OUR STORY IN OUR OWN WORDS

Our story starts with me Melissa. After twelve years in the retail world, two redundancies. the last redundancy left me wondering I'm nearly 40, where does my future lead us, So with mine and Michelle my wife's passion to move abroad and open a dog and donkey rescue and retire with happily with wagging tails it was time to watch our dreams start to take place where warmth matters more than volume to us. Michelle and I have forever had a soft spot for every animal we meet.Look after dogs and donkeys in the sun would mean the world to us,The itch to do something meaningful would forever keep nagging at us.So now was our time to make moves into reaching our goals & dreams.This is just the being of our journey where the road is long but bright it's always been our plan, but starting early wasn't the redundancy this helped to push us into following my dream our dreams so we got to thinking —what could I do now that could help our future plans i decided to turn all our acts of kindness into the bigger dream, And the answer was simple but brave: To train as a DOG GROOMER it can give us a steady income while giving me all the skill I will need for the future.featured at the bottom of the page :

Together with my small family Michelle and Miss Eva Diva we started to turn that plan into action

THE PLAN:

To take particle steps so I could keep life moving forward. firstly i booked my grooming course and Canine first aid which was spread out over a 3 months period. Then I needed to earn too we needed to keep the wheels turning at home while we build towards the bigger dream           

 we had many ideas, I was willing to do them all's as long as they could fit around my dog grooming studies and buy keeping our core mission in sight with focus.

There was days when the road felt uphill when the numbers didn't add up.We faced moments that knocked us of course, Set-backs that told us to quit,Doubts were whispered we might not get there.

 by circumstances beyond our control leaving us tired, wary not at first realising we would meet so many wonderful new friends along the way, even growing together using each other passion to help each other while venturing into a networks of like minded people,Even helping us believe just that little bit more.We pulled support from friends and family members and they had with many ideas

So we tapped into those ideas some wouldn't work but it was for not trying to make them:

such as dog walking apps

phone and door to door sales

I finally found some small jobs I could do around my courses and I got right to them such as Dog Sitting & Vinted  and a few other little jobs but the wheel moving and that's what mattered.

I poured all my efforts in to making this work.That's how I had to show up.When you combine passion with perseverance, progress follows one wag at a time.When you commit fully. Id unlock resilience and started to thrive

MY FIRST DAY ON THE GROOMING COURSE:

I walk into the training room with a mix of never and excitement, being naturally anxious in new situations,

I'm here, Im doing it run now,Forget it,All went through my mind,A pocket full of question and heart pounding I wondered if I would even finish the course. but I new deep down I was stepping into a world where care has a craft to it.Our instructor spoke calm with clear tones, Outlining the basics but also inviting us to trust our selves as much as our hands .My first practical try, I felt a ripple of self doubt but I had the right puppy to see me through.Then something surprised me :my trainer offered a genuine compliment about my technique my careful touch and natural feel for putting the dog at ease.That encouragement felt like a little spark-enough to quite the inner critic and pushing me forward into finishing this course and I did .While doing my courses in dog grooming I also too a business course learning steps such planning testing ideas, building support networks ,budgeting, tax, customer care which I already excelled in and much more  but a whole new mind field for us.

BEHIND THE SCENE:

My wife Michelle while working herself Michelle drives the heart of our venture -setting up the groom room,  building our website, crafting our social media presence, She handles the paper work, license, insurances and much more is a constant source of encouragement. Push and belief. She urges me to keep pushing, celebrates small wins and approaches challenges with grit and optimism. Her unwavering support-not just as a partner, but as my motivator- helps me stay focused, Learn more and grow our business with confidence 

TO OUR FAMILY,FRIENDS,NEW FRIENDS,AND ALL OUR PAW-SITIVE SUPPORTER-THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS

WE LEARNED GROWTH ISN'T JUST IN SCISSORS AND SCHEDULES-ITS IN THE QUITE BELIEF OF THOSE WHO STAND BESIDE YOU.

" MONEY CAN BUY COMFORT,BUT FAMILY TIME BUYS MEMORIES-THE PRICELESS CURRENCY THAT TRUE SUCCESS MEASURES

THANK YOU EVERYONE

we was overwhelmed with the support and so very grateful to each and everyone of you ,

Today were very proud to offer a place where every dog is welcomed as a guest leaving as a  friend.Were grateful for the chance to do work that matter not only to us but to you our customer

OUR NEW SKILLS WE WILL BE TAKING WITH US WHEN WE REACH OUR END GOAL DOG AND DONKEY RESCUE : 

CALLED: PAW-SITIVLY HOOVING MAD RECUE 

• - Core grooming and animal welfare competence
•   - Advanced handling, temperament assessment, and safety
•   - Stress-reduction techniques, enrichment during care, and humane restraint
•   - Coat, skin, parasite management; basic veterinary awareness and when to seek help
• - Rescue program design and operations
•   - Needs assessment for dogs and donkeys (shelter space, containment, enrichment)
•   - Tiered intake, care plans, vaccination/medical tracking, and post-adoption support
•   - Donkey-specific welfare basics and integration with canine care where relevant
• - People management and leadership
•   - Recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers and staff
•   - Clear role definitions, task delegation, and building a positive team culture
•   - Cross-cultural communication and sensitivity when working with diverse communities
• - Community engagement and fundraising
•   - Stakeholder outreach: adopters, sponsors, local shelters, and veterinary partners
•   - Grant writing, sponsorship proposals, and donor communications
•   - Public awareness campaigns, social media storytelling, and impact reporting
• - Business planning and financial management
•   - Budget development for a mixed-species rescue (dogs + donkeys)
•   - Cash flow planning, cost controls, and fundraising diversification
•   - Compliance considerations, licenses, insurance, and risk management
• - Project management and strategic development
•   - Phased growth plan from local to international rescue
•   - Milestones, metrics, and data-driven decision making
•   - Collaboration with NGOs, governments, and community groups
• - Operations, logistics, and facilities planning
•   - Shelter layout for dogs and donkeys, sanitation, and welfare-focused design
•   - Transportation logistics for animals, supplies, and emergencies
•   - Supply chain basics: sourcing food, medical supplies, bedding, and enrichment items
• - Legal, ethical, and welfare governance
•   - Understanding local and international animal welfare laws
•   - Ethical decision-making, welfare-first policies, and transparency
•   - Import/export considerations, quarantine, and biosecurity
• - Marketing and program storytelling
•   - Communicating impact through before/after stories, photos, and videos
•   - Brand building around compassion, reliability, and long-term outcomes
•   - Visitor experiences and community events to raise support
• - Risk management and contingency planning
•   - Health crises, natural disasters, and transport disruptions
•   - Backup plans for staff shortages, funding gaps, and shelter capacity issues skills such as:

THANK FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ