Politicians and their pets: Collette Stevenson

Collette Stevenson, the SNP East Kilbride MSP, introduces us to her dog, Sadie

Breed? Spanish Water Dog

Age? Nearly two

How long have you had her? Just under two years

Where did you get her? Chesterfield

What can she do? Very good retriever and herder. The breed is used in Spain to dive in and catch fish from the fishermen’s nets and also herding.

What do you love about her? She has a fantastic nature and great with people and other dogs. My office manager has two dogs, Mollie and Ailsa, who are in my office most days. They are warmly welcomed by constituents who come into the office and more often than not they have a very calming effect on those constituents that are experiencing big issues in their lives and present visibly upset. Sadie meets up with Ailsa and Mollie for a play in the park most mornings before they head out to work in my office.

What special talents does she have? Jump and turn

What’s her best trick? Swimming/diving

What are her most annoying habits? Velcro dog – she follows me everywhere!

What’s the worst thing she’s done? Chewed part of the living room blinds

Do you think of yourself as a pet parent or pet owner? Pet parent

What’s the most ridiculous thing you have bought or done for your pet? Bought a pannier for her and put tins of beans in it to stop her pulling so much on the leash. The poor dug could hardly walk… bad mum!

What’s your first pet or animal-related memory? My gran’s golden retriever Dusk, who was the same age as me. She used to jump in the outdoor paddling pool with me and was never far from my side.

What was the first pet you ever had? I had a dog called Paddy who was a wee black mongrel. We called him Paddy as we got him from Paddy’s Market in Glasgow

What would be your dream pet? I already have my dream pet – Sadie. The best natured, cleverest dog I know!

If you could be any animal what would you be? I think I would like to be an elephant so I could draw on their excellent memory retention