Rewarding and memorable moments...

Diana Hillsden

Diana Hillsden, a retired primary school teacher from the Thirsk area, originally helped with an open day at the Thirsk centre 11 years ago and has been volunteering ever since. When the open day was moved off-site to nearby Pateley Bridge two years ago, Diana managed the dog show which takes place as part of the open day.

This year’s show took place in July and was a big success. “The shows are great fun and I really enjoy them,” says Diana. “The people are fantastic, and the show is especially good for young dogs. They are able to socialise in an understanding environment.”  Diana also works with the Harrogate Agility Training Society (HATS) and the Ripon Dog Training Society, training pets in obedience.

Back in 1992, Diana adopted her first dog from The Blue Cross adoption centre in Thirsk. Luke, a saluki, was adopted when he was two years old. “He was a real wreck as he’d been a victim of a road traffic accident and was neglected and found covered in engine oil.”

Diana was drawn to Luke and adopted him. The centre manager at the time, Julie Bedford, helped Diana with Luke, as he was not used to living in a home environment. Currently Diana has four dogs and two cats. Three of the dogs (Luke, Rosie and Holly) were adopted from The Blue Cross and are agility dogs, regularly competing in Kennel Club competitions. Rosie is a nine-year-old cross breed: “I adopted Rosie when she was about 16 weeks old”, says Diana. “She’s got some terrier and whippet in her and is a lovely dog. Unfortunately she’s living with Adisons disease and is on lifelong medication. But she’s a great agility competitor and also a Pets as Therapy dog”.

When considering whether having so many animals is hard work, Diana explained that the tough part comes at the start. “Going from one pet to two is a big step, but having five isn’t much of a problem after that, as they tend to slot in to form a pack and that makes things easier.”

Diana’s teaching background has been beneficial in this new role. “Educating children in responsible pet ownership is very important, and I strongly support charities like The Blue Cross visiting schools to teach kids about commitment and responsibility with animals.”