Remembering HR Queen Elizabeth II and her love of animals
September 14, 2022
As the nation prepares to say its final goodbyes to the late HM Queen Elizabeth II over the next two weeks, the Garston team would like to take a moment to celebrate her life, her reign and, importantly, her love of animals.
From a young age, Queen Elizabeth held a deep love and connection to animals. From her own huge array of Corgis, Dorgis, and Dachshunds, to her over 100 horses and her sponsorship of wild animals in London Zoo, the late monarch was a passionate animal lover who will be sorely missed.
A young princess Elizabeth was gifted her first dog, a Corgi named Susan, for her 18th birthday in 1944. She would go on to own more than 30 Corgis (and Dorgis) over the next 78 years! A final two Corgis, Muick and Sandy, were gifted to the Queen in 2021 by her children in the wake of her beloved Prince Philip’s death. It has this week been confirmed that these two young dogs will remain in the care of her children.
Queen Elizabeth’s passion for horses was also both well-known and borne from an incredibly young age. Throughout her life she owned winning racehorses to traditional Highland ponies; her first horse, a Shetland, was a gift at just age 4! Queen Elizabeth also brought Monty Robert’s Natural Horsemanship movement in the United States over to the UK in hope of mainstreaming a kind, gentle approach to horse ownership and behaviour – a practice that continues to grow in popularity and increase the welfare of horses today, and one which shows her genuine compassion and love for animals.
More than just animal ownership, Queen Elizabeth was actively involved in several animal organisations. A patron of both the RSPCA and of our very own Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, RCVS – she held a life-long dedication to not just the ownership, but the welfare of animals. Queen Elizabeth was a patron and steadfast supporter of the RCVS since 1952, a connection that our team <link to team page> and our profession are deeply respectful and proud of.
On behalf of everyone at Garston and within our veterinary profession, we send our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and look forward to Queen Elizabeth’s legacy carrying on with love and support for all animals and those who care for them.
Like many other companies in Somerset, Wiltshire and across the UK, we will be closed on Monday 19th September for routine appointments as a mark of respect and so that our team can be a part of the day’s proceedings if they wish.
Please don’t worry, our 24-hour emergency service will be available at our small animal hospital in Frome.