A Lifelong Commitment to Ending Animal Cruelty

As a child, she would hide in the shed at the bottom of the garden with her two guinea pigs to escape the arguments between her parents. “My guinea pigs calmed me down and gave me the affection which I didn't receive from my parents,” she says.

Her home also became a refuge for stray cats from a nearby farm. “They were fed little on the farm, being kept as mousers but they soon realised that our house was a good restaurant. So I grew up with a plethora of cats (I've had a total of 25 throughout the years). After a lifetime of cats I now have 2 females (Iride and ‘Little One’) who constitute my family.”

Natalie also kept hens for their eggs and fondly remembers their intelligence and character. “They were very content and produced very tasty eggs. Many people think hens stupid but I found them intelligent and communicative. They have an extensive range of vocalisations to communicate fear, joy, the laying of an egg, curiosity, and annoyance.”

One hen in particular stood out. “I had one hen named Dotty as she was white with black spots and whenever her favourite egg box was occupied by another hen in the process of laying an egg, she would fly up into a nearby tree and let out a raucous noise expressing her displeasure and annoyance at having to wait to lay her egg.”

Natalie was struck by how socially aware hens could be. “I always used to buy my hens in pairs so that when I introduced them to the existing hens, if there was any scuffle between the newcomers and the others, they had at least an ally. Once one hen was attacked by a falcon. It was very shaken but survived and immediately ran into the hen house where it stood in a corner in a state of shock for an hour. Then I noticed that the other hen of the pair went to stand by it for companionship and to give it moral support. I was amazed!”

Her lifelong love for animals was also nurtured by watching David Attenborough documentaries. “I was fascinated by all the different animals he introduced, of all shapes, sizes and colours. David's sensitivity to wildlife and his ability to get inside the personality of the animals he presented struck me and he has been and still is my all time hero.”

Natalie first came across World Animal Protection, then known as WSPA, while at university. “I first heard of WSPA, as it was called then, at university 50 years ago and I noted that it helped animals throughout the world after disasters of various types. This positive ‘hands on’ approach appealed to me – in fact when I was young I always wanted to be a vet but I knew I couldn't cope with putting animals to sleep which is a necessary part of a vet's job.”

Her connection with the organisation has lasted ever since. “I started supporting WSPA at university and have followed their work ever since, along with other animal welfare charities, so it has been natural for me to nominate World Animal Protection in my Will.”

Now living in Italy and without children or a partner, Natalie has made a lasting decision to protect animals for years to come. “As I am now single and have no children, all my estate would be left to the Italian State if I didn't draw up a Will (I have lived in Italy for 30 years). No, no, I want the money I've earned from my office job to benefit animals. Humans have often hurt me but animals have always been my friends.”