Mission

bandaged donkey

Hello !  My name is Melisa. I am a Registered Veterinary Technician and an artist on a mission to make the world a better place for orphaned, injured, and rescued animals.  Through Woollybear Travels, I go to animal sanctuaries around the world and volunteer my services as an animal nurse. I write about the animals I meet, the places that are helping them, and create artwork based on my experiences.

I create products based on my artwork that are full of personality, bright colors, and happiness. I want you to smile when you see my work and feel that thing in your heart where it melts a bit and you want to love and squeal and hug the animals featured.  That being said, I make the most perfect gifts for animal lovers, rescue advocates, vegans, kids, veterinary workers, pet owners, people that like to smile...so a lot of people really!

 

10% of my sales goes back to the sanctuary where the featured rescued animal lives to help provide all the love and care that they and their friends need. By purchasing my products you are not only supporting me to do more of this work helping animals, you are also supporting the sanctuaries and the actual animals featured directly!

woollybear caterpillar

So, why Woollybear?

I grew up in Ohio and the fuzzy little black and brown caterpillars were everywhere. There was even a Woollybear festival in a neighboring town. I used to search them out and I got really excited when I found one so I could pet it. I’m not sure they really appreciated the petting as they’d immediately curl into a ball. There is that part in a woollybear's life where they turn into a tiger moth and go exploring, so it’s a perfect little mascot for me. It is a nice memory and the name itself is adorable, right?