Hey there, I just got added as a mod. Since it's been a couple years since I joined and there are a lot of new faces around, I thought I should make a post introducing myself a little better?

I lurked for a long time, but got actively involved in the online zoo community in mid 2014, I started out on tumblr. There was actually a pretty sizable zoo community on there at the time, though it seems like it's less active now. I rolled out my survey in November of that year on a few different online community sites, and it reached a few folks offline too. I'm not too active on tumblr anymore but I do check in on this sub often.

I went through a lot of self-hate for being a zoo a few years ago. What helped me rationalize my attraction the most was scientific surveys, studies, and papers. I compiled a tag for resources on my tumblr to help other zoos out too if they'd benefit from it. When I was really struggling, the online community and the friends I made helped me feel so much better about myself, so my blog was kind of my way of helping "give back" and helping other zoos who might be having hard times. Hopefully I can help out folks by being a mod here, too.

I figured out I was zoo when I was 12/13; at the same time my attraction to humans started developing, so did attraction to animals. I've been in love with one of my housecats for about five years, and officially started considering it a relationship and her my partner two years ago. It's a non-sexual relationship, she's not interested in that kind of thing. I'm attracted to or at least curious about pretty much every species, and feel romantic attraction for most too. I haven't really met anyone else who's like that? My list of species I'm not attracted to is probably shorter than the list of ones I am, lol. I'm attracted to humans too but a romantic human relationship isn't high on my list of priorities right now, though I've had a few before. I'm bisexual with both humans and animals, with no real preference for one gender over another. I'm out to four close friends as zoo, two are zoo also (I met one on tumblr in the community) and two aren't. It kills me not being out to anyone else but it's too big of a risk for me, especially since I want to work with animals as a career someday.

Some about me that's not zoo related, I guess?! I live in the deep south in the USA, I like going to dog/horse/livestock shows in my area, I love working breeds of dog and learning about different breeds, and long hikes are one of my favorite pastimes when the weather isn't too hot. Researching about dogs is one of my big hobbies too, especially breeds I really like. I collect dog books too. My favorite animals (in general, not a zoo way) are deer and snakes, my favorite movie is Pan's Labyrinth, and Toblerone are the best chocolates! American Pit Bull Terriers are my favorite dogs and I like Lusitanos a lot as far as horses go. I breed rodents as pets and enter them in some shows but I'd rather not say what species, since the community here in the USA is pretty small. I'm autistic and struggle with depression, anxiety, and sensory processing issues. I'm doing a lot better with anxiety lately though, and things are looking up. It's just the depression I've gotta kick in the ass now.

That got long. Anyway, thanks a lot for letting me join the mod team here, I look forward to helping out any way I can!