Dr. Gerrish felt a special connection to animals starting at a young age. She was fascinated with animal learning, and even spent time in high school volunteering to train rats to play basketball for a demonstration on operant conditioning at the Science Museum of Virginia. Dr. Gerrish completed her undergraduate degree in music at the University of Pennsylvania, then worked in both general practice and emergency veterinary medicine as a veterinary assistant, prior to completing her veterinary degree at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Behavior remained a passion, and while in veterinary school Dr. Gerrish added a sweet and complicated smooth-coated miniature dachshund to the family, who taught her much more than can be learned from a book about living with and loving an animal with behavior challenges. After veterinary school, Dr. Gerrish completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery in Mesa, AZ. She is currently completing a non-conforming residency in veterinary behavior with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Gerrish enjoys singing, appreciating beauty in nature, and spending time with her husband, son, and animal companions (Liffey the miniature dachshund and Oscar the domestic shorthair cat).