22nd June 2020

Matt and Louise Wilder from Petpals Romsey and Winchester celebrate 5 years as Petpals business owners L-R Rachael Pattinson, Emma Craggs and Lynn Stevens receiving socially distanced bouquets from dog walking manager Vicky Metcalfe as a thank you for 10 years’ service with Petpals Darlington and Yarm                       Two Petpals... Read more

3rd June 2020

  NEWSFLASH  – Time limited offer! COVID-19 has changed all our lives forever and due to the increase in requests for our brochure over the past few weeks, we know that many of you are looking to leave your jobs or have been made redundant and are looking for a new start. We also know that not everyone has the... Read more

28th May 2020

The answer to this question is resoundingly yes and we can’t wait to see you! Dog walkers have never been stopped from working during lockdown, as the Government recognised that we were providing a vital service to key workers and anyone who was unable to walk their own dog but obviously, as many of our clients were furloughed, the demand... Read more

16th May 2020

So Boris has said if you can’t work from home it’s time to go back to work, but what if you’ve realised in the last 8 weeks that you don’t want to go back to your old job? What if the very thought of it fills you with dread and you wish you could stay working from home forever? Well... Read more

27th April 2020

Dear friends of Petpals When the Government introduced lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, questions were asked whether we as professional dog walkers, should carry on working? In our eyes we felt we should because we knew we were providing a vital service to our clients, many of whom were key workers. Coronavirus Dog Walking Unfortunately, a few... Read more

20th April 2020

Thank you so much to all of you who sent us photos and voted for your favourite to win. The votes have been counted and we can now reveal that the winner of the Petpals ‘Working From Home With Pets’ photo competition is…. Frank! Many congratulations to him and his owner Lisa Gardner Sanderson. What a lovely looking chap he... Read more

16th April 2020

Keeping your cat physically and mentally stimulated is essential to their wellbeing but bear in mind that older cats will probably not play more than three or four times a day, while younger cats will happily play much more often! Keep play short, a couple of minutes at a time is fine and swap toys around to keep them interested.... Read more

26th March 2020

Probably for the first time ever, you and your dog are pretty much restricted to the house, apart from your one walk a day. So what can you do to keep him/her from getting bored and possibly tearing up the furniture? The answer? Canine Enrichment The National Animal Welfare Trust says, ‘Canine enrichment improves and enhances your dog’s mental state... Read more

20th March 2020

  We have today written to The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, asking that he allow Petpals and other professional pet care companies, to continue to visit pets for their health and well-being, during any potential lockdown period. Our letter is below. /… Date: Friday 20 March 2020 To:  Boris Johnson, Prime Minister Dear Prime Minister Today you announced your list... Read more

19th February 2020

With the continuing adverse weather conditions, we thought our readers would appreciate some advice on the precautions you may want to take when dealing with potential flooding. The preparation for flooding comes first. If you are worried about potential flooding at your address you may want to visit the Environment Agencies website to check if the area you’re currently living... Read more

14th February 2020

It’s great to receive all of the beautiful valentine gifts from your loved ones but it’s sometimes easy to forget that some of the items can prove hazardous to your pets. Please see the top 5 hazardous treats to avoid: 1. FLOWERS While not all are toxic to pets it’s not commonly known which exact flowers cause the most damage.... Read more

23rd January 2020

Vets across the country are raising concerns to pet owners over a harmful bug found in some dogs across the UK. This virus, Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) is being detected in healthy dogs with no word of warning, your pooch could look perfectly normal one day and extremely unwell the next. Instant treatment is highly recommended as this bug can result... Read more

8th November 2019

  Firstly a huge THANK YOU from all of us at Petpals for joining in this fun competition to find some new Top Models for our autumn digital media campaign. We had over 130 entries from all over the UK and we loved looking at them all. The truth is, we are going to try to use ALL your pets... Read more

6th November 2019

  As one of the most experienced franchisors in the UK today, franchise magazines often ask our MD Kevin Thackrah to write articles on franchising, sharing his knowledge of the industry  with those looking to get into it. Below is an article he recently wrote for What Franchise magazine. If you would like to read the article on their website... Read more

27th October 2019

Bonfire night is nearly upon us and that can mean misery for pets and owners alike as they try to keep them calm amid hours of pops, bangs and whizzes. So what can you do to keep your pets calm during fireworks season? Below is a list of practical steps but this year we’ve something new to add to the... Read more

19th August 2019

  Petpals franchise owners across the UK are successfully completing the Ofqual Level 3 Professional Daycare and Boarding course. This new qualification will enable them to achieve the ‘Higher Standard’ in the Animal Activity Licensing Regulations, updated by DEFRA in 2018. Licensing now requires that to meet the ‘Higher Standard’, a member of staff with a relevant Office of Qualifications and... Read more

12th February 2019

    Last month Petpals franchisees gathered together in Northamptonshire, for our annual conference. Held as centrally as possible to take into consideration the distances some will have to travel, the weekend consists of presentations, discussions, sharing best practice and training on how franchisees can grow and better their Petpals businesses. Kevin Thackrah, MD of Petpals said, ‘The annual conference... Read more

4th January 2019

    In one of the biggest upgrades to our company since we sold our first territory in 2001, we have introduced a brand new way of purchasing a Petpals franchise. No Large up-front fees Traditionally, and still the case in most franchise operations, a franchisee fee is charged to purchase an exclusive territory, full training etc. This fee is... Read more

3rd January 2019

It’s celebration time at Petpals Darlington and Yarm where two members of staff are celebrating 10 year anniversaries. Darlington pet care The family-run business, founded by Sallyann Gray in 2007, employs 13 staff from their Darlington-based office, caring for approximately 300 dogs, 100+ cats and 20+ small animals a month, across Darlington and Yarm. Loyal staff Jayne Gibson and Vicky Metcalfe have... Read more

11th December 2018

We are delighted to say a big ‘Petpals Welcome’ to our latest franchisee, Sharren Redmond.  Sharren (44) has purchased the Sefton territory, on the beautiful Liverpool coastline.   Based in the village of Crosby, mum of two Sharren Redmond (44), has logged out of a 22yr career in digital forensics and cyber security, to start up her own pet care... Read more