Meet Meagan~ a jack of all trades who has been involved with Pet Haven for the past 6 years. There’s not a hat that Meagan hasn’t worn during her time at Pet Haven: foster, foster mentor, foster coordinator (we’re sure we’re forgetting something!) Meagan currently serves as the Dog Intake Coordinator for shelters, which means she’s responsible for “pulling” dogs from local shelters and placing them in foster homes. Meagan also manages Pet Haven’s Facebook page, making sure that our social media followers are kept updated on what’s happening at Pet Haven (and in social media land)! You can find Meagan behind a camera at Pet Haven’s adoption events, snapping pix of adoptable pups~ as well as at our special events throughout the cities.

PH: What is the name of the people and animals in your home?

M: My husband Parker & our pups Ryker (crabby old man) & Otis (wily little mutt)

PH: Why did you decide to volunteer with Pet Haven?

M: I had fostered for a couple of other rescues prior to coming to Pet Haven and their priorities/values and my priorities/values just didn’t align. Prior to signing up to volunteer with Pet Haven I talked to a lot of rescue community folks and did a ton of research on various rescues. All my research led back to Pet Haven being an organization that is not only great to animals but also great to their volunteers. After nearly 6 years volunteering with Pet Haven I can say with confidence that this is 100% true.

PH: What inspires you to volunteer with animals?

M: I have a huge soft spot for the defenseless; regardless of species – but I’ve always had a connection with animals (except snakes; I just can’t.). I just cannot look away when I see injustice happening, and volunteering with an animal rescue organization allows me to feel like I am doing something to create a solution. Like I am making a difference.

PH: What is your most memorable volunteer experience?

M: Oh gosh I have so many! It would probably have to be reuniting with my very first Pet Haven foster dog, Phoenix (fka Otis). He was severely abused by his original owner and he had a lot of issues both physically and emotionally. He was with us for nearly a year before he was adopted to an amazing home. Although I got updates on him, I didn’t get to see him again for 3 more years. Due to the abuse he suffered for the first year of his life he is – and always will be – shy with new people and when I first saw him for our reunion I thought “there’s no way he will remember me”. And at first he didn’t. But after about 10 seconds of sniffing me HE WENT BANANAS. Crying, jumping, kissing. He knew who I was. He remembered our time together. And his reaction was the best thank you I could have ever gotten. Dogs like him are the reason I do this. The tears and time sacrificed to get him to where he is now… wow… worth it. So so so worth it.

Favorite….

Animal – Dolphins

Food – Pizza

TV show – Real Housewives (any)

Movie – The Green Mile

Band – Lady Antebellum

State – To live: MN, To visit: Southern Utah