Sue Francis

I have always been involved with animals in one way or another. From a very young age I have had dogs, birds, and rabbits.

I now have two Yorkshire Terriers - Mitzi and Zera, two cats - Emily and Elsa, a very old budgerigar, a Tortoise, rabbits (Lionhead and Netherland Dwarfs) and some guinea pigs.

My showing and breeding started about 5 ½ years ago after losing my indoor Netherland Dwarf. I was looking for another one but found it quite difficult at the time to find any breeders. I phoned a pet shop in Daventry, Northants and they said they had no Netherlands but were expecting some little Lions in the following week. This started my research into the Lionhead breed.

Once I had done my homework on the breed I was actually given my first black buck and decided to find a doe. I found a breeder quite a few miles away from me and brought a chin doe followed by a litter sister the following week (my daughter brought this one for me as a birthday present) which was grey and white.

Not knowing at the time you could have problems keeping two together I kept the pair in the same hutch but after a couple of months the fur started flying resulting in one having a chunk taken from her nose. This is when they had to be separated.

In the summer of that year I brought another Lionhead agouti doe that my local pet shop had, this seemed to look a little better than my first ones with a really lovely mane and within the next fortnight I brought her brother, this being the start of Sualbyron Stud.

In the early days there were all sorts of colours coming from the breed and I started with all of these different colours until one day I had a litter of orange kits from my agouti, chin and white. I fell in love with the colour and decided to ask another breeder what they thought of them, they told me to send all of them to the Pet shop, I was really disappointed. Fortunately I decided to keep some back and I now have been showing successfully my orange line.

In between then and now I have also acquired a stud of Netherland dwarfs and I am now showing and breeding these along with my Lionheads.

I have started to breed Orange Netherland Dwarfs and do have some excess babies sometimes available. I have bred a few generations down and must thank Sandra Richards for a start in this lovely colour. I know orange is relatively new and is quite a difficult colour to perfect but what is'nt? If we keep trying I am sure we will achieve the results we need.

I live in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire and thanks must go to my husband, without whom I could not keep rabbits.

I have decided to run a Pet sitting Service along with my rabbit showing and my Bookkeeping Services.

As I have lots of experience with animals for all of my grown up life I feel this will make me a good Pet sitter.

I have had dogs, cats, rabbits and tortoises since i can remember and have gained lots of knowledge in all aspects of animal behaviour.

I have even had to administer insulin to my diabetic dog since 2005 and I would have no objection to pet sitting your dog or cat that needed this care.

I have not entered into this with no knowledge, i have been researching for some time now and i feel ready to offer my service to you, the public, no request too small just give me a call! or email! let us discuss your questions or fears of leaving your furry friends while you are away.