Published on 1st November 2024

The Pawfect Day is a Horsham-based business offering ‘a home away from home’ daycare and boarding service for dogs. The business recently opened The Pawfect Pool, giving owners and their pets the chance for a safe swim. AAH met owners Megan and George Lewis to find out more… 

When did you launch your business? 

Megan: The Pawfect Day began four years ago. I worked for Virgin Atlantic in the Upper-Class Lounge at Gatwick, but was made redundant during Covid. While considering my options, I worked at a day care centre for dogs, as I grew up with family dogs and always loved them. I realised it was what I wanted to do for a career. The day care centre I worked at was popular and looked after many dogs, but I formulated different ideas for my own business. My vision was to care for fewer dogs and to offer them a home away from home. 

Do you still have your own pets?

Megan: We have a French bulldog called Mabel, who is the inspiration for the business. She was a Covid puppy who was given up by her owners and needed a new home. She came to live with us and although she’s stubborn and difficult to train, we adore her. Mabel is depicted on our company logo, although since it was designed, she has had an operation on her ear that has left it floppy! Mabel acts like the manager of the business, keeping all the other dogs in line. We have also fostered three dogs on a short-term basis, which is hugely rewarding. Arundawn Dog Rescue in Horsham has many dogs in need of a loving home and we help when we can. Fostering is hard as you grow attached to dogs in your care and it’s sad to see them go, but at the same time, it’s wonderful when they’re permanently re-homed. This experience has helped me to understand how others feel when leaving their pet in our care and what a big responsibility we have.  

Where did you initially run the business from?

Megan: George and I bought a house near Littlehaven and ran the business from home. Initially, we were allowed a maximum of eight dogs a day, but they still dominated the house! Within a year, we were fully booked and we ran the business this way for three years. One day, I took Mabel to a swimming pool for dogs. We had a travel an hour to get there and booked weeks in advance as demand was high, but Mabel enjoyed it. I thought it was something we could offer too, but we needed more space to achieve this. We found a warehouse on the outskirts of town with space for a pool and when I went to view it, I learned there was also a field and a house to rent on the premises. The vision of a field, pool and indoor space for dogs use was everything I’d ever wanted.

Did the site need much work?

George: I didn’t even see the house until the day we moved in! It happened so quickly that some clients dropped their dogs off in Littlehaven and picked them up again from our new home! The site has potential, but there was a lot of work to do to make it a safe space for dogs, so we called in family and friends to help clear the car park and warehouse and erect fencing. We devote part of the house for day care, also sacrificing our garden to give dogs an easily accessible outdoor space too.  

You also have a dog park?

George: The field was so overgrown that we couldn’t even open the gate at first! However, we cleared the space and put up fencing around the perimeter, so dogs are free to run, play and socialise. We also added dog agility apparatus that really appeals to some pet owners. There are some beautiful fields in Horsham where people can exercise their dogs, but they can be very busy, so having our own Pawfect Park on-site with free parking is more convenient for us and others. It’s a work in progress and we’re hopeful of being able to add a path around the field in the near future. 

And the pool?

George: We bought the pool second-hand from Facebook. It is a heated, saltwater pool, with decking round the sides so dogs can run around it. We fit the dogs with life jackets and they love leaping in the water to chase balls and toys. The swimming pool is available to hire, so owners can bring their pets down for a splash around and even join them in the water. Some split the cost with a doggy playmate and we also welcome families, as up to six people and two dogs can use the facility per booking. The pool is fun, but cleaning it can be a nightmare, especially when hairy breeds such as German shepherds have been in it! Dogs like Monty, a springer spaniel, would stay in there all day if they could, but some breeds are wary around water. It’s interesting to see how different dogs react to the pool. 

How has the move to new premises impacted the business?

Megan: We have more capacity and can accommodate up to 25 dogs a day, although we don’t take in even close to that many as we don’t want to lose the cosy ‘home from home’ feeling we’ve created. When we go away on holiday, we leave Mabel with friends and family who we know and trust. We give that same nurturing care to our customers. We get to know our dogs and only take on a small number of new dogs each month. When possible, we arrange a meet and greet to ensure that a new dog is compatible with the others, as each breeds has distinct characteristics and it’s important that they’re all content. You don’t want to upset several dogs for the sake of one.

It must be challenging balancing all these personalities?

Megan: It can be chaotic, but I love it! We face challenges every day and the dogs continually test you. You learn not to be too precious about things around the house too, as they often get destroyed! One dog ripped the lining out of the pool two weeks after it was installed! It’s not always easy but it’s fun and something we love enough to do every day of the year, even Christmas Day. 

What are your goals for the future?

Megan: Horsham is a wonderful place for a pet-based business, as there are so many animal lovers. We would love to offer dog grooming in future, as many of those already established in Horsham are operating at capacity. I would also love to organise a monthly meeting for dog owners and their pets to encourage them to socialise. But at the moment, we’ve just opened the pool and are delighted by the initial response. We’ve had more bookings than we ever imagined and people have travelled from across the Horsham District and beyond, as what can be more fun that going swimming with your dog?

WORDS: Ben Morris / PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information: For more details, visit the website at www.thepawfectday.co.uk