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When I was seven years old my family and I adopted a dog from an outdoor shelter--his name is Onyx! This is the first memory I have of being exposed to adopting an animal, and I began learning how they truly become a part of who you are.

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Next, my family and I adopted our second dog, Annie, two days after we adopted Onyx! This was the first time I saw how the power of love could change a dog's life.

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After we adopted Onyx and Annie, we adopted our third dog, Scooter! This was a pivotal time for me because I realized animals were going to play a very important role in my life. Unfortunately, Scooter was taken from us too soon, and this was when I developed a yearning to help senior dogs--which I later would do in my job.

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The adoption of our dog, Woofy, taught me at a very young age how to interpret a dog's body language and non-verbal communication. This would greatly benefit me later life!

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Two years later, our fifth adoption was not planned. My family and I worked with an organization where we were going to foster a dog through his leg surgery; however, we quickly fell in love with him, and he became our lucky number five! His name is Georgie!

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Our next adoption was a little twenty-five pound cocker spaniel mix who brings so much joy to my life--her name is Roxy! Roxy came to us when I was in eighth grade and was another foster-fail.

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My family and I adopted our seventh dog when we began volunteering with a local animal shelter in SC, and his name is Rudy! Rudy continues to teach me that dogs are more like people than we think in that they have deep emotions and feelings too.

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My family and I thought our lives weren't crazy enough, so we decided to adopt three kittens who were left in a storm drain after a hurricane. Mr. Cuddles, Lil' Lovey, and BT are three brother and sister tabbies. These crazy cats are so affectionate and loving!

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Our ninth adoption was in the form of two kittens--Sasha Fierce and Sweet Pea and they were found abandoned in a box outside, and developed a disease where they lost their eyes. Through fostering and adopting these two, I learned how though they lost one key sense, their other senses heightened so much more!

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Fostering has become a huge part of who I am today. Before I got involved with the shelter, I thought my family and I could never foster an animal because we would get too attached. However, the joy I experience whenever I am able to be a part of an animals second chance, and see them thrive in their new forever home, is the best gift.

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This past summer I was finally old enough to work at the Humane Society of York County! The months I worked at the shelter have given me an entirely new sense of purpose and work ethic. The shelter, and the work they do there, has played an irrevocable role in my life, and has truly shaped me--my passions, interests, and abilities--into who I am today.

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After a rocky start this fall at the College of Charleston, I am thrilled to be at High Point University. This fall, when I was applying to be re-submitted into HPU, I had to work hard since I would be transferring in the Spring Semester and there were a limited number of spots. I believe the work ethic and compassion I learned through working at the shelter and with animals has become such a vital part of who I am and is the reason I am here today! I am a business major and I will continue to volunteer/work with animal shelters, and I hope my career after college will be able to incorporate shelter work as well.