A new Altrincham business is aiming to provide an alternative to kennels for dog-owners who are away from home.
Digs for Dogs is a new home-boarding service that finds dog-loving host families who will look after an owner’s dog while they are on holiday or a short break.
Originally set up as a dog walking and home boarding business based in Tottington, Lancashire, it grew quickly and the owner, Debbie Pomfret, has now expanded on a franchise basis into the Greater Manchester area.
Clare Gauntlett has taken on the local franchise, covering Altrincham, Hale, Hale Barns, Timperley and Dunham, as well as Sale, Chorlton and Didsbury.
Her job is to match up dogs with suitable host families and arrange the logistics, including transportation and insurance.
She explained: “The procedure for finding host families is kind of like an interview. I will go round to their house and see whether their house is safe to have a dog, a family home that a dog could settle into. I’ll also check that the garden is secure and find out about the person and their experience with dog owning.”
Digs for Dogs customers don’t actually meet up with the host family, but Gauntlett will provide an overview including pictures of the host and their home, as well as detail about them and their dog-owning experience.
She added: “We feel it offers really good value for money. Kennels are brilliant for what they offer but if you’re not that way minded, then knowing that your dog is being looked after in a homely environment is worthwhile.”
Although only launching last month, Digs for Dogs has already received numerous enquiries.
“It’s a 365-day a year business,” she said. “I definitely believe that the popularity of dog boarding is growing and I think it’s down to a move towards dogs being valued as part of the family.”
More details: Digs for Dogs
