My name is Cassie Kiefer (Dencklau) and I have been breeding chinchillas since 2004. I got my first chinchilla, Kikio from my brother's friend who couldn't have her anymore. Before my mom let me have her I had to prove to her I knew what I was getting in to before I got her. I got a male and started breeding them. I found out that chinchillas were shown and came with pedigrees. I wasn't able to go to shows or become a member of one of these groups because I was somewhat out of the area for a branch and couldn't travel for meetings. I graduated from high school in 2005 then went on to college at Des Moines Area Community College for a degree in veterinary technology. While I was in college I went to an Empress show in Boone. I graduated DMACC in 2007 and then got a job in St. Joseph MO. I moved to St. Joseph to work for Nestle Purina R&D Center. I am currently going to school full time to get my Bachelors of Animal Science at Northwest Missouri State University with the expectation to graduate in 2016. I joined Empress and a breeder helped me get breeding cages and a few animals to start out with. I have been a Progressive Member since 2007 and now a Professional Membership as of 2013 with the brand registration of Briar Rose Chinchillas (BRC) and have gone to almost all Empress shows near me since then.