Why I Started Wee Walkies
Wee Walkies began with loss, love, and a promise to put animals first.
Hello, I’m Paula, the founder of Wee Walkies. Before creating this community, I worked as a senior support worker in a residential nursing home, often on 12-hour shifts.
The home had animals too, and I formed a special bond with Vanessa, a rescued little dog, and Bishop the cat. Taking Bishop with me on my hourly room checks and walking Vanessa at night reminded me how much comfort, companionship and joy animals bring.
Heidi will always be part of my story
While I was working those long shifts, my own little pug, Heidi, became unwell. I took her to the vet, but she passed away in my arms while we waited to be seen. I felt completely heartbroken.
The experience was difficult in every way. After two attempts to resuscitate her, I had to say, “Please let her go.” The £600 bill that followed added to a moment that already felt unbearable.
I still carry the guilt of working long hours and not being with Heidi as much as I wished I had been. Her ashes sit on a small shelf above my bed, with her photograph on the box. I will never stop loving her.
A decision on Vanessa’s night walk
One night, while taking Vanessa out for her walk, I made a decision: I would leave my job and become a dog walker.
I started building a website and joined other platforms, but I came away feeling that the heart of animal care could too easily get lost behind fees and transactions. I kept asking myself: where is the love for animals?
That question became the beginning of Wee Walkies — a place I could open up for pet owners, independent pet workers and pet businesses, built around community, connection and care.
The love behind Wee Walkies
Today, I share my life with a beautiful little Jack Russell, as well as my twin cats, Tink and Crystal. They all remind me every day why this community matters.
Wee Walkies is here because animals are family. It is for the people who love them deeply, want to help them live happy lives, and believe that care should always come with kindness.
“Wee Walkies was created for the love of animals — and for the people who feel that love as deeply as I do.”Join the Wee Walkies community