Like most veterinarians, I always knew that I wanted to be a vet. Growing up with dogs, cats, rodents, birds, fish, even a chinchilla, and I thought of my pet companions as furry, feathered, or scaly extensions of my family. Even as a child, I wanted to help animals, rescuing injured and abandoned animals from around the neighborhood and nursing them to health. Animals have always been an important part of my life. Dedicating my life to helping them was an obvious choice for me.