TV presenter Michaela Strachan opens up about her battle with cancer, why her pets have given her grey hairs and why she’s against the breeding of certain dogs
WORDS: SARAH TULLOCH PHOTOS: GETTY, DAN KENNEDY/AUGUST IMAGE, SHUTTERSTOCK
WILD AT HEART
One person who is, unsurprisingly, really wild about her pets is TV presenter Michaela Strachan.
The 58-year-old – who lives in South Africa with her partner Nick Chevallier, a wildlife director and cameraman, and their 18-year-old son Oliver – treasures her eight-year-old rescue dog, Rio, who she says is “the love of my life”.
“I better not say that, actually. Nick is the love of my life, but we all adore Rio,” she laughs, before launching into a spiel about what makes dogs the perfect pets. “I think the unconditional love dogs give is just the best thing in the world.
“My favourite car sticker says, ‘I wish I was the person my dog thinks I am.’ I love that because they really must think that you’re just the best thing in the world.
“They’re always excited to see you. I’ll be away for three weeks. I come home and Rio’s so excited to see me. If Nick met me at the airport and wiggled his bum as much as Rio does, he would get a hell of a welcome from me!”
On top of the unconditional love, Michaela believes having a dog brings so much enrichment to our lives, and can teach us valuable lessons from a young age.
“It forces you to go out on walks and I think that’s incredibly good for your mental health, your fitness and for meeting people.
“I also think it’s great for kids to be able to take care of something other than themselves, for them to have responsibility and also to learn about connection and loss, because obviously our pets don’t live as long as we humans do.”
The Springwatch star says Rio – a terrier spaniel mix – is “part of my way of life” and their hikes up Cape Town’s Table Mountain is where Michaela finds her “sanctuary”.
However, such is her love of dogs that she feels very strongly about their mistreatment, hitting out at those who don’t spend enough quality time with their pets.
“I think it’s really sad when people have dogs for completely selfish reasons and the poor dog is sitting inside five days a week until their owners come home. What’s the point of having a dog when you work 9 to 5 and nobody’s at home all day?
“We must remember that dogs are pack animals, and many of us only have one dog, so
