Meet The Team

Rachel Dawson
Owner of Armstrong Creek Pet Minding
(Maternity Leave)
Rachel is a registered Nurse and is in the middle of completing her Certificate 4 in Animal Companion Studies.
Rachel has been inspired to provide quality pet care services by her very first dog, Peppi (pictured). Armstrong Creek Pet Minding had humble beginnings as short stay boarding care for Peppi to make new dog friends but it wasn’t long before Rachel expanded her offerings to include a full range of services.
Rachel’s absolute favourite service to provide is any activity where she can watch dogs interact with each other in a group setting. The doggy day care environment at her home and group walks out and about at the local reserves is where Rachel would spend every minute of her day if she could.
Peppi crossed the rainbow bridge in early 2020, shortly before he passed Rachel and her husband adopted a female mixed breed from a Shelter in Cairns who has a role very important role in the business!

Mindy
Resident Day Care Dog
Mindy is a former community dog that lived the first 6 months of her life on the streets in Cairns, Qld. She is a true mixed breed with with her parents, grandparents and great grandparents likely being of Australian Cattle Dog, Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier breeding but the DNA test also detected Kelpie, Dogue De Bordeaux, Koolie, Lowchen and Slumpy Tail Cattle dog.
Mindy can be detached and independent, like she’s still living on the streets but she can flip the script at the drop of a hat and be equally as needy and clingy as the best of the lap dogs.
Mindy’s adoption day was January 20th 2020 and yes, she was flown down to Victoria once Rachel and her husband were determined the best applicant for Mindy. Mindy will be turning 3 years of age in June, 2022.
Mindy has a chair at the front window and if she is not in the back yard with the other dogs, she is watching the goings on in the neighbourhood from her throne.

Ursula
Admin assistant/ House Sitter/ Animal Lover
(Acting Manager)
Ursula is a career coordinator - of events, of catering, of anything and is just great at juggling the admin for this very busy pet minding service.
Ursula and her family own two ex racing Greyhounds, Lucy (pictured) and Bear, who would not be wrangled for the photo.
Ursula’s favourite service to provide is anything one on one and the first morning of a house sit is in her opinion the best couple of hours of the whole stay;
‘You’ve fed the dog at least once, maybe twice and maybe you’ve walked them once. They’re starting to gain trust with you and bit by bit they start to show you who they are”

Talisha
Dog walker and Animal Lover
Talisha is pet parent to Gilbert, a 3-legged black kitten and Lexie, a 3 year old black German Shepherd.
Talisha has always wanted to work with animals but her early career started to pull her in other directions until she refocussed. She is currently studying a Cert II in Animal Studies and volunteers her Saturdays at Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS)
Talisha has always been drawn to animals and her lifelong goal is is to live on a hobby farm where she can rescue as many animals as she could responsibly handle and give them the comfortable, loved life they deserve.

Sammi
House Sitter
Bio Coming soon