21/06/2026
An Open Letter to Our Community
To our clients, supporters, friends, fellow dog lovers, and the wider Suffolk and Essex community,
This is not an easy message to write.
Over the past few months, JAWS, Paws and Claws has been working incredibly hard on what we believed would be a very special community project at the former Chantry Park Bowls Pavilion in Ipswich.
Our vision was simple: to bring an underused community space back to life and create something positive, useful and professionally managed for local dog owners, park visitors and the wider community.
The proposed project would have included a dog day care and activity camp, a public self-service dog wash, food and drink for dog owners and park users, and a safe, structured environment where dogs could be cared for, enriched and supported by experienced professionals.
For us, this was never just about business growth.
It was about creating something meaningful.
It was about helping more families access trusted, high-quality dog care.
It was about giving more dogs safe spaces to play, socialise and thrive.
It was about improving access to services that our local community is clearly asking for.
And it was about making better use of an existing community asset.
Since October 2025, we invested months of time, energy, professional advice, planning, design work, site layouts, business plans, operational assessments and resources into this project.
Throughout the process, we believed things were moving forward constructively and in good faith. Heads of Terms had been exchanged, and we genuinely believed a mutually acceptable lease agreement was progressing.
Sadly, after months of work, we were informed by Ipswich Borough Council that the project would not be going ahead.
The reason given by Ipswich Borough Council related to the heritage significance of Chantry Park and the close proximity to the Mansion.
We fully respect the importance of protecting the park’s heritage. However, we are devastated that these concerns were only raised after so much time, work and commitment had already been invested.
For a small independent business, this has been a heartbreaking and deeply frustrating setback.
We have invested significant resources into professional advice, planning work, design costs, business development, operational planning and time that could have been spent pursuing other opportunities.
But despite how painful this has been, we are not giving up.
JAWS, Paws and Claws now supports more than 250 active clients across Suffolk and Essex, and we are proud to have received over 130 five-star reviews from families who trust us with their beloved pets.
Demand for our services has never been higher.
Our popularity and first-class services are now in such demand that our current facilities can no longer support the number of dogs and families who need us. We are reaching capacity, and the need to grow is urgent.
We still need to secure an additional site and premises so we can continue supporting our loyal clients, welcome more dogs safely, and maintain the high standards of care our reputation has been built on.
That is why we are now reaching out publicly.
We are appealing to local landowners, property owners, businesses, community partners and anyone who may know of a suitable opportunity.
If you have, or know of, suitable land, buildings, outdoor space, rural or semi-rural premises, a former leisure or community site, or a location with existing visitor footfall, we would love to hear from you.
We are looking for an additional site and premises where we can continue to grow responsibly, support local dog owners, create something positive for the community, and deliver the same level of professional, trusted care that our clients know and value.
This setback has hurt us deeply, but it has not changed our commitment.
Our clients need us.
Their dogs need us.
And we still believe there is an opportunity out there where this vision can become a reality.
To everyone who has supported us so far — thank you.
To everyone who has trusted us with their dogs — thank you.
To anyone who can introduce us to a landowner, suggest a possible site, share this message, or simply help spread the word — thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Please help us find the right additional site and premises so we can continue supporting the dogs and families who rely on us.
With gratitude,
Jay Wood
Founder, JAWS PET SERVICE LTD T/A JAWS, Paws and Claws Pet Care Services
07754 260756
[email protected]
www.jawsandpawspetcare.co.uk
