OTSP Pet of the Month
Pets provide us with meaningful occupations! Students, introduce your pets for a chance to be featured as the OT Student Pulse Pet of the Month.
March 2025
OTSP Editors' Pets
Associate Editor Mikenzie Hiler’s cat Cali:
Associate Editor Tyler Hood’s dog Mottie:
Associate Editor Kiera Mooney’s dog Chase:
Senior Editor Emily Olsen’s dog Cookie:
Editor-in-Chief Breanna Ciardullo’s cat Wesley:
ASD Communications Representative Mya-Ann Tschopp’s dog Princess:
Past Pets of the Month
-
February 2025
Name: Kairo
Age: 6.5
Human: Britney of Quinnipiac University OTD Program
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Loves eating ice cream, playing hide and seek, going through homemade obstacle courses, learning new tricks, and cuddling
Can answer to 2 languages!
If he could be a babysitter, he would! He loves protecting over babies when around them
December 2024
Saylor, Boxer
Age: 10 months
Human: Alexis of Davenport University
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Loves to garden, rest by her favorite tomato plants, attend S.T.A.R puppy class, walk the Lake Michigan beaches, go for boat rides, and explore coffee shops.
A happy girl staying strong while battling cancer.
November 2024
Echo, Labrador Retriever
Age: 5 years
Human: Madelynn Wauters, University of Central Arkansas, OTD, 2024
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Echo and I love to volunteer at facilities around our community together as an animal therapy team. Echo has brought so much joy and all the benefits of the human-animal bond to the over 200 people we have visited together. Echo also loves to play fetch and be involved in anything!
Echo is a registered therapy dog through Pet Partners and will partner with me at my future job to provide animal-assisted therapy to clients!
October 2024
Loui, Chug (Pug / Chihuahua)
Age: 1 year
Human: Cami Wolff, Duke University, Occupational Therapy Doctorate, 2025
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Louie and I enjoy staying in bed on Saturday mornings to read. We go for hikes together and love running in the grass. We also spend time studying, watching TV, and causing trouble.
Louie's favorite snack is red bell peppers.
September 2024
Noodle, Green cheek conure
Age: 5 years
Human: Catrina Bruns, Kirkwood Community College, OTA, class of 2025
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Noodle likes to cuddle up with me while I am reading and watching TV. We share breakfast most mornings (he loves to "help" clean the peanut butter off my knife). He also loves to dance to music and gives the sweetest kisses.
Noodle is a very talkative bird. Every morning when I uncover his cage, Noodle greets me by saying "good morning" in the sweetest little bird voice. He also will tell me when he needs to go to the bathroom by asking "go poopy?". He has plenty of things to say, and most of them are so appropriate.
He is also flighted, so he does not go outside without being in a cage or on his harness. He is not a huge fan of the harness yet, but he loves being outside.
Pets provide us with meaningful occupations! Students, introduce your pets for a chance to be featured as the OT Student Pulse Pet of the Month.
August 2024
Mochi, Gray Tabby
Age: 2.5 years
Human: Kristelle Cefre, UT Health San Antonio, 2025
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together? Mochi is a feisty yet cuddly animal who enjoys sunbathing, catching crinkled paper balls mid-air, and finding boxes to fit and sit in. Mochi greets his human when she returns from school and sits on his owner’s laptop while she studies or attends virtual meetings. Mochi also enjoys following his human, making sure she completes her ADLs and IADLs for the day! With his favorite occupation being napping, Mochi’s favorite places to sleep are on fresh laundry, the family couch, and on top of his human at the end of the night.
July 2024
Gertie, Holland/Plus Lop Rabbit
Age: 1 year
Human: Sarah Bess, Duke University, OTD 2024
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Cuddles on the couch, time outside, snacks! Gertie loves to use our wood floors like a slip and slide.June 2024
Tofu, Tabby/Siamese Cat
Age: 1
Human: Princess Pillos, Dominican University, MOT 2025
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Tofu and I love having a routine together! We wake up in the morning, make breakfast, and practice 30-minutes of mindfulness. When I come home from school, we practice sleep hygiene by winding down with dinner, watching Netflix, and sleeping together. Tofu loves bird watching, sleeping and eating lots of snacks!May 2024
This month, we're featuring a pack of pets from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga OTD program!
Charlie, Cat
Age: 2
Human: Courtney Worley, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, OTD 2025What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Charlie was found as a stray a little over a year ago, and he is the sweetest cat to ever come off the streets. We watch TV, sleep, do homework, and take naps together.Trooper, Mixed Breed Dog (Brown Lab?)
Age: 5
Human: Alexandra Shows, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, OTD 2026What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Prior to adopting Trooper, he had his front left leg/paw amputated. He enjoys running around and playing with other dogs. He loves playing with his little brother, Knox, who had his back right leg amputated prior to adoption as well. He is the sweetest puppy and loves everyone that he meets. We go for walks, play at the dog park, and watch movies together.Rocky, Mini Bernedoodle
Age: Almost 2
Human: Sydney Baker, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, OTD 2025What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Walking, hiking, car rides, going to new parks, getting coffee and pup cups, learning new tricks, building snowmen. Rocky is known for smiling when he greets people!Pepper, Mixed Breed Dog
Age: 4
Human: Maddy Martin, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, OTD 2025What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
We love to go on walks and runs together! We also love to lounge on the couch and cuddle after a long day of class :) Pepper LOVES peanut butter and barking at me when her toys roll under the couch.Charlie Owens, Shih Tzu
Age: 7
Human: Sydni Owens, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, OTD 2025What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Charlie and I love to go on joy rides around our city, walks to our mailbox, and shop at our local pet store for the squeakiest toys and cutest outfits! Charlie is famous in our town for his weekly College GameDay Pick’em during college football season. Charlie picks between two football teams and predicts who is going to win. Charlie is a huge Georgia Bulldogs fan!Nellie, Kitty
Age: 6 months
Human: Brooklyn Caballero , University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, OTD 2026What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Nellie wandered to our house trying to find some food and warmth after being left outside in the cold. We love playing, watching our favorite shows, and sleeping!April 2024
Blue, Dachshund
Age: 6
Human: Samantha Wessel, University of Kansas Medical Center, OTD 2024
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Blue and I both love accessing our community, especially through car rides with the windows down and walks with our friends! We are also very passionate about playing fetch with his squeaky toys and resting on the couch together right after. However, Blue's favorite occupation of all is eating bananas, blueberries, and peanut butter, but only after he rings his treat bell!Blue knows no strangers and is the biggest cuddle bug! His big brown eyes tend to get him just about anything he wants, no matter who he asks.
March 2024
Callie, Australian Shepherd Mix & Lexie, Dachshund
Ages: 4 and 2
Human: Shiloh Reynolds
What occupations do you and your pets enjoy together?
Callie and Lexie are a dynamic duo! Both love keeping me company in the kitchen when I cook. We also love playing fetch with tennis balls and taking walks by the lake.February 2024
Petey, Border Collie Mix
Age: 9.5
Human: Tiffany Wright, OTA, OTS 2024, Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Petey was rescued by my mama, Sherry, in September 2014. This was the same month she was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 51 years old and was no longer able to live alone, work, or drive. I moved home to care for her and our new puppy. Petey quickly built an undeniable special bond with her. Over the past 9 years, he has been a source of comfort and companionship for both my mama and me during this journey of dementia and caregiving. I have a garden flag with a dog that looks like Petey that says “who rescued who?” She may have rescued him from walking down the road, but he rescued her too! Furever grateful for our loyal protector and companion, Petey!January 2024
Frankie, Cat
Age: 11
Human: Shulamis Mammon, MSOT, 2023, SUNY Downstate
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Frankie loves playing! His favorite games include food. He finds meaning in any game that simulates hunting and is very good at it. Frankie is a rescue cat hit by a car as a kitten and lost a paw as a result, but he does everything a typical cat can do, albeit with a limp!December 2023
Phoebe, Lab Mix
Age: 8
Human: Carley Yanuck, OTD 2024, Washington University in St. Louis
What occupations do you and your pet enjoy together?
Phoebe loves any and all community outings! Whether it be walking through Forest Park, eating outside at restaurants, or going to the dog park, Phoebe loves to be included. She’s a very friendly, social dog who loves meeting new people. Her favorite foods include carrots, romaine lettuce, and ice cream.