A Day of Growth, Gratitude, and Goodbyes

Some days are exhausting in the best way possible—the kind of days that push you to your limits, fill your heart, and remind you why you do what you do. Today was one of those days.

....they’ve been like family to me.

Visiting Operation Spay Bay in Panama City is always an eye-opening experience. Watching their journey over the years has been nothing short of inspiring. They opened their clinic three years before we even started our organization, and since then, they’ve been like family to me. In many ways, they’ve been my big siblings in this mission, guiding me, supporting me, and answering my endless questions.

And I get it now—I understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of those constant questions while juggling the overwhelming demands of running a spay/neuter clinic. Every single day, dozens of people and their animals are counting on you. Today alone, Operation Spay Bay helped 71 animals. That’s 71 families making the responsible choice, trusting the team to provide the best care, and relying on them to keep everything running efficiently and affordably. It’s a massive responsibility, and it’s not easy.

Two of the best veterinarians working their surgery room magic

Learning from the Best

Standing in their clinic today, watching their seamless assembly line of care, I couldn’t help but be amazed. This is an organization that has grown and evolved so much, and I’ve been lucky to witness it. And now, as we prepare to step out on our own, it feels like I’m leaving home for the first time. I’d love for my “mom” (aka Operation Spay Bay) to stick around forever—to always be there to guide me, to reassure me, to remind me that there will be good days and bad days. But I know this is what’s supposed to happen. They’ve prepared us well. They’ve shown us the path, even if it’s not a straight one.

Because if this journey were easy, everyone would do it.

A local pelican found himself in need of extra special care

I’ll never forget the advice their president gave me early on:

"Your path may seem clear, but it will never be straight. It will be bumpy, full of twists and U-turns, and obstacles will appear out of nowhere. And that’s okay."

That wisdom has stuck with me. Because if this journey were easy, everyone would do it. But building something from the ground up—especially in animal welfare—is never easy. And that’s exactly what makes it so worthwhile.

The Right People for the Mission

But you can’t teach someone to care deeply about the mission.

Today was also a big day because I got to introduce our new medical team to my extended family at Operation Spay Bay. I needed them to see firsthand what high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter looks like in action. I needed them to witness the passion, the efficiency, and the sheer dedication it takes to make it all happen.

Bringing in new team members wasn’t easy—I interviewed 37 people before finding the right ones. Because when you’re building something like this, skills and experience matter, but passion and dedication matter even more. You can teach technical skills. You can train for efficiency. But you can’t teach someone to care deeply about the mission. That’s either in them, or it’s not. And I know we found the right people because after today, they didn’t run scared—they were inspired.

Mae and CJ joined me for a Lifesaving Team photo

Making Waves of Our Own

The most humbling moment of the day? Hearing someone walk into our soon-to-be clinic and say, “This is going to be the next Spay Bay.” That hit hard. Because that’s all I’ve ever wanted—to follow in their footsteps, to make a difference like they have, to grow into something as impactful as they are.

If there’s anyone I look up to as much as my Spay Bay family, it’s Laurie.

Of course, they’re still growing too. They just moved into a stunning 10,000-square-foot facility, and I’ll probably spend the rest of my life trying to catch up to them. But that’s okay. It gives me something to aim for.

OSB Treatment Area

Tonight, we’re ending this incredible day in the best way possible—spending time at Alaqua thanks to the amazing Laurie Hood. If there’s anyone I look up to as much as my Spay Bay family, it’s Laurie. She is a force of nature in the fight against animal cruelty, and her passion is unmatched. Getting to soak in some time at the farm, surrounded by animals and people who care as deeply as we do, is exactly what we need right now.

Mae met Fletcher

These next few days will be emotional because they’ll be our last ones learning under Operation Spay Bay’s wing. But that’s how we know they’ve done their job. They’ve given us everything we need to stand on our own, to serve our own community, to create our own waves.

Our impact might not be as big as theirs yet—but it will be. Our waves are just starting.

And we couldn’t be more grateful.

My Operation Spay Bay family