I Have Heroes.

Over the past 11 months, I have had the pleasure of getting to know an incredible woman. At 40, Jennifer Hummel has overcome so many obstacles from a very young age and has started a business to be proud of. This business is ACE Pet Resort of Sarasota, Florida, formed in 2005. As the name implies, this is a Resort style boarding facility for dogs and cats. Jen has formed a very strong crew to help run this business and carry out tasks (myself being of them!) and can be found working along side her employees doing everything from dog walks to disinfecting and scrubbing kennels. A wonderful trait of Jen's is her limitless love and care for animals. She never stops amazing me! Recently, for instance, Jen received a call from the owner of two Bichons that have boarded with ACE from the start. It was obvious that she was torn; the two senior dogs had numerous health problems(Cushings disease, Urinary Incontinence, kidney issues) that seemed to be dramatically lowering their quality of life and were scheduled to be euthanized the next day. It's heartbreaking, but the owner was not able to keep up with the steep medical expenses. Jen has taken in Maggie and Sophie and been getting them new medical attention- we're seeing great improvement! Sophie's kidney failure- which played a major role in the decision to have her put down, has even reversed. They're now very happy older ladies, you can see the appreciation in their faces and it's evident by their happily wagging tails. In addition, Jen has taken in a senior Lab Mix, "Bob" who was also going to be put down by his owners, simply for the downs that come with old age. Bob's owners, apparently, locked Bob and their younger dog Dakota in a room for hours and hours each day. Now that Bob is "out of their hair" they allow Dakota to have free roam of the house. All of us at ACE are deeply saddened by this, Bob is a wonderful character which we now have up for adoption.. but we know too well the devastation caused when an owner casts aside their dog, who has endless love and adoration for their master through thick and thin. There have been five resident cats of different ages that have been handed over to Jen; she knows that no pet is EVER disposable. Two cats have been rehomed recently with Jen's sister, and Powder(a Siamese mix with constant health struggles) now lives a very pampered life in Jen's own home, located on the premises. Jen does not hesitate to give any animal exactly what it needs- from administering fluids or medication to emergency attention to a scratch under the chin. She certainly has a bigger heart than anyone I have ever encountered. Her strong leadership skills and devotion to animals is apparent in every way, especially in her own pets. I have groomed her four dogs(3 Border Collies, one Lab Mix) and was very impressed by their behavior and respect!! Jen also leaves out food over night for the feral cats(one named Stalker which I sometimes encounter while on walks). Recently she has even toyed with the idea of forming a home-like atmosphere where our new resident seniors would be able to live out the rest of their days comfortably. I'm quite a fan of the very thought of this! These dogs stick by our side through all the years of good times and hardships, I can understand exactly why she feels a need to save them from impending doom. Jennifer does so without asking for a thing, not a thanks and with No Questions.

She works so hard for such a wonderful cause, one that I love being a part of.