Animal-lover Suzie finally realises her dream in Weedon after being plagued with ill health for years

Suzie Cronin has been unable to work for six years due to Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Ehler Danlos Syndrome.

But Suzie would not give up her dream of working with animals.

She now runs a successful grooming and doggy daycare service in Weedon called 'Suzie's Pets'.

Suzie said: "I was so poorly for a long time.

"At times I felt like giving up, but I battled on and learned how to get my health conditions under control."

POTS causes painful joints, sickness and tiredness while EDS causes stretchy joints/ligaments, which means people with the condition bruise and dislocate joints easily. It also causes struggles within including bowel and heart valve issues.

To manage her conditions, Suzie explored avenues of work she could do at home.

"I've always loved dogs, had at least one all my life and also looked after family dogs while they went on holidays," Suzie added.

"I had a lighbulb moment and thought working with dogs would be an ideal job for me, so I contacted the council, got my licence and became a home dog boarding and daycare business."

Her hobby grew into a full time job and she opened for business right in the middle of lockdown, accepting only welfare grooms, and keyworkers' dogs for daycare had to take priority.

She added: "It became very successful very quickly and it became a full time job.

"I had to expand to a commercial unit so I could take more dogs a day, but then the first coronavirus lockdown fhit."

Not one to waste her time, Suzie undertook an online dog grooming Level 3 course, practiced on friends' and families' dogs and became a dog groomer to add to her business.

"I finally found a beautiful unit at The Depot in Weedon and converted it all to be suitable for a daycare and grooming centre," added Suzie.

"We have many different types of dogs come through the doors; a few have been turned down by other daycare places because of their anxiety. We have built their confidence up and now they bound out the car and run into the unit and can't wait to play with their new friends."

She said all the dogs have different personalites and are great fun to be around.

"They are very much like children," she said.

"They can all fight over the same toy and they all want cuddles at the same time¬ It's hard work, a but very rewarding job and I love it. I have three volunteers that help me at the minute and that I'm hoping they will become employees eventually."

She said no two days are the same and each dog has its own likes and dislikes.

"I survived the coronavirus lockdown and I'm going from strength to strength," added Suzie.

"I really am living the dream."

If anyone is interested in registering their dog, visit Suzie at The Depot or email [email protected] or ring/text 07850 392213.