Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to have a dog or cat because of my family’s allergies. You would often find me at a friend’s house playing with their furry family member instead. Even to this day, I am still unable to have my own pet. But, I turned that emptiness into lending a hand to shelters in need. I devote time to walking animals calmly, sitting with them patiently, playing with them enthusiastically, feeding them responsibly, just letting them decompress so we can get to know one another.