It’s early in the morning. Ingrid de Storie sits on her faded couch. She is a gaunt woman but in her lap sits a fat and happy dog.

She rescued him years ago in exchange for the paltry price of a bottle of wine. As she tells this story, her face lights up.

This is what she has sacrificed so much for – to enrich the lives of animals.

Affectionately known as Aunty Ingrid by residents of Ocean View, De Storie has dedicated her life to protecting and helping domestic animals in the area.

And she has seen it all, from drug-fuelled kids throwing hot water on cats to gangsters using puppies in dog fighting.

At every turn, she has stood up against them. Not with anger but with love. On the side, she runs a fish and chips business.

It’s a means to buy food and immunisations for malnourished and mistreated animals she protects.

De Storie’s drive to help animals is rooted in a simple, heartfelt truth: “the animals come first in my life…they can’t talk.”

Because of this, Aunty Ingrid has decided to put animals above her own comfort.