For the last twelve years, my father and I have been rescuing stray dogs. We’ve fostered them, provided medical care, adopted some of the animals ourselves, and placed others in their forever homes, forgoing profits with all of our costs coming out-of-pocket. We saved these animals in our small town of Lula, Georgia, a community overrun with stray dogs and cats. I was so fascinated by how well my dad was able to work with the animals, training them well and, in many cases, nursing them back to health. Over the decade we cared for these beings, my father saw how connected I was to the cause, and over time he taught me everything he knew: I’ve been learning about training, health, and animal welfare for half my life, and now I want to take my skills and connections with animals to the next level. I worked with dogs (and cats) daily through high school and college, and as a recent University graduate, I have decided to return to my roots full-time by giving my love & care to animals who need companionship, discipline, connection, and empathy.