NatWest is highlighting its support for small and medium-sized pet businesses in celebration of National Pet Day (April 11), with a Cardiff entrepreneur seeing her businesses continuing to thrive, despite the cost-of-living crisis.
Adele Pember, founded Dog Furiendly in 2018 to give dog owners a central online space to find information about pet friendly businesses and holiday spots after her dog, Charlie, became anxious when he was home alone.
Adele realised other dog owners must be in similar situations and what began as a Cardiff-focussed blog quickly grew into a national website with more than a million subscribers and a small team of contributors across the country.
Dog Furiendly makes it easier for dog owners to travel and have fun with their pets, showcasing the best dog friendly places to eat, drink, stay, and play across the UK, and offering members exclusive discounts through the new platform, Pooch Pass.
Adele, who has been supported by the NatWest Accelerator programme since 2018, said:
“The cost-of-living crisis is a worry for everyone but thankfully it hasn’t had an impact on my business or visitors to the website as people will always want to travel with their dogs. We work really hard to support the UK’s dog community and have recently launched our Pooch Pass discount platform so that dog owners who are having to cut back in places still have opportunities to have the enjoyable experiences they want with their pets.”
According to ONS data, pet ownership has been increasing since 2015, with people spending more than £9 billion in 2022 on their companions, up more than 85% in the last 10 years. While a March survey by UK Pet Food, previously known as the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, revealed that more than half of UK households (57%) are home to 38 million pets, up from 35 million in 2022, a rise of 9%.
Having seen her business take off, Adele – originally from Cwmbran – is now looking to the next stage of growth she looks to expand her service the platform to cater for more dog owners and businesses, while also exploring opportunities to expand overseas.
She added:
“The NatWest Accelerator programme has been fantastic throughout my business journey. I used to feel like the black sheep for wanting to start my own business and do something different but as soon as I joined I knew I’d found my herd. Since I joined in 2018, I’ve had regular support from the programme at the key times the business has needed it. I’m so grateful for the support I’ve had and wouldn’t be where I am without it.”
Gemma Casey, Regional EcoSystem Manager for NatWest in Wales, said:
“With pet ownership continuing to rise, start-up businesses in the pet industry can play a critical role in providing innovative solutions for the care and well-being of our beloved pets. It’s fantastic to be able to celebrate Adele’s success to date and support both her business ventures to thrive on the next stage of the growth journey.”
The free NatWest Accelerator programme gives business owners six months of support, with guidance on how to scale and grow their business. Support is tailored to the needs of the business and includes one-to-one coaching on topics including pitching, finding funding and leadership development.
The programme is one of the largest of its kind across the UK and entrepreneurs do not need to bank with NatWest or give up any equity in their businesses to benefit from the support. For more information visit: https://www.natwest.com/business/business-services/entrepreneur-accelerator.html
National Pet Day is an annual event celebrated on April 11 to raise awareness and celebrate the importance of pets.
