Franchising
Case Studies

Case Study: Jim Millar Petpals-Peterborough

Launched at the British Franchise Exhibition at The NEC in 2000, Petpals is the first professional mobile pet care franchise service company in the UK. They operate a unique, exclusive Petpals Club for people who want to mix a love of pets and a proven business.

The operators of Petpals 1st 16 locations were attracted by the option of an alternative lifestyle, far from the normal 9 to 5 grind and have come from very diverse and interesting backgrounds.

Jim Millar launched his Petpals operation in July 2001; he operates the business from Bourne, Lincs, and covers, Bourne, Stamford, The Deepings and surrounding areas.

Franchise owner Jim and his family have lived in Bourne since 1993 having been posted to the area with the Royal Air Force. Leaving the services after 22 years as an RAF policeman, Jim spent 18 years as a police dog handler, both handling and training various breeds used within the RAF.

"I was about to leave the Royal Air Force after 22 years of service when I decided to check out the Franchise Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham in October 2000. I couldn't believe my luck when I discovered the Petpals stand, it was exactly what I had been looking for, however, I hadn't known it until then! I couldn't believe that people would pay me to walk dogs! I wanted to be sure that business support would be there when I needed it, I knew nothing about business and a Petpals franchise seemed the best way to receive the important help and advice I needed, whilst at the same time allowing me to run my business in a way that suited me."

"I love working with animals and the majority of my custom is dog walking, generally when people are out at work or on holiday. I have however, had a great variety of pets to care for from hamsters, rabbits and rats, through to cats, parrots, Shetland ponies and even a flock of sheep!"

"I try and be as flexible as possible and offer a wide range of services including dog walking, dog boarding, house-sitting, small animal boarding, looking after pets in their own home, and a pet taxi service. I find that my customers come from all walks of life, including pet professionals, but the one thing that they all have in common is a love of animals."

"There's a great sense of satisfaction when holiday customers return over and over again and are happy that they only want Petpals to take care of their very precious pets! If you love the outdoor life, pets and people then Petpals is definitely for you."

Petpals are provisional members of the British Franchise Association and have a strong commitment to provide on going training and development for both their Club members and operational staff at Kennel Ride, Ascot. They have been featured in national newspapers, regional and national TV including Crufts 2003 as well as radio and pet welfare magazines. They have a thorough but fair selection process allowing 8 -10 new locations a year. They have found that there has been an increased interest from people who are looking for a change from the ever-increasing un-certainty of normal employment.