Help Me Help Pets & Their People

I am originally from Sugar Land, Texas which is essentially Houston’s next-door neighbor. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to become a veterinarian and began pursuing this passion of mine from a young age. As my parents witnessed (my dad begrudgingly haha), I began to collect strays and made them our family pets. My thought was that every animal should have a safe place to call home. 

I was able to accomplish my dream in 2014 when I graduated from Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine. During my studies there, I accepted an Army health scholarship and thus began my Active Duty career at Ft. Hood shortly after graduation. A year later, I was moved to Ft. Carson and ‘the rest is history’. I’m lucky to have family in Colorado Springs to include my dad (who lives with me…talk about a funny role reversal…I’m now yelling at him to clean his room!) and my brother and his family. My dear mom passed away in 2014; she shared my passion for animals and was truly a wonderful mentor and mom.

I separated from the Army in May 2018 and began working in the private practice sector. However, in September of 2020, I began working back on Ft. Carson as their civilian veterinarian and continue to work there now.

While stationed at Ft. Carson I met my inspiring friend and colleague, Dr. Lauren Seal. She began volunteering her time with The Street Dog Coalition as the Team Lead for Colorado Springs. She would invite me to volunteer with her and this opened my eyes to this truly incredible organization! The Army has since moved Lauren and her family elsewhere and I have been doing my best to fill in her ‘shoes’. 

My first official clinic was held at the Veterans Stand Down event at the City Auditorium last year. It was a blast! Since then, I have been lucky enough to continue the partnership that Lauren solidified with the Springs Rescue Mission and have been hosting clinics there frequently. They are wonderful hosts and are doing all they can to support our homeless brothers, sisters, and their fur babies.

I am truly inspired by people such as Lauren as well as the staff and volunteers with The Street Dog Coalition, the Springs Rescue Mission, Fox Run Veterinary Hospital, Hamlett Spay and Neuter Clinic, Apex College of Veterinary Technology, etc. These truly wonderful and dedicated people allow me to ‘keep the faith’ in humankind. 

As written by Cecil Frances Alexander (and later adapted by Dr. James Herriot for his book series), “all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.”