Our team
Amanda Deurloo
Owner/Manager
Amanda has over 20 years experience in the Travel Industry and is also a National Level Gymnastic Coach. Her hidden passion has always been to care and look after dogs and make them feel they are loved unconditionally. Nobody will love your dog as much as Amanda.
She would always help friends out while they went overseas and make sure their dogs were well looked after and loved like her own.
Amanda has a King Charles Cavalier called Sachi who has been going to a local day care for around 6 years. This prompted Amanda to enroll into Animal Science College to complete her certificate III in Animal Studies and continue her love and passion for the industry as well as furthering her knowledge for the care and welfare of dogs.
Amanda knows all to well balancing the demands of two careers and caring for your fur child can be challenging.
Amanda has used her passion to create a full-service day care to help the busy people of Perth manage their daily schedules whilst having the peace of mind that their dog is being well cared for.
Amanda prides herself on the care given to each individual dog and the activities and new adventures they can explore.
Meet Karis!
How long have you been working with Dogs?
I've been working with dogs in rescue and professionally for 12 years . I've fostered 15 doggos, and I also walked kennel dogs in university
What made you decide?
I knew from a little girl I wanted to work with animals, hence studying Zoology in university. I graduate from The University of Dundee in 2014 I grew up with my granny's springer spaniel called Sam, and he was my best friend until he had to go to rainbow bridge at the ripe old age of 17.
I love animals so much that I just started at TAFE studying a Cert IV in Vet Nursing and I'm also studying Canine Massage Therapy and Canine Hydrotherapy!
What are you most passionate about at work, what drives you and what do you want to improve?
At work what drives me is the dogs health, making sure they go home happy and having had an enriched and exciting day!
What are your proudest achievements to date that are relevant to the industry?
Me and my partner were in university when we had our first foster dog. She was severely abused and so used to being pregnant that her body had her in a continual heat. She was in the rescue for 8 months before she was able to be spayed. She had burns and scars all over her and because of how she had been treated she was extremely dog aggressive. We worked with her and were able to get her to walk side by side with other dogs and she was adopted by a family with two children, guinea pigs, and cats. She was an absolute sweetheart and couldn't have found a more perfect home :)
What do you bring to Happy Tails and what are your strengths?
I bring a lot of knowledge and passion to Happy Tails. I want the dogs to have the best time and I love the team we have at Happy Tails too.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love getting to see how happy and engaged the dogs are at happy tails. Whether it's playing fetch with them or having a cuddle on the couch, it just amazing to see how much more their lives are enriched by coming to daycare and my life is more enriched by working with them
What pets do you own?
I have two rescue cats, Mama Ru and Anya and 5 rescue hermit Crabbie's. When my partner and I buy our own place we will be adopting a doggo.
What do you love the most about having a dog?
What I love most about having companion animals is the unconditional love and how they make me feel so calm, especially when my cats are lying on me or next to me purring away. There is nothing that compares gaining the trust, love and affection of an animal.
What do you love the most about working at happy tails, personally and for the community?
I love not only the dogs, but their pawrents. We have the most lovely pet parents here at Happy Tails and it's so evident that their animals are their world. It's so lovely to see companion animals being so loved and part of their families, especially since I've been in rescue for so long. I also love that a lot of them have their own Instagrams and I chat with the pawrents and get to know them as well as their doggos I also love learning all the personalities of the dogs and what makes them tick!
Meet Shanae!
How long have you been working with dogs?
10 years, ever since I graduated high school in 2011 & immediately went to Tafe a year later.
What made you decide?
I always knew I'd wanted to work with animals but was unsure of what area I wanted to be in. I had a Workplace Learning program in high school (year 11/12) that allowed students to explore what having a job/responsibility is like. Started working in doggy daycare centre in Wangara & immediately knew that's what I wanted to do.
What are you most passionate about at work, what drives you and what do you want to improve?
I'm most passionate about all dogs' health and welfare when they come into daycare. I love how much they enjoy coming in each week & interacting with us staff and seeing their doggy pals after the weekend. I'd like to find more toys/enrichment for the dogs that'll stimulate their brains more
What are your proudest achievements to date that are relevant to the industry?
My proudest achievement would be doing a course at RSPCA and being able help scared/aggressive dogs learn to trust people & help train them to ensure they're happy when rehomed to a family they are suitable for.
What do you bring to Happy Tails and what are your strengths?
I bring lots of knowledge about dog behaviour/body language, which allows me to read & intervene before issues arise. Positive reinforcement is given to all dogs when interactions go smoothly & I have experience in dog training which also helps in my practical situations.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Obviously being with the dogs, getting cuddles & watching them all play together, sometimes with dogs they've not been with as often as others. Being able to bring my dog into work is also a bonus, he absolutely loves daycare
What pets do you own?
I have 2 dogs. My boy is Hamish, he's a Westie x Silky terrier & is 7 years old. I've had him since he was 5 & 1/2 months and he was immediately socialised at daycare I was working at when I got him. I also have a Japanese Akita named Kneesa that I share with my partner.
What do you love the most about having a dog?
I love being able to take the dogs out for adventures whereas it'd be a quick trip to shops, to the dog park, go out for walks or even sometimes a dog-friendly cafe. Both dogs are always ready to come for a drive anywhere
What do you love the most about working at happy tails, personally and for the community?
I love the dogs we have coming in each week and knowing that we are helping the community by looking after their pets & ensuring they're Mentally and Physically Stimulated by home time! I also enjoy speaking to the owners as they clearly love their pets. I feel they're relieved to know their dog is well cared for at daycare each day & that they're not bored at home.
Meet Genevieve!
How long have you been working with dogs?
2 years including Certificate III in Pet Grooming
What made you decide?
I have always wanted to work in the animal industry which pushed me to study my Certificate III in Pet Grooming after leaving school. I can’t wait to further my studies in the future (hopefully starting my Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in the next few months!)
What are you most passionate about at work, what drives you and what do you want to improve?
I am mostly passionate about the happiness and well-being of all the dogs that come into our care at Happy Tails. I want to make sure each and every dog has had a fun, fulfilling and enriching day of play!
What are your proudest achievements to date that are relevant to the industry?
I have been given the opportunity of shaving down some severely matted dogs and give them some relief! it’s amazing how instantly their behaviour changes and to finally see them relax and look comfortable.
What do you bring to Happy Tails and what are your strengths?
Because of my studies I am able to bring knowledge of reading dogs actions and social cues. I am also very passionate about what I do and love all the dogs as if they were my own.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Being able to connect and build a relationship with so many dogs everyday makes me so excited to go into work and see them all!! I love seeing all the dogs playing so beautifully together and knowing that they are being physically and mentally enriched.
What pets do you own?
I own an 11 year old Australian Shepherd X Staffy named Rosie, she is a rescue dog and the biggest goose ever. She is the sweetest dog who loves company of her humans (unfortunately she is too scared to be going out and meeting new people and dogs so she cannot being staying with me at the moment, she’s in the care of my mum)
What do you love the most about having a dog?
I love the constant endless amount of love they give you. You are their whole world and they look to you for guidance. In many ways they can help your happiness and improve your life
What do you love the most about working at happy tails, personally and for the community?
I love all the staff at work, I don’t think I could ask for a better group of people to be looking after your furbabies. I love seeing the dogs get all of the benefits of daycare and go home exhausted from their busy day of playing. It feels good knowing we are here to help look after your babies when you need us.
Meet Priscilla
As an animal lover, I must confess that I can’t live without them! While I was growing up, I had the pleasure of sharing my life with Tobby (a black Poodle) Lilla and Leo (York Shires), Bartollo and Pitchula (Cockatiels) and also turtles, chickens and golden fishes. Now I have two rescue black cats and a dog.
Ever since I was a child, I had the feeling of helping and rescuing animals, so it is part of my nature to live and work with them. I have studied and been a volunteer at Equine Assisted Therapy and Assistance Dogs centre. I also worked as a Grooming Assistant for more than four years. Now, I am working at Happy Tails and Paws and Play, both highly recognized Dog Day Cares in Perth.
Looking after the dogs, playing with them, and making sure the environment is safe and stimulated, so they can enjoy the time with their Fur friends.