Education and experience
Anyone can say they love animals — I wanted to do more than say it.
That’s why I committed to studying animal care in-depth and working hands-on with pets from all walks of life. My education has always been driven by real-life situations and a desire to do right by the animals in my care.That’s why I’ve spent years building a strong foundation in animal handling and husbandry, health, behaviour, and welfare — both in education and through hands-on experience. Pet care is more than just affection; it’s understanding signals, responding to needs, and knowing when something isn’t quite right. My background ensures I provide care that’s not only kind but also informed, safe, and reliable.
My education
After studying at academy for 6 years I went on to progress my education in Animal Care at SRUC Rural Veterinary College, with the goal of becoming a registered veterinary nurse by 2029.
I hold a National Certificate (NC), Higher National Certificate (HNC), and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Animal Care from SRUC — three years of dedicated study covering everything you would need to know in becoming an excellent petsitter and dog walker.
Academy
2016 - 2022
NC Animal Care
2022 -2023
In my first year at SRUC we learnt the beginning of core classes including (but not limited to) parasitology (which makes me excellent at administering regular spot-on treatments), anatomy and physiology, animal nutrition, animal behaviour, avian care, exotics care, and animal breeding. During this time we were also introduced to animal handling & restraint, and animal husbandry at our Animal Care Unit where we had weekly classes with small furries, exotics, avian, and equine species.
HNC Animal Care
2023 - 2024
My second year at SRUC was by far my favourite as it felt the most hands-on. It included classes such as health and disease, first aid, handling and restraint, how to perform a health check and vitals check, animal nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and animal welfare. During this year is where I learnt hands-on how to administer species-specific first aid alongside theory classes - this included how to monitor and check vitals & the ABC of first aid. This ensures your pets will be in the safest possible care during a walk or pet-sit.
HND Animal Care
2024 - 2025
My third year at SRUC was definitely the hardest and most challenging! This year we faced the largest workload/coursework demands, with the final exam being a research piece of our own choosing - similar to a dissertation. In 3rd year we focused on ethics, welfare, DNA & genetics, husbandry & care, parasitology, and diagnostic techniques in the SRUC vet skills centre/lab. I am happy to say I graduated in August 2025 :)
For a deep dive into what I've trained in & learnt:
During my three years of study, I’ve gained hands-on experience and academic knowledge across a wide range of animal welfare, husbandry, and veterinary-related subjects, including:
Small Animal Nutrition
Animal Behaviour
Animal Handling and First Aid
Specialist Animal Care: Reptiles and Amphibians
Wildlife
Small Animal Husbandry
Specialist Animal Care: Small Mammals
Health and Disease
Facility Management
Dog Training
Specialist Animal Care: Avian
Animal Breeding
DNA and Genetics
Ecology and Ecosystems
Animals in Society
Applied Animal Behaviour
Diagnostic Techniques
Animal Parasitology
Ethics
My experience
As a pet owner myself I have lifelong experience with different animals including cats, dogs, and ferrets. At home, unfortunately majority of our pets were rescued from shelters or found abandoned - but fortunately for us we found them and managed to give them the long, happy, healthy lives they deserve. So when I'm caring for your pet(s), I automatically treat them with the attention, respect, and care as if they were my own.
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Over the last couple of years, I have dedicated any spare time I had during my studies to expanding my animal care experience. While anyone can be a pet owner and say they know what it's like - not everyone can say they have worked with and cared for animals big & small, or observed fascinating surgeries and real-life clinical situations. While yes, these do not directly affect my ability to be a petsitter or a dog walker, it does mean that I have built extensive hands on experience with a huge variety of animals outwith my SRUC studies alongside opportunities to discuss a long list of animal care and pet ownership questions and conversations with veterinary professionals.
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I have gained 90 hours in total of work experience & volunteering opportunities in Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire in veterinary clinics, farms, and shelters.