About Cuteness

Allegra Ringo is the Senior Editor at Cuteness. She is interested in force-free training and cooperative care for pets. Allegra has a dog named Pistachio and a cat named Rick.

Vanessa Salvia is a writer and editor based in Western Oregon. She lives on a sheep farm and orchard, where she shares her life with her family, two cats, two puggles, and an abundance of wildlife. Vanessa developed her interest and knowledge of animals after growing up in a family that rescued cats and dogs year after year. At one point her family had 13 cats! She is proud to be an editor of cat content for Cuteness.com.

Michael Munoz is the Manager of Audience Development for Cuteness. When he’s not creating social strategy and managing the various audience channels for Cuteness, Michael is most likely spending time with his two cats, Phoebe and Fiona.

Kelsey is a Commerce Editor at Cuteness, covering the best products, sales, and gifts for your pet. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her two rescue dogs, Stella and Ryder, and is a foster for the local humane society.

Though he doesn't currently have pets in his home, Spencer lived with three dogs and two litters of cats for two years and loved helping to care for them. When he's not selecting great pet products, you might find him enjoying Instagram stories of adorable golden retriever puppies, corgis, and huskies.

Jacob spearheads renovation efforts on Cuteness, helping to keep articles factual and up to date. He's a go-to dog-sitter for many of his friends, and regularly walks his neighbors' dogs.

Cathryn, or Kate, is a content renovations editor for Cuteness. She lives with her sweet black-and-white supermutt Iris, who loves positive reinforcement (especially chicken and belly rubs).

Cathy Taylor is the Director of Operations for Cuteness. She is a big supporter of positive reinforcement training, and probably gives too many treats to her three dogs (Juneau, Kodiak and Ruby) and two cats (Sophie and Pip). She lives in the greater Los Angeles area with her husband, child, four fish, three dogs, and two cats.

Cassie received her bachelors in animal behavior and biology at Brown University. Shortly after graduating, she pursued further education and certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers as well as the Karen Pryor Academy. She has been a professional trainer for over 6 years and is the co-founder of Clickstart Dog Training Academy, LLC.

A lifelong animal lover, Liv has worked professionally with dogs since 2009 as a groomer, walker, daycare manager, and most importantly, as a trainer. They began working as a professional dog trainer in 2013, and currently work with clients on everything from puppy socialization to aggression. Liv strongly believes education is an ongoing process, and constantly seeks out opportunities to expand their knowledge in order to offer clients the best information available. They are a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA), and a Fear Free Certified Trainer. Also a talented teacher of the human end of the leash, Liv studied pedagogy while earning their Masters of Fine Arts from Laguna College of Art and Design.

Sassafras Lowrey. CPDT-KA, CTDI is an award-winning author whose books have been honored by organizations ranging from the American Library Association to the Dog Writers Association of America. Sassafras’ dog books include: Tricks In The City, Healing/Heeling, Bedtime Stories for Rescue Dogs and Chew This Journal: An Activity Book For You And Your Dog. Sassafras is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer- Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI), and AKC CGC Evaluator who lives, writes and trains in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at www.sassafraslowrey.com.

Dr. Shagufta Mulla holds a DVM from Colorado State University and a BS from the University of Arizona. She has 20 years of experience as a small animal veterinarian. Shagufta is also the art editor at Peatsmoke Journal.

Veterinarian Dr. Jordan Kautz, earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine where he graduated at the top of his class in 2011. Prior to that, it took him just three years to graduate magna cum laude with a degree in biomedical science. While in school, he was the president of the Veterinary Business and Management Association. He maintains a sincere interest in digital radiography and internal medicine, and he looks forward to focusing on these areas for the duration of his career. Dr. Kautz and his wife share their home with 3 pets: Gracie (a yellow Lab), Hef (a boxer), and Maude (a domestic medium hair cat.) In his spare time, Dr. Kautz enjoys relaxing at the lake with his family and dogs.

Ingrid L. Taylor is a veterinarian with 16 years of experience in general clinical and emergency practice, public health, and animal welfare advocacy. She's an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in HuffPost, Sentient Media, the Southwest Review, and others. As a lead content creator at HazAdapt, she creates veterinary content that offers immediate, accessible instructions to people on how to keep their animals safe during disasters and emergencies.