Meet Tori H. | Rowan’s Pet Parent & Social Media Manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tori H. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tori, what matters most to you?
The value that matters most to me is educating others about pet behavior, enrichment, and safety, with a particular focus on rescue animals. I am passionate about showing people how rescue pets can be just as amazing, healthy, and joyful as any pedigree breed. Rowan is a rescue whom I adopted from the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in the summer of 2023. He’s learned how to adventure and model in just over a year, proving that with the right care and training, rescue pets can thrive in any environment. I’ve been training rescue cats since childhood, and through this experience, I’ve seen firsthand how they can blossom into wonderful companions when given proper guidance, enrichment and safety. I want to inspire others to recognize the incredible potential of rescue animals and the positive impact they can have in people’s lives. I do my best to incorporate this into everything we do.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
For Rowan’s social media, specifically his Instagram, it was a long road to get here. I have been interested in educating people about pets and animals for well over ten years now. As a young kid who always researched animals in my free time, I had always been frustrated by the fact that most people, especially adults, did not believe that most pets (besides dogs) could enjoy a variety of enrichment and could be trained. Yet my four family cats enjoyed learning tricks, doing photo shoots, going for walks, and even learning agility courses. All of them were also rescue animals. Starting at age 10, I began volunteering at shelters and animal sanctuaries to continue learning and developing new skills. I learned to care for reptiles, amphibians, horses, and other animals. I focused my school studies on sciences, with a particular passion for environmental sciences and biology. By this time, I had noticed a common theme of misinformation about both wild and domesticated animals among the general public. My career path shifted to food, which is another passion of mine that is easier to get into as a career focus. However, I recently switched careers and am now working full time at HSPPR. Even while in the food industry, I kept my enthusiasm for animal behavior and enrichment, even when the family’s cats had all passed away. After adopting Rowan in the summer of 2023, I trained him for his leash and his backpack carrier within a couple of months. People loved seeing Rowan in town or on the trails and learning about cat enrichment & safety, so I decided to make an Instagram account for him during the summer of this year. We focused on his enrichment and his adventures, and then added in his modeling. Right now we are working with a few companies for his modeling, for both accessories and adventuring gear. I have not “boosted” a single post of his, which is probably considered a bit unusual for popular Instagram accounts, but his fan base has been growing all the same. We love being able to share Rowan’s journey with others, and teach others about cats. I hope his account and this article inspires readers to appreciate the incredible potential of rescue animals and encourages them to prioritize proper pet safety and enrichment. Every pet, regardless of breed or background, has the capacity to be trainable, adventurous, and to thrive in a safe and engaging environment.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For hiking or pet adventures, Rowan’s favorite trails are definitely at Red Rock Canyon Open Space and Palmer Park! He loves all the rock formations, the winding trails with lots of wildlife, and the somewhat covered paths with nice underbrush. I also love taking Rowan to Cheyenne Canyon and it’s many trails. I tend to prefer morning or evening when it is less busy, because there are fewer people around. Rowan doesn’t do well with crowds yet, although we are working on that. I generally check the weather in advance, since rain and high winds aren’t very fun for Rowan, although he does love snow. You might pass us by with him usually in his backpack, which he goes to if he can sense strangers approaching. He also loves visiting the local Pet Pantry stores in town, and helps us pick out his gear and treats. They have wonderful staff and say hi to Rowan whenever he tags along with us. We usually don’t take Rowan with us out to eat unless it’s through a drive-thru, although he loves getting “pup-cups”/”kitty-cups” when he goes through drive-thrus with us! We also enjoy Colorado’s campgrounds and national parks, and we go camping together at places like Great Sand Dunes National Park or Pike-San Isabel National Forest.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shoutout to Rowan, the cat who is the real star of everything we do. He is a wonderful companion and an inspiration to many locals. He comes from a rough past, and has overcome many obstacles. I’m very proud of how far he has come in his personal achievements. I hope he continues to inspire others and enjoy all the adventures for many years to come.

I would also like to give a shoutout to my family, who taught me the power of real research and learning. They encouraged me to pursue knowledge of animal behavior and pet care ever since my childhood, and I’m grateful for that. Included in that family are the past family pets, who each brought new and unique experiences to the table. Without them, I might not have developed a passion for cat behavior and training at all.

Lastly, I would like to give a shoutout to all of Rowan’s fans and fellow adventure cats. They are reason why we do what we do, and we really appreciate everyone’s support. Without the support of small businesses, Rowan wouldn’t be modeling either. We wouldn’t have gotten this far without everyone’s support.

Website: https://linktr.ee/rowantempestadventures

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rowantempest_adventures

Other: https://familiarshollow.etsy.com/