Spotlight on Animal Centre Manager, Julie Allen: 27 years of service

When did you join the RSPCA and in what capacity? Has your role changed since you started?

I started my journey with the RSPCA in 1997 when I started volunteering at RSPCA Southridge. In 1999 I decided that I wanted to dedicate my working life to animals, took a 75% pay cut, changed my career completely, sold my house and moved into a small flat and took up an animal care assistant opportunity at Southridge when they expanded the centre, and have not looked back since.

I worked my way up to cattery supervisor and during the time when the manager was on maternity leave, I covered as deputy manager for 6 months. Having returned to the cattery supervisor role after that, the opportunity came up at Blackberry Farm and in 2007 I was promoted to centre manager, and I’ve been doing the role since! I’m soon going to be retiring which brings lots of mixed emotions - it’s exciting but equally scary and sad, and I’ll really miss the incredible team and the animals.

What has kept you at the RSPCA for all these years? 

Seeing the amazing work that everyone in the field does, day in, day out, and knowing that thousands of animals are now living a much better life has kept my passion throughout my 25 years plus.  My favourite part of my current job is seeing animals nurtured back to health with newfound confidence and finally seeing them go to their new loving homes. It’s so moving when their new families send us updates and sometimes even bring them back to visit the staff at the centre. I love to see a rescue dog on the beach photo - they always make me tear up a little when I see them.

What have been your favourite moments working here?

It's hard to think of one in particular as there’s been so many over the years! I will always remember a cat at Southridge who was so scared when he came in and was really disengaged with everyone. I came in on my weekends off to quietly sit in his outrun, not putting him under any pressure.  On week 4 of doing this, I suddenly felt a small nudge on my side, and he started to engage with me. During the next few days, he slowly came out of his shell and started to enjoy human company. I can't lie, I shed a few tears the day he went off to his forever home. 

Do you have any idea how many animals you’ve helped or seen come and go during your time with the RSPCA?

I can't even imagine after how long I’ve been here! If you say around 1,000 animals a year, including my volunteering days, it must be in excess of 25,000.

What’s your favourite animal and why?

If I had to choose, it would be cats. I love their independence and the fact that they choose to be with you. I feel privileged that when my cat goes out of the cat flap and chooses to come back to live with me.  That’s very humbling.

What do you think is the most pressing issue for animals today? 

Sadly there are so many pressures for animals today. It seems so easy to just get animals now without really understanding them properly and thinking about what they need. Lots of people don't really understand animal behaviour and expect animals to just adapt to our human ways. We see so many mentally damaged animals coming into the centres due to human ignorance.

Two hundred years ago, a group of people met in a London coffee shop, determined to change animals’ lives for the better. That goal has been the beating heart of the RSPCA ever since. Find out more about our history and join our Million-Strong Movement for every kind today!