Telford doggy daycare firm invests in pool and expansion

A doggy daycare and hotel company has invested £150,000 in expanding one of its Shropshire sites and installed a swimming pool at the other.

K9 Anytime has taken on additional land to boost its outdoor experience at the company’s home on the Apley Estate in Higford, near Telford, and has installed its first swimming pool for dogs at its site close to Weston Park, in Weston-under-Lizard.

The expansion at Higford has made five extra acres of outdoor space available to the dogs and the company is also planning to add swimming facilities here by the end of this year.

Later plans include adding veterinary care and a third site, possibly in Newport or Shrewsbury.

The facilities are available both to dogs attending K9 Anytime and to members of the wider public and an induction is always completed with those attending the new swimming pool at the Weston base to understand a dog’s individual confidence and ability.

Owners are able to book dedicated sessions or time in the pool offered as part of the wider care package which can include a ‘hotel’ stay and grooming.

K9 Anytime was formed in 2015 by university friends Tom Haynes and Luke Bird.

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They said they believed swimming was a life skill for dogs and they should all be given the opportunity to become confident and capable in water to build their confidence and enjoy low-impact exercise.

Mr Haynes said: "The latest investment is really part of a much bigger evolution of K9 Anytime. We started with daycare in 2015.

"As the business developed, we increasingly realised that looking after a dog properly means looking after far more than its day. This led us to introducing training, grooming, nutrition, retail and swimming."

He said staff always aimed to look at dogs individually and identify the support, diet, leisure time and stimulation they needed.

He added: "A dog struggling with its weight might benefit from a conversation about nutrition, alongside swimming and exercise. A dog pulling on the lead might need support from our training team.

"An older dog may need a completely different approach to movement and exercise than it did five years earlier.

"Something as simple as long nails can affect how a dog moves. It is about noticing those things and joining the dots."

Mr Bird added: "Investment hasn’t just been in bricks and mortar and products - there has been considerable funding directed towards growing our team.

"We’re now up to 20 people across both locations and are still looking for the right individuals to join us, especially if they get our approach, our culture and our commitment to our growing family of dogs."