Introducing Our Summer 2024 Interns!

In honor of National Intern Day, we are excited to introduce our interns, Lukas and Jackson! Get to know the awesome duo who have been making a significant impact at Mella with their hard work and enthusiasm. Lukas Hagan Hello! My name is Lukas Hagan, and I’m a first year at the University of Chicago. I plan on majoring in Psychology and Law, Letters, and Society, but this plan—as with most things—is subject to change. I am currently focused on the social media aspect of running a business and building a loyal following for ethical brands and their high-quality products. Fortunately, assisting with the Mella Pet Care Instagram page allows me to do just that while giving me an opportunity to showcase my creativity and love for animals! 

Born and raised in Kentucky, I remember always being surrounded by animals. When I was seven years of age, my family and I moved out into the countryside to get a taste of farm life. Here, I helped nurture a variety of animals, including goats, chickens, rabbits, and pigs. The pot-belly pigs were my favorite, and I became the proud father of the matriarch of the pigpen: Charlotte. Charlotte was my pride and joy. With her buck teeth and chunky belly, my young mind was mystified as to how a creature could be so adorable! I even allowed her to temporarily live inside of my house. Did you know that pigs are surprisingly clean animals? The reason why they roll around in mud is because they can’t perspire enough for thermoregulation and get easily sunburnt…but I digress.  

My family and I ended up living on the farm for about six years before transitioning to a more suburban area. Regardless of where I moved, there were always two constants in my travels: my loyal dogs Max and Ellie. Max (short for Maximus Decimus) and Ellie May were polar opposites—personality-wise. Max was a fun-loving, recalcitrant Labrador Retriever who always found himself in trouble. He never misbehaved on purpose, though. He just lacked good judgement. Ellie May, on the other hand, was a stoic, responsible, and docile Border Collie mix who took direction well and had a knack for hunting. I grew up with these dogs, so it was difficult to watch their health decline over time. Eventually, it got to the point where Max struggled to breathe and could no longer walk, so we took Max to the vet. The vet’s professional opinion was that it would be best to put Max down. I was heartbroken by this advice, but I knew that it would be cruel of me to prolong Max’s life given the amount of suffering he was enduring. Watching my once energetic pooch deteriorate to the point of immobility left me with immense guilt. Was there something I could have done to give Max a healthier and longer life?  

Luckily, with all bad things comes a silver lining. My guilt for not being as responsive to the medical needs of my dog as I should have been inspired me to get involved in the pet care field. Now, I intern with Mella Pet Care to inform pet owners of resources and instruments that guarantee healthier and longer lives for their pets. Learn from my mistakes! Take the necessary steps to allow for more wonderful memories with your pet.   Jackson Rustad

Hello! My name is Jackson Rustad, a rising second year Molecular Engineering student and wrestler at the University of Chicago. I live in Gilbert, Arizona with my rescued dog Rousey. Since my earliest childhood, I have been surrounded by many farm animals and pets as my grandfather was a veterinarian in Ames, Iowa. My interests vary from medical device development and materials science to entrepreneurship and personal finance. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to work alongside Mella in the pet medical device industry and explore the startup workspace. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time exploring the product development and marketing projects inside the company. I am thankful to work for an amazing company with even better people. The experience I have gained has allowed me to jumpstart my career and improve the lives of pets around the world!