Dr. Wright grew up in New Jersey watching her mother rescue wild animals among the menagerie of their pets. Her horse became her main focus during junior high and high school as she trained and showed in 3-day eventing. That passion took her to a private college in Virginia, where she studied horsemanship and business. She then transferred to Old Dominion University and completed a biology degree in 1991. Her long-term career with animals began with her first job at a veterinary hospital in South Carolina. Seeing a need in the community, she quit to start a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation organization.