A life, many threads.

MY STORY

My story.

Animals have been the one constant through almost every chapter of my life.

Some of my earliest memories are of being around animals, from sitting beside lion cubs at Pretoria Zoo with my mother and sister, to rescuing birds and mice, walking neighbours’ dogs for pocket money, and spending every spare moment I could around horses, farms and the outdoors.

That connection followed me into working life. I spent time on a horse breeding farm and in the equine industry, then moved into safari lodge work in southern Africa, living in remote areas and spending as much time as I could out in the bush. Even when my role was managerial or finance-based, I was always drawn back outside, onto game drives, into the landscape, listening and learning.

Later, life took me from Africa to Europe and into professional falconry. Working with birds of prey opened a completely different world and taught me new ways of thinking about trust, behaviour and relationship. Falconry also led to occasional work with animals for film and television, and today that thread continues through Mini Ferrets EU, my writing, and my work around pet loss.

None of it was carefully mapped out. I think I simply followed instinct, curiosity and the things that felt meaningful. Looking back, the places and roles have changed enormously, but the underlying thread has remained remarkably consistent.

Animals, nature, connection and the urge to understand what sits beneath the surface have shaped almost everything I have done.