Sophomore Sascha Wadhams is the owner of two pets: a warmhearted Doberman Bluetick Coonhound mix named Rolo and an adorable calico cat named Bia. Both adopted from shelters during COVID-19, Bia joined the family on the first day of the pandemic and Rolo was a birthday present for her younger sister. “We like to walk and play with Rolo, and Bia’s an outdoor cat, so sometimes she joins us on walks,” Wadhams said. “They’re both friendly and love to cuddle with each other.”
Government teacher Jonathan Taylor has two lovable labradoodles named Sophie and Lucy. His previous labradoodle, Maggie, motivated him to get two more for a number of reasons, one being their hypoallergenic nature. “They don’t shed, so we’re not having to pick up dog hair.” Mr. Taylor said. His family takes the dogs on long walks in their neighborhood and to a nearby field where they can run around. “I couldn’t imagine not having a dog,” Taylor said. “I should get a bumper sticker that says ‘I want to be half the man my dog thinks I am.’”
Economics teacher Christopher Hinsvark owns two
dogs, one cat, three snakes and one bird. The snakes,
Drago, Nagaraja and Nagani, reside in custom made
enclosures and occasionally enjoy cooling off in a
kiddie pool during the summer. Mr. Hinsvark also
hikes with his dogs on the trails near his house. “I
think everyone should have pets,” Hinsvark said,
“and I highly encourage people to rescue animals
instead of [buying] purebreds.”
History teacher Rebecca Garrigues has two dogs:
a small maltese poodle named Prince and a large
pitbull lab named Jackson. Both were adopted; the
former had been her husband’s childhood dog and
the latter was found through a Craigslist ad. The
two dogs are polar opposites; Jackson loves outdoor
activities like going to the beach whereas Prince is
a homebody. “[Jackson] lets the little dog bark and
boss him around,” Ms. Garrigues said.
Junior Muhammad Nazim Bromund owns a shorthair cat named Pepper. His family had been given the cat after it wandered onto his mother’s friend’s doorstep. “I picked the name to match my friend’s cat Saffron,” Bromund said. Despite his old age, Pepper still remains energetic and loves to be outside. “I like to crinkle a piece of tin foil or paper and play catch with him,” Bromund said. “He doesn’t always return it though.”
English and theater teacher Sara Hashem Liles owns two very different pets: Gary, a leopard gecko, and Sammy, a Samoyed dog. Ms. Liles adopted Gary in hopes of adding a low maintenance pet to the family. “We saw that they had a leopard gecko at the animal shelter, and we already had all of the equipment,” Ms. Liles said. Sammy, much like Gary, was meant primarily for her children, especially for her six-year old son. “He’s like an emotional support dog for my son,” Liles said, “It’s like he knows his job.”
Senior Alanna Yang is the owner of a goldendoodle named Nari. Nari has been in the Yang household for close to three years and will celebrate her birthday in March. She additionally has the unique ability to sing along to musical tones and instruments, gaining respectable popularity on the Chinese messaging app WeChat. “I like to refer to Nari as a world-famous, award-winning singer,” Yang said.
