Why Heartland? Amelia wanted to volunteer because she loves animals and wanted a way to give back. She works with humans in a very stressful job and says, “It can be frustrating sometimes so I love spending time with animals. Honestly, volunteering at Heartland has been better than I ever imagined and so good for my mental health.”

Amelia started out as a floater volunteer given her changing work schedule, which was really helpful in shoring up short shifts from week to week. She has since joined the weekly Monday PM shift where she is enjoying learning the produce role.

Favorite Part of Heartland: “Learning all of the animals personalities and spending time with them.”

Favorite Heartland Residents: “My favorite resident was Daisy the cow. I just loved her gentle nature and how huge she was. She was so sweet and she really was such an amazing animal. Currently, I would say Fonsi is my favorite although he is terrified of me. It is my goal to try to win him over! I also just adore Frankie. It’s hard to pick a favorite!

Outside of Heartland: “I love spending time with my dog and two cats, going on hikes with my husband and reading.”