Profile information
Travel information
We are currently
At home
Description
Abi:
I am looking to work with animals because I am passionate about animal care, but also because I am an aspiring vet. I am travelling in between studying at veterinary medicine university. I am a very adventurous and outdoorsy person and am eager to learn and experience new things. I’m absolutely up for getting stuck in and no job is too mucky or too much hard work. I enjoy travelling and meeting new people, so love experiencing new places. I have lots of experience with dogs and farm animals. I know the basics of equine animal husbandry and have started to learn how to ride over the past year.
Jay:
I'd like to describe myself as a keen outdoorsman (depending on where you are from, you may agree or disagree!). I am into practical conservation. I like birds and bees and trees and such. I like physical work and the rewarding feeling of finishing a day with a job well done. I have experience labouring, gardening, rangering and researching. I know a thing or two about this and that, but I am so open to learning more. I am very open to trying new things and I enjoy, above all else, finding myself immersed in a culture new to me but one that accepts me. I can use a variety of equipment, I have driven a variety of vehicles on a variety of terrains and have a bit of experience on farms. I am eager to see the wider world, meet interesting people, and have a story to tell at the end of it - for that is the meaning of life.
Interests
Culture
DIY & crafts
Languages
Cooking & food
Writing
Sailing / Boating
Water sports
Gardening
Beach
Pets
Nature
Outdoor activities
Mountain
Hiking
Farming
Camping
Books
Animals
Adventure sports
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn
We're interested in:
General Maintenance
Some knowledge of:
Life at a Farmstay
Gardening
Able to teach about:
Animal Care
House & pet sitting
More details about your skills
Jay:
I am a graduate conservationist skilled in upland ecology, habitat management, practical work and species monitoring. I am keen to push myself and apply my strong work ethic to achieve this goal. I am open-minded and would love a role that would lead to an exciting story to tell.
Previous Employment:
Matara Creek Sled Dog Kennel
Dec 2025 - Jan 2026
• Seasonal role for the winter sledding season
• Caring for the 170 Alaskan Huskies (and current puppy litter)
• Twice daily tailored feeding regime
• Body condition checks and general health monitoring
• Guiding dog sled tours for tourists via snowmobile and sled
• Communicating instructions to ensure stringent safety and welfare measures are met for both passengers and dogs.
• Cleaning out kennels
• Free running dogs in select groups
Seasonal Ranger | Northumberland National Park Authority
JULY 2025 – DECEMBER 2025
• Performed extensive and wide-ranging site maintenance tasks such as drystone wall repair, fence and gate repair, footpath and boardwalk maintenance as well as path-clearing maintenance
• Gained a wealth of experience in woodland management, including bracken removal to achieve woodland management plans and grey squirrel monitoring to supplement subcontracted trapping efforts
• Improved lone-working and self-management skills throughout, particularly in challenging upland environments.
• Improved engagement skills through regularly interfacing with members of the public to enthuse them about the National Park.
• Attained extensive professional experience and certification on a wide range of equipment
Uplands Research Team | Placement Student | Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
AUGUST 2023 – JULY 2024 (EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 2024)
• Conducted black grouse lek surveys and monitored seasonal woodland usage (Natural England Nature Recovery Project).
• Performed a variety of upland breeding bird surveys, vegetation surveys, bryophyte surveys, peat health monitoring and hydrological assessments focused on effects of various management strategies.
• Collected, processed, and identified invertebrate samples, set-up pitfall traps, hand-sorted and processed sweep-net samples.
• Utilized radio telemetry for red-grouse tracking, collected and analyzed cecal samples for parasite load in a laboratory setting.
• Regularly navigated challenging upland environments using GPS, maps and off-road vehicles (Mitsubishi L200, Ford Ranger, Dacia Duster). Gained extensive experience lone working in challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions using “buddy” system.
• Demonstrated initiative in adverse conditions, such as using digital tools to record data when field sheets became unusable.
Ashintully Estate - Lambing Assistant
April 2025
• Assembled lambing pens
• Feeding and bedding ewes in main runs (rolls and hay)
• Penning ewes and lambs
• Naval-dipping and energy drenching new lambs
• Topping up pens' hay and water
• Putting out ewes and lambs into field via ATV Quadbike with Trailer
• Cleaning and disinfecting pens
• Assisting and delivering lambs where needed
• Dry adopting lambs
• Monitoring pet lambs
I thrive on rewarding and adventurous work in nature that tests myself and stretches my capabilities,
Abi:
I am highly motivated and hard working, having recently a variety of work experience over the last few years and seeking more to broaden my knowledge. I am looking for work in different areas of animal care to support studying veterinary medicine. I have a good work ethic and an eagerness to learn.
Previous Employment:
Matara Creek Sled Dog Kennel
Dec 2025 - Jan 2026
• Seasonal role for the winter sledding season
• Caring for the 170 Alaskan Huskies (and current puppy litter)
• Twice daily tailored feeding regime
• Body condition checks and general health monitoring
• Guiding dog sled tours for tourists via snowmobile and sled
• Communicating instructions to ensure stringent safety and welfare measures are met for both passengers and dogs.
• Cleaning out kennels
• Free running dogs in select groups
The Fox Brunning&Price, Newport
Apr 2023 -Current
• Using and EPOS system to manage orders, bills, seating and reservations.
• Answering the phones to make reservations and answer questions.
• Making coffees using a manual machine.
• Clearing tables in between courses and communicating with the kitchen.
• Cleaning and resetting tables.
• General cleaning during close-down.
• Training in allergy care and food safety.
Julia’s Tea Room
Sept 2017 – Sept 2023
• Taking food orders
• Preparing bills, taking payments, including using a till and card machine.
• Clearing tables and general cleaning.
• Setting up tables for next days service.
• Answering customers’ questions and queries.
• Being knowledgeable about food ingredients and dietary requirements.
Twemlows Stud Farm
May – Aug 2022
• Seasonal (spring/summer) stable hand role.
• Scribing for the vets during ovary ultrasound scans.
• Assisting the vets during treatments and procedures e.g. restraining foals.
• Bringing in/turning out horses (including mares with foals).
• Mucking out and feeding.
• General cleaning.
Aquarius Vets
May – Sept 2021
• Vet nurse assistant role.
• Assisting the vets and vet nurses with their consultations.
• General cleaning.
• Restocking.
• Sterilising equipment.
• Caring for in-patient animals.
Previous Work Experience and Workaways:
I have gained lots of animal handling and care experience over the last 13 years, both as work experience before uni, and placements during the course. Listed below are the most recent.
East Winch Wildlife RSPCA
April 2025
• Cleaning enclosures, including disinfecting in between animals
• Weighing foodbowls and including medication
• Regular weight checks
• Feeding baby birds every 20 minutes
• Following quarantine protocols
Starvegut Hall Farm, Bury St Edmunds
February 2025
• Feeding each pen of pigs their specific diet
• Cleaning water troughs
• Checking farrowing pens
• Monitoring piglets from farrowing to weaning
• Gathering in groups of pigs for AI
• Powerwashing farm equipment
P Watson Jones Broiler Farm, Newport
January 2025
• Doing daily walk-throughs of each barn to check health of the chickens
• Monitoring heating, drinkers, feeders functioning
• Complying to strict biosecurity
• Unloading chick deliveries
West Newlands Farm, Bishop Auckland
March 2024
• Taking lambing shed shifts and assisting ewes when necessary
• Constructing pens
• Iodine dipping lambs
• Adopting triplet lambs onto ewes with single lambs
• Cleaning out and lime treating pens
• Ringing lambs
• Spray paint numbering and putting coats on lambs who are ready to be turned out
• Treating watery mouth and joint ill
• Applying prolapse spoons
• Treating hypocalcaemia
The Fox Rescuers, Stockport
October 2023
• Cleaning pens each day
• Preparing food
• Cleaning and treating wounds as needed
• Applying medication
• Taking animals to a release site once healthy
• Safely collecting reported animals and transporting them to the centre
• Going to vet appointments
Chetwynd Boarding Kennels & Cattery, Newport
September 2023
• Walking individually or in pairs several times per day
• Taking play sessions
• Helping in the groomers attached
• Cleaning kennels each day and deep cleaning at the end of a stay
• Feeding as per individual requirements
• Administering medications
• Helping in the cattery with feeds/cleaning
Common Farm, Ashbourne
August 2023
• Milking twice a day in the dairy parlour
• Calving
• Bottle training and feeding calves
• Cleaning calf pens
• Checking for mastitis
• Ear tagging calves
• Herding cows into a crush for feet trimming
• Administering boluses
• Administering teat sealant
• Muck spreading
Les Amis D’Onno Stunt Horses, Jedburgh
July 2023
• Turning out/bringing in horses
• Putting on rugs/fly masks
• Washing and grooming
• Mucking out stables
• Tacking up for training sessions
• Stocking the trailer and preparing it for the horses’ travel
• Loading horses onto the trailer and monitoring them throughout journeys
• Maintaining paddocks e.g. electric fence setup, poo picking, ragwort control
• Dressing the horses for shows
Shropshire Cat Rescue Centre, Shrewsbury
June 2023
• Feeding and watering each pen, as per individual requirements
• Cleaning enclosures, following biosecurity measures
• Administering medication
• Helping with the weekly weigh of all the cats
• Routinely changing enrichment
• Bathing kittens in the hospital unit
• Shadowing the vets during the weekly appointment for vaccines, ongoing treatments and health checks.
• Also helping with the other animals on-site including goats, pigs, Shetland ponies, Guinea pigs
Harewell Hall Farm, Harrogate
March 2023
• Monitoring the lambing shed routinely to check for ewes in labour
• Moving newborn lambs and ewes into pens
• Iodine dipping and energy drenching
• Topping up hay and water in pens
• Moving older lambs and ewes into the field
• Elastocastrating and tail docking
• Moving sheep through the race to check and treat feet
• Foot dipping
Korvalan Kestikievari Sled Husky Kennels, Finland
July - August 2019,
December 2021 - January 2022
• Workaway placement.
• Looking after the 90 sled huskies: food preparation; feeding and watering; cleaning kennels; walking and exercising; training; grooming.
• Helping to run the sledding safaris: setting up the sleds, harnessing the dogs and putting them on the line, going in the lead sled to fix any problems along the way (issues with the dogs, broken harnesses/collars/necklines, runaway sleds etc.), driving sleds.
• Taking guests round on kennel tours
• Cleaning and resetting log cabins.
• Cleaning guests' facilities e.g. communal areas, kitchen, toilets, sauna.
• Washing and ironing laundry.
HK Horses Showjumping Stable, Wetherby
Jun 2021
• Mucking out, general cleaning and sweeping.
• Feeding and filling haynets.
• Leading horses in and out of paddocks.
• Preparing horses for exercise.
• Putting horses on the treadmill or walker.
• Walking horses.
• Washing or hot clothing and grooming horses after exercise.
Mezi Jeleny hotel, Czech Republic
Jul – Aug 2018
• Workaway placement.
• Cleaning and resetting rooms.
• Guiding alpaca walks with the guests.
• General cleaning and washing up.
• Babysitting.
• Looking after all the animals on the small petting farm: feeding and watering the birds, cats and alpacas; cleaning enclosures; taking the alpacas on walks.
• Cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for the guests.
• Gardening.
Age
25 & 22
What else ...
We both have lots of experience with dogs and farm animals. However, we would love the opportunity to gain experience with other species too. For any hosts also looking for workawayers with customer service experience, Abi has worked for many years as a waitress, and loves meeting and chatting to new people and Jay has worked in public engagement. Many previous jobs have included cleaning, customer service, working well in a team and taking initiative. We have travelled a lot both together and separately and are open to individual workaways or ones together (but can easily work either together or independently on different tasks).
Some more information
Smoker
Driver's licence
Allergies
NoSpecial dietary requirements
No
