Stacy H.

My love for animals began during the toughest times as a child. I loved sitting in the yard and catching bugs, listening to the birds, and hanging out with the cats around my neighborhood. Anytime we went to someone’s home I was always loving and hanging out making friends with the house pets. I just always found animals to be so comforting. When I was in foster care, I would always go to the park after school to do my homework and swing just to listen to all the squirrels and birds. It was an escape. Such beauty in a life full of confusion. Made me happy to hear natures music. When i was adopted at 13,my family had 2 cats. They were declawed. I realized they couldn’t play independently without human interaction. It broke my heart. That sympathy within me only made me want to hangout with them more than my new family. Being from the south animals are seen differently by many. Either feared or a trophy. I have never feared an animal like I do humans. All the mistreated pets and wildlife drove me to work on my education in the Vet-tech field by the time I went to college. Throughout my life any injured animal I found I mourned their pain and suffering. Did all I could with no experience to help them. Always wanted to help, but never knew how. I did my own capture and release with my financial aid and worked on a trailer park that was over crowded with stray and feral cats. Found one pregnant beauty and made her and her 2 boys my fur babies. When I decided to sacrifice my education to get married and support my husband’s career in the military is where I would just go on hikes and enjoy the beauty in the state of Washington. Seen so many fascinating things that you could never get from a zoo. It made me enjoy wildlife so much more. I have 6 rats that I love so much currently. Started with 2, one passed and rescued another. Then my sister had a “snake bait”rat that her snake wouldn’t eat and asked if I wanted it… Duh! I didn’t rehome him fast enough on the trip up here. Longer a story short I have 6 now. We got to Virginia after many years and like I would always do I came upon a duck with a badly injured wing in my yard. I reached out to a wildlife hotline and the rest led me to where I am now. I fell in love with the beauty of Virginia and it’s seasons long before that moment, but I want to be apart of what makes Virginia such a beautiful place. It’s different habitats and wildlife. When I found out I could be a volunteer, I became a transporter right away. Urgently wanted to get all those animals to their second chance, meeting great rehabbers along the way. Inspiring me to do more to help. As I met all of them, I began to lean more on doing more for them. Became a cat IV and transporter. Then, when I was ready. I wanted to become a cat 1 rehabber. I just have so much love and compassion for animals and wildlife conservation that I needed something to put it towards. I found my calling.