My name is Gregorio Simmons and I am currently a freshman at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). I have served 6 years in the United States Army where I received most of my leadership and overall life experience. Upon my return from my second deployment in Iraq I realized I wanted to further my education as well as spend more time with my family which consists of my wife Jennifer and our two dogs Tabitha and Samantha. I decided to choose my topic on the overpopulation of pets in El Paso. We adopted Tabitha our first dog in 2008, from the Animal Rescue League of El Paso at Pet Smart. While we were completing the adoption paper work one of the workers informed us that the Animal Rescue League rescued Tabitha the day she was to be euthanized. Thousands of pets around the world are killed every day the same way. Tabitha helps to ensure my wife and I maintain a very active lifestyle. I could not imagine my life without my family and believe that through organizations like the Animal Rescue League of El Paso, many people will be able to experience the joy of pets.
