For as long as I’ve been working with reptiles and other lesser-loved creatures, I’ve had to carry an uncomfortable truth: Many animal welfare and conservation laws simply do not protect reptiles. At least not in any meaningful way, not in any enforceable way, and certainly not in a way that reflects the ecological importance or sentience of the animals we’re talking about. Even in my home state of New Hampshire, protections for reptiles and other essential wildlife tend to f

Why do we care so deeply about some animals while overlooking others? In this blog post, I consider what the horse slaughter debate reveals about culture, animal welfare, and the complicated ways humans decide which species to love, fear, protect, or consume. Ultimately, our relationships with animals often say as much about us as they do about them.

In 2006, during the early years of operating my reptile rescue, I received an unusual surrender. Despite not being a bird rescue, I found myself taking in a ringneck parakeet who I ultimately named Alliah. She stayed with me for a time before I was able to adopt her out to a friend in another state. Over the years, our paths crossed repeatedly. She was surrendered again due to a cross-country move, rehomed to another friend, and eventually returned to me about six years ago.

My work with animals began long before CROC existed - before the outreach programs, rescue work, nonprofit filings, or newspaper articles. This summary of my origin story shares highlights from my lifelong journey as an exotic animal keeper and explains the mission of CROC