Rarely have I met a person as well-equipped to the task of animal caregiving as Mary. My husband and I have two dogs, Sandy and Dandy (I know), one of which (Sandy) is particularly fussy and difficult to handle, not to mention having his fair share of health issues in old age. My husband and I travel regularly for work and Mary has always been our go-to dog sitter when we are out of town. Not everyone has the wherewithal to handle a grumpy old hound and a 1-year-old puppy, but our needy dogs have always been exceptionally well cared for in Mary's capable hands. As a marine biologist, my husband and I have dedicated our lives to the wellbeing of our sweet animal friends, so I mean it when I say we have high standards for human-animal partnerships. We are all part of the cycle of life, human or dog or anybody else. We all deserve a chance to reach for our dreams, however small, and we all deserve someone like Mary. Okay, I'm getting a little carried away here!! Suffice to say, Mary is excellent. She is currently raising a Blue Heeler of her own to great effect; a sweeter pup you are not likely to find.