All About Change

Lee Asher - How Rescuing Dogs Rescue Us

All About Change

Show Notes

All About Change is on break for the holidays. For now, we are re-airing one of our favorite episodes, Jay’s conversation with fellow dog lover, Lee Asher.

Lee Asher is known for his positive presence. Visit the Asher House page and you'll be met with countless videos of Lee greeting animals getting a second chance at his Oregon sanctuary. But Lee's struggles with mental health don't often get the same spotlight.

Lee joined host Jay Ruderman to talk about the importance of pet adoption, resilience, and what it took to go from a 9 to 5 to running a 240-acre animal sanctuary. The two also discuss Lee's long road with depression, and what changes he'd like to see in the animal rescue community.

Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro (00:51) The connection between dogs and humans (03:30) The impact of Lee’s childhood (08:01) Resilience (15:38) Lee’s unconventional career path (20:19) The animal adoption RV (25:22) Lee moves to social media (30:45) Moving from an RV to a sanctuary (32:08) Lee’s natural instincts around the animals he adopts (34:12) How to get involved (35:52) Goodbye

For video episodes, watch on www.youtube.com/@therudermanfamilyfoundation

Stay in touch: X: @JayRuderman | @RudermanFdn LinkedIn: Jay Ruderman | Ruderman Family Foundation Instagram: All About Change Podcast | Ruderman Family Foundation To learn more about the podcast, visit https://allaboutchangepodcast.com/

Looking for more insights into the world of activism? Be sure to check out Jay’s brand new book, Find Your Fight, in which Jay teaches the next generation of activists and advocates how to step up and bring about lasting change. You can find Find Your Fight wherever you buy your books, and you can learn more about it at www.jayruderman.com.

More from All About Change

May 11, 2026

After years of sharing stories of relentless activists and world-shapers, All About Change is taking an intentional break. Even the most dedicated movements need a moment to recharge, and we’re doing exactly that.

Apr 27, 2026

Kenneth Cole, has been a fashion icon for decades, innovating a unique and lasting style for which he is known. But he comes to All About Change to talk about another of his great passions: mental health awareness. Kenneth won the 2025 Morton. E Ruderman Award in Inclusion, an award my foundation presents to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Apr 13, 2026

Few things bring me joy and hope quite like young people who are already involved in making the world a better place. Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with celebrity chef Eitan Bernath. The youngest individual ever to be named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Food and Drink, Eitan found success cooking on Tik Tok, and quickly moved to TV, where he has served as the Principal Culinary Contributor on the Drew Barrymore Show on CBS since 2020.

Mar 30, 2026

In light of the ongoing crisis and the profound resilience of the Iranian people, we are revisiting this timely conversation with Princess Noor Pahlavi.

Mar 16, 2026

Sometimes the hardest type of activism is the activism that happens inside ourselves. It’s easier for us to give others support and grace when they need it than it is for us to look in the mirror and do the same for ourselves. For recent guests Jeffrey Marsh and Jackie Goldschneider, this internal activism became a platform from which they were able to support others, and today’s guest Ari’el Stachel is doing that same work.

See all episodes →