Third-grader devoted to helping animals at shelters

If 8-year-old Matilda Greiner had it her way, she would already be a veterinarian and a part-time artist. She’s a little young yet but she’s well on her way to being both.

She calls her bedroom a “vet’s office” and in it she cares for make believe animals while her two cats Izzy and Sam look on. Matilda reads books about animals and fills out hypothetical forms complete with the animal’s ailment, treatment information and prescriptions. A playhouse in the backyard is set to be transformed into a recovery room for her patients.

Izzy came from SCRAPS and Sam came from the Humane Society after Matilda lost her cat, Bug, and she has been an animal advocate ever since, using her artistic ability to support them.

Matilda has been taking art classes for the past three years. Her portfolio is large and includes cats, horses, mice, flowers and penguins. Her style is representational and is done in watercolor, pastels and colored pencils. She donated one piece of a funky cat to SCRAPS’ annual fundraiser and a veterinarian bought it for $150. She has also taken some of her designs and made them into note cards which she sells to benefit SCRAPS.

Matilda has even written, illustrated and published a book called “Everything you need to know about cats,” and on her last birthday, she wrote on her invitations that, instead of gifts, guests should bring pet supplies for SCRAPS.

Matilda is a third-grader at University Elementary and already has her eye on her future. She intends on volunteering at her cats’ veterinarian’s office and at SCRAPS when she turns 14 and later hopes to study to be a veterinarian. She urges others to get their animals from shelters rather than pet stores, and to remember to donate items to area animal shelters.