Honoring Roots, Healing Hearts: A Conversation with Heather Gibson of Big Hearted Breeders
In this heartfelt episode of the Sharing Passion & Purpose Podcast, I’m thrilled to introduce you to someone truly special—Heather Gibson, founder of Big Hearted Breeders, a family-centered program dedicated to raising the healthiest emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and service dogs possible.
Heather’s story began long before she bred her first animal. She and her husband spent more than a decade as foster parents and ultimately adopted four of their children from foster care. Throughout their journey, one truth continually surfaced: children naturally seek comfort, connection, and healing through animals. At the same time, her husband’s work toward his PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy deepened their understanding of the emotional support an animal can provide.
Their search for a therapeutic pet originally led them to a rare cat breed they couldn’t find locally. After finally locating three kittens, their family fell in love—and eventually welcomed a female they could responsibly breed to help other families like theirs.
But everything changed with one simple conversation. A college student who received one of their cats experienced a remarkable emotional shift. When Heather shared the update with her own college-age daughter, she casually replied, “Mom, I’m not a cat person—I’m a dog person.”
That moment sparked a new chapter.
Heather dove into researching the very best emotional-support and service-oriented dog breeds, which ultimately led her straight to the Mini Golden Retriever—a breed known for its temperament, intelligence, and unmatched capacity for connection.
Today, Heather and her family honor their roots by helping people—especially children, young adults, and families navigating emotional challenges—find trusted, healthy, purpose-bred companions that truly make a difference.
This episode is full of heart, intention, and purpose. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to raise service-minded animals with extraordinary emotional intelligence—or you simply love a story about passion leading to purpose—you won’t want to miss this conversation.
You can find Heather online: BigHeartedBreeders.com