Kristin McCullough, the Animal Wrangler
Kristin McCullough has worked with animals for as long as she can remember. Long before film sets and streaming giants, she was working on farms, assisting in veterinary clinics through high school, and training horses across Ontario. Horses, in particular, became both her passion and her profession, so much so that she opened her own training facility, Frosted Hill Equestrian, before even starting college.
A 2018 graduate of Fleming College’s Fish & Wildlife Technician and Ecosystem Management programs, Kristin’s path has been anything but traditional. After graduating, she briefly stepped into the corporate world as a personal assistant to the CEO of Stonewood Equity Partners. While it was not where she expected to land, the experience taught her invaluable lessons about leadership, business, and how successful organizations are run.
Missing hands-on animal work, Kristin followed her heart to African Lion Safari, landing what she describes as a dream job. There, she worked closely with giraffes, rhinos, zebras, and more, eventually becoming a supervisor responsible for animal care, training, veterinary support, and managing teams of up to 15 staff. The experience was challenging, rewarding, and grounded in teamwork, always with animal well-being at the centre.
It was during her time at the African Lion Safari that Kristin discovered animal wrangling for film and television was even a career option. One introduction led to her first day on set, and she was hooked. She went on to work full-time in the film industry for five years as an animal wrangler, contributing to productions for Disney, Amazon, Netflix, and Apple TV. Her work involved weeks of preparation and training, long days on set, and constant collaboration, all while ensuring animals were safe, calm, and ready for the camera.
In 2025, Kristin took the biggest leap of her career and launched Rescued For The Role, an animal rescue and wrangling company that trains rescued animals for film and television. She opened a 3,800 square foot facility in the Kawartha Lakes and quickly found strong support within the industry. What started as a leap of faith has become one of her greatest accomplishments.
Looking back, Kristin credits Fleming with giving her a foundation she still draws on daily. She speaks fondly of her instructors and of unforgettable field experiences in South Africa and Costa Rica. “Every class I took at Fleming has come up at some point,” she says. “Even the ones you think you will not use.”
The most rewarding part of her work is seeing animals she has rescued and trained shine on screen. “Every animal is special,” Kristin says. “But watching your own animals nail a perfect take is a feeling that never gets old.”
Today, Kristin is excited about what is next, including the possibility of employing fellow Fleming graduates, and continues to prove that passion, perseverance, and a willingness to take risks can lead to an extraordinary career.