Golriz

I am a biologist and I am currently studying environmental science as a master's student at the VUB university, Brussels. Studying in these fields has been definitely related to my love for animals and my deep concern for the environment. I speak English and Persian and I have a basic knowledge of French.

I was born into an animal-loving family and I have loved animals for as long as I remember. When I was a child we used to keep different types of pets at home, so my experience with animals started more than 30 years ago. I have lived with cats, dogs, and several birds such as parrots, mynas, cockatoos, love birds, and canaries. 

In my home country, Iran, there are lots of stray cats and dogs in and around the cities but unfortunately, there is no law to prevent animal abuse and protect them against cruelty. These animals are usually starving, sick, and injured, they are hit by cars on highways, or abused by cruel people.  

At the age of 18, I noticed that I could not close my eyes to such brutalities. So I started to take home the injured animals, cure them, and put them for adoption. Soon my family and friends joined me in this work and together we managed to save the lives of about 100 animals, we had them sterilized and put them for adoption or released them to nature, in case they were wild. We sent more than ten animals to Canada and US to join kind families. We expanded our activity by helping animal shelters and feeding animals in suburban areas. Meanwhile, we took care of friends’ and relatives’ pets while they were away. I have also joined some NGOs to fight for animal rights and participated in demonstrations against dog killing, the bad situation of keeping animals in zoos, and cruelty to lab animals. Our activities have resulted in the closure of some zoos.  

All in all, I am excited to meet you and your lovely pets and spend a happy playful time with them. I miss my pets in my home country and I am not allowed to have my own pet in my current apartment, so I am ready to give lots of love and care to yours. I try to recognize each animal's special personality and treat them accordingly. I hope I can be your pet's best friend and give you peace of mind when you are away or busy.