Today we’d like to introduce you to Ronald Ducharme.
Hi Ronald, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
The Look That Changed My Life
My journey into animal welfare did not begin with a grand plan. It began with a Rottweiler named Leo—and a look I have never forgotten.
Before Rescue Magazine, I spent much of my career working in newspaper marketing across the country. I began with the San Antonio Express-News and later worked with publications such as the Austin American-Statesman, The Charlotte Observer, the San Diego Union-Tribune, and many others through a marketing company.
I enjoyed my career, but I had always loved animals. My plan was to retire someday and then find a way to support animal rescue.
Leo changed that plan.
A friend who worked in animal control knew how much I loved Rottweilers. She told me about a dog she believed would be a good fit for me—but then she gave me devastating news. He was scheduled to be euthanized at 8:00 the following morning.
I knew I could not let that happen.
I adopted him and named him Leo. He was saved that day, but eight other animals were not. Knowing that stayed with me.
One day, Leo looked directly into my eyes. It was almost as if he were saying, “Thank you. I’m so glad I’m with you.”
That look carried so much trust and gratitude. It also carried the weight of all the animals who were still waiting—animals who might never get their second chance.
I could not look away anymore.
I left my job with the newspaper and began dedicating my life to animal welfare. The first shelter I supported was the Bell County Animal Shelter. It remains close to my heart today. I now serve on its advisory board and as a consultant to the Bell County Sheriff, while Rescue Magazine works with animal welfare organizations throughout Texas and beyond.
But it all started very simply: with me sitting outside a Walmart, asking shoppers to donate bags and cans of pet food.
Those small beginnings eventually grew into Rescue Magazine, Inc., a nonprofit organization that now works alongside Walmart, Petco, Tractor Supply, and many other generous businesses and community partners. Together, we help raise and distribute approximately 150,000 pounds of pet food each year to shelters, rescues, and animals in need.
Rescue Magazine has also grown into a digital publication of approximately 120 pages, giving animals and the people who care for them a voice. We share adoption stories, lifesaving information, community resources, and the work of shelters and rescue organizations that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Each year, we host the Pet Extravaganza, now the largest pet adoption and community event of its kind in Central Texas. Our 11th annual event will take place October 24 and 25, 2026, at the Huntington Bank Expo in Belton, Texas. Thousands of guests attend from across the region to meet adoptable animals, support local organizations, connect with community businesses, and celebrate the bond we share with our pets.
I am also honored to host The Rescue Magazine Animal Hour, airing live every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to noon from Temple, Texas. The program gives shelters, rescues, veterinarians, animal control officers, trainers, and other advocates a platform to educate the public and help more animals find loving homes.
Sometimes I think about how different my life would have been if I had never met Leo.
I saved his life that day, but in many ways, Leo also saved mine. He gave my life a new direction and a deeper purpose. His eyes showed me that saving one animal matters—but they also challenged me to do everything I could for the next one, and the one after that.
One dog inspired a mission. One look started a movement.
And after all these years, I still carry Leo’s look with me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, and we nearly lost everything.
Businesses struggled, community events stopped, fundraising opportunities disappeared, and many of the supporters we depended on were facing hardships of their own. Rescue Magazine’s future became uncertain. Everything we had spent years building felt as though it could disappear.
There were moments when I truly did not know if we would survive.
But quitting would have meant turning our backs on the animals and organizations that depended on us. Somehow, we kept going. We adjusted, reached out, found new ways to connect with people, and held on through one of the most difficult periods we had ever faced. During the day, I drove for Uber to earn whatever money I could. At night, I washed equipment at H-E-B. I worked around the clock because I believed Rescue Magazine and the Pet Extravaganza were worth saving.
Those jobs were not part of the future I had imagined for myself, but sometimes your purpose asks more from you than you ever expected to give. I was exhausted, worried, and uncertain—but every time I thought about quitting, I remembered Leo. I remembered that look.
Quitting would have meant turning away from the animals and organizations that depended on us. So I kept driving. I kept washing equipment. I kept raising funds, making calls, and finding ways to hold everything together.
One of the hardest lessons I have had to accept is that you cannot save them all. No matter how much you care, how many hours you work, or how desperately you try, there will always be another animal needing food, medical care, shelter, or a safe home.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a builder, a marketing professional, and an executive leader with more than 40 years of experience in sales, marketing, and executive-level management.
I specialize in taking an idea or vision and turning it into something successful, meaningful, and lasting.
During my newspaper career, I developed an innovative method for marketing newspapers that is still being used today.
I am most proud of building the largest pet adoption event in Central Texas—the Pet Extravaganza—which brings together animal shelters, rescue organizations, businesses, and thousands of community members.
What sets me apart is my ability to see possibilities that others may not see. Once I believe in a vision, my commitment to it is unbreakable until that vision becomes a reality.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Have a purpose in life and believe in it so strongly that failure is not an option.
Pricing:
- $5 admission to the Pet Extravaganza
- Donations always support our mission
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rescuemagazine.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rescuemagazinetx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rescuemagazine
