I’ve spent decades working hands-on with animals. I grew up immersed in animal care. My grandparents were dog breeders, and I began working on a farm at age seven, including daily care and riding horses. I also worked in my mother’s dog grooming salon as a brusher/bather and grooming assistant, gaining strong experience in safe handling, restraint and behavior assessment. I served as an Animal Control Officer and Animal Inspector for three years and am currently the volunteer director of a 501(c)(3) animal rescue. My experience includes cruelty, neglect, hoarding, and seizure cases, emergency stabilization, and rehabilitation of animals arriving in poor physical or behavioral condition. Dogs are a major focus of my work. I have extensive experience with dogs of all sizes, breeds, energy levels, and behavioral backgrounds, including fearful, reactive, senior, and special-needs dogs. I also have experience with basic training and structured handling. Through my rescue, I have coordinated and personally transported large groups of animals, often 30 to 40 dogs and cats at a time, over distances exceeding 1,500 miles to bring them safely to New England for adoption. I am a 2018 graduate of the Animal Control Officers Association of MA and hold certifications in pet psychology, training, and animal communication. I am also a wildlife rehabilitator specializing in baby opossums and volunteer regularly at a local animal shelter. I have five dogs, a cat, a horse and frequently foster dogs. I am experienced administering oral and injectable medications, recognizing early signs of illness or distress, and I am Feline and Canine CPR certified. Animal care isn’t just my profession, it’s my everyday life, and I treat every pet and home with the same care and respect I give my own.