After completing a BSc Honours Zoology degree and MSc by Research degree I joined the Scottish SPCA and since 2005 have progressed to the post of Head of Education and Policy. My core activities involve managing our ‘Prevention through Education’ strategy. This includes our Animal Guardians programme where children are referred as a result of them exhibiting behaviour towards animals that are a cause of concern. We focus on increasing knowledge and nurturing that empathetic and compassionate behaviour towards animals and in turn people.  We want to ensure we are able to teach animal welfare education to anyone of any age in an engaging and fun way, for example making use of robotics and developing bespoke gaming initiatives. I also coordinate collaborative research projects with amazing Universities that focus on the impact of animal welfare education, the links between animal and human abuse and neglect and also the enrichment of animals in the Scottish SPCA’s care. By combining what we learn through our education and research work gives us opportunities to make a positive difference at an operational level and enables us to respond effectively to any proposed legislative changes helping ensure current animal welfare legislation meets modern day issues.