LIFESTYLE
PAWS
for thought
Outset Cornwall has been helping start-up canine businesses across Cornwall realise their potential.
I
t’s true; we are a nation of dog lovers. According to the PDSA’s most recent Animal Welfare report in 2020 (or The PAW Report as it’s more commonly known in such circles), 26% of UK adults now own a dog, with around 3.2 million households acquiring their pet since the start of the COVID pandemic. Accompanying such a love for our canine companions comes the necessity of looking after them responsibly, resulting in an industry that’s now worth over £7.9million and counting, according to the latest figures released by the ce of National Statistics in 2020. Outset Cornwall has seen a number of dog-friendly start-ups come through its doors since launching in 2009, with ideas ranging from home-made nutritious dog treats to doggy day care, and everything in-between. Jo Wolforth, founder of New uay based Wolfies
Walkies, is one of those businesses. Realising she could no longer physically continue in her role as a postal worker gave Jo the push she needed to combine her love of dogs with her dream of running her own business. After hearing a radio advert, Jo decided to approach Outset Cornwall for help in setting up a dog walking and dog sitting service in her local area, and Wolfies Walkies was born. utset gave me the confidence I needed to stop procrastinating and just get started,” says Jo. “It’s been a real journey so far, and it has been stressful, as there’s so much to take in and think about. But now that it’s all coming together, it’s really exciting.” Offering a relatively contact-free service, using her own dog leads plus putting trackers on her charges when she walks them for peace of mind, Jo is now starting to build her customer base and finding it much easier to
ABOVE Doggie-inspired gifts from Southpaw Dog Store INSET Jo with some of her charges, ready for walkies
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