These days my day job is working in the Scottish Government Animal Welfare Team. The team is currently working to develop policy and/or legislation on a wide range of subjects including electronic collars, welfare during transport and standards for zoo animals. As part of my role I deal with a wide variety of stakeholders - often with conflicting concerns - which makes life very interesting, and every day a learning day.In my spare time I write, about something completely different....My route to get here was a little convoluted...After an interesting academic/volunteer career following opportunities in animal welfare, and medical physics (!) as they arose, I joined the Scottish Government in 2001 as a Research Manager. My primary interest remained animal welfare; however, my time in the Research Management Unit opened my eyes to a wide range of interesting disciplines that directly impact Government policy around farming, rural society and the environment. In 2005 I took the opportunity to slip sideways into policy, joining the 'exotics' team within the Animal Health and Welfare Division. A number of interesting and challenging years followed, during which we were dealing with avian influenza, Newcastle disease, foot and mouth and bluetongue. I developed a healthy respect for our farming and veterinary stakeholders in Scotland and somehow also managed to find the time to design and implement the Animal Welfare Management Programme, a benchmarking scheme that paid farmers in Scotland to improve the welfare of their animals (despite European Commission complexities!).In 2010 I took time out to become a proud mother, and on my return in April 2011 slipped sideways again to the Animal Welfare Team, where I always really wanted to be, and have been ever since.