Panting Pooches: About Linnea

I spent my first 18 years growing up in the Chicago suburbs, and my parents will tell you, I was always fascinated with nature. When I was 18, I headed to south Florida and earned my bachelors degree in biology with focuses on marine biology and zoology. While in college, I became an assistant at a local animal hospital and learned so quickly that within months, I became a veterinary technician. It was there that I met my first dog, Pepe. A newly adopted puppy who was so ill, his new family couldn’t afford to take care of him, and into my lap he fell. After graduation, I moved back to the Chicago area and immediately started working at an animal hospital there. Within a few months, I become the hospital director, in charge of both the medical and office teams. Eventually I had the opportunity to pursue my marine biology degree, and took an internship at Brookfield Zoo outside of Chicago, working with bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, Grey seals and Harbor seals. It was an amazing experience that most would covet, but I didn’t feel the connection I felt with dogs. Despite spending 4 years of college in preparation to become a marine biologist, I was more interested in dogs than dolphins. Another amazing opportunity presented itself after my internship, and I became a hydrotherapy associate at an in-ground pool designed for canine hydrotherapy. I spent 8 hours a day in a swimming pool teaching dogs how to swim. Most were there for rehab purposes, some would come just to exercise in the cold Chicago winter months, many came to maintain joint mobility, and some were there just to have fun swimming. It was there that I learned about TRUE canine health. Well, with a heavy heart I left hydrotherapy in the fall of 2009, and moved to Tucson and once again I was the veterinary technician director at my new animal hospital. During my time there, Zoey came into my life. Found on the street with very obvious neurologic symptoms, she still had her collar and tags on. We repeatedly contacted her family, who no longer wanted anything to do with her, given her recent medical situation. She came home with me, was accepted by Pepe, and within weeks, her disease resolved with minimal side effects. Yet again, another amazing opportunity presented itself and I was offered a job at an absolutely beautiful Integrative animal hospital in Tucson. There I learned about the combination of western and eastern medicines, as well as acupuncture, supplements, the importance of minimal vaccine protocols, proper nutrition, and rehab modalities. After a year there, I once again left a facility that taught me so much, but happily it was due to marrying my husband and moving to Hereford! After living here for a few months, my husband and I decided it was time to bring home a third dog. During a trip to the Sierra Vista shelter, we instantly fell in love with Sarge, a staffordshire terrier, and adopted him on the spot. After living here for 18 months, we bought our first home on 4 acres in Hereford. In December of '13, I adopted 2 adult cats being fostered by a great friend in Safford. Renamed Nova and Naveen (both meaning 'new'), they have a new lease on life. I have started to leash walk with them, but they also now have their own enclosed catio where they can go enjoy the outside world when they wish. In the spring of 2014, a kitten popped out from underneath our shed and decided to make us her family! With no one looking for a lost kitten in our area and her feral behavior, we realized she was born an outdoor cat. She had every opportunity to leave but decided this was her new home. We named her Kitty and she now comes inside every night, but back outside during the day to be the barn cat she loves to be.
With 2 humans, 3 turtles, 3 pooches, 3 cats and our flocks of chickens and ducks ... our family keeps growing!