How I came to love dogs: When I was eleven, I convinced my parents to get us a miniature schnauzer puppy, who we named Fufu. We all fell hopelessly in love with Fufu and grew closer as a family. The eye opening experience of loving a dog drove my mom to become involved with animal rights organizations in China, and a few years later, I helped her rescue a stray puppy from Shanghai named Muffin. Fufu passed away in 2017 at age 11 from kidney disease, and I have never seen my parents more heartbroken. They currently cherish Muffin, a source of joy and comfort to us all. I know firsthand that dogs are family, and it is my mission to treat all animals with the love and care they deserve. Experience caring for dogs: I grew up hearing my parents repeat the maxim: "a tired dog is a good dog." I am passionate about giving dogs the exercise they need to be happy and healthy. In addition to routinely walking and hiking with our family dogs, I volunteered at my local animal shelter for 3 years in high school, so I became familiar with taking care of dogs of difference ages, temperaments and needs. After finishing college in Boston, I moved to New York City in 2016 to explore creative pursuits while providing pet care services through Rover. I started off with walking dogs, then progressed to dog boarding and daycare as well as cat care. Over my 7 years in New York City, I got to know many adorable pets and their kind owners as well as all the best leashless dog parks and spots around the Hell’s Kitchen/Columbus Circle area. Nothing makes me happier than seeing dogs romp around freely. I recently moved to the Assembly Row area in Somerville and am looking foward to resuming my pet care services and building lasting connections with local pets and their owners. Experience caring for cats: Although I never had a cat growing up, thanks to Rover, I have extensive experience caring for cats while their owners are away. It is a pleasure for me to play with them, brush them and try to give them affection and attention while they are missing their owners. I also have experience administering oral medication via syringe or pill pocket and giving subcutaneous injections. One thing I have learned over the years is that just like people, every pet is different and has unique needs. I look forward to getting to know your good boy/girl.