MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT

Pet care entrepreneur Julie Maxted

JULIE MAXTED, 55, set up petsitting business The Pets, Homes and Gardens Company with her husband 15 years ago. It now has 23 franchises across the UK. She lives in Horsham, West Sussex, and has three grown-up children and one granddaughter. BACK in 2002, at the age of 40, I was at my wits’ end trying to find good-quality pet care at home for our two cats and smaller pets — a rabbit, guinea pig, hamster and two tortoises. We were going on a family holiday to Devon.

Rather than taking the cats to a bleak cattery and farming our smaller pets out to friends, I wanted to find someone who could look after them in our own home by visiting each day.

I hit a brick wall. But it gave me a brilliant idea, as I realised other devoted pet owners must be in the same position.

We decided to set up a business where we offered to visit people’s homes to look after cats and small animals while the owners were away. We also offered to board small animals at our own home.

Today, petsitting is a major industry. Everywhere you go, you see women with leads walking dogs. But, back then, I didn’t even realise it could be a profession.

It wasn’t always easy. One house cat we looked after over a weekend had somehow learned how to open kitchen cupboards. When we came in to feed it, we couldn’t find it anywhere. We rang the owner in a panic, who assured us it was still in the house. We left food, but never saw the creature.

Another cat managed to climb into an electrical substation. We heard her mewing.

Although we called the electricity company, we ended up climbing in to rescue her ourselves. She was extremely hungry.

Later, we expanded to offer doggy daycare (a daily creche for owners who are out working all day).

Looking after so many varied pets brought its own challenges.

One thing we also learnt quickly, especially with dogs, is that people will tell you what they think you want to hear about their dog’s behaviour, but this usually doesn’t bear much resemblance to its actual behaviour!

The business has gone from strength to strength and we’re now on track to have 30 franchises all over the UK, from Cornwall to Scotland, by the end of April.

I’m so relieved the nightmare of our Devon break led to a career we love, even 15 years on. petshomesandgardens.co.uk