Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Sidle.
Hi Jessie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to work with animals. As my vocabulary grew, so did the way I described my dream. First, I wanted to be a “doggy doctor.” Then it became an “animal doctor,” and eventually, I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian.
I began working in the veterinary field while I was still in high school and continued throughout my twenties and into my thirties. No matter where I worked, I always had a special place in my heart for rescue animals. I had several friends involved in rescue work, and before long, I became involved myself.
One of my first rescue experiences was with a small organization called Cleared for Takeoff. We specialized in pulling severe medical cases from Memphis Animal Services. I became their medical foster and cared for some of the most heartbreaking cases imaginable. I administered treatments, transported animals to veterinary appointments, coordinated care, and helped them recover so they could eventually find loving homes. Watching animals go from being broken and forgotten to healthy and loved completely changed my life. I fell in love with rescue.
That passion eventually led me to Memphis Animal Services, where I served as the Customer Care Supervisor. During my time there, I worked closely with rescue organizations both locally and across the country. I coordinated transports, built partnerships with rescue groups, and helped countless animals leave the shelter and begin new lives. Every successful outcome reinforced why I do this work.
My love for animals actually goes back even further. When I was in high school, Hurricane Elvis devastated our area. In the aftermath, there were countless orphaned and displaced wild baby animals. With the support of my family and under the supervision of an exotic veterinarian, I cared for nearly thirty wild baby animals at one time. Looking back, that experience taught me so much about compassion, dedication, and the incredible resilience of animals.
Over the years, I have personally fostered hundreds and hundreds of animals for both local and national rescue organizations. Every animal has taught me something different. Some needed medical care, some needed patience, and others simply needed someone to show them what love felt like.
Then came Mother’s Day of 2024.
That was when I got my first two horses, Loretta and Lanie. They became my heart and soul. They had never really been touched by people other than being fed. They were scared, unsure, and had no reason to trust humans. Today, I ride both of them, and so do children. Watching their transformation opened my heart to an entirely new world.
Spring 2025, we learned about a horse in Mississippi that was severely neglected. We paid a man $100 for him and honestly weren’t sure he would survive the ride home. We drove through tornadoes that were touching down in Mississippi to get him. On that trip home, I looked at my fiancé, Bobby, and said, “This is what I want to do. I want to rescue horses.”
We started making plans to create a horse rescue. Then we attended a fundraiser for Sadie’s Horse Haven and instantly fell in love with their mission. I planned to speak with the founder, Gina, about starting our own rescue, only to discover that she was actually looking for someone to continue the work she had started. After many conversations with Gina, the board, my fiancé, and our family, we decided to take the leap.
In September of 2025, we officially took over Sadie’s Horse Haven.
Every horse that comes into our care has a different story. Some have experienced neglect, abuse, fear, or abandonment. Watching them heal, seeing their personalities emerge, and witnessing them learn to trust again has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
In May, I left my position with the City of Memphis and began a new chapter as the manager of the Germantown Animal Shelter. Although my career path has changed over the years, one thing has remained constant: my passion for animals.
I continue to educate myself through every opportunity possible. I attend classes and trainings focused on animal handling, wildlife rehabilitation, companion animals, equine care, behavior, and animal welfare practices. I firmly believe that the more we learn, the better advocates we become for the animals that depend on us.
I am also incredibly thankful for my family. I am a mom to two amazing children and a bonus mom to two incredible teenagers. I love seeing some of our kids follow the same path of compassion and service. My son, Knox, has an incredible gift with animals. He listens carefully, moves slowly, and somehow has a way of helping scared, shut-down dogs trust him. Two of our children regularly volunteer with me at shelters and are always excited to welcome another foster animal into our home.
And none of this would be possible without my biggest supporter, my fiancé, Bobby. He supports every dream I have—even the wild and crazy animal ones. He may occasionally tell me “no,” but deep down, he never really means it because he understands how deeply I love animals and knows I would do anything I could to help them.
I often say that not everyone gets to wake up and go to a job they truly love. I am incredibly blessed because I do. My work is hard. There are heartbreaking days, exhausting days, and days that test everything in me. But even on those days, I still love what I do.
Knowing that I can make a difference in an animal’s life—to be their voice, to teach them what love and compassion look like, and to give them a second chance—is truly the best feeling in the world.
Animals have always been, and always will be, one of my greatest passions.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This is always a tough question because I’ve faced challenges both personally and professionally that have shaped who I am today.
Growing up, I was diagnosed with ADHD, severe dyslexia, and a written expression disorder. School did not come easily for me. Reading, writing, and processing information often took me longer than my classmates. I had to work incredibly hard for every grade I earned. There were plenty of late nights studying, countless hours of tutoring, and endless support from my parents. They believed in me and made sacrifices to ensure I had every opportunity to succeed, including sending me to one of the best schools, Evangelical Christian School (ECS).
Looking back, those challenges taught me perseverance. They taught me that hard work matters, that it’s okay to ask for help, and that just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it’s impossible. I learned early in life that I might have to work harder than others, but I also learned that determination can overcome a lot of obstacles.
In the animal welfare world, the greatest challenge has been learning that I cannot save them all.
Anyone who works in rescue starts with the same dream—to save every animal that needs help. Unfortunately, the need is simply greater than the resources available. There are too many animals suffering, too many cases of neglect and abuse, and not enough homes, rescues, or resources.
That reality is heartbreaking.
It’s one of the reasons I wanted to be involved in horse rescue. There simply weren’t many options available in our area for horses in need. Through Sadie’s Horse Haven, we serve Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton counties, and if I truly believe we can help a horse, I’ll go beyond those borders—even into Mississippi or wherever help is needed.
I’ve witnessed some incredibly difficult cruelty cases throughout my years in animal welfare. I’ve seen horses that were starved, neglected, scared, and forgotten. It’s hard to imagine what some of these animals have endured. They don’t get to tell us their stories with words. They depend entirely on someone to notice, someone to step in, and someone to be their voice.
That’s both the hardest part of this work and the greatest privilege.
I’m thankful that I get to be that person. I’m thankful that owners who can no longer care for their horses trust me and trust our organization to provide safety and a second chance. I’m thankful that I get to watch these animals heal, learn to trust again, and ultimately find happiness.
The challenges in my life have taught me resilience, compassion, and perseverance. They’ve shown me that difficult situations often lead to our greatest purpose. For me, that purpose has always been simple: to be a voice for animals that cannot speak for themselves and to make whatever difference I can, one animal at a time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently wear two hats that I absolutely love. I am the Director of Sadie’s Horse Haven, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) horse rescue, and my daytime job—the one that pays the bills—is serving as the Animal Shelter Manager for the City of Germantown.
I truly believe the work I do is incredibly important, not only for the animals but also for the people whose lives are touched by them. Every animal has a story, and every life we save creates a ripple effect that impacts families, adopters, and entire communities.
Over the years, I’ve seen some of the most heartbreaking cases imaginable. One of our personal dogs, Shad, was dragged behind a vehicle and suffered road rash over more than 75% of his body. It was devastating to see. My fiancé, Bobby and I took him to the veterinarian weekly for wound care, and we performed hydrotherapy on him multiple times a day for weeks. It was a long, difficult journey, but today, Shad has only a few small scars and is one of the most loving, amazing pit bull mixes I’ve ever known.
Watching him heal, learn to trust people again, and realize that not all humans would hurt him is exactly why I’m in animal welfare.
The same is true for Twister, a horse we rescued from Mississippi last year. Seeing him gain weight, recover physically, and slowly begin to trust people again reminded me why I wanted to start a horse rescue in the first place. There is something incredibly powerful about watching an animal that has experienced neglect or hardship discover safety, compassion, and love.
The animals I’ve helped have changed my life just as much as I’ve changed theirs. My goal has always been simple: make a difference in as many animals’ lives as possible. In return, I get the privilege of touching the lives of adopters, previous owners, volunteers, and everyone who becomes part of each animal’s journey.
Animal welfare isn’t just what I do—it’s who I am. Even on the hardest days, I can honestly say I love my work because I know that every life we save matters, and every second chance is worth fighting for.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I have so many wonderful memories from my childhood, but some of my biggest and most meaningful memories always involved animals.
I spent a lot of time volunteering at the Collierville Animal Shelter when I was in middle school and high school. I was always bringing home puppies, kittens, and wildlife that needed help. If there was an animal in need, I wanted to save it. Looking back, my family probably never knew what I might walk through the door with next.
Growing up, I was often told that I was just like my great-grandfather, Otis. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet him, I feel connected to him through the stories my family shared. They would tell me how he had such a big heart for animals. It wasn’t uncommon for him to bring baby pigs into the house and put them in the bathtub during the winter to keep them warm and alive.
I loved hearing those stories because they sounded so familiar to me. I like to think my love and passion for animals came from him—that it was somehow passed down through generations. Those stories taught me that compassion for animals isn’t just something you do; it’s part of who you are.
When I look back on my childhood, I realize those moments weren’t just memories. They were the beginning of my life’s purpose. Even then, I knew I wanted to help animals, care for them, and be a voice for those who couldn’t speak for themselves.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadies_horse_haven?igsh=MXIyM3hpYWU5ejExeg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1UsoqgmjDD/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-sidle-45740219b?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jessiemas2024?si=cU755-eHiDeLXxEO
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessielynn612?_r=1&_t=ZP-97W3aHGxym7
