Small animals behaviour and training specialist
As a primary school teacher in a previous life, Sam is skilled in the art of education – something which no doubt comes in handy in her role as a small pet expert!
Sam Ryan has made a big impact on small pets during her time at Woodgreen. She started her career with us in 2015 at our former Beehive Centre in Northampton, where she worked with animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens. Since then, she’s taken on various roles across the charity including pet advisor, which involved rehoming small pets, as well as cats and dogs. But it was always our smaller furry friends who were closest to her heart – which is why she’s now one of our small pet behaviour and training specialists.
With plenty to keep her busy, no day is the same for Sam – and that’s just the way she likes it. One minute she’ll be on the phone to a pet owner in need of advice, and the next she’ll be training staff on caring for small pets in the best way. She also gets involved in writing advice for our website, supporting the charity with things like Guinea Pig Awareness week, and working closely with other animal charities.
Sam’s favourite part of her job is helping small pets to bond and live happily together, as she explains with this wonderful success story:
“We had a rabbit owner contact us who had been trying to bond her rabbit with a rabbit she rehomed from another rescue with no luck. She’d talked to many different people to get advice before contacting us. After sending me photos and videos of how both rabbits were living side by side, I recommended a few small alterations and she successfully mixed them a few weeks later. Rabbit mixing can be so hit and miss sometimes, so it was so lovely that I was able to help and support both sets of owners to bond their rabbits.”
Sam’s support makes a real difference to the people and pets she helps. Her calm, knowledgeable advice has guided hundreds of pet owners through difficult decisions and challenging situations.
Here are just a few messages of thanks from those who’ve experienced her kindness and expertise first hand.
"Your passion for small pets and improving their welfare really shines through and is contagious!"
"Sam has given me ongoing support & advice about rabbits, both professionally but also as a pet owner. I always leave the conversation feeling well informed, Sam is very compassionate and caring - this comes across in our conversations. I feel like she is a champion of her role and inspires me to learn & share more about the needs of small animals. I have learnt so much from Sam, and want her to know how much myself (as well as many others) appreciate what she does."
"Sam was a huge help on the Family Rabbit Workshop. She not only helped set up and pack down but also offered fantastic and non-judgmental advice to the three families that attended, one family left saying about Sam 'I wish I could take you home with me' as they so valued her advice. There will definitely be some happier rabbits in the community as a result of her advice."