My name is Catherine and I’ve had the pleasure of growing up surrounded by many pets and 4-h livestock animals. I started pet sitting around middle school for neighbors and friends with my mom. In high school, I got heavily involved in training, riding, competing with, and caring for horses and was granted the amazing experience of gentling a Mustang during the 2016 Mustang Makeover in Ft Collins, CO. After this, I went to work at a summer camp as a Wrangler, taking children on trail rides in the mountains of Bailey CO. After returning from that summer, I took up a part-time job helping people in the animal health section of a farm and ranch store. In the mornings, I worked at a miniature Jersey cow breeding operation where I cared for and helped doctor a variety of cattle. Some job openings became available at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. A tourist attraction which includes the Ararat Ridge Zoo. As a seasonal keeper, I was blessed enough to experience handling a variety of equines, camelids, reptiles, invertebrates, large birds, and small mammals (including an African Crested Porcupine). I worked there for just over a year before moving back to the Midwest because of Lyme's Disease. After I had recovered quite a bit, I was able to take on an internship position at the Riverside Discovery Center where I had the opportunity to work with a larger variety of animals, including different species of birds, reptiles, mammals, and some work with small primates. Now, I am blessed to be working as a zookeeper at the Creation Zoo here in Kentucky. If you have any additional questions about my experience, feel free to ask.