AN ANIMAL lover from Andover has launched an unusual business, creating cartoon stories about people’s pets.

Valentina Sannia came up with the idea after starting a pet service last October, explaining: “I have always been obsessed with animals and I don’t eat meat. My mum has a flock of hens and I used to look after them and give them medicine and they used to calm me down, I love being around animals.

“So, my original plan was to care for animals. A lot of people got in touch about dogs so I do dog walking and look after small animals like chickens. I always made up stories about animals which gave me the idea for pet comics.”

The 29-year-old wrote her first pet comic about her own guinea pigs, starting it off as a hobby.

But she soon realised there was a business opportunity in her work, after making up stories about customers’ pets.

She said: “I think about funny stories that I can make up and I tried them out on customers and they loved them. I think about things from their point of view and what they would say in that moment. I have sold a few.”

Valentina, who is getting married in September, said she was always good at art at school and sometimes does pet portraits for customers, but said the comics are much more fun and original.

She added: “People think I’m mad! But if I’m taking animals out on walks, I come up with ideas and I use song lyrics or movie quotes. The idea is people go on the website and send pictures of their pet and five words of the characteristics of that animal and I will come up with a comic. It’s a fun keepsake.”

For more information visit Valentina’s Animals on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ValentinasAnimals/.