We like to think that we choose our pets. But in reality, sometimes they choose us.
They find a way to burrow into our hearts until we realize that we can’t live without them. That is what happened with Rose and Maddy.
Rose was a beautiful and sweet pitbull who was, unfortunately, living in a very horrific situation. She was being kept in a home that was quite abusive and neglectful.
The poor Rose was housed inside a crate for days at a time without being given the proper care and attention she required. It probably would’ve continued on like this, but then Maddy intervened.
Maddy had come to learn about Rose and her treatment after a friend of hers confided in her about their roommate’s treatment of Rose. Maddy was horrified. She told her friend to tell her roommate to either “shape up or ship out,” meaning he had to either properly take care of Rose or re-home her to someone who would. The man did neither.
Rather than letting it go, Maddy did something. She knew she had to – she couldn’t just sit by and let something happen to Rose. So, she went to get the dog.
Maddy was prepared to possibly face resistance, getting ready to call the police if the man didn’t surrender Rose. Luckily, there was no drama. In fact, when Maddy got there, she learned that the man had skipped town and left Rose behind. The poor dog was left inside her crate with no food or water.
Even though Maddy was a broke grad student, she wasn’t going to abandon Rose in her hour of need. She bravely took her on as a foster, but it quickly became evident that it was going to be a fail. The two of them shared such a special bond, that it was impossible for her to say no to keeping the sweet dog forever. And that is how Rose became Maddy’s forever friend.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
