As the last bell of senior year echoes through the halls of Paso Robles High school, 18-year-old Abbygail Haynes isn’t just dreaming of graduation; she’s envisioning a future filled with problem solving and animal care. Driven by her vet-parents, Haynes is setting her sights on Cal Poly SLO for a major in Animal Science to continue her childhood dream of becoming a large animal vet.
“It was like there was no other job, ever since I was four or five, that’s all I have ever wanted to do, except for becoming a mermaid, but I settled for being a veterinarian,” Haynes said.
Haynes still remembers career day in fifth grade where she came to school dressed up in her dads scrubs, carrying his tackle box filled with tools. During COVID-19, the thirteen-year-old Haynes began volunteering at the Paso Pet Care vet clinic which she continued working at for the next three years.
“That was my childhood, it was the culture I was raised in,” Haynes shared.
Along with her passion for animal science, Haynes has contributed greatly to her community while in highschool. She has taken seven AP classes, 11 Cuesta College classes and currently holds a chair as a member of the Paso Robles City Council Youth Commision. Being on the board, Haynes along with eight other teen students, acts as the voice of her generation towards the city council and how their actions affect students in the Paso community.
Haynes spends time volunteering, her work on the Youth Commision has allowed Haynes to utilize her communication skills and serve her community.
“Dealing with sensitive subjects is a big part of being a vet. Whether it’s telling someone their bill is gonna be $2,000 or even telling someone their animal has passed, it can get tricky when dealing with money and death. Working in the community, you get to learn about people and talk to people, and it’s helped me learn a lot,” Haynes said.
Haynes is also currently a stable hand for a local horse owner and says she is learning the ropes to becoming a vet. Haynes says her work at the stables isn’t just about the experience but about compassion.
“My dad got a symbol of compassion tattooed on his chest when he was fifty, and it was his first tattoo. That has definitely been a mold to have compassion for someone else, for living things, to just have compassion,” Haynes said.
Haynes said if she was a superhero her super power would be problem solving. She explains that being a vet, your entire job is to fix a problem an animal is having.
“My job is to be the solution, every single time. That’s the part I am the most excited about,” Haynes said.
