Directors
Rebecca
Sarah Smyth
CEO
Rebecca loves all animals but dogs are definitely her favourite and have been since she was young. Her parents grew up with dogs but as a family they didn’t have one until she was in her teens. It was years later after adopting 2 Romanian dogs that Pawprints to Freedom was started. Her vision was to help just a few dogs and on maternity leave had some time to spare. The horrors she had then only heard about in Romania had stuck with her and made her determined. Pawprints to Freedom grew from there and has become so much more than she had thought it would be. We have an amazing team and they are all family. This rescue has given her purpose and she is so proud of what we have achieved together.
Lynsey
Hewitson
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
Lynsey became aware of the stray dog situation in Romania in 2015 when she adopted her first Romanian rescue dog. In 2016 she headed out to Romania on her own to volunteer at a shelter with another rescue. She loved it so much she didn’t want to leave and the minute she returned home she booked her next trip and has been every 2 months ever since. On one trip she was taken to a public shelter in Adjud. This was a forgotten shelter which no one knew existed. The dogs were only fed twice a week by local volunteers from their own very limited funds. The dogs were in a terrible condition, there was no available medical treatment and no one adopted dogs from here. She set up a group to help to raise funds. She assessed dogs and promoted them for adoption, which is when she was introduced to Rebecca Smyth. PPTF advertised some of the Adjud dogs for adoption and she joined forces with PPTF shortly after.
Management
Deputy Management
Lisa
Read
Albums and Compatability Deputy Manager
Lisa lives in South West Scotland with her husband, daughter and an assortment of animals – 5 dogs, 3 horses, 3 sheep and 20 ex-battery hens. Animals, particularly dogs, have always been her passion and over the years, Lisa has given a home to many rescue dogs, including 3 of her current pack.