Some of junior Savannah Blue’s fondest childhood memories center around one obscure location: Chow Hound.

Harkening back to her younger years, Savannah can recollect regularly running errands with her grandma to the pet store. Within the vividly colorful aisles, she’d roam, attempting to build relationships with every animal she passed. In an effort to bring light to their otherwise dreary lives, she’d criss-cross between rows, saying hello to cats, hamsters, and guinea pigs as she went.

Making new furry friends brought Savannah a familiar sort of joy, something she clung onto even outside of the store walls.

“I remember there was a bell tower next to [the store],” Savannah said. “When I was younger, I’d pass it and be like, ‘I want to see the cats.’ I always connected those.”

It’s this same blissful escape that sparked Savannah’s lifelong adoration for animals. At home, she’s utterly surrounded herself with life, her family having welcomed a plethora of pets into their abode over the years. From Brady the Cocker Spaniel to Sweeney the bird, Savannah has formed an awareness for creatures and their needs, a skill that has landed her right back where she started all those years ago.

From youth into near adulthood, Savannah now finds employment at the same Chow Hound that once helped cultivate her passions. And even though standing behind the counter is slightly different than browsing the aisles, she still finds a way to bring comfort and personality to her occupation.

“I like seeing the regulars that come in just like any other job, but [also] every time we get new guinea pigs or any small animals, I name them,” said Savannah, whose guinea pig, Buzz, makes a debut in the Chow Hound bathroom Hall of Fame.

Within this sphere of actualizing her childhood dreams, Savannah has also found other perks of working in a pet store. Whether she is taking care of her feline companions or helping out customers, the aim that seeps through each moment is one of both personal and outward education.

By pointing folks towards what is best for their pets, she’s been able to not only learn but share her infinite animal-related knowledge with others.

“It’s helpful for me to know about pet stuff,” Savannah said, “because [not only] do I have pets, [but] it’s good to give people the proper education and make sure they treat their pets well.”

Furthermore, seeing how clueless some pet owners can be has inspired Savannah to one day pursue animal care on an entirely different level. By encompassing herself in all information she can, she is slowly preparing to one day enter the veterinary field, a horizon that is seemingly getting closer and closer with each day that passes.

Yet, even as she begins to figure out her future, she recognizes that there are thousands of small, impactful changes she can make within the Forest Hills atmosphere.

Having recently joined the Environmental Club alongside some friends, Savannah hopes to bond her connections with both flora and fauna to assist not only Michigan wildlife but that of the whole world as well.

“The environment is connected to animals,” Savannah said. “I don’t know what we’re quite doing yet, but we can [definitely] help with wildlife around here. Also, if we donate to anywhere that can help wildlife in Africa, some rhinos are going endangered or extinct, so [I’m hoping to help with that].”

Alongside her three dogs and guinea pigs, two cats, and her bird, Savannah finds imminent joy in forming relationships with others—“others” often being animals. Extending its roots from childhood deep into her teenage years, her main goal will always be to bring optimism and prosperity to any individual who deserves it. In her mind, animals should never be snubbed of this right.

And, in return for our endless love, they pay us in the comfort and kindness that Savannah had been reveling in since her youth.

“I feel like they’ve shown me companionship and a bond,” Savannah said. “They’re always there. They’re something to come home to and look forward to.”