Paola Gutierrez is a Veterinary Technician with Wolf Trap Animal Rescue, meaning she helps care for pretty much every single puppy, kitten, adult dog, and adult cat that comes through our organization. 

Born in Bolivia, Paola moved with her family to Northern Virginia when she was 12. She grew up with dogs, so being a part of one of the region’s most impactful rescue groups makes sense! Paola not only volunteered with Wolf Trap Animal Rescue, but she also has adopted two WTAR dogs Charlie (WTAR - Radley, adopted August, 2015) and Sprocket (WTAR - Rightway, adopted November, 2017). 

The ball kept rolling, and Paola decided to pursue both a degree in Veterinary Technology and an employed position with the rescue. She assists with surgery, vaccinations, intake exams, and so much more. She also helps organize those intake-to-foster and foster-to-adopter logistics, ensuring that each pet has the leash, carrier, food bowl, and other supplies that they need during these transitions. 

Paola is the “outdoorsy” type, and she spends time camping and hiking when she can. She’s also working to expand her skill set beyond veterinary technology; she enjoys drawing, and in her own words, “I’m not good at it, but I try” to improve all the time. 

Fun fact about Paola: when she counts cash, she can only count in Spanish. She may consider this a quirk, but we consider her bilingualism a true talent!