People always say the best experience is hands on and that’s exactly what I have. I started out as a volunteer at the Humane Society of Walden. That’s where I met my soul dog, Thor and we’ve been inspearable ever since. But, I couldn’t stay away from the shelter and when a position opened up I jumped right on it. I worked at the shelter for 2 ½ years taking care of the dogs. I started out as a kennel worker and then my amazing manager gave me the oppurtunity to transition into becoming an enrichment specialist for the dogs. My responsiblites included making sure every dog was both mentally and physically stimulated for the day. That could range anywhere from walks, play groups with multiple dogs, play time in our dog park, puzzles, sniff work, etc. I have been around many different types of breeds and I shy away from none. I’ve worked with incredibly shy, scared, and nervous dogs to loud, boastful, and endless energy type of dogs. Whenever we received new dogs into the shelter, whether from another organization or a stray, we never truly knew the extent of a dog’s background. Because of that I’ve learned how to read a dog’s body language, be incredibly patient, and allow the dog to open up to me on their terms. Every animal is truly an individual and what may work for one might not work for another. My dog has weird quirks that if I explained to someone who was not an animal person, they’d be like “huh?,” and look at me like I was a crazy person. So don’t feel bashful about telling me about your pet’s silly quirks or routines.

Although I have more experience with dogs, cats are no strangers to me. When I first started out at the shelter I’d work on both the dog and cat side. Granted at first I was more scared of cats funny enough because I had only ever grown up with dogs and to me cats were a little more intimidating. However, I quickly realized why people loved cats so much. They are smart, clever, little things who you can’t help but admire. And they can be big ol loves and goofballs. Cats can take a little more time to accept you but once they do.. man oh man there’s no other love quite like it. My mom now has cats that I’m completely smitten with and always tempted to take one home with me.

At the end of the day, I’m an overly honest person who just so happens to love animals more than people. I tend to be quite introverted and often find being with animals more peaceful and amusing than being with people. It always astonishes me the connections we build with animals without speaking to one another. It’s truly remarkable. That’s why animals deserve the upmost respect and care. And that’s what I always strive for with your pets. You shouldn’t be stressed or worried during your time away and you won’t have to be with me looking after them. I have all the tools and knowledge to ensure your pet is happy, safe, and well loved in my care.