Engineering Ventures’ offices are pet friendly to say the least. Not many days go by without seeing a dog roaming the halls or lounging beneath their owners’ desk. Even if someones’ pet stays at home, they are still a part of EV’s extended family! Because May is National Pet Month, we wanted to highlight the many furry friends that make up our honorary staff.
Hannah Wingate – Walter Whitcomb Wingate
With six toes on each paw, Walter has more to love! He is a ~1 year old kitten who was adopted from Craigslist as his previous owners couldn’t keep him due to their lease. Walter loves going outside and running around – his extra toes make him look like a bunny as he hops through the grass. He hasn’t made the trip to EV just yet, but Hannah is planning on bringing him along for field work some day.
Julia Ginorio – Night Queen
Night Queen was adopted from Chittenden Humane Society in South Burlington, VT two years ago, and she hasn’t stopped destroying her toys ever since. She will play fetch with her humans, and expects to play even in the dead of night! Even though she can’t see very well, she can track her toys with her ears and will knock them out of the air mid-flight. She hopes to come into the office someday, as she is falling behind on rent and needs to put in some hours.
Jimmy Hoepker – Lorenzo and Sofia
These two pups were a package deal when Jimmy started dating his now-wife! Both Lorenzo and Sofia are Shih Tzus around the same age, but that is where the similarities end. Lorenzo will bark at anything, and Sofia is quiet and contemplative. Instead of barking, Sofia will groan at things, when she’s not sleeping. She will assist in terrifying her brother Lorenzo – who hates helium balloons – by running around the house with a balloon tied around her collar. Lorenzo has been in the office, but Sofia has yet to come in!
Jessie Johnson – Blue
Instagram star Blue (@mrbluesyblue) is the star of the EV Burlington office, too! He takes it upon himself to sneak around the halls, coming back to the admin quarters for pets and treats. When he’s not roaming, he can be found lounging near Jessie’s desk, longing for peanut butter and bacon! He was adopted from Passion for Paws, a Vermont rescue agency, in summer of 2015. You couldn’t tell, but he’s a mix of Beagle, Pekingese, and Cocker Spaniel, with the DNA test to prove it! Like a true Vermonter, he’s a fan of being active: taking long walks and running… on a doggy treadmill!
Julie Reilly – James and Adhara
Another set of similar pups, James and Adhara are both Miniature Schnauzers. They love to run around and snuggle with each other, and they are also avid mountain climbers! One time climbing Mt. Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont, they zoomed past a group of VT National Guardsmen who were struggling to climb the rocky slopes. The commander of the group yelled (perhaps jokingly) to his troops: “Get it together! Are you guys going to give up and let those little dogs beat you up the mountain?” Both dogs have been in the EV Burlington office, chilling in Julie’s space or on Bob’s couch in his office.
Katherine Rudzki – Cinder and Penny
Cinder and Penny are opposites in every regard. Cinder is a pewter morph ball python who loves nothing more than sleeping under a rock in his enclosure, and Penny is a calico cat who loves chilling with her humans and playing fetch. Penny is also quite fond of “watching TV” (a tank of fish) and knows when they are about to feed by the sound of the fish food container opening. She will loaf next to the tank and watch them intently, sometimes tapping the side of the tank. Neither Cinder nor Penny will come to EV any time soon, Penny hates car rides and it’s doubtful that anyone would want to see a snake in the office.
Matt Ernst – Clementine
Quite the world traveler, Clementine is originally from Korea. She was found by an acquaintance of Matt’s, who was studying to be a veterinarian there. There are a lot of strays in Korea, so they took it up on themselves to rescue as many animals as they could, and find them homes in the United States. Clementine was one of those lucky kitties. She is an indoor/outdoor cat, but her favorite thing is to curl up on her human’s lap on the couch (preferably under a blanket) while watching TV.
Paul Hobbs – Phinney and Tuna
Phinney (age 3) was a rescue from the Joshua Fund Lab Rescue in Jay, NY, and his sister Tuna (age 14!) came from our very own Trish Densham! Not many days go by without a visit from Professional Stress Reliever Phinney Hobbs, M.D., who is often seen lounging under Paul’s desk eagerly awaiting head pats. He has a deadpan expression, but he’s quite the comedian. He loves to snuggle (and snore while he’s at it)! Tuna makes appearances in the office as well, and will wander the halls meowing. Don’t let her age fool you, she has taken the lives of many, many rodents, and is still hunting fiercely to this day!
Shannon Harrington – Murphy
Murphy, King of the Road, loves nothing more than making friends with the folks who walk or bike down his street. He will lay down and roll over, providing a belly to be rubbed by the many people who wander into his realm. In typical Labrador Retriever fashion, he loves to get wet, year-round. When wandering his homestead, he will bring a stuffy toy along with him. He doesn’t come into the EV Lebanon office; if he is to sit all day, he is much happier at home!
Tyler Barnard – Minou
Party Cat Minou loves hanging out outside with his human and their neighbors! He partied too hard once, and disappeared for 10 days. Wherever he had gone, he was very happy to be home, and is much more careful about straying far. Other than that, he loves sitting on the windowsill, watching the world go by as his human goes about his morning routine. Minou is not a fan of car rides or dogs, so it’s unlikely that he will be seen in the halls any time soon.
