I have always loved animals and had a desire to work with them from an early age. When I was 15 years old I started a Saturday job in a boarding kennels and after leaving school took the job up full-time. I then completed a National Kennels Staff Training Certificate at the Institute of Canine Studies, since then I haven’t looked back.

In my position as manager I am responsible for the day to day running of the kennels and staff. This includes administering medication, taking bookings and grooming the dogs, for which I have obtained a City and Guilds qualification. Grooming gives me a chance to express myself artistically and I feel very gratified when I turn a shabby dog into a pedigree fit for Cruft’s.

With the introduction of European Union regulations, we now microchip animals too. This involves painlessly injecting an identification microchip containing the pet and owner details under the skin of the animal. I received a certificate, on completion of the training course for this procedure, from the College of Animal Welfare.

We are also planning to start a hydrotherapy unit to help dogs with back injuries and arthritis or for dogs that need to keep up their fitness.

In the future, I would like to run my own kennels, but time will tell. In the meantime I love working with people and of course with the animals and getting feedback from both is extremely satisfying!