At The Drake Center, it’s no surprise our families are a bit…furry. From dogs and cats to horses, chickens and an emu, we’d like you to meet the loves of our lives—our pets. 

Proud pet parent: Loree, Registered Veterinary Technician

  • Miss Mia Miaw, DSH
  • Trouble, DSH
  • Misty, DSH
  • Gladys, Lhasa Apso mix
  • Two fish, five snails and a hermit crab

If you had to choose, would you say you are a cat person or a dog person? Why?

I'm definitely a cat person. Go ahead, call me a crazy cat lady. I appreciate their independence, attitudes, athleticism and most of all, their purring.

How did you get your pets? Why did you choose those particular breeds?

When I was attending technician school, Mia was one of the cats that we practiced on with daily temperatures, blood draws and injections. She had been given to the program after her owner died of cancer. At the end of the semester, we were told that she was going to the shelter and would probably be euthanized because of her awful knees (though I’m sure that wasn’t true). I'm the sucker that took her home. I received an eviction notice a couple weeks after sneaking her into my apartment—no cats allowed!  She boarded at The Drake Center for another four months while I waited out my lease and found a new living situation. She's been my best buddy for eight years now!

After the apartment ordeal was over, Lorraine (one of our receptionists) let me rent a place on her property. That's where I got Trouble. One day a cat just showed up in the barn and had kittens. I probably didn't need another pet at the time, but the kittens were impossible to resist! One kitten in particular was exploring and getting into mischief long before the others, prompting Lorraine to often remark, "Here comes trouble!" That turned into a perfect name—and she lives up to it daily!
I adopted Misty from the San Diego Humane Society two years ago. She had been relinquished when her owner's mother got cancer and the family became overwhelmed. While in the shelter, Misty developed some medical issues of her own. I wanted to adopt a "special needs" senior cat, so I drove down to "just look.” Ha!  I signed the paperwork to adopt her after 10 minutes of "just looking." And what an amazing, wonderful cat she has turned out to be. The San Diego Humane Society did an amazing job of caring for her (she was there for a year!) and adopting her was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I plan on adopting all my future pets now.

Gladys came from the Escondido Humane Society. Once I bought a condo, I kept my eye on the shelter's website, checking a few times weekly. After three years of looking for my perfect dog (old, small and quiet), a little Lhasa Apso mix appeared. She came into the shelter as a stray—an old, unsprayed, matted, deaf and blind dog found wandering around Escondido. Unbelievable. Once again, I went in to "just look."  As fate would have it, she met me at the front door. Just as I was entering the shelter, a volunteer was taking her out for a walk. And with that, my choice was made. There's no doubt in my mind that she was meant to be my dog, and I was meant to be her human.  A lot of people didn't understand why I adopted her. I heard a lot of comments like, "She's too old", "She's a train wreck" and "She'll be too expensive, but they only helped strengthen my conviction that this was the right decision. She's just a sweet old lady who deserves a warm bed, some good food and a little extra kindness.

What is special about your pets?

I'm convinced Mia is the most intelligent member of the household—or at least the most clever. She manipulates me on a regular basis. In her world, everything is a puzzle to be solved. Mia can open any cabinet or drawer. She can escape from any cage. I've even seen her unlock the deadbolt on my front door. Twice.

The majority of chaos in my home starts with a cat named Trouble.  Sometimes I think I should try changing her name just to see if it’s part of the problem. When she's not listening to the devil on her shoulder, she's actually my sweetest cat.  Trouble is quite content spending hours snuggling with and grooming the other two cats.  She'd spend the entire day on my lap purring if I let her.

Misty is a wonderful cat.  She is sweet, funny and round!  An amazing patient, she has even let me draw blood from her at home by myself—now that is a good cat!
Gladys amazes me every day. She just puts her head down and trusts where her nose (or my leash) is leading her. She doesn't feel sorry for herself and enjoys the things she can (sleep and food, for example!).

What is the cutest thing about your pets, physically?

Mia is so sweet when she sits on my lap.  She'll "hug" onto my hand with her front feet.

Trouble is hilariously un-athletic. She falls off of things, runs into things and trips over her own feet. It sounds like I have a Labrador when she's running down the hallway.

Misty has a big, round Buddha belly and loves having it rubbed!  She literally flops on her side then rolls on her back for tummy rubs, just like a dog.

Gladys will often sleep with her tongue sticking out. It is quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen.

What do you let your pets get away with that you probably shouldn't?

The cats are allowed everywhere, but they especially love the kitchen. Why use the three cat trees when there are kitchen cabinets to play on?  I also feed Misty a lot of table scraps.

Gladys gets away with sleeping in my room.  Pets are NOT allowed in the bedroom at night...or at least they weren’t until Gladys.  When I was first introducing her to my home, I let her sleep in my room for the first couple nights. Then weeks. Now she's been there for ten months and I don't see it changing.  It's her safe area, so it's fine by me. At least she's blind and will never be on the bed (can't have her falling off!).

What is your favorite memory or story about your pets?

A couple months after I adopted Misty, strange things started happening around my condo. Clothes would go missing, dish towels would be misplaced.  I'd come home to find random pieces of clothing all over the place. One day there was a trail of socks, towels and mittens leading from the bedroom to the front door.  I knew it had to be the new girl, but she never did it when I was home. Finally, one day I found her in the hallway, sock in mouth. She looked at me, casually put down the sock and walked away like nothing happened. She does this almost every day, but I've only caught her two or three times. It's hilarious.

What do your pets bring to the dynamic of your family?

My cats bring me so much happiness every day.  It is impossible to not laugh with these three running around.

For the little I have been able to give Gladys, she has given me so much more in return. She has been a gift—a lesson in patience, humility, acceptance and trust. An example that things always work out. A reminder to follow your convictions and try to do what is right and kind when you can.