I've always been a compassionate person, to animals and to humans, whether I was scared or wasn't scared.

I am autistic so animals have always been my "special interest" I always bonded better with animals than humans. I even had pet snails as a kid that I would be sad in the morning realising they were gone.

I've had pets such as rabbits, chickens, baby chicks, fish, birds and cats. I did work experience at gorse hill city farm for a week during year 10 and I learned more about animals than I thought I would. I also learned that I didn't have to be afraid of the ones I was afraid of because they were like me.

Animals I would say have always been a source of comfort for me, they are beings that show their compassion and kindness through actions and not words which makes their love to you genuine, and I find that beautiful. My parents grew up in farms, their families were farmers as well, so I was taught to always respect and cherish animals and any other beings even if they scared me. So I have that to thank them, still doesn't stop me being scared of a ladybug or a butterfly though.