Meet the Team

I have owned and trained Springers for over 30 years. Work dogs rough shooting with days off at the beach bass fishing or just running out the forestry tracks doing what Springers love to do.

Currently own 11 dogs from 14 weeks to over 14 years of age. I have been involved with ESSW since 2006. An avid raw feeder, no chemicals/drugs or vaccination stalwart, where the dogs are concerned.

Mad keen on horses and horse racing having worked with National Hunt, Point to Point and Arab race horses. I spend any spare time drawing and raising funds for ESSW when not doing home checks, dog assessments and running around Devon with Michele Poole our Merchandising Officer picking up, fostering and re homing Springers that need our help!

Hello, my name is Nikki and I live in Bristol.

Having failed miserably to obedience train my 4 children I decided that I might have more success with Springer Spaniels - Roly Dog joined our family, as a pup, nearly 5 years ago followed by Rescue Ruby 3 years ago - every day is a happy one with a springer in the house!

My hobbies are mainly:
Translation (teenage grunts to English); negotiation (pocket money, curfews etc); rally driving (getting 3 teenagers to 3 different locations, in opposite directions, in the shortest time possible) and I am currently learning British Sign Language (so I can communicate above the noise of kids and dogs!!).

I am thrilled to be ESSW's Treasurer and enjoy contributing to the fantastic work ESSW does - even though my skills are finacial rather than doggy!

We bought a Springer pup aged just 9 weeks old in March 2008, that lead me to research as much as I could and I found the Spring Thing Forum. One thing lead to another and I was soon homechecking and transporting dogs for both ESSW and The Oldies Club, as well as fostering for ESSW.

When ESSW asked for more help I volunteered to become the Forum Assistant, then the Website Assistant. It wasn't long before I was asked if I'd be interested in taking on the role of Secretary for the Charity and I was honoured to say yes. I took up my post at the 2011 AGM and hope to be involved with ESSW for many years to come!

My Husband Andy and I now have 3 dogs, Tess our Heinz 57 (rescued in 2005), Bailey, the pup as was that started this obsession with Springers, and Henry, an ESSW Rescue dog who we fostered in October 2010 and who never left our family. Not forgetting the most senior member of the furkids, Cassie the Cat, who is in charge of everyone else and who is of slightly indeterminate age having come from Cats Protection in 2002 aged somewhere between 1 and 2 ish...

I got involved with ESSW through the adoption of my first springer Brook, an elderly and rather infirm springer who joyfully lived with me for his retirement. I supported him and ESSW supported me. After he passed I wasn't ready to take on another dog straight away but I really missed my connection with ESSW and I wanted to help in some small way so I became a trustee to help with the administration needs of running a charity. I live and work in South London as a practice nurse for an inner London GP surgery and I now share my home with Bert, an eight year old working springer who has been my new best friend for over a year now. He enjoys balls, gardening, travelling, squirrel chasing... and did I mention balls?

Taking on a mature dog is a fabulously rewarding way of helping rescue dogs and it fits nicely into a working life if you have the right support and are personally willing to go the extra mile to win their loyalty. I have a superb dog walker who has been with me since the start of my journey and helps me ensure that Bert get's all the exercise and stimulation that he needs. Our ESSW coordinators ensure that the individual dog's needs are matched to the right owner whatever the age.

I am Michele Poole and I live just outside a little Devonshire village, on the North/Mid Devon Border. I live here with my 2 girls, Jessica a 10yr old b/w springer and Jay a 5yr old black lab. I manage a Residential Park Home and Holiday Lodge Site. I have owned springers since 1976, so am well used to the breed, but am lucky in as much as they have all been lovely calm, laidback dogs. I also own 2 elderly ponies, Muffy and Hadleigh, who are remnants of my Riding School which I ran from 1980 until 2002.
 
I became involved with ESSW through being a forum member of Springthing. I got to know ESSW as my brother did some homechecking for them and some other dog charities in East London.
 
I was approached by ESSW to see if I wanted to become more involved and asked if I would like to become a trustee. I jumped at the chance of helpingall I could. The post of On-Line Merchandiser was then offered to me and it seemed like a good solution for me to have a more hands-on involvment. So here I am today.

I grew up with border collies. However, at my husband's suggestion we decided to adopt an English Springer Spaniel. And yes, I knew nothing about the breed! In all I have now had 3, all adopted as youngsters from homes where they had not had the time or exercise they required. My first was ball mad, easy to train but with an insatiable desire to work. The second, had an obsessibe compulsive disorder which sadly we could not cure and our third and current dog is called Ollie. He is comparitively quiet, but with a high prey drive. His recall took a very long time to perfect!! I have learnt different things from all of them. Ollie does not have a high work ethic but has recently started free shaping which he loves.

I got involved with ESSW when looking for my second springer. I soon offered to be a helper and then volunteered to be an Area Coordinator when the previous one retired. I describe myself as a keen amateur and am lucky to have the back up of professional doggy people on our team. It is quite a responsibility matching adopters and dogs but it does get easier the more you do it and this will be my fourth year. I cover a large area and rely on a team of helpers dotted around East Anglia. Many have become friends and some, I have yet to meet.

I occasionally do a bit of fostering and my 3 children really enjoy helping with exercising and training. As you can imagine, they are always trying to persuade me to adopt a second dog. I think I'll wait until the children leave home!

I qualified as a human nurse many years ago and my medical knowledge has been invaluable in my rescue work.

I have been heavily involved with all kinds of Animal Rescue for over 30 years. I have rescued, hand raised, fostered and rehabilitated many species in these years. This has included cats, dogs, little furries and wildlife including the most majestic of birds, Swans.

I foster for ESSW on a regular basis and although I get really attached to all my foster dogs, I know that I can’t keep them all and that they will eventually find the loving homes they deserve.

My very first foster for ESSW was a little 6 month bitch who in her short life had already had two homes. This little girl immediately made herself at home and it was decided after just a few days that she had at last found her forever family – with me. I have been very lucky – my little Springer is an absolute joy. She is faithful, obedient and extremely happy.

I decided many years ago, that I would try my very best to help less fortunate Springer’s who through no fault of their own find themselves in rescue, to also find their forever families.

I am very interested in canine behaviour, dog agility and clicker training.