animals. Know your limitations and focus on what you can control.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Believe in yourself. Don't give up and stick with it. You'll continue to learn your entire career, which is one of the things that I absolutely love.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Staffing challenges because non-profits can't always compete with pay rates. Financial challenges due to cost of living and economics affecting everything, like rising costs of services and emergency care that owners can't afford. Finding ways to support people with grants so they can keep their animals.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Trust, honesty, and transparency. Having things out on the table and communicating even in uncomfortable conversations. Seeing everybody from their perspective and trying to understand what they're going through so you can better help them and their animal.
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