I don't cry often. I have quickly trained my mind to suppress any and all emotion to get the "job" done. If you sit and think too long about the horrors you've seen, or the things you've had to do because of others mistreatment, you wouldn't go on to the next day. Sound dramatic? Ask … Continue reading To The Core
I’d like to paint a picture for you. A Veterinarian enters room one. They had just walked into the clinic and read lab results of one of their long time patients. The dog is in kidney failure, and they are heartbroken. Yet, they shake it off and proceed to their first exam. Upon arrival into … Continue reading There Will Be More
It feels strange writing after so long of feeling utterly silent. Even more so, it feels strange writing about something other than animal welfare. But right now I have a hard time writing about animals when there feels to be this weight on my chest of heartache over my own species. This sickening feeling of … Continue reading To Freely Breathe
"I have to put that one down tomorrow", the animal control officer mutters under her breath as I walk back inside. "Who?", I ask. "That pit you just took outside". My heart dropped to my toes as I asked the reasoning. She went on to tell me that she bit a child on the back … Continue reading Your Only Friend
I see death a lot in my profession. Every damn day, to be more specific. I see broken and beaten and yet still manage to not let it shake me very often. I remember coming home in my first weeks of internship, crying on the bathroom floor after all I had seen the day prior. … Continue reading Not for Disposal
Colombia, its people, and their animals are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It has been a dream to work alongside some of the best of best in high volume, proficient spay and neuter in this incredible country. We’ve worked grossly hard and played even harder. We’ve laughed until we couldn’t breathe … Continue reading At the top of the hill
During my yoga class the other day, I felt my mind wandering. Not to anything that was on my list of "to-dos" or to the week ahead, but to the past. Every time we would settle into a pose, and begin to aim our mind towards calmness and peace, I was brought back to a … Continue reading Finding Fire in the Burnout
I should be on a plane to Cambodia right now. Instead, I'm sitting in the Seoul Airport in the fetal position on one of the Delta Lounge's scoop style "relaxation chairs" on my way to the states. The only relaxation being had right now is induced by the pain killers and anti inflammatories I have … Continue reading Change of Plans
The intake area at an open admittance shelter is my least favorite room in the entire building. It weighs heavy, and often times the emotions are palpable enough that once you walk through that front door, it might as well smack you in the face. The intake team is essentially the first line of defense … Continue reading I Met Your Dog Today
I get asked all the time, "Why Thailand?" This question is often times followed up with, "There are so many dogs here in the states that need saving". Trust me, I am well aware of the overpopulation crisis in America, and every waking second that I am there is usually spent in some capacity trying … Continue reading Being Patient In Your Present
Animals remind me daily why we as humans aren't close to worthy of their unconditional love, undeniable devotion, and unwavering faithfulness. I thought I would start a series of short stories of five times they have proven this to be true. I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I did writing about … Continue reading Five Times
It was almost intoxicating being there. The near perfect buzz from the blazing sun pushing down on us as we rode the four wheeler through miles of untouched land, set the prime conditions for an even greater high of what was to come in the next days. I was invited by the Serengeti Foundation's Director, … Continue reading Be Still, My Serengeti Soul
In the months leading up to my departure to Thailand, I've found myself in a constant state of "preparation". Whether I am working practically every day to ensure I have the funds to leave, or spending my few and far between off days making sure everything is in place for me to live across the … Continue reading Where You Should Be
I walked by your kennel last night. Your old, frail body shivered with every breath you took. The tiniest of things, your white fur thinned throughout; much better than the matted messes we are used to. When I approached, you didn't flinch; your deafness made quickly apparent. I sat with you and examined your neglected … Continue reading Your Very Last Friend
It was absolutely frigid the day we found them. Coming from Colorado, I had high hopes of it being just a little warmer in the New Mexico sun. Clearly, after years out of the game of spay and neuter clinics, I had forgotten that just crossing a state border wouldn't do much good. In fact, … Continue reading The Parvo Pups
