Despite falling in love with the woods of Colorado, the Arizona quail, the curious nature of lizards, and the beauty of monsoon season called her home to Tucson. Prior to vet school, Dr. Valdez was both an intern zookeeper and a service dog trainer. The zoo and service dog world solidified Dr. Valdez’s love of conservation and animal behavior, making her an advocate for all creatures around us. She holds the highest level of Fear Free Certification Elite and is Low Stress Handling Silver certified.