Susan Brooks
NATIONAL PET MONTH FEATURE
PHOTOS BY PEAK RES
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself!
A: "I have been a REALTOR® since 2010 after working on the admin side for many years. My husband was in the Navy, so we moved around the country, and I worked at real estate offices in several locations. My father was a veterinarian in Texas for 45 years, and I grew up always having and loving pets. Shortly after my husband and I got married, we adopted a cat and then a dog. As we moved around to San Diego, Pensacola, New Orleans and finally to Sapulpa, our pets were always in our concerns for where we lived. From finding pet-friendly rentals to picking out homes to purchase in New Orleans and Sapulpa, they were always kept in mind. Pets are a part of the family and their needs should be considered. I always ask my clients if they have dogs, especially so I know if we are looking for a home with a dog-friendly yard, fence, etc. Does there need to be a spot for food and water bowls, a litter box, easy-clean flooring?"
Q: How long have you been in real estate?
A: "12 years."
Q: How did you get started in real estate?
A: "I worked as admin at several real estate offices around the country during our military moves. I was a receptionist at Terry Gartside REALTORS® and then Coldwell Banker Select. After knowing we were planning to remain in Sapulpa, I decided to get my license."
Q: Why are you passionate about animals?
A: "I was raised to understand animals have feelings, need love, and are wonderful at giving love back. They are our fur babies."
Q: What are your pets' names?
A: "Our dogs' names are Daisy and Bowser. Our cat's name is Playdoh, who our son named at age 5, and we also have a chicken who we call ChickyChicky."
Q: Do you have nicknames for your pets?
A: "Yes," she laughed. "Daisy is Buffalo Head, Bowser is Dufus, and Playdoh is Fluffy Butt!"
Q: Tell us about your pets!
A: "They are all sweet and love attention. Bowser is just a year old and absolutely loves to snuggle; he wants to be the center of all the attention! Daisy is very laid back now that she is 4 but definitely has gotten a taste of what it was like for our other dog Penny when she was the pesky little puppy. She spends all day trying to find gophers and moles in our 1-acre yard. Playdoh, our cat, is a diva. She is very fluffy, persistent, and loves to groom herself. If we touch her after she has groomed she glares at us and cleans the spot again!"
Q: How did he/she/they come into your life?
A: "We found Daisy on the side of the road after leaving the lake when she was a little puppy. We found the owner nearby, but they said to take her because they needed to get rid of them. Our son adopted Playdoh on a trip to see family in Texas when he was 5. A relative had kittens and he wanted one. After losing two of our long-time dogs due to health and old age in December and February, we decided to adopt a rescue dog. We adopted Bowser from Tulsa Animal Welfare in July. Our previous pets have all been mostly rescues, strays, and friends' pets as well."
Q: How have your pets impacted your life?
A: "They make our life so much more joyful and fun. I love having my dogs be so excited and come greet me when I come home. They can be more work, and cause some messes and chaos but they are completely worth it. Our beagle, Penny, that just passed was our daughter's baby. She was another stray we picked up but the two of them were made for each other. She was very protective of our daughter but also there to comfort her as she dealt with stresses in life growing up.
Q: What else do you want us to know about your pets?
A: "I just love animals, whether they are mine, someone else's, or strays. I have definitely picked up more than one dog on the road trying to find his or her owner. I love when I hear from clients that they have fur babies, too!"
