After leaving university employment, I was able to reflect on my research and teaching career in universities. Formulating worthwhile goals had taken time, much of my early career, but now nearing the end, I had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve for animals. Really innovative and valuable research, and teaching, had been difficult, often thwarted by people with vested interests. But persistence had paid off, and some of the work I had undertaken had had influence and improved animals’ lives.