Hello everyone!! My name's Maria-Andrea (Andrea for short) and I'm originally from Santa Cruz, California. I moved to the coast of North Carolina nearly two years ago and have always had the biggest heart for every kind of animal. Growing up, I had every kind of 'starter' pet you could think of- fish, turtles, lizard, etc.. always hoping to some day be able to adopt a fur companion. From as early as I can remember I was determined to show my family that I was responsible enough for a furry friend, so I became the neighborhoods dog walker and pet/house sitter in hopes to grow my skills and knowledge in what it would take to care for a dog or cat. I also volunteered at the local animal shelter and won an award in school for dedicating most service hours in my grade at the time! After a couple of years building relationships with animals around my neighborhood, I was finally granted my first miracle- rescuing a sibling pair of kittens for my 12th birthday, a day I will never forget. From there, our furry family grew. We now have another cat and two dogs! After high school, I moved to Oahu, Hawai'i for school and a fresh start. Unfortunately, my fur family I worked so hard to build had to stay behind (not to worry, they are in my childhood home with family!). Today, I am in NC with my 5 month old aussie (so I am familiar with high energy breeds and puppies) and our newly rescued stray cat. I can't stress enough how much love I have for animals and hope that if given the chance, I can share that love with yours!