The best 2 jobs in the world! | State College pet photographer

As a kid, people always ask what do you want to be when you grow up? My answer changed a few times over the years, but one thing was consistent, I wanted to work with animals. From being a veterinarian, to the next Jane Goodall or Jacques Cousteau, to an animal trainer, I knew one way or the other, animals would be a part of my career.

Shortly after graduating from Penn State with a degree in animal behavior, I started a pet sitting service. I figured I’d do that for a few years making some money before heading off to graduate school. Before I knew it, the business had grown so fast that I was working almost 100 hours a week, sometimes more. I loved what I was doing. There’s nothing like starting my day with a dog greeting me with slobbery kisses and ending it with a sad puppy face when I get up to leave and go home.

I’m fortunate that I found my dream job at an early age. I’ve been self-employed since I was 23 and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve worked with hundreds of dogs and cats and a few birds, chinchillas, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters and iguanas along the way. I’ve been bitten, I’ve been hospitalized, I’ve had stitches, I’ve laughed, I’ve cried and I’ve made many wonderful friends over the years.

Because of this experience, I get how much pets mean to their owners. I understand when you leave town and you worry about your fur-babies or how hard it is to see your fur-baby in pain after a surgery. I also know all too well how hard it is to say good-bye when it’s time to let our fur-babies go. We do so much for our fur-babies - from buying quality dog beds, to taking them on vacation with us to including them in our Christmas cards – they truly are a part of our families.

I’ve been photographing my furry pet sitting clients through the years so that I could forever capture the memories of the times I shared with them. I have a dozen or so photo albums of all the fur-babies I’ve met. It only seemed natural that one day I would open a pet photography business. Looking back, it's clear that all these years of pet sitting have been preparing me for this new adventure in my life. Now, I can say, I have the two best jobs in the world!