Author and illustrator Catherine Hepburn is proud to introduce her inspiring new book, Is It Okay For Us To Play? A Guide for Safer Interactions Between Children and Dogs. Blending her professional expertise in animal behaviour with her passion for children’s education, Catherine’s work offers families practical tools to build safe, respectful, and loving relationships with their pets.

With a background in Animal Management, Catherine combines her love of animals, her understanding of canine communication, and her creative storytelling to help parents teach children how to interact safely and empathetically with dogs.

“I don’t blame the parents, the child, or the dog for these horrendous incidents,” says Catherine. “These are tragic accidents caused by a lack of knowledge. My goal is to prevent them by giving families the understanding they need to create safe, positive environments for everyone.”

Catherine’s journey as a creator is one defined by resilience and rediscovery. After a serious illness left her with neurological damage and a permanent disability, she had to relearn how to draw and reclaim her artistic voice. Supported by her late mother, Teresa, and her devoted assistance dogs, Bambi and Bywyd, Catherine transformed her challenges into motivation — merging illustration, education, and advocacy into deeply meaningful work.

Beyond her debut, Catherine plans to expand her series with future books addressing essential safety and emotional topics, including:

• Safer interactions with dogs in public spaces

• Understanding and respecting working dogs

• Coping with pet loss and grief

Her mission is clear – to foster empathy, respect, and lifelong understanding between children and animals.

“Communication is key,” Catherine explains. “When children learn to read a dog’s body language, they form deeper, safer bonds – and those lessons in empathy and respect extend far beyond their relationships with pets.”

Catherine expresses deep gratitude to her publisher, Austin Macauley Publishers, for their support in bringing her vision to life.