Over the last 16 years since I first started keeping llamas, I have had a great deal of fun with them including showing, breeding and trekking. Llamas are fascinating creatures - elegant, intelligent and inquisitive with a definite sense of humour that leads to the occasional naughty episode. They are also great de-stressors, 20 minutes spent in their quiet company is much healthier than a glass of wine but has the same effect! I currently have 9 with no plans for further additions, and they now enjoy an easy life as much loved pets. They welcome visitors as it usually means a treat - they are hooked on spearmint flavoured Polos!  

Indoors is Amelia, a beautiful Birman cat who is 16 years old and rarely ventures as far as the llama fields nowadays. However, like the llamas, she enjoys being groomed and made a fuss of and is always on the lookout for a warm lap. 

 

 

 

 

Meet Leeutjie, or "little lion". He is two years old and was found underneath a hedge beside a busy road with his mother and littermates. At 8 weeks old he eventually ended up at the Cats Protection League, who brought the litter to the surgery to be vaccinated. Philip immediately fell in love with him and decided to keep him, without consulting with his wife. The paperwork was done there and then and Philip's wife got a pleasant surprise that evening! Fortunately she fell in love with him straight away.  

 

 

 

As a family we have a minor menagerie of pets. The patriarch is Nigel, our 13 year old tabby and white cat, who can be seen here snuggling up to Rosie the Ragdoll. Nigel loves catching leaves, harvesting moss off the roof and collecting pine cones when the opportunity arises. He does not have the foggiest about what to do with anything that moves and breathes.  

We also have Munchkin, a second Ragdoll, three guinea pigs named Cuddles, Puddles and Goldie (don't ask) as well as five free range hens named Emmie, Henny Penny, Trouble, Clucky and Bubble who all arrived early last summer. The children love collecting (and eating) the fresh eggs every day.  

 

Sadly I lost my long term partner, Sceol, last year. She came in from under a car in my first job in Wales 16 years ago and never left. It was her aches and pains that originally made me study acupuncture, though as she had been my 'practice patient' she never quite appreciated it fully! She spent the last number of years sitting in the back of the car and many of you may remember her hopping out and nosing around the stables while I was out on calls. I've not picked up the courage to go looking for a replacement yet, but am using my new found freedom to indulge my passion for travelling. The rest of my time is spent saving the world and other such superhero duties! 

 

 

 

This is my cheeky little dog Oscar. He is a 4 year old mini wirehaired dachshund, and has been with me since he was a pup. Even though he is small, he makes up for it with his big personality and huge bark! He loves to snuggle up under the duvet, lie by the warmest spot in the house and even with his tiny legs he enjoys fun walks (as long as the grass isn’t too long) in the countryside. His favourite thing to do is play with a ball and to be fussed over ...in fact, he is completely spoilt rotten!! 

 

This is Digby, our gorgeous little Pug. Well actually ‘little’ isn’t exactly an accurate description, as he is a tad overweight at the moment, but we are determined to get him down to his proper weight again with the help of the nurses and their ‘weight watcher’ clinics. 4 years ago we drove all the way to Portsmouth in search of our first dog, and when we went to view him as a puppy it was love at first sight for us; he was playing with a dustpan brush that was about twice the size of him, and seemed to have eyes about that big as well. He is the happiest chap going, and seems to think there should always be a party when Digby is around, preferably one involving lots of food and cuddles. 

 

He loves going out to the woods and running around getting filthy just as much as any other dog, and even enjoys the bath bit afterwards too. He is very fond of his huge collection of toys, particularly stuffed animals, which he will choose out of his toy box when the mood takes him. His favourite pastime though is being cuddled up on the sofa watching TV with me and my husband; The Simpsons seems to be his favourite at the moment. 

 

This is Basil, my petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. He is five years old and is a true hound through and through. Basil made it to Crufts in his younger days where he won his class and made me very proud. He loves being groomed and pampered too. I also have a 2 year old tabby cat called Chester who spends most of his days out on the town then comes in and sleeps for England. I have a dog grooming business at home so when I'm not at work I'm usually there! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is me riding Bertie at Hickstead earlier this year. I (with hubby Rob as transport manager) have had Bertie since he was a yearling, and he is now six years old. Our plan is for him to event next year.  

 

We also have another horse at home: Oliver, my daughter's eventer, who has been busy competing this year. The high spot to date was a horse trial at Bovington Tank Museum - with very interesting scenery!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Bo, our 7 year old Siamese cross tabby point, who we adopted at 3 years old when she was abandoned after giving birth to 7 kittens. New homes had been found for 6 of her kittens, so my husband, Tony, and I found ourselves the proud parents of Bo and her remaining tiny kitten, who we named Sam.  

 

However a year or so later, as with lots of mums and their 'teenage' sons, their tempers started to fray a little, and they got into a few scraps, so the decision was made that Sam would go and live with my son and daughter-in-law and their children, much to their delight! Consequently both mum and son were very much happier and Bo became a spoilt cat.  

 

 

 

This is Harvey, my 8 year old cocker spaniel. His favourite place is at the beach where he loves swimming out to fetch his tennis ball from the sea. Harvey's other favourite things in life are long walks and having cuddles, not forgetting the best thing in the whole wide world.... sausages!!!! 

 

 

 

 

Here is my tabby Ramses, doing his best to undo all my hard work in the garden!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I own three Labradors, two of which are working dogs. I enjoy taking the dogs for lovely long walks, with friends, and also gundog training with Indie, I have just started to train Bingley who is six months old. Last session I went picking up for the first time with Indie and had great fun. I plan to train and enter Bingley into working test when he is old enough. My other dog, Darcey, is adorable but has little in the way of brains! He is often used at work for nurses to practice bandaging on, as well as when we need a blood donor. I also enjoy socialising with my friends and family.  

 

 

 

This is Digger my young Beagle, he is a year old and enjoys walks, tractor rides and going to training, where he does agility, doggy dancing, scent training and all sorts of obedience work. I have a 5 year old cat called Lola Baby, who spends most of her time asleep on our bed or out doing who knows what in the neighbourhood!  

I also keep tropical fish and have a fully aquatic Albino African Clawed Frog named Hermione. 

In my free time I enjoy taking Digger on lots of long walks exploring the countryside, and am hoping to go to lots of agricultural shows and enter fun dog shows with him this summer. I also spend a lot of my time with my large family going to Zumba fitness class and entertaining friends.  

 

This is m handsome cat Chester, who is 1 years old now and is very spoilt. He loves getting up to mischief and bringing me back nice presents after he's been hunting! I also have a dog called Tammy, she is a 5 year old Collie Cross. I enjoy taking her to agility, which she enjoys when she wants to behave! She has got a little bit of a Collie attitude but she is mellowing and becoming very cuddly as she gets older. 

 

In my free time I enjoy catching up with friends and family, I also enjoy doing Zumba classes so I can eat a few more sneaky biscuits! I like relaxing with a good film, also as the summer is coming up I am looking forward to lots of BBQ's and drinking Pimms! I am also very excited about going on my summer holidays to Dorset and Cyprus so I can top up my tan and relax. 

 

Here is one of our three new chickens, Henny Penny, named by my children Emily (9) and Molly (5). We also have Foxy Loxy and Chicken Licken who are just starting to lay tiny eggs. 

I have an elderly Labrador called Josie who is 14 years old this December. She has many ailments but due to the fantastic veterinary care she receives she manages very well! There are also two very mischievous ginger tom cats called Dexter and Jerry who love to get into as much trouble as possible and sleep in the wrong place in the greenhouse every time. Outside of work I like to ride and spend time with my husband and children either riding our bikes or down the wood with a picnic.  

 

 

 

These are my two dogs 4 year old Poppy and 2 year old Wilf. Poppy is a Beddlington Terrier and Wilf is a Beddlington Terrier x Whippet. They love their walks in Possingworth Park chasing deer and rabbits and playing with all the other dogs. My dogs are very free spirited and love a game of ‘Hide and Seek’ in which I spend a good part of 2 hours looking for them! 

I live in the weird and wonderful village of East Hoathly with my partner Michael. We live next door to the pub which is great as I do enjoy a cheeky glass of wine and catching up with all the village gossip. 

 

 

 

These are my two very friendly but lively cats; Teddy (ginger) who is very vocal and constantly purring and Tibbles, a very adventurous ginger and white cat who sometimes prefers the outdoors to his warm cosy bed at home. They are 5 year old brothers who came from Raystede. They both love their cuddles and when possible try their best to distract you! They are very funny to watch especially when Teddy has a mad moment and chases his tail, banging into everything around him, and Tibbles who likes to wind his brother up which results in them play fighting. Tibbles is the more adventurous of the two, he likes to go for wanders but when he wants attention returns home to his comfy bed, cuddles and his yummy dinner. Teddy prefers sleeping to going outside, you’ll always find him either snuggled up in his radiator bed in the winter or somewhere in the shade outside in the summer. They are both very cheeky but their adorable ways make up for it.