I'm a huge animal lover, and my family always had pets growing up. I became the default caretaker for family members' and friends' pets! I was always taking home abandoned baby bunnies, squirrels, and birds when I was a kid, sometimes to the chagrin of my parents who joked I was going to open a zoo in my bedroom. Over the years, I've owned dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, turtles, and have also cared for horses and cows. Currently, I have a French Bulldog/Pekingese mix who is sweet and really mellow, along with a dwarf bunny who has a big personality. I'm a dog person, but my love extends to all kinds of living creatures, and I would love the opportunity to care for cats, livestock, and any other animal in need of attention. I volunteered at my local animal shelter for almost two years, beginning in high school. I primarily worked with pit bulls since they make up such a high percentage of the rescue population. That was my first time handling dogs that were much more difficult than my own, but I enjoyed working with them to help them to get adopted. It was hard for me to not adopt them all! Leaving them at the end of the day broke my heart. For over four years, I worked as a veterinary assistant for a company that provided mobile preventative care clinics. That exposed me to hundreds, if not thousands, of dogs (and cats) of different breeds, ages, sizes, personalities, and temperaments. Not only did I have to interact with them, but I also had to hold them for vaccines and blood draws, so it's safe to say I'm comfortable with any and every dog. Through that job, I also met my first professional dog-sitting client, Ava, the sweetest dog you'll ever meet. I’ve been sitting for her family for two years now and I can’t see myself doing anything else. How can you have a bad day when you get to hang out with animals? The best week of my life was when I dog-sat each of my sisters' dogs; with the two of them plus my own, I got to wake up literally surrounded by dogs every morning. I’m an easygoing, creative, and honest person. I think animals, especially dogs, are people detectors, and animals always seem to be comfortable with me. I will always have your dog’s best interest at heart and will always focus on your pup’s health, safety, and happiness. I am available evenings and early mornings on weekdays, and I have open availability on weekends.