Happy 43rd Birthday, Victoria Stilwell!

On this day in 1969, renowned dog trainer and animal advocate, Victoria Stilwell was born. The England-born author and television host was originally trained (and planned) to be an actress before discovering her love for dogs.

From Wikipedia:

In order to supplement her income as an actress, Stilwell’s veterinary nurse sister suggested Victoria start a dog walking agency. Within a month Victoria was walking 20 dogs per day – 10 in the morning, 10 in the afternoon – and immediately recognized the need for qualified professionals to help her clients with the training process. She then expanded her focus to dog training by learning from some of Britain’s most respected positive-reinforcement dog trainers and behaviorists. After moving to the U.S. with her husband in 1999, Stilwell co-founded several successful dog training companies up and down the East Coast. Born and raised in Wimbledon, England, Victoria Stilwell is one of the worlds most recognized and respected dog trainers, reaching fans in over 50 countries. She is best known for her role as the star of Animal Planet’s hit TV series “It’s Me or the Dog”, through which she is able to share her understanding and desire for positive reinforcement dog training by taming some of the world’s most uncontrollable pets as she counsels families on their pet problems.

An advocate for science-based, humane, and positive dog training, Victoria’s training methods result in confident, healthy, and well-adjusted pets. In addition to training dogs and their owners to live happy, healthy lives together, the beloved trainer is dedicated to animal welfare through a myriad of charity and educational organizations.

According to her website, Positively.com,

Stilwell remains deeply committed to helping the cause of animal rescue and is heavily involved with rescue groups around the world including Paws Atlanta, Atlanta Pet Rescue, Stray from the Heart (NYC), Hong Kong Dog Rescue and Greyhound Rescue of West England.  She works closely with the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, the HSUS, Puppy Mill Awareness Day and the Waterside Action Group to increase awareness of the horrific practice of puppy mills globally.  She has worked as a volunteer adoption counselor for the ASPCA, is an Advisory Board Member for DogTV, and is the founder of the National Dog Bite Prevention Task Force.  Victoria is a National Ambassador for the American Humane Association in its efforts to promote animal welfare and responsible pet ownership and she serves as the Behavioral Consultant on RedRover’s Advisory Board, in addition to being a proud supporter of Yoursphere.  Victoria is a member of the US Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC).

So, on this day, Victoria Stilwell’s 43rd birthday, let’s all take a moment to do something positive for the dogs of the world!

Happy Birthday, Victoria!