Friends of the Pound

I joined FoP in 2010 as a ‘newby’ to animal welfare, having always had a dog or cat in my life. When the opportunity of taking on the role of Cat Co-ordinator arose, I became more involved, treating each one as I would my own and celebrating when the right home is found for these lovely creatures! The President’s role has been a learning curve, but with a stable committee, the organisation runs smoothly. Our vision is for a FoP Rehoming Centre, supported by our system of Foster Carers.

I’m a long time Tweed resident and life long animal lover and carer, including raising German Shepherds in Yorkshire and owning and minding dogs from Chihuahuas to Great Danes across Australia. I’ve been an active volunteer and eventual Vice President of Meals on Wheels, and have also been active in Body Corporate committees for 20 years, currently serving as Treasurer for my gated community. I joined FoP in 2021 and have added Membership Officer to my Secretary portfolio, so my commitment to FoP allows me to combine my love of animals with my administrative skills.

I have always had cats in my life and when I found a Friends of the Pound rehoming centre and had the time to volunteer I did so. What started off as one morning a week soon escalated to becoming Team Leader first at The Pines and then at Corporation Circuit. I also willingly started fostering pregnant and nursing mums and their kittens which is hugely rewarding. It can be quite emotional watching one of ‘my’ babies being adopted into a forever home.

Every animal that I’ve had the pleasure to know has been special and so becoming a foster carer with FoP when I moved into the area was a natural progression for my love for animals. When Sonia asked me to fill the vacating Treasurer role several years ago, I was more than happy to be able to contribute my time to such a worthy cause, and it has been a pleasure to see the growth of the organisation. I am in awe of the tireless efforts and love that all of the FoP volunteers bring to make a difference to those who have no voice of their own. I also look after all aspects of our website, including the donation of web hosting and maintenance services.

I enjoy having a hand in several areas of Friends of the Pound’s activities. I like working at our Rehoming Booth and at the Pound, as well as caring for my own pets, all of which are rescued animals.  I also take other dogs out for walks to help those in the community who are unable to exercise their dogs due to illness or injury. I drive a sedan and it’s fun to watch 3 or 4 dogs’ heads and bodies leaning from side to side and bouncing around when I take them out!

I’ve resided in Tweed for 18 years, and have volunteered with FoP since 2015. I currently lead the FoP team at ‘Just Cats’ at Murwillumbah, and my role there includes caring for all aspects of our cats and managing the team and premises. I also create covered beds, nestling pillows and padded rings for our rescued felines, that provide comfort and security and make our job of rehoming faster. My background as a Real Estate Agent and Senior Ticket Officer at Singapore Airlines has honed my public facing skills.

I have been a resident of Murwillumbah for 40 years, and I have been driven by a deep passion for animal welfare, beginning when I was 12 and volunteering at the RSPCA Pound in Grafton during school breaks and at the Grafton vet clinic, expanding my volunteering in the 90s to include Tweed RSPCA. I began volunteering at Murwillumbah Vet Clinic 43 years ago, and I am still volunteering there. In 1996 I launched a successful boarding kennel on my 350 acre farm. In 2007 I began fostering cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs for FoP and since 2019 I have been caring for Tweed Shire Council pound animals. My commitment to animal welfare grows stronger, and I eagerly anticipate contributing to FoP’s growth.