In college, between English and creative writing classes, I raced a few blocks downtown to volunteer at an animal shelter on Manhattan’s east side.
Indulging in books and spending time with my rescue dogs were the two pillars that sustained me through the chaos of my 20s and kept me sane and motivated every day. The north star of my career has been telling the stories of animals in need.
My first job after graduating from university was as a dog photographer. I followed him around New York City, the country, and the world, helping carry his camera equipment and documenting every dog he encountered that day. I didn’t make much money, but I loved it.
Seven years later, I had to unexpectedly let it go.
The night before my 30th birthday, I suddenly lost my job. I had two options. Either find another position or try to find it yourself. For me, the choice was easy. I had to at least try to make a name for myself by doing what I love most, which is helping dogs.
sharing my rescue dog with the world
This turmoil coincided with me moving into a new apartment with my now fiancé, Jacob, and our special needs dog, Simon.
This apartment was special because it was the first time we had a backyard after living in seven apartments in New York City. I’ve had a few dogs over the years, but with a large yard and an unusually dog-loving landlord, I decided it was the perfect time to get serious about gardening again.
I’m sitting in the backyard with Simon and one of our rescue dogs, Twinkle.
Photo: Isabel Klee
A few months after moving into our new apartment, we welcomed our first foster home, a heeler mix named Ken. On the way to pick him up, I handed Jacob my cell phone and asked him to take a video of me. I have about 50,000 followers on Instagram, where I post videos about my dog.
But I decided I wanted to emphasize the nurturing process every step of the way. I wanted to show exactly how it’s done so it’s less scary for those who want to try it themselves.
I was excited and nervous as I explained to the camera what I was doing inside the sweltering subway tunnels. We recorded it all. Ken gets out of the transport van, takes us back to our apartment, and introduces us to Simon.
One of the foster parents, Wimsey, is playing with Simon on the couch. Simon always seems to know what his foster siblings need to feel comfortable.
Photo: Isabel Klee
He then edited the clips together and posted them to Instagram and TikTok. Miraculously, for whatever reason, people loved it. The video went viral. It received 257,000 views, 27,000 likes, and over 500 comments on TikTok.
I was shocked by people’s reactions and the instant emotional connection strangers on the internet felt with Ken. So I kept going: videos of me giving Ken a bath, videos of Ken playing with Simon, videos of Ken chasing the bubbles I blew for him in the backyard. And finally, a video of Ken being adopted by his new mother.
The magic of seeing a dog loved for the first time
In the week that I had Ken, my audience grew. People wanted to see his journey and how he raised dogs in New York City. But most of all, I think, people wanted to see a happy, feel-good story unfold before their eyes, and to feel the magic that happens when a dog is loved for the first time.
After my first foster, I decided to focus primarily on fostering medical and behavioral cases. Simon has battled idiopathic epilepsy all his life, and the experience of caring for him has completely changed the way I interact with the world and my level of patience.
Poutine, who has stolen the internet’s heart, is one of our medical foster parents.
Photo: Isabel Klee
Additionally, most shelters and shelters cover all costs of fostering, including supplies, food, and any medical attention the dog may need, so all I had to sacrifice was my time and heart.
I wanted to tell the stories of dogs that would otherwise be forgotten and show the world how amazing they are.
One of our foster parents, Gus, was actually adopted by my parents.
Photo: Isabel Klee
Since Ken, I have fostered nearly 30 difficult medical cases, all of which turned out to be loving homes. I have raised over $500,000 for animal rights organizations. I’ve worked with brands like Toyota, Chewy, The Farmer’s Dog, and Williams-Sonoma. I grew my audience to over 2 million followers across platforms.
And then my biggest dream came true. I wrote a memoir called “Dogs, Boys, and Other Things That Made Me Cry,” which will be published in the spring.
I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have built a career that does exactly what I’ve always dreamed of: helping dogs and telling stories. You’re freer, you’re making more money, and you’re making a bigger impact.
Our rescue dog Itzy is sitting with Simon in the bedroom.
Photo: Isabel Klee
My best advice for turning your passion into a career
My biggest advice to people who want to turn their passion into a full-time job is to start small. Before going independent, I worked as a freelance content creator for a year and a half. I reached out to every dog brand I could think of and asked if they needed help creating content or managing social media.
My biggest client is Adopt a Pet and Kinship, where I have been able to visit shelters and introduce them to adoptable dogs. I actually quit those jobs when it became unsustainable to work full time and create content. But the connections I made definitely helped pave my path as an independent creator.
Spending time with Simon never gets old.
Photo: Isabel Klee
Every day looks different for me. Some days I’m picking up dogs from shelters and scrubbing their feces, other days I’m doing photo shoots with my former rescue dogs for Oscar de la Renta, and other days I’m sitting at a coffee shop trying to meet a writing deadline.
Through all the rescue dogs and all the journeys I document, what has become most clear to me is that dogs are one of our greatest connections to humans.
They represent life, love, loss, joy, sadness, and living each day in the moment. They keep us grounded and motivated, and when you talk about them, people can’t help but listen. Never in a million years did I think that telling my stories would be a career. But as I sit in my Brooklyn apartment with my rescue dog snoring at my feet, I’m forever grateful that I did.
Isabel Klee is a dog owner, writer, and content creator. She shares her experiences rehabilitating shelter dogs on social media @SimonSits. She lives in Brooklyn with her fiancé, Jacob, and their rescue dog, Simon. She is the author of the upcoming memoir Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About.
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