FROM the moment John Norman started bringing home animals off the street, regardless of whether they were strays, a career in the RSPCA was mapped out for him.

His passion for animals started aged 10 when he and a group of friends met regularly in a garden to discuss how to stop locals raiding birds nests for eggs.

Now 35 years on and countless success stories later, the RSPCA inspector has retired for a well-earned rest.

He said: "As a child everything was about animals - everything on the street was a stray to me."

Aged 21, John joined the RSPCA and spent six months training before being posted in Loughborough, then Haverford West and then, in 1977, he came became Inspector for East Dorset.

The highlight of his career came in the late 70s when he spent 12 days tending to 900 cattle on board the stricken ship El Tambo, stranded off Fishguard. His work there earned him an award and he proudly recalls: "We managed to get the cattle onto another ship eventually and throughout the whole ordeal we didn't lose a single cow."

He's done the classic cat-up-a-tree rescue as well as the sheep-down a cliff rescue, been bitten by a rabid dog and has seen heart-breaking cases of neglect.

"I've never been able to get my head around that - people knowingly failed to provide an animal with veterinary care, or failed to feed them day after day, week after week.

"I've seen animals that are so thin they're almost transparent. I've seen a dog that had been stabbed 16 times.

"It disgusts me that it's not an offence in this country to cause suffering to an animal - it's only an offence to cause unnecessary suffering.

"I always got my greatest satisfaction when the magistrate said: "We find this case proved'."

Some of the animals he's tended to became very attached. A rescued badger called Sally became so familiar with his footwear she thought his shoes were her mother and followed him everywhere.

Reflecting on his career he says: "I know it's a clich but it hasn't been a job. In 35 years I haven't said: 'Uh I don't want to go to work'. I've really enjoyed my time and I do believe I'm one of the longest-serving RSPCA inspectors."

He added: "I've had my share of pets -but I've never been one to take animals from work home.

"At the moment I have a tortoise called Thomas - it's the only thing I can catch!"

But his love of caring doesn't just stretch to animals. He and his wife Sandra have been special project foster parents to around 40 children with behavioural problems.

He said: "We've seen some real kids! Some still stay in touch. Recently a man arrived on our doorstep with a young lad who said: 'Hello Granddad' - it was the son of a child I fostered who we had great success with. We're foster grandparents now."

John and Sandra have two children of their own and two grandchildren. John's looking forward to spending time with them as well as enjoying his hobby of gardening. He's also writing a book about his years as an RSPCA inspector entitled 'Humanity Dick'.

But he can't quire bear to completely drag himself away from his animal-caring days and plans to volunteer as a dog-walker at Ashley Heath.