About, Chris Johnson.

Barney my beloved Blue-Tongued Skink and I at the Totnes Show.

I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember, even as a young child I knew that I wanted to work with them, so every spare minute was filled with research, reading endless books, watching animal programmes, even school lunchtimes were an opportunity to get in the library and learn more about the natural world.

Much of my knowledge has come from this enormous amount of ongoing research and now, many years of practical experience.

South West Animal Services - About — Training a Red Tailed Hawk with friend Steve Hopper at South Hams Hawks & Owls

Turning a passion into a career has been quite a journey, from working in a pet shop where my knowledge helped many customers improve the lives of their pets, to volunteering and working in Zoos, to assisting Customs and Excise, where I was called upon to rehabilitate and rehome wild-caught reptiles that had been imported illegally.

My wonderful animals were even featured on a number of wildlife documentaries and i got to meet the amazing, Sir David Attenborough!

I’ve realised the dream of working with my animals full-time, but the journey never ends, I’m always re-evaluating and evolving their husbandry.

The drive to give my animals the best life possible and to help others do the same is an ongoing journey, to which i am devoted.

The high standards I insist on have gained approval by many, including a number of veterinarians which was essential to obtain my Animal Activity and DWA Licences.