Quite simply, I love dogs and this is the one and only reason that I have pursued my present career. Working with and caring for dogs is all I have ever wanted to do and so my job seemed like a very natural progression. At the age of 22 I spent two years working at a boarding kennels and after leaving there I got a job at The National Canine Defence League in Honiley, where I currently work.

A typical day for me begins at about quarter past 8 when we clean the kennels inside and out and feed the dogs. In the afternoon, we exercise all the dogs, groom them and take any to our in-house vet if required. I also deal with any customers who are thinking about giving one of our dogs a home. During my time with the NCDL, I have been on both dog training and re-homing courses and I have also completed an NVQ in small animal care. However, despite these official qualifications, most of my learning has been hands-on. From working directly with the animals I have learnt a great deal about their behaviour, especially where problem dogs are concerned.

My aspirations for the future are simply to stay where I am. I love what I do and don’t see any reason for moving on and doing anything else. Occasionally, my job can be very upsetting, receiving mistreated and unloved dogs. However, the good points more than outweigh the bad. My job is extremely rewarding and fulfilling and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.