Staff Spotlight: Devin Rojas

When most people think of The Watering Bowl, they think about the cage-free running and playing and all-around fun we have during the day. But for Devin Rojas, his day starts when a majority of our pack heads home.

He’s looks after our overnight boarders and contributes to our art collection. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Devin started with us two years ago after working with Stray Rescue of St. Louis. While there, he connected with rescue animals and learned important skills like “how to tell aggression from frustration or play, or knowing how to align your body language with that of each particular dog.” Devin goes on to describe his formative time with Stray Rescue by saying, “I witnessed dogs come in as wild animals and leave months later as lap dogs.”

But his first passion, believe it or not, is painting. So, he found a way to combine his love of dogs and his degree in fine arts from Webster University.

Devin Rojas

He describes his role at TWB as overnight caretaker, resident mural painter and dog lullaby singer. It’s a pretty unique title but one he delivers on night after night.

Devin enjoys the quiet time he spends with the dogs, and everyone at TWB Hanley enjoys his mural paintings along the walls. It’s his largest completed piece to date and he gives collaboration credit to another TWB staffer, Hope Retter who also has a knack for painting, especially when it comes to dogs.

When he’s at home, Devin cohabitates with a four-month-old Aussie named Huxley and a three-year-old grey tabby cat named Uncle who he calls his “main dude.”

Devin appreciates the ability to work during his night-owl timeframe, and he says he feels right at home at The Watering Bowl, where he can keep a watchful eye on the dogs, clean up the place and run with the pack first thing every morning.

And judging by the way he’s received, the feeling is mutual.