Avery was born in Mesa, Arizona but grew up in Prescott, Arizona for the majority of his childhood. Avery has always enjoyed the company of the creatures and life around him, whether it was cicadas in trees when he was in elementary school, succulents from the hardware store when he was in highschool, or snails in the rain when he was in college. He moved from Prescott to Tucson when he was 18 to go to the University of Arizona, where he studied wildlife conservation and management. During his time at the U of A, he got to work on projects studying various herpetological species native to the Sonoran Desert. Avery’s love for animals pushed him to go into the veterinary field. He received his Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology from Pima Community College, and during his studies he began working at a traditional dog/cat practice in Tucson. Avery has always been one for more unique animals, though. Avery has owned dogs, cats, rats, lizards, frogs, snakes, birds, fish, shrimp, snails, and many more during his adult life, so working with exotics has been extremely fulfilling and interesting for him. In the future, Avery hopes to continue working with and being around various creatures and life— whether they be exotic pets, desert plants, foraged fungus, or local wildlife.