Profile of ALY JONES, who works at Burford’s Blue Cross animal rehoming centre

  • WHAT I’M CALLED: Aly Jones.
  • My age: Younger than Andy Pandy, older than the Teletubbies.
  • What I do: I manage the small animal department at Blue Cross rehoming centre in Burford, where we find new homes for unwanted and abandoned pets.
  • Where I live: Brighthampton, a small village near Standlake – I like it at the moment because it’s not flooding! We are near to two great pubs that are also flood-free. There are loads of dog walking areas, wildlife reserves, friendly villagers and excellent bus routes, so I don’t have to ferry my teenagers around.
  • Who I love: After the death of my old male grey chihuahua, I rehomed a nervous one-eyed female chihuahua from Blue Cross Felixstowe. She is called Poppy. I love her most because no-one else does and she makes me smile when I feel desperate and overwhelmed with the numbers of homeless dogs I am asked to help.
  • Happiest year: This year will be my happiest year because I am optimistic. Every year you get wiser and revel in the achievements of friends and family.
  • Darkest moment: Postnatal depression after having my two children. Life seems so cruel when it produces an illness at a time that you should be celebrating life. It taught me to be stronger in my thought processes.
  • Proudest boast: Working for an amazing forward thinking animal charity – Blue Cross – we save lives, improve lives and support life.
  • Biggest regret: Not living abroad with my children so they could have the gift of being bilingual.
  • Worst weakness: Food and being intolerant of fools who can’t possibly know any better.
  • Lessons learned: You are in control of your own happiness, which means holding no grudges, being positive and searching out the best in people. It also means getting rid of the takers in life who sap you of energy, as you can’t help and support everyone.
  • Dullest job: Counting sets of five envelopes to go with Xmas cards on a conveyor belt in a card factory in West Yorkshire. It was a summer job before I started at art college; I was bullied because I was the supervisor’s sister in law. I learned that life is too short to do something you hate, so study hard, take chances and be aware that ignorant people can be cruel.
  • Greatest shame: Being judgmental. I try not to be.
  • Lifelong hero: My husband is my soul-mate. He is the most balanced, supportive friend and my hero, because he saved me from a life without him.
  • Oldest friend: Lisa Stubbs, a well-known artist and children’s book writer. We met at art college. She gets me and I get her. She survived cancer last year. I am really proud of her and admire her attitude to life.
  • Widest smile: There is a lovely receptionist at Blue Cross Kimpton in Hertfordshire. She is the warmest human being I know and has enough smiles for the whole population.
  • Favourite dream: Other than being able to fly, it would be that every dog, cat and rabbit has to be microchipped. Only recently Defra announced compulsory microchipping by 2016 but only for dogs – so we’re half way there.