Have you ever had the desire to take care of an unusual pet, like a duck, or maybe even a baby raccoon? For senior Sheradon Helms, taking care of all kinds of animals is her reality. She owns raccoons, goats, chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, ducks, roosters and even ferrets. Helms has always had a love for animals and said she strives to take in and care for every animal she can.
“I have always had a soft spot for animals,” Helms said. “I’ve always viewed them like people with feelings and dreams so seeing an animal suffering is hard for me.”
For the Helms family, it all started with a simple idea of raising goats.
“When my stepdad moved in with us, he had the idea of getting goats,” she said. “Then pigs, then ducks, then the animals kept multiplying in numbers.”
Helms’ love for animals has always been apparent, but some animals simply stick out over the others.
“The most memorable moment for me was feeding our first baby goat,” Helms said. “His name was Finn, and I will always remember him.”
According to Helms, most people think the most interesting animal she owns is the dwarf squirrel. According to her, it is a raccoon.
Many people may assume that with Helm’ love for animals, she would be interested in a career involving animals.
“I thought about being a vet for a while, but now I’m no longer interested in any animal careers,” she said.
Helms said her favorite animal to work with so far is a ferret.
“They are super easy to work with,” Helms said. “They’re not messy and they are so sweet.”
According to Helms, her stepdad and little sister are a huge help in caring for all the animals, especially feeding them.
“Feeding them is a long process,” she said. “Even though I love all these animals, taking care and looking after so many can be very exhausting. However, raising animals has made me more compassionate for all life.”
