Have you ever looked into the deep brown eyes of a canine companion – and known true love?

Felt the warm glow as a cat chooses your lap to curl up on?

I love when my pet mouse scampers up my arm and nestles into my neck, or seeing a hare bound away across an open field. Our animal friends mean the world to us.

Whether you have an entire menagerie at home – or are content with David Attenborough documentaries – we share our lives with animals and they share their love with us.

There simply is no love like that from a treasured pet. We even feel a connection with animals we aren’t so likely to meet in the park or woodland. When we see polar bears losing their homes or blue whales struggling in warmer seas – we can’t help but feel their plight.

We owe it to them to do our best.

8 years ago, I was looking for handmade jewellery, from makers whose ethics matched my own – to care for the planet as I care for my animal friends; to look after the home we share, so that generations to come will see those tumbling fox cubs and majestic blue whales.

I couldn’t find any.

I began making gifts for friends and family, turning their favourite furry, feathered or four-legged friends into beautiful jewellery, using recycled silver and Elouise Makes was born.

Elouise was my first mouse friend and the start of my journey making ethical, earth-friendly jewellery for animal lovers, like myself. She was my best friend and was always there to chat to when I came home. She used to love hearing about the jewellery business I was going to create and how she was going to be my muse.