Lara is an only child who grew up in rural southwestern Colorado with animals as her constant and favorite companions. She studied equine science in college and has worked in the tourism, equine and insurance industries. Dogs and writing have always been essential to her, alongside horses, music and travel. Her poetry has been published in several literary journals and an anthology of horse poems.

She has been a volunteer and advocate for animals from a young age, from assisting at a large and small animal veterinarian practice in her community after school to later fostering and transporting for rescue organizations. Most recently she participates in a local group raising awareness about puppy mills.

Her brilliant but challenging Border Jack adopted in 2013 inspired her not only to learn more about dog behavior and reward-based training, but to chronicle that experience in her own blog, Rubicon Days. She believes that trust and communication with an emphasis on listening are paramount to the human-canine relationship. With the addition of her “foster failure,” a Potcake from The Bahamas, she became interested in street dogs and international rescue. She adheres to the philosophy of “know better, do better” and is always striving to educate herself about ways to improve life for her own animals as well as those in need and share what she learns through her writing.

Lara shares her home in Denver with two rescue dogs, one ancient cat, and boards her 26-year-old horse on the nearby prairie. She enjoys trick training and hiking with her dogs, vegetarian cooking and reading voraciously.