Alumni Spotlight - Amy Ledger
How Amy Ledger became the owner of Wang Doggy Day Spa and how she is giving back to the next generation.
Today, Amy Ledger is the proud owner of Wang Doggy Day Spa, a thriving canine health and wellness business in Wangaratta. Having once walked the halls of GOTAFE as a student herself, Amy is now helping shape the next generation of animal care professionals, with three GOTAFE graduates working as part of her team and two current students gaining valuable industry experience. But before she was building a successful business and helping dogs and their owners thrive, Amy was simply a young woman with a love of animals, searching for the right path to turn that passion into a career.
After finishing Year 12, Amy enrolled in a Bachelor of Science with dreams of becoming a veterinarian. While university wasn't the right fit, it didn't change her passion for working with animals. Instead, she found a different pathway through GOTAFE, completing Animal Technology before later studying a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.
"I have great memories of my studies through GOTAFE," Amy said. "It's given me the opportunities to have the very satisfying career that I've had."
Amy's studies led to roles at Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital and later Warby Street Vet Hospital, where she spent 16 years building her career as a veterinary nurse. A keen horse rider who competed in dressage and eventing, Amy spent much of her life immersed in the equestrian world and imagined her future would always revolve around horses. Instead, her passion for animal health and wellbeing led her to pursue a new dream, opening Wang Doggy Day Spa in 2023.
What began as a dog grooming business has grown into a canine health and wellness hub, offering services that support both dogs and their owners through education, training and preventative care.
"It's always about what's best for the dog," Amy said. "I really love helping people better understand what they can do to help their dogs be at their best."
When her original vision for a dog daycare couldn't gain council approval, Amy adapted, expanded her services and created a business that continues to grow.
Today, Wang Doggy Day Spa is also where Amy is helping the next generation of animal care professionals take their first steps into the industry, supporting students and graduates as they build their skills and confidence.
"It's wonderful to watch them be so enthusiastic and excited about their careers," Amy said. "I feel honoured to be able to offer them an opportunity at the beginning of their careers."
Reflecting on her journey, Amy hopes her story encourages others to keep believing in themselves, even when things don't go to plan.
"I would want my younger self to know that anything is achievable if you don't give up," she said. "Many lessons and challenges will come up, and these are how we learn and grow."
