I have never met an animal I did not like. As a young boy, I was incredibly awkward, shy, lonely and depressed. My father was against having pets, so I went out of my way to meet the animals around my neighborhood. Eventually, the owners of these pets would ask me if I could do things like walk them and watch them when they were out of town. News spread around my neighborhood and to the next, and eventually all over the small town. For years, I was the go-to for pet owners who could not afford other services. Although my parents would not allow me to charge them, they usually handed me a few dollars. As an adult (39) I am, oddly, not a pet owner. The reason for this is that I travel a lot and I am rarely at home. Unfortunately, I don't see this often among aminal lovers. I know that my lifestyle would not be great for an animal, and because I love them I won't own one until my life slows down. This is why I always volunteer for shelters (or other nonprofits) in my spare time, or I'll seek out roommates who have a lot of pets and might need a helping hand once in a while. Lastly, my prices may be higher than most but I promise there is a good reason behind the extra dollars.