How do bookings work?

Every new walk starts with a free Meet & Greet. I'll meet you and your pet before confirming any booking — we'll go through care details, emergency contacts, and the contract. After that, you can book individual walks or set up a regular schedule. No commitment until you're happy.

What areas do you cover?

Okehampton is my base, and I cover Sticklepath, South Zeal, Belstone, and Sampford Courtenay. Favourite walking spots include Abbeyford Woods, Melon, Fatherford Lane, the golf-club fields, and river-play spots. Out of catchment? Just message — happy to chat about travel.

What's included in a walk?

Every walk includes games, enrichment, and river play where appropriate. Group walks are up to 6 dogs in varied locations or in a secure field at no extra cost. Solo walks for nervous, anxious, or reactive dogs get my full attention — limited slots.

Are you fully insured?

Yes — fully insured, DBS checked, and Canine First Aid trained. Happy to send you copies of insurance and certifications on request.

Do you walk in groups or solo?

Both. Group walks involve up to 6 dogs and are great for socialisation. Solo walks are reserved for nervous, anxious, or reactive dogs — I give them my full attention, plenty of space, and patience. Spaces for solo walks are very limited and lunch-time slots are usually not available.

Payment is either cash at the end of the week, or preferably via BACS — I send an invoice at the end of the month for the month we're on, due on the 30th.

What if I have a key safe or lockbox?

Just let me know if you're providing a key, have a lockbox, or anything different — I'll let myself in and lock back up when I leave. Your contract covers all key-handling details.

What's your cancellation policy?

[TBC — Sophie will confirm at client review.] In general, I try to be flexible — if you let me know with reasonable notice I can usually accommodate changes.

From the diary · 31 August 2026

Paws Beyond Borders — Jaguars in Brazil 🐆

A month at Criadouro Onça Pintada in Paraná, November 2015 — jaguars, pumas, anteaters and toucans, a tarantula under the bedroom door, and bottle-feeding a one-year-old jaguar.

By Sophie · 3 min read

Paws Beyond Borders — Jaguars in Brazil 🐆

Paraná, Brazil — November 2015

Try not to judge my hair in this one 🤣😭

This time I wanted to work with one of South America's most iconic animals — the jaguar — and I really wanted to experience the rainforest. So in November 2015, I spent a month volunteering at Criadouro Onça Pintada in Brazil.

The centre is a wildlife conservation facility in Paraná, with specially designed enclosures for the different species, as well as facilities for quarantine, veterinary care, food preparation and animal care. It's also located in an area where two different forest biomes meet, making it a really biodiverse part of Brazil. The centre provides accommodation for its ecovolunteers too, so I actually lived on the reserve for the month.

And I didn't just work with jaguars. There were jaguars, pumas and other big cats, small and giant anteaters, toucans, loads of other birds, deer and so many other animals.

Our days were spent cleaning enclosures, preparing food and feeding the animals. We could get really hands-on with most of them, although obviously the more dangerous animals had to be treated differently!

Living on the reserve also meant that there were definitely some experiences I hadn't quite planned for.

On one occasion, I was heading to the kitchen when I saw a tarantula casually walking underneath the door into my bedroom. Not exactly what you hope to find when you're trying to make a cup of tea!

We also experienced a huge thunderstorm that shook the whole house. And, in true Sophie fashion, on my first day I managed to slip in the toucan enclosure and bruise my entire bum cheek. 😂 Not quite the glamorous rainforest adventure I'd imagined!

At weekends we'd head out and explore the surrounding area, but I loved coming back to the reserve and being surrounded by animals again.

It was such a rewarding experience, and another trip that reminded me just how much I love working with animals. I'd gone to Brazil wanting to work with jaguars and experience the rainforest, but I came away with memories of so many different species, new friends, plenty of bruises and a month of getting to do something I absolutely loved.

Sophie volunteering at Criadouro Onça Pintada in Paraná, Brazil, November 2015 — bottle-feeding a jaguar, caring for anteaters, toucans, pumas and ocelots, and planting a tree on the reserve

Location: Paraná, Brazil 📍 Conservation centre: Criadouro Onça Pintada

— Sophie 🐾