Melanie L.

“ My parents bought me my first dog before I was born, while my mom was pregnant. They got me a beautiful German Shepherd who was my protector and "Velcro" friend until she died when I was 9. My father was an electrical contractor who brought home strays from every job site he worked. From him, I inherited the "stray gene." My home has always been a zoo, from baby birds fallen out of nests, to feral cats that...

My parents bought me my first dog before I was born, while my mom was pregnant. They got me a beautiful German Shepherd who was my protector and "Velcro" friend until she died when I was 9. My father was an electrical contractor who brought home strays from every job site he worked. From him, I inherited the "stray gene." My home has always been a zoo, from baby birds fallen out of nests, to feral cats that it took months for me to get to eat from my hands. I would catch them and bring them to be spayed and find homes for them.

No, I'm not a hoarder and my wonderful husband of 38 years attempts to reign me in or else we would have far more than the two dogs that we have now. We are from New Orleans and fled from Katrina, who took our homes, our jobs, and our will to rebuild in a city where we no longer felt safe, but although we packed our truck to the max with as much as we could, we made darned sure there was room in the back seat for our two big dogs, a German Shepherd and a Pit Bull-mix. We would never have left them behind like so many did.

I've worked most of the last 10 years in clinical research, a very rewarding field when you see patients get positive responses from the new treatments, however, it is a very intense job.

Now that I've put Katrina behind me, I would like my life to take a different turn. All my life, I've done pet-sitting for everyone I know. My nickname in the neighborhood was Dr. Doolittle because I have no fear of animals and get along with them all. I've never been paid for my services but always enjoyed doing it. I now hope to put my experience to good use and make a small living from it and leave all the intensity and pressure behind me. Being in the midst of a coral full of horses is as therapeutic to me as is having a cat weave figure eights around my ankles or having a huge sloppy kiss from a dog.

I promise anyone who entrusts me with their animals that they will never have to worry about their welfare. They would be treated as my children and spoiled absolutely rotten.

Thank you for your consideration.

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