Who I am and why I do what I do

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to love animals through the full course of their lives. My family always had two cats when we were kids, a pleasure I picked up again during my first stint in college. Our first dog, Gimlet — a cairn terrier mutt with, as my father always put it, “unwanted facial hair” — arrived as a gift to my sister and me for our 10th and 12th birthdays, respectively. Since then, I have cared for animals through sickness and health, good days and those when being tempted by badness is inescapable.

We’ve been through it all

Through my own 4-legged family members, I have dealt with cancers, blindness, arthritis, food aggression, resource aggression, wanderlust, and a range of other issues. Additionally, having worked since 2008 caring professionally for a wide and diverse range of pets with an equally diverse constellation of needs, my skill set and knowledge have grown considerably. My commitment to helping families and their companion animals mesh peacefully — whether they are the best dog at the park, the most peaceful and loving of feline pals, or those who bear the unidentified scars so many adopted animals carry — continues to grow.

Animal Care is my Vocation

I came to animal care when at a professional crossroad and have never turned back. My resume speaks to my broad range of experience, including work with non-profit organizations, collaborative historical-research and oral-history projects, and an unbelievably rich education at two of the finest institutions in the country. When jobs in the humanities were few and far between, I paused my search to reconsider my options and approach to the next chapter in my life. It didn’t take long for me to realize that working with animals and their people gives shape to my best life. Caring for companion animals’ needs in good and compromised health, building trust and communication with them and their families, and experiencing them melting into me for love or clear direction, brings endless joy and incredible challenges.

Buddy

Mister

Jake