PetNanny and Animal Artist

About us

Caroline Howlett owner of Petnanny:

I am a dedicated pet lover and have worked with animals ranging from Dolphins to Heavy horses, Sealions to of course Dogs.  I was brought up with animals and from a young age expected to care for my own pets whether they were my lovely guinea pigs or even the Axolotyls.  As a family we were outdoor orientated so it was natural for us to keep fit, taking part in sub aqua diving, wildlife clubs( ooh I remember mams face when we kept losing the newts and slowworms in the house!) 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 of which he was accustomed but always longing for the job that would allow my love of animals to be a wage earner.  After working with Hunters and then showing Clydesdales I longed for a job where I could look and care for the animals to my standards, not just to win a show or focusing on performance, animals to me are personalities, 'people' in their own right.

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

Now most peopel had heard of dog walkers in America and even London so I started to research the possibility of starting a dog walking, pet care, petsitting service.  Once the idea had formed and research undertaken 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 they would pay, would trust someone who was trustworthy and built up a solid reputation and I wanted to do all I could to help the people and dogs that paid to use Petnanny.  So the name Petnanny was an obvious choice.

Well nearly 10 years on I was the one who was educated the most, my life has changed immeasurably and for the better.  I am proud to say I have not only improved the dogs, pets and owners lives I even saved more than 8 dogs lives by spotting health problems early and acting upon this, 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 listen to what my pets, dogs and owners tell me.

I am very much owned by my three wonderful Lurchers, Swift, Buck and Shyboy, Tumbleweed the mad cat and Ella  and Zaffi my four and six year old Andalusianxappaloosa mares.

See my pets page to see my lovely guys.

Samantha Nicholson

I am delighted to introduce and welcme Sam into the Nanny family. 

 I have always loved dogs.  I started agility training when I was 14 years old with my Border Collie Kodi (who is now in heaven).  We would train during the week and compete at shows at weekends, I took part in both junior and adult classes then progressed from competing to judging starter classes. We also took part in obedience which was very basic and just for fun, we certainly had fun. I now own two slobbery Dogue de Bordeauxs Ruby and Demi.  I Show both in the breed ring (not as much as I would like too). Last and not least my newest addition my horseman tortoise Toby.
 
Hoping for a career in animal care I went to college where I did a 2 year course at East Durham and Houghall college, where I worked with all kinds of animals from farm animals: de-horning calves, helping in lambing season, moving pigs and piglets to exotic animals: terrapins, snakes and blue tongued skinks to more familiar small animals: looking after rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs. Obviously we worked with dogs: we would walk and train dogs, learn dog behaviour and also basic grooming.  College was a really good, hands on experience.  While at college I did a one day placement with Caroline this is when she asked me if I would like the chance to go to Ireland with a rescue greyhound who was in a film, 'Man About A Dog', which wasn't as glamourus as it sounds! it was very cold and wet, I had to hide in ditches and run along a road with the greyhound chasing me and I was beaten by the greyhound every time, but its an experience I will never forget.

I am enjoying my new job.  I really enjoyed spending time with the dogs when I helped in the past, spending everyday with the special Petnanny dogs is a dream job.

Sam.