Dr Sandra Ottley

Sentient Membership Coordinator, Secretary - Animal Protection Society WA

 

I have had a number of different careers in my life.  I started out as a receptionist, then trained as a registered nurse specialising in Ophthalmology and now I work as a Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Western Australia.

 

However what I am most passionate about, and I hope to devote much more of my time to in the future, is the work I do at the Animal Protection Society WA. I first started there after a brush with breast cancer and decided I needed something I truly loved in my life.  I have been volunteering there now for almost 6 years.  I have taken on a number of roles over the years and today I am Head Cat Carer and Secretary on the Management Committee.

 

While I have always loved cats it took me a little while to realise that all animals were the same.  They all understand kindness and pain and all want to live their lives.  This realisation led me to becoming a vegan, after being a long term vegetarian.

 

My involvement with Sentient is in a relatively minor role at the moment and involves taking care of the memberships.  When I am no longer working I hope to devote more of my time to the larger animal welfare issues.

 

My dream is for a world were we respect the rights of animals as much as we respect the lives of fellow humans.  It is their world too, after all.

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