About the Author

Maria Hillegas worked in private industry for two decades until resigning to care for her family fulltime. She's worked as a 911 Operator and ran background checks for the Pennsylvania State Police. Her main passions include equines and canines. She's ridden horses most of her life and has been involved in air-scenting search and rescue canines since the early nineties with the American Rescue Dog Association (ARDAINC.org). She is also a member of a mounted search and rescue team, TrotSAR (TrotSAR.org). She resides on a small horse farm in south central Pennsylvania with her family, canine partner Drago, and riding partner Bailey.