Pet store is making time to help autistic
APET shop is taking steps to ensure it’s more autism friendly.
Tomorrow (Sunday) Pets at Home at Kingsway retail park will open at 9.30am - an hour earlier than usual - for customers on the autistic spectrum.
Lights will be dimmed, music and till bells will be turned down and staff will be given information about autism.
The Rochdale branch is one of more than 340 Pets at Home stores across the UK taking part in the campaign, launched by the National Autistic Society.
Store manager Allan Ferries said: “This is a fantastic initiative and one we are extremely pleased to be a part of.
“Our store will be opening an hour earlier on Sunday 8 October and we will be providing a relaxed, stress free, autism friendly space for our customers.”
Mark Lever, CEO at the National Autistic Society, said: “It is really encouraging to see shops and services such as Pets at Home getting involved in the National Autistic Society’s Autism Hour.
“Like anyone, people on the autism spectrum and their families want the opportunity to go to the shops.
“But many find the often busy, loud and unpredictable environment of public places overwhelming and avoid them altogether.
“Our Too Much Information campaign has highlighted that the smallest changes can make the biggest difference for autistic people and we are confident this week-long event around the UK will help shops and services understand how we can work towards a more autism friendly world.”
More than 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum which means that someone sees, hears and feels the world in a different, often more intense way to other people.
Autistic people often find social situations difficult and struggle to filter out the sounds, smells, sights and information they experience, which means they feel overwhelmed by ‘too much information’ when out in public. The National Autistic Society’s recent survey revealed that 64% of autistic people avoid sometimes going to the shops because of their autism.