The Pet Connection’s
Walking the dog, it takes some of us years and then some to decide what it is that we want to do with our lives!
As a young girl growning up in a small town in Iowa, I was always drawn to my passion and what has become of my life and life’s dream. From the baby pictures with the family dog, to the graduation article proclaiming that when I grew up, I’d have a grooming and boarding business and run a rescue.
Welcome to what is my life!
I first started out my ambitions in 1980 with a receptionist/kennel job in Canon City, Co, working with and for Dr. John Kenline.
The hours weren’t what anyone would call ideal, but it was my first step towards working and caring for animals. Getting up to clean kennels only to return later in the day to answer the phone, run the front desk and assist in surgeries.
Knowing then, that was the direction I wanted to go, it brought me to work with a very fine gentleman and an awesome veterinarian; Dr. Scott Burt at Highland Animal Hospital here in Big Spring, Texas. As receptionist, kennel tech, and assistant this gave me the start of what have been many, many years of working with animals in every aspect that one could imagine. I have a long resume of certifications, experience and hands on working with domestic, livestock and wildlife animals. I ran and operated a very successful boarding and grooming buisness for 15 years. During that time I also became a Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist.
I teach an at home behavior training course for dogs. I completed a workshop for the National Horse Abuse Investigators School, Level I and Level II, a certificate for S.A.N.E Handling for shelter and rescue dogs; certified in the Gifted Animal Placement
Program, and a basic and advanced certification as an Animal Control Officer. I’ve attended Tecas Animals in Disaster System Training class. I am recently certified in Dog and Cat CPR, allong with many other certifications and training classes.
I have hosted a live Pet Talk radio show, The Pet Connections Pet Talk for 13 years on the local radio station every Saturday morning and bring lots of pet information to my listeners. I’ve been the past Chairman for nine years on the City of Big Spring’s Animal Control Advisory Committee and set as the Chairman on the City’s new Animal Rescue and Adoption Committee. In my spare time I run and operate All Creatures Sanctuary and Rescue, a sactuary for abused and neglected animals.
I am now excited to add to my many lists of accomplishments, a column in the Big Spring Herald Life section.
I will be bringing you infromation on many different aspects about pets. Real life infromation based on my own life’s experiences and heartbreaks as a dog/cat/horse/goat/cow mom. I hope that through some of the information that I share with you, you will look at pet ownership with a new responsibility and passion.