The new executive director of the Suffolk Humane Society has some rather unusual pets at her own home.

The cat and three dogs Teresa Crocker and her husband keep on their Smithfield acreage are fairly standard. But they also have 10 fainting goats, which have a genetic condition that causes them to stiffen and fall over, appearing to faint, when startled.

There’s no reason to be scared of Crocker, though. The new society director comes with 30 years of nonprofit experience with the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula.

She grew up in Hampton and was attending Thomas Nelson Community College for secretarial training when she decided she needed office experience. She found part-time work at Big Brothers Big Sisters, which at the time was located in the United Way building. She then became receptionist in the campaigns department at United Way and soon wound up running the entire department.

Along the way, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in health administration. But she left her United Way job in January of this year.

“I was looking for something different,” she said.

She was volunteering at Isle of Wight Animal Control when she heard the job of executive director of the Suffolk Humane Society was available.

“I was extremely fortunate to get the job,” Crocker said.

She started about a month ago and already has seen the impact the organization makes in the lives of animals and animal lovers in Suffolk.

Recently, she was able to help a family experiencing unemployment get their dog seen by a veterinarian after it was attacked by a stray dog. The dog is now recovering from its injuries thanks to the community assistance fund of the Suffolk Humane Society.

Crocker said she also feels fortunate to be able to help people in need with everyday needs for their pets, such as food. She’s gotten about one call a week for such assistance since she started.

When a family falls upon hard times, “people forget what happens to the animals,” Crocker said. “We’re helping people who are in desperate need of feeding their animals.”

The next goal for the organization is completing a move from its current office at 4300 Nansemond Parkway to its new one on Kings Fork Road. The new location will give the organization many things it’s currently lacking, especially a meeting room where volunteer trainings and other such events can take place.

The organization is in need of more volunteers, Crocker said.

“We couldn’t do it without the volunteers,” she said. “Volunteers are very important. We have something anybody can do, from helping us write thank-you notes or making telephone calls. It can be just a couple hours a week.”

To reach Crocker or find out more information on the Suffolk Humane Society, call 538-3030 or visit suffolkhumanesociety.com.