4 minute read
Claire helps keep pets safe on the move
With the pandemic and lockdowns increasing isolation and loneliness, Small Business Sunday award winner CLAIRE HARRIS explains how her pet taxi business provided vital support during the pandemic.
The UK is known as a nation of animal lovers, with pets living in more than 17 million of our 28 million households.
Over half of the UK’s adult population own a pet and these include 11 million dogs, 11 million cats and over a million rabbits.
There’s no question that these pets are part of our families and the benefits to our mental and physical health and well-being of owning a pet are well documented.
For many - particularly the elderly or those facing physical or mental health challenges - owning a pet is a lifeline, staving off loneliness and instilling a sense of purpose.
Unfortunately, often these conditions go hand in hand with restrictions on mobility, so what happens when one of these beloved pets needs a trip to the vets, the groomers or another part of the country?
Many taxi firms refuse to take animals, except for registered Guide Dogs, and this means many people can find themselves stuck. Four legs may be better than two but even they aren’t enough when we’re talking about a distance of many miles.
That’s where Claire Harris comes in. Claire launched a business called Pets 2 Vets back in 2014, helping people in her home town of Milton Keynes when they needed to transport animals easily and safely.
She quickly found herself in high demand from the elderly or infirm, those suffering from anxiety and busy professionals, all of whom needed a helping hand and wanted to make sure their pets were in safe hands.
The service soon expanded to cover things like going to the groomers, kennels, social visits and even holidays and the name changed to Pets 2 Places to reflect this.
During the pandemic the business really came into its own, helping clients who were shielding and could not leave the house.
Pets 2 Places won various business awards, including the Small Business Sunday award from Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis. In 2022, it was named Best Pet Transport Business at the UK Transport Awards and Claire is now expanding the business as a franchise, having already taken on its first franchisee in Solihull.
Claire, 43, said: “Pets 2 Places is the world’s first pet taxi franchise. We use a car not a van so animals can sit with their owner (size dependent); we take animals without owners if they are unable to come along. We also offer a full support service to owners if needed, such as an arm to hold onto when walking to the car, helping with a seat belt or carrying a cat in a basket.”
She added: “As well as taking owners, mostly older people who need the support, and their pets to the vets, I have also created a national Pet Travel Safety Day to raise awareness about transporting dogs correctly.
“It falls on 1 July, which marks the 30-year anniversary that it became law for people to wear seat belts in vehicles.
“Whilst Section 57 of the highway code has some description of advice/law, it’s flimsy at best.
“I’d also like to see the law changed to all dogs having to be restrained using crash tested equipment.
“It is only with raising awareness and education that changes come about.”
All of the Pets 2 Places staff are fully trained in animal first aid and the best ways to transport animals.
The business also offers a puppy pick-up service, used when people get a pet from a breeder.
Staff work hard to ensure all animals are comfortable, safe and happy while being transported.
Claire also has a Facebook page and networking group for pet-related businesses and is in talks with her local MP and the come such a protecting people. start protecting our pets,” she added.
Loneliness Minister Baroness Barran to campaign on how pets can be allowed into sheltered accommodation.
Claire said a great deal of time and effort had gone into safety measures for people in cars and it was time there was a focus on pets too.
“We've come such a long way protecting people. Let's start protecting our pets,” she added.
To find out more, visit the Pets2Places website here. Did you find this article useful?
