Marcia Mayeda, director of Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.
A few years ago I was looking through my childhood artwork and projects that I had saved. As I reminisced over the paintings, stories, and sculptures I noticed that every single item was about animals. I began thinking of what a one-dimensional child I was. Didn’t I have any interests other than animals? Then I came upon a grade school story I wrote about meeting a Leprechaun. I was so relieved to find I had another topic in my collection.
In this story I asked the Leprechaun many questions to find out where he hid his gold, and through negotiations I convinced him to take me to the treasure. We travelled some distance until he brought me to the gold, and I made him give it to me so I could . . . buy all the animals in the world! I laughed at this story and realized my love for animals was my destiny from the beginning.