Getting to know me - Tracie Stevens

To be a true professional it takes knowledge and a desire to continue to learn about the physical, practical, behavioural, social, psychological and emotional needs of animals.
I believe that learning never stops, therefore studying animal care courses and reading pet care literature is part of continual professional development to constantly improve the service I offer throughout Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, Broadstone and the East Dorset area.

Developing and maintaining effective relationships with clients and understanding each of their individual requirements for their pet means contented pets and satisfied assured owners.

My clients place immense trust in me as their dog walker and pet sitter. Understanding the responsibility and accountability of my role is essential in providing a first class service.

......And you may like to know that I also have companion animals including four cats. Previously I had two dogs and many small breeds’ including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, gerbils and the more unusual, East African Land Snails. Most of my companion animals have found their way to me from national or local animal rescue/re-homing centers.

Special Care Pets

Sometimes we need that extra special care for our mature companion animals when they are unwell or frail.

It may be they are convalescing from surgery

They may require time for recuperation from a period of sickness

Or perhaps they are experiencing a quieter and slower pace of life

....It could be simply that they would benefit from an extra hug and cuddle or someone to watch out for them

Paws2Walk provides companion care to pets in their twilgiht years, understanding their individual and special needs

At Paws2Walk we provide comfort, understanding and advice to pet owners following the loss of their beloved pets

To find out more about how to cope with the loss of your pet and the support available click the ' Helpful Information ' button at the end of the page.

Paws2Walk Mission Statement

Paws2Walk aims to provide a personalized dog walking, pet visiting and pet care service within Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, Broadstone and East Dorset. Every pet and owner are special and each companion animal will have their own personality and needs which will be discussed at the introduction and periodically reviewed. The service aims to provide an educational and supportive role providing information and advice wherever possible about pet care, research, local and national resources and services, to help pets and their owners enjoy their companion lives together.

Our Values

Paws2Walk is proud of its values which are reflected and embedded within our overall mission statement.

Our values.....

Uphold and promote nationally driven standards in animal care and welfare
Treat all animals with dignity, respecting their rights to safety, kindness, care and compassion and a life free of neglect, harm and suffering.
Demonstrate a moral compass of responsibility and accountability when providing care to clients’ companion animals.
Abide by, uphold and promote animal protection laws to safeguard the welfare of our clients’ companion animals and other pets.
Provide supportive information and advice to enhance the lives of domesticated pets.
Increase awareness of the needs of all animals through education information and continual learning.

Standards

So why have standards? Standards are closely linked to our values. Values are the merits we choose to live by. They explain something about what individuals and groups collectively identify with and hold dear. They act as sign posts of excellence and help guide us with a bench mark for best practice. Standards are instrumental in pointing professionals to aim high and deliver the best that can be achieved.

It is important to illustrate values as we work to give those we deliver a service to the confidence and trust needed in what we do and how we discharge our duty of care and expertise. When working with people and animals it is essential to demonstrate a genuine interest in, and desire to, understand individuals, show compassion and carry out our role with honesty, transparency and empathy.

Code of Professional Practice

Staff working at/for Paws2Walk will:

Carry out their practice with pride, integrity, care and honesty, taking safe responsibility for client's companion animals while in their charge.
Demonstrate trustworthiness, reliability and dependability, understanding the important contractual commitment they have agreed to accept.
Be mindful of their duty of care when caring for client's animals, client property, secuity and overall safety.
Maintain a professional relationship with clients; respecting and accepting individual client values without imposing personal values in the course of delivering the service. However, this does not include, pet care and advice where requested or where necessary to safeguard the welfare of any animal/s and in accordance with the law on the protection of animals.
Not seek to exploit the professional/client relationship for any improper financial, personal or professional advantage or gain.
Carry out the business of pet sitting, dog walking, house sitting and pet care fairly with credibility and due regard to the reputation of Paws2Walk.
Maintain professional accountability through insurance, disclosure and barring clearance, education and continual professional learning and development.

Professional Membership

Health Safety & Wellbeing

.............Paws2Walk aims to be the best pet care service within East Dorset. Whether this means designing the service around the needs of the pet and their owner or taking the extra steps to offer a particular pet care approach, Paws2Walk provides a unique service where clients' pets are treated with dignity and respect and where their health, safety and well-being is top priority. Services centred around these features means that care and attention to detail will assure pet owners of the best standards when delivering our business.

To find out more about how Paws2Walk can meet your specific needs please visit out Contact page and book an appointment.

Community Engagement

Playing a meaningful role within my community at Corfe Mullen and Wimborne, I am a volunteer for a local wildlife centre, collecting, transporting and delivering injured and distressed wildlife and wild birds between local vets and the wildlife service. Furthermore, I have been a volunteer for many well known national and local animal charities. Volunteering has formed an important path on my journey to launching Paws2Walk within Corfe Mullen and the surrounding area.

Below are examples of community engagement projects I am involved in and have contributed to:

Toad Patrols during their breeding season, when toads make their journey to the lakes to spawn. This helps reduce road kill, ensuring the annual toad population remain safe
Becoming a member of Dorset Wildlife Trust and adopting a seahorse to help safeguard the future of Dorset’s marine life.
Sponsorship of several dogs and cats with two national animal charities that re-home pets.
Through monthly donations, I support CRASH - Dorset (Care Rehabilitation and Aid for Sick Hedgehogs) CRASH is a registerd charity that supports and treats sick and injured hedgehogs in Dorset, nursing them back to health.
I also grow garden plants for The Margaret Green Animal Rescue Centre to sell. The Margaret Green is based in Church Knowle, a registered charity that find homeless pets their forever homes.
Paws2Walk purchased a full Animal Oxygen Resusitation kit from the charity Smokey Paws for Wimborne Fire and Rescue to use in domestic house fires.
Between 2016 and 2017 local animal and wildlife charities received a total of £183.00 in donations raised from within Paws2walk, Dorset.

And… because of my experience with wild animals I have frequently been requested to feed wild garden birds and visiting fox, badger, hedgehogs, squirrels and free range hens when clients have been on vacation or business trips. Naturally, I have the confidence, commitment and values to deliver the perfect pet and wild animal care service you would expect from a professional..

Areas we cover

Corfe Mullen
Wimborne
Pamphill
Colehill
Bear Cross Bearwood
Stapehill

Longham
Holt
Furzehill
West Moors
Sturminster Marshall
Broadstone

Canford Heath
Lytchett Minster
Ferndown
Merley Canford Magna
Canford bottom
Oakley

Lytchett Matravers
Holton Heath
Sterte
Upton
Hamworthy
Creekmore

Smokey Paws

Paws2Walk supports Smokey Paws, a charity that offers life saving oxygen kits for animals affected by smoke inhalation from house fires.

In October 2017 Tracie purchased a full oxygen life saving kit, donating this to Wimborne Fire and Rescue Service.

Acknowledgements

Tracie at Paws2walk would like to acknowledge and thank the support and encouragement from family and friends and in particular Jean, Asha, Nicky, Heidi, Jayne, Bernie, Emily, Jodie from Staples in Poole, and staff at Minuteman Press - Poole and Indy Signs for car graphics. Special thanks to Toolkit Websites and Lanara who have been instrumental in building and developing Paws2Walk website.