JULIA

Born and raised in the Syracuse, NY area, I grew up in a home filled with kindness, compassion, and a deep love for animals. We always had pets—usually cats—but I did have a childhood dog named Katie, a schnoodle before they were even a “thing.” She came from a babysitter’s accidental litter and was truly one of a kind.

My mom played a huge role in shaping my love for animals, especially pit bulls. Her best friend had them my entire life, and they were some of the sweetest, most loving dogs I had ever met—despite the stigma surrounding them. We loved watching Pit Bulls & Parolees together and admired the incredible work of Villalobos Rescue. Those early experiences really stayed with me.

While I’ve always loved all animals, I considered myself more of a “cat person”…until my husband and I adopted our dog, Finn. Finn is a rescue from Georgia who was found in a ditch as a tiny, malnourished, and very sick puppy. But he was a fighter. After getting healthy, he made his way to Maine, where I now live. A friend of mine fostered him, my husband saw his photo on Facebook, and the rest is history. And in a full-circle moment—thanks to an Embark DNA test—Finn turned out to be 100% American Pit Bull Terrier!

I look forward to the day we can continue to grow our little fur family.

Outside of the rescue, I love makeup, tattoos, traveling, comedy, and attending concerts. I also work in the corporate world, which may not be the most exciting—but it has taught me so much. Working with a wide range of personalities has helped me learn how to effectively communicate with all kinds of people, which is incredibly important in the animal welfare space. Because while we’re here for the dogs, connecting with people through education, compassion, and guidance is just as critical.

Bully breeds, in particular, are so often misunderstood and misrepresented. I am passionate about helping change that narrative and showing the world who they truly are—loyal, loving, and inherently good.

I’ve always felt a deeper connection to animals, and I’ve always known I wanted to do something meaningful with my life.

So…let’s save some dogs’ lives.