Carolyn Ettinger is an accomplished freelance writer currently based in Sacramento, CA.  Originally from Virginia, Carolyn is a long-time animal lover and advocate.  Her earliest experience with animals began with pets. Yet she was only nine when her heart yearned to do more. During her youth and teen years, she volunteered at her local SPCA and at the Wildlife Center of Virginia.

After graduating with a B.A. in history from University of Virginia, where Carolyn served on the staff of the Out Here literary magazine, Carolyn attended Vermont Law School specifically for its animal welfare course offerings.

Serving as president of the VLS chapter of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Carolyn founded and published the Animal Advocate Newsletter and volunteered as a feral cat socializer at a no-kill shelter. Carolyn graduated from the school’s top-ranked environmental law program in 1999.

Before trading in the 9 to 5 office life for a full-time freelance writing career, Carolyn won prestigious fellowships in the environmental preservation arena. She also wrote for various organizations, including covering animal shelter and court issues as feature reporter for a weekly newspaper, creating activist materials, magazine and web articles for a national animal welfare group, and writing short book chapters for environmental firms as a consultant.

Over the past decade Carolyn has worked as a freelance writer and blogger.  She has released her first comprehensive writing guide Pet Writing For Beginners.

Carolyn’s work has appeared in All Animals, Animal Advocate, Cape Cod Times, Environmental Forum, HumaneLines, Orange Co. Review, Out Here, Self-Reliance Commentator, Vermont Law School’s Forum and more.