Ever since I was little I knew I wanted to work with animals. As a child I told everyone who would listen when I grew up I wanted to be an “animal psychologist”. This passion for all things furry, fluffy and feathered meant I was always surrounding myself with animals be it my own pets, the neighbour’s dogs that I would pet sit or the horses in the local riding school. At University I studied Agriculture and this brought me to New Zealand in my third year where I worked as a Manager on a dairy farm. I returned home to Ireland and after several years working in the service industry I went back to University to complete my degree. I decided to do my thesis on Canine Behavioural and Physiological Symptoms of Stress for which I received a first class honours. This ignited my old passion for the Science of Behaviour and I started to look at opportunities to study or work with animals. In 2009 Dog Trust, Europe’s largest animal welfare charity, decided to create a Rehoming Centre in Dublin. I was over the moon when I was offered a position as a full time Canine Carer. Within two years I had been promoted to Head Training and Behaviour Advisor for Dog Trust Ireland. I couldn’t believe it, I finally was working as an “animal psychologist”!