Hi, I’m Rowena! Animals have been my lifelong passion, and for nearly 20 years I’ve built experience in the animal industry through employment, voluntary work and fostering, along with caring for my much loved animals.

My journey began at 11 years old when I volunteered cleaning rabbit hutches with a local breeder. As a teenager, I wrote my first business plan to become a pet sitter, and from there my passion only continued to grow.

After leaving school, I worked as a dog groomer, including within a veterinary clinic where I gained valuable clinical experience alongside grooming (and was introduced to the world of cat grooming). I later managed a busy pet store in Christchurch before spending a number of years at the SPCA leading the volunteer and foster programmes. During that time, I was privileged to work with an incredible variety of animals, from neonatal kittens and dogs requiring rehabilitation through to livestock and equine. 

My career then took a change of scenery into emergency services, where I’ve spent the last seven years with Fire and Emergency New Zealand. While my professional path changed direction, my passion for animals never did, and I continued volunteering, fostering, and surrounding myself with animals whenever I could.

I live in Ruby Bay, and share my home with my partner, his two kids, and my pride and joy, Leila (Shih Tzu x Maltese) – the inspiration behind this business. We also have two cats, a tortoise, tropical fish, three horses and five goats.