I have always had a dog in my life and have taken care of others’ pets since I was in middle school. I adopted my current dog, Ryleigh, when I was 14, and she has been with me through high school, undergrad, and grad school. She is special needs and requires a few unique accommodations, but she is my best friend. In high school and undergrad I was a volunteer, committee member, and board member for my local humane society. Through these positions, I helped adopt out around 700 dogs, most of which I can still name and picture to this day. That will always be my favorite job I ever had. In addition to my experience with dogs, I am the proud owner of 90+ plants and two lizards. I have experience with most exotic pets and am not afraid to learn about new ones.