MESA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- One of the great things about our Finding Forever series is that Arizona foster kids get to check out some cool things. Mathew, a kid who loves animals, got a real treat during his trip to a place filled with animals. The 13-year-old got a neat behind-the-scenes tour from Marta and Jordan at the PetsMart in Mesa.

“The easiest way to calm them down is to rub them down with the scales,” Jordan explained as she showed Mathew a snake. He told them all about his love of animals and his dog. “Ya, he was like 17-years-old,” Mathew told us.

“I could have a better life without being in a foster home,” Mathew told us. — “I could have a better life without being in a foster home,” Mathew told us.(Arizona's Family)

Mathew is a friendly and kind young man, and while he is a big fan of all the furry little critters here, he may get into a different business later in life. He told Marta he wants to own a restaurant when he grows up.

🔗 Finding Forever stories

Mathew would do well in a family with younger siblings and, of course, animals. When you ask him about his future, he said finding a forever home will be a blessing. “I could have a better life without being in a foster home,” Mathew said. And one day, when he has his own place, he said he’d like to add some pets of his own to the mix.

📷 53 children up for adoption in Arizona right now

To find out how you might become a forever family Mathew or other Arizona waiting children, contact Aid to Adoption of Special Kids at 602-930-4900 or by emailing info@aask-az.org. You can also visit the Children’s Heart Gallery.