Our live-in nanny, Jacqueline, already had 4 years of experience raising and caring for our other two daughters. When we brought Amy home from the hospital and unwrapped her on the rug, Jacque came right over. Amy was welcomed into our family with sniffs and licks, as well as cuddles from her two older sisters. Jacque raised all three of our girls - teaching them how to walk by holding onto her, cleaning up their food messes, keeping them herded when playing outside, and staying close when they spent time with the horses and cats next door. Jacque even went on family vacations and taught the cats we adopted how to behave in the house. Most importantly, Jacque taught the girls respect, responsibility, and unconditional love.

 

Amy went on to work at the Timonium Animal Hospital part-time while she was going to school. As soon as she started driving, she added a leash to her Jeep’s equipment. She never knew when she would see a dog wondering along the side of a road. She was like a “dog magnet” one of her officer friend’s said. Amy would pull over and inevitably, the dog would come to her, hop in her Jeep, and Amy would find it’s home or bring it to the house until she found the owners. This carried into her policing career - a leash and dog treats were part of her patrol car equipment, too.

 

But it wasn’t just dogs that Amy loved. While at Essex, she saw a turtle attempting to cross a busy road. She stopped the patrol car and carried the turtle to safety on the other side. Another time, while on patrol, she came across a large, injured bird and was able to assist it getting the help it needed. And all the while, calls for “dog sightings” continued to come in.

 

In her married life, Amy and Tim adopted Doodle, a brindle Pit mix, from The Humane Society of Harford County. Doodle is now ten years old and remains very much loved by Tim and her extended family - which includes her many four-legged peers. She is a living reminder of Amy and her love for animals.