Some people wonder what they will be when they grow up, others just know. Emily Blake was born with a passion for animals, a passion that was supported by her loving grandparents. Her childhood was rich with pets, from horses and rabbits to parrots and even emus.

When she was just 13 years old, she discovered her true passion in life when she volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation center. It was there she met her first birds of prey, and new her future would involve raptors in some way.

Unfortunately, her passion would have to wait until age 15 before she could handle her first raptor, but when she was old enough she was quick to become an apprentice falconer.

 Today, falconry has become a big part of her life, and has shaped her future. Emily Blake is studying to become an exotic animal vet, so she is better able to help people keep unusual pets in good health.

Emily’s life has been painted with many bold strokes, and her adult life is no different. At just 20 years old and a student at UC Davis, she chose to withdraw from her studies and abruptly move to Peru for 3 years. She did this without knowing the language, or having any family there to help.

 This time in her life ended up shaping her love for falconry even more, and helped her to understand the difficulties of medicine in Peru. She was also instrumental in helping set up a designated area for bringing injured falcons for rehabilitation.

At the time in Lima, there was no formal place for raptors to be taken. Emily was able to work together with her boss, a veterinarian, to provide medical treatment for raptors, while she finished rehabilitating them in her own home. The birds would then either be released after they were healed, or homes found for them if their injuries made them unsuitable for release.

Today, she is a student at the Ontario Veterinary College and in her 3rd year. She plans to continue working with exotic animals, and hopes to specifically work with raptors. She loves raptors and even owns two of her own, a Harris hawk and an Aplomado falcon, but is also aware of the problems in the community. Currently, there is a divide between falconers and veterinarians that makes treating animals harder than it needs to be.

 Vets tend to be critical of falcon owners, while falconers feel veterinarians can be too invasive. This can result in falcons not getting the treatment that is needed. As a falconer who is also on her way to becoming a veterinarian, Emily can see both sides of the story.

 Her hope is that one day she can provide education on both sides of the sphere, so that falconers and veterinarians can work together to help the birds.

Today, Emily divides her time between being a full time vet student and also working full time at a breeding center for birds of prey. The hours are grueling between what amounts to two full time jobs, but Emily loves the work and will shed a tear when it’s time to say goodbye to her raptor family.

Emily is an incredibly talented and hard working member of the raptor and veterinary community. Her passion for animals has been with her all of her life, and has shaped her into the person she is today.