Sue's tireless work as head of animal charity

Yorkshire Day Hero nominee Sue Curran gets up a 4am every morning and looks after animals until she drops - and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Sue CurranSue Curran
Sue Curran

Sue, 49, is the founder of the Pennine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), which helps vulnerable, abandoned and unwanted pets within Todmorden and the Calder Valley.

She was nominated by PAWS trustee Anne Mountfort for her relentless drive in caring for animals and fundraising for the charity, as well as it’s day-to-day running.

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But Sue greeted the news of her nomination in modest fashion.

“The animals need looking after and someone has to do it I suppose,” she said.

“I like making the world a better place for them and it’s also about helping educate people on how to look after them.

“In a lot of cases, I don’t think people mean to mistreat animals, they just don’t have enough knowledge.

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“I’d like to do more in terms of helping people take better care of their animals and understanding what’s best for them.”

Sue was born in Croydon but has lived in Todmorden since 2003.

She was helping out the Pennine Animal Welfare stall at Todmorden Market before she took over the running of the service and developed it into the charity it is today.

“There is a big need in this area for animal care.

“It’s a growing problem but hopefully I can keep up with the demand.

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“We have around 30 cats and 10 dogs up for adoption, as well as small furry’s like rabbits, guinea pigs and a ferret called Harry.

“Everybody who works here is a volunteer and I’m so grateful for all the help I get.”

Sue also runs her own dog-minding business and only has around one day a month off.

She added: “Animals have always been important to me.

“I never believed I would get to run a charity - it’s beyond my wildest dreams.

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“I’m better with animals than I am with people in a lot of ways!

“But it’s also nice to do something in the community.

“It can be challenging and very tiring - I’m up early every morning and keep going until I drop, seven days a week.

“But on the whole I wouldn’t swap it for anything.

“If I stopped I’d miss it like crazy.”