About Caroline Howlett, owner of PetNanny

I'm Caroline Howlett and I'm a dedicated pet lover. I've worked with animals ranging from dolphins to heavy horses, sea lions and, of course, dogs.

I was brought up with animals and from a young age and was expected to care for my own pets, whether they were my lovely guinea pigs or even the axolotls.  As a family we were outdoor-orientated so it was natural for us to keep fit, taking part in sub aqua diving, wildlife clubs and walking with our dogs - Wendy a lovely black labrador, Suzie, a damaged GSD cross, Taiger and Twigs the boxers.  Our cats led their own lives merely using us as a means to an end but we loved them all the more for it.

After saving up for my first horse ( I was cruelly ignored, despite many many protestations, a horse did not turn up on birthdays and christmas's, sniff!) I worked as a means to an end to keep Mattie in the manner to which he was accustomed, but I always longed for the job that would allow my love of animals to be a wage earner.  After working with Hunters and then showing Clydesdales I realised I needed a job where I could look and care for the animals to my standards, not just to win a show:  animals to me are personalities, 'people' in their own right, and they need that individual attention to bring out the best in them.

As luck would have it, I stuck to a job that taught me more about myself and about what was important in life, so I started looking into a complete change of life.  At about the same time, Swift my young lurcher lost her leg in an accident and nearly her life. Her aftercare was intense and her emotional recovery was an ongoing concern, but I was very fortunate to have friends and family to support me all the way.  It was this that made me wonder how normal people without that support coped with their animals.

At that time, the late 1990s, most people had heard of dog walkers in America and even London so I started to research the possibility of starting a dog walking, pet care and pet sitting service.  Once the idea had formed and I'd done all the research, I started to look at what I wanted to achieve.  Did I want to just walk dogs round the local park on lead without other dogs or did I want to educate dogs and owners, helping in all aspects of their welfare?  Would cat owners pay a stranger to come into their homes and entrust them with their cats?  Would people pay to have their pets lives improved?

I really believed people would pay, that they would trust me if I proved myself to be trustworthy.  I wanted to build up a solid reputation and to do all I could to help the people and dogs that would pay to have someone look after their pet, so PetNanny was born.

As I write this in 2018, 20 years' after establishing PetNanny,  I can honestly say that I am the one who has been educated the most, and that my life has changed immeasurably and for the better.  I am proud to say I have not only improved my dogs', pets' and owners' lives, I have even saved more than 10 dogs lives by spotting health problems early and acting upon this, and I've saved so many dogs from being rehomed by educating them and helping to provide them with their daily needs.  I may be 'just' a dog walker to many people but I smile to myself and just keep listening to what my pets, dogs and owners tell me.

I am very much owned by my two wonderful Ibizan Hound litter brothers Flute and Tips, and by Ella and Zaffi my  Andalusian x Appaloosa sisters, not to mention my latest companion, Bathtub the feral cat who turned up at horses barn. He was an aggressive tomcat when he first arrived, but after becoming ill he accepted my help and is now a lovely, friendly moggie. I would have my life no other way.