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I grew up with mostly smaller, caged animals as pets: a guinea pig, a rabbit, a gerbil, two hamsters, a cat, and a chinchilla. For some reason, my parents never allowed me to have a dog, so I lived vicariously through friends to get my dog fix. I now have a 140 pound Great Pyrenees mix named Juniper. The dog in my profile picture is my 70 pound Chow/Bulldog mix, Maximus, who recently passed away.
Growing up...
I grew up with mostly smaller, caged animals as pets: a guinea pig, a rabbit, a gerbil, two hamsters, a cat, and a chinchilla. For some reason, my parents never allowed me to have a dog, so I lived vicariously through friends to get my dog fix. I now have a 140 pound Great Pyrenees mix named Juniper. The dog in my profile picture is my 70 pound Chow/Bulldog mix, Maximus, who recently passed away.
Growing up I worked at the SPCA as part of their volunteer staff. I cared for smaller animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs; dogs of all sizes; barnyard animals, such as horses, sheep, pigs, and turkeys. The SPCA required its employees, both paid and volunteer, to be trained using positive reinforcement techniques for their dog program. Their goal was to break bad habits, increase socialization, and eventually teach the dogs tricks and good behavior, such as leash etiquette, sitting, rolling over, etc., in order to increase their chances of being placed in a good home.
I have worked in two aquariums. At one I supervised visitors at the touch pool, maintained the tanks and aquatic habitats, fed the animals, and gave informational lobster presentations throughout the day. I also conducted research on the evolutionary development of the horseshoe crab. At the other, I worked as part of the animal husbandry staff inside the penguin exhibit. After Hurricane Katrina, they rescued the penguins from the Aquarium in New Orleans and temporarily incorporated them into the penguin exhibit where I worked. My responsibilities included feeding, monitoring health and behavior, and maintaining an Arctic habitat for twice as many penguins.
In 2009 I switched from Active Army to the VA National Guard to go to graduate school. The DC Metro area is a diverse cultural intersection, and I thrive in its academic metropolitan environment. I enjoy kayaking, running, and movies.
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