Whiskers Pet Care

My Favourite Websites

On my website, I support other websites and businesses that mean something to me. Mostly, it's because they're related in some way to the work I do with animals, or others are small local businesses that I like to support. I know the people that run these organisations personally, and am pleased to be able to help promote whatever it is that they do.

The first are the animal charities I support, either through volunteering, donations or sponsorship.

My own lovely cat, Bella, was rehomed from Animals in Distress, and I am happy to repay the care and love they gave to her by visiting as often as I can, usually once a week, to provide Reiki treatments for the animals resident there, before they find homes. They do a brilliant job, and depend so much on donations and volunteer support to keep going. Please do what you can to help them by giving food, food bowls, blankets, toys, old newspapers - they even like money if you find you have any spare!! Their website gives more information, and some lovely pictures of the animals that have been rehomed.

A friend of mine loves dogs, but as he lives in a small flat and travels a lot, is not able to keep one of his own. As a present to him, and to help them in their sterling work to care for homeless dogs, I sponsor a Dogs' Trust dog.

Manchester and Cheshire Dogs' Home re-home more dogs every year than Battersea Dogs Home. Their running costs are fairly substantial, and they depend on the goodwill of local people in terms of donations, volunteering and sponsorship to keep going. I have sold cards at events and given a them a proportion of the sales, and I take part in the annual sponsored dog walk at Debdale Park.

The next websites are related to animals, and are small local businesses, just like mine.

I have a friend and associate who runs a great facility for people who go out to work, but would like their dogs to be socialised and looked after during the day. Her website is DayCare4Dogs .

Wilmslow Pet Shop is an on line pet shop run by Sarah, who also supports various pet charities. She also runs a home-based dog day creche covering areas in South Manchester and North Cheshire.

For those of you with dogs who like to look their best, you need travel no further than Barking Barbers. Barking Barbers is run by Angel Moore, who, like me, takes a very holistic and caring approach with the animals he looks after. And he's also a Reiki healer too. You can find out more about Angel and Barking Barbers by having a look at his website.

ReikiCare is not a local organisation, but James and Shelley travel around the country, visiting local areas to provide their amazing training in animal communication. They are very special people, and my learning and development with them in this field is ongoing and supported. If you're interested in learning for yourself, have a look at their website.

The Poochie Parlour is run by Denise who is an experienced groomer and has extensive experience in working with animals. She not only works with animals, but is an animal lover and dog owner herself.

To discover how to cure all your dog behaviour problems, big or small - contact Jason Devereux of UK Pack Leader. Jason is an experienced dog behaviourist and trainer helping dog owners around the North West. Fully insured and registered through INTO dogs association.

I've known Mel Carroll for many years and she's as big an animal lover as I am. She's recently started her own pet care business called PAWfessionals - providing pet sitting, dog walking, and also a pet taxi/ambulance service. She's based in Stockport and covers the town and surrounding areas.

I like to support small local businesses who in their turn help to support the local economy.

I'm a very enthusiastic customer of Dig Food, and am very impressed by their service and quality of their products. They source as much as they can locally, and only provide certified organic produce. Just recently they've joined in with a venture to grow their own veg!! In addition, they're really lovely people, so please have a look at their website. And even better, they give me all their leftover veg to take to the animals at Animals in Distress!

I've got a very good friend who's a personal injury lawyer and a cat lover. Naomi Wilson practises at NW Law, and she has 4 cats to help her!! After many years at a well known firm of solicitors, she started out on her own 2 years ago, working from home, but has become so successful, employing 8 local people now, that she recently moved into new premises in Prestwich. Sadly the cats aren't able to come and keep her company. She's passionately concerned about road safety, especially after an accident she was in a few years ago, which has left her with a lasting injury. She supports BRAKE, the road safety charity, and frequently speaks at schools in Greater Manchester about safe driving.

Naomi had visited numerous specialists in order to try to resolve her hip problem following her accident, but until recently nothing was successful. Until she met Danny Moore, who's a registered Osteomyologist, and energy healer!! Danny and I also know each other, and have previously exchanged energy healing with each other. This is Danny's website, and his practice is in Swinton.

For those of you who live in or around the Hulme area, there's a very useful local forum you might like to join. Get to know people, share ideas, and find useful local services, and much else besides. It's called Best in Hulme

I'm a member of a local business group called the Chapel Street Business Group. They operate in Salford, but also include in their members small businesses from the wider Manchester area. They run speed networking events, which are great fun, meetings, provide details on funding available, and have strong links to local universities. Jon Monk has run this group tirelessly for the last couple of years. Find them on Chapel Street Business Group

Parsley Pie Art Club for Children, is run by Jenny Bent. She organises art and craft classes, parties, workshops and holiday activities for children aged 5 and over in Cheshire. Jenny is a fellow animal lover, and has lots of cats and a couple of goats sharing her home. She is also a vociferous supporter of animal rights. Her children's art club was even named after one of her beloved cats - Parsley Pie!

The following are all people and organisations who have helped me on my journey, and continue to support me to this day.

The first is Natural Practices, which is run by Gabi Heyes and her lovely staff. Without realising it, Gabi probably got me started on my journey when I started to visit her a number of years ago. Gabi says "Natural Practices is a Clinic specialising in cleansing and detoxification through the use of herbs, correct nutrition and colonic hydrotherapy."

Heidi Chadwick is a great yoga teacher and also an artist, and combines both to run regular creative workshops, retreats and amazing self-discovery experiences through Drawing from the Well. She also used to run yoga classes at Manchester Yogashala, which has unfortunately recently needed to close due to issues with the venue. When a new venue has been found, I'll update this space with details.

Julie Silver is a Nutritional Therapist, Natural Health and Stress Management consultant at Optimum Health Consultancy. From my own experience in working with her she makes eating what's good for you fun and interesting, and has a real passion for helping people to improve their health and lives by eating well. Julie says she's "helping you to achieve more energy, balanced weight and improved mood in a healthy way".

I have a friend and associate I work closely with, and who has been with me on my journey for the past few years. Although we do different things, we work in a synergistic way, and there are areas where our work touches. We've been each others' inspiration and support, and Janet has written a lovely testimonial for me. Her Creative Academy provides self-development workshops to motivate and inspire individuals and organisations .

My Reiki Master is Chris Parkes, and Chris runs The Reiki School, based in Hale, near Altrincham. Chris has been a great personal development teacher (which is a lot of what Reiki is all about), and has always had time to help me. Another person I couldn't have made this journey without.

I'm a member of a lovely on-line community that brings together people of a like mind and heart, who are in tune with all things Universal - and it's called Naturally Universal. Everyone shares with each other, and I'm so enjoying learning from everyone in the community. There's also an abundance of love and support, where we all help each other in difficult times too. Please have a look, and join up if you love it as much as I do.

Cindy Watson, who runs the Naturally Universal community, and her mother Anni, are also amazingly gifted and knowledgeable with crystals. They run regular weekend courses for those interested in working with crystals for healing, or just for the love of it. Have a look at Melody Crystals website.

I used to provide Reiki treatments for people, but sadly had to stop as to stand treating people for an hour was becoming very painful for my back. I would travel to peoples' homes, and also use the lovely rooms at Haigh Lea Therapy Rooms. Please have a look at Sandra Czachur's website, to see the range of different therapies available in this very special place.

Janet Long of Rainbow Healing Therapies also learnt her Reiki with Chris Parkes of the Reiki School. She's also a fully qualified Reflexologist and Hopi Ear Candler. She's become a good friend and support to me, and I know when to go when in need of Reiki myself. As I no longer practise Reiki with people, I'd recommend Janet should you be interested. Additionally Janet is a yoga teacher, running classes in the Altrincham and Timperley areas.

I learnt Reiki alongside Kate Marshall, who has since become a good friend, support and guide on my journey - I hope I do the same for her!! Kate lives and practises both Reiki and Yoga in an around the Winsford area in Cheshire. Have a look at her Inspiring Energy website to learn more about her and her approach.

I've recently come to know Julie Lines, and we've quickly become good friends, discovering that we both have similar backgrounds, have a very spiritual outlook, and love being and working with animals. Julie is also an intuitive animal communicator, and I'm thrilled that we will be sharing the facilitation of some of her intuitive communication playshops in the Manchester area, from time to time. Have a look at her website for more information: Voice of the Animals