From the start we had a lot in common: a lack of coordination, the need to put our mouths on everything, and an inability to hold our bladders.
Needless to say, my bond with Sandy (named after the dog in Annie), was immediate. All jokes aside, she was my best friend for sixteen years and our friendship inspired my love of animals.
It wasn’t until my third year of college, and far from the unconditional support of Ginger, my family’s next four-legged family member, that I discovered my interest in health and fitness. I started walking on a regular basis to get away from the computer and relieve stress. Having never been very physically active in the past, I was surprised to find I enjoyed walking so much that, in time, I started walking longer and faster, eventually progressing to running. Over summer break, I kept the momentum and walked and ran with Ginger. It was so wonderful taking control of my well-being with my best friend who was also benefiting from activity.
As I transitioned into the working world, I never lost sight of the impact and joy animals and activity brought to my life. Not yet able to have my own dog (darn you work schedule!), I began volunteering at a local city shelter. I quickly gained respect as an experienced, trustworthy dog handler and even taught other volunteers how to handle and train the shelter dogs. It was both heart breaking and tremendously rewarding work.