My Story
Hi I’m Rachel and I’m a crazy dog lady.
It all started back in 2009 when this little bundle of joy came into my life, Daisy.
At the time I was working as a freelance journalist and I never thought I could have a dog.
I’d offered to look after Daisy for a few weeks when her owner my friend Jane had a baby,
Jane had adopted Daisy from Manchester Dogs Home a few years earlier after she was found roaming the streets in the City Centre as a stray.
Thank goodness, Jane let me keep her. Having her meant I didn’t want to be driving up and down the country. I wanted to be with Daisy.
And I became obsessed with dogs and pets, so started researching and writing about them, plus people who were making a difference.
Rescues, charities, people like Hannah Capon from Canine Arthritis Management who is on a mission to educate owners so dogs don’t suffer pain.
Jade Statt, co-founder of StreetVet who help people living on the streets care for their pets and often rebuild their lives.
Carla Finzel, a vet nurse who is on a mission to make sure every pet parent has access to a district vet nurse who can visit their pet in their home.
I loved sharing these kind of incredible stories and I wanted to be able to let them run and run, so I started the Paw Post Pet Blog.
A platform where I was in charge and could write as much as I wanted.
That was back in May 2017, and I had Daisy as my pawtner in crime.
Then, less than a year later, I lost her. She was diagnosed with dementia in January 2018, then a brain tumour, and in April 2018 she crossed the rainbow bridge.
How do you have a pet blog when you don’t have a pet? I’m not going to lie, it was a challenge.
Writing about life with a senior dog, and what it’s like to say goodbye, was cathartic.
And in those months when I had a pet blog and no pet I spoke to wonderful and inspiring pet parents who shared their stories.
Cate shared her beautiful boy Doug the Pug Therapy Dog had taught children to read and comforted thousands of people.
I bawled during an interview with Influencer expert Paula who told how her rescue dogs changed her life after she lost her dad.
Then we found Patch, and I wrote about what it’s like to adopt a dog when you’ve recently said goodbye.
The blog has continued, albeit with less posts during the last two years.
As a small business owner, I had to keep my head above water and because The Paw Post is a passion project, it had to take a back seat.
There are exciting things coming for 2023, with a Pet Business Directory being added to the blog where pet parents can search for products and services.
Do go and take a look at the furbulous folk there already, and whether you’re looking for help with your pet or want to check out new goodies and gifts, there’s lots to see!
If you’re a pet parent and you’d like to check out the latest on the blog, head here.
If you’re a pet business and you’d like to work together, head here to see how to make this happen.