The short story: I'm a university teaching professor who loved meeting furry friends over summer break. I'm back in the classroom, but still enjoying time Rovering on a limited basis. The long story: Ever since I was a small child living on a farm, I've loved caring for animals: goats, pigs, chickens, sheep, cows, and a few surly ponies, we had them all including, of course, cats and dogs. After my mother sold the farm and transitioned to more "traditional" pets, this did nothing to diminish the quantity. At one point in my teen years, we had 4 dogs, 4 cats, 2 rats, 2 guinea pigs, 3 mice, 2 ferrets, 4 birds, and countless fish. While I cannot match the volume of my mother's menagerie, I am proud to say that I inherited her love for them. I currently live in southern Maine with the furry love of my life, Sir Newton Wendell P Wigglesworth (majestic cat). I recently lost my adopted fur-daughter, Dora Eloise (the sweetest dog) to cancer. Newton is getting along in his years and while I would love to introduce him to new friends, I recognize that my schedule is not as flexible year-round as it is during the summer. Of note, Dora was a special-needs dog and I've cared for other special-needs animals in the past so I am very comfortable with some aspects of extra care. I'm also adept at handling large dog breeds, having had two 100+ pound sheepdogs myself.