Matt Penny- Rehoming Officer

Hello, I’m Matt! I’m 30 years old, but my passion for herpetology started at an early age. My earliest memory is going on a family holiday and spending every day forcing my grandad to try to catch small lizards with me (we were unsuccessful). Since then, I have gone on to earn a BSc in Animal Conservation Science, with a dissertation focused on venomous snake trends and longevity across EAZA collections. I was invited to present this research at the Chester Zoo Conservation Conference in 2024, something I am immensely proud of.

My love of animal care and education led me to a career as a Practical Skills Tutor in Animal Studies. This role enables me to work with a variety of wildlife while educating students about animal welfare and the importance of species conservation.

I met Fay (Rehoming/Social Media Officer) while studying at university. Our shared passion for animal conservation and welfare — particularly reptiles — has led to us sharing our home with roughly 26 snakes, 14 lizards, 4 cats, and 1 axolotl, although these numbers continue to grow. We joined the NWRC in January 2024 and immediately fell in love with the club, becoming joint Rehoming and Rescue Officers in January 2025. After a hugely successful year for rehoming in 2025, we are excited to see what 2026 has in store!

Matt