Vanessa’s practical involvement in, and love for farming and companion animals inspired her to obtain a postgraduate qualification in Animal Welfare, Policy and Legislation from Hartpury University. Her studies have enabled her to embark upon a new career as a legal advisor for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare (APGAW).

"After many decades away from studying, I was somewhat nervous about re-joining and studying a science-based qualification. However, my course leaders were incredible and couldn’t have been more supportive, always offering me advice and guidance. The library staff were also invaluable in helping bring me up to speed with the latest research resources and proper referencing techniques.

I’m a magistrate, run a smallholding and have horses to ride, so my time is precious. This fully online course offered a great deal of flexibility, which fitted my lifestyle. Some online courses make you feel invisible, but I never felt that. It’s fair to say that without studying the course at Hartpury, I wouldn’t have the qualifications, connections, and my role in advocating animal welfare that I have now.

Together with my colleagues, I work to help raise awareness of animal welfare related issues and advocate for policy and legislative changes to achieve animal welfare improvements across a wide spectrum of areas, ranging from farm animals and the abattoir sector to the breeding of dogs and how to better regulate this in the UK in order to avoid the continued breeding of dogs who have extreme physical conformations."