About us

Devin Brinkley — The Founder
& her purpose behind Country Critters

The seed of Country Critters was planted early in my life. I grew up homeschooled on a private island in Tampa Bay. Out there, the world was my oyster. I had chickens, livestock, dogs, parrots and other critters as company. I would run the beach in the morning, watching fiddler crabs and sandpipers scurry around. I’d watch the fish jump and dolphins swim the flats. And I had my own little skiff to island hop and explore the bays.

We moved to Joe Island because our family’s clam farm in the bay was just off the shore. As I dove the clam farm with my dad, I spent countless hours observing sea life as they carried on with their daily routines alongside us. I became family to a small herd of manatees that grew from three members to four one year. Over time, I learned to identify nearly every species of fish, crab, conch and mollusk in the area.

Years later, after I graduated high school, I landed an internship at the original Mote Marine Aquarium and Laboratory. I ended up loving the experience, and it prompted me to start my own rental aquarium company for seven years called Aquatic Creations. This gave me the freedom to do many things in between maintaining fish tanks, such as building up an animal farm and becoming a boat captain.

My farm was made up of rescued animals and others that I had always wanted, so I purchased them. I spent time learning how to train dogs and parrots. I volunteered at an exotic animal rescue to learn about exotic animal behaviors. I learned about illnesses, diseases and parasites from my own farm and realized that all animals are susceptible to picking up parasites from grass, wild bird droppings, mosquitoes and so much more. I learned to identify parasite eggs in fecal samples with my home microscope, and my veterinarians and friends taught me the medicines to use for each issue. Farming is not for the weak!

When I transitioned out of my aquarium business, I put more time into boat captaining. Aquatic Excursions was, in my opinion, the coolest boat ride you could have gone on. I took families to the old fortress on Egmont Key, dove the old cannon structures, visited Native American sites, collected sea life on sandbars and put it in the onboard aquarium for better viewing and education, and led so many other amazing trips. It was one of my dream careers, except that boats always have maintenance needs, Florida weather is too unpredictable to guarantee a paid trip and, in the winter, there were no sales at all. So I discontinued captaining for the most part.

But through my experiences, I gained a deep appreciation for the beauty and balance of our entire ecosystems, above and below the waterline.

Living so closely with the land and sea my whole life shaped how I see the world and my responsibility within it. It taught me how interconnected everything is: how the land provides for us, and how our care for it matters in return. I’ve come to understand this harmony as part of a greater design, created with intention and purpose. We have been commanded by the Creator of this entire ecosystem to protect, nurture and care for it.

Country Critters exists to teach and remind others that our true purpose on earth is to be stewards of the creatures of the sea, land and skies so they thrive. It reminds us that God provided everything we need to flourish in our own ecosystem. This farm is a space where curiosity, husbandry and connection can take root and prosper as a community. And most importantly to me, I want kids to grow up having the same experiences I did.