Friends For Pets

27/09/2025

Milo bouncing into the weekend ☀️

26/09/2025

All the HQ day cares were very happy to see Aunty Emily, who is currently on maternity leave, when she popped in to see us this week. I think they have missed her as much as the human team have 🥰

25/09/2025

Form an orderly queue...

24/09/2025

Our little sister company, The Pet Academy, is holding an online pet first aid evening for pet owners to help them learn vital skills to help their pet in an emergency. This is also a great refresher for pet professionals to help pets in their care. The cost of this is only £15 per household. To book online please visit https://thepetacademy.co.uk/pet-first-aid-courses/pet-first-aid-for-pet-owners/

🐶🐱🐾

Upcoming Virtual Short Pet First Aid for pet owners course!🐶🐾

- Thursday 16th October 2025 7pm

https://thepetacademy.co.uk/pet-first-aid-courses/pet-first-aid-for-pet-owners/

23/09/2025

Autumn Sunshine

23/09/2025

Enjoying cuddles with Auntie Alice 🐶💜

22/09/2025

The services we offer at Friends for Pets💜

19/09/2025

Did you know we have reviews on trustpilot, google, our website and social pages? Have a read about what some of our clients think of us 🥰

18/09/2025

Check out our September newsletter https://www.friendsforpets.co.uk/dog-walking-blog/?p=1149 🐾

15/09/2025

Meet Lucy!💜

Lucy manages the Brecon Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Team. She lives in Brecon with her two fur babies, Maisie and Alfie the miniature dachshunds. She has always been an animal lover, having grown up in the Brecon area with cats and dogs in her family, as well as guinea pigs, hamsters, fish and even terrapins at one point! 🐾

12/09/2025

Socialisation in dogs!💜🐶

05/09/2025

Yesterday it was announced that Bristol City council will be introducing a license for commercial dog walkers to use their parks. Whilst we are huge supporters of regulation of dog walkers, the fee being introduced is to be £450 per walker per park!!

This means….
🐾 Prices in all dog walking companies will rise significantly as company owners try to mitigate this huge expense.
🐾 Many dog walking companies will be forced to close.
🐾 This will also impact dog boarding and house sitting companies as well.
🐾 Companies who offer solo or small group walks or have walkers that walk just a couple of dogs a week will not be able to do this anymore as it would not be viable.
🐾 All dog walks will be forced to be much larger groups with no variation of location.
🐾 There would be no cover in times of illness or holiday as the current fee structure means a whole separate license would be needed.
🐾 Other park users will be inundated with larger groups of dogs rather than solo or small group walkers.
🐾 Dog welfare will be hindered as they will either be walked on roads on lead, travel further distances or walk in larger groups which they may find stressful
🐾 We will see more incidents with dogs occurring due to larger groups of dogs mixing in one space, not only with each other but with people too!
🐾 There are huge numbers of unlicensed boarders operating in Bristol city councils area with little enforcement action taken and there is no published evidence of how this is going to change or how the dog walking licenses are to be enforced, yet again penalising those operating legally.

We welcome regulation but only that that enhances rather than hinders animal welfare, supports businesses, protects the public and enhances public spaces.

If the flat fee of £450 per walker (not per company) goes ahead this will make Bristol City council one of the more expensive local authorities in the UK to obtain a dog walking license from ….

LONDON EXAMPLES
Royal Parks – £225 to £300 + VAT

Wandsworth:-
1 to 2 dogs - £75
3 to 4 dogs - £150
5 to 6 dogs - £300

Lambeth:-
Up to two dogs £67.00
Up to four dogs £134.00
Up to six dogs £402.00

Hampstead
The annual licence will be £340 for a dog walker who walks 4 or more days per week.
A fee of £202 will be charged for a dog walker who walks 3 days or less.

NON-LONDON EXAMPLES

Bromley:-
Only required if residents or professional dog walkers walks over 3 dogs at any one time. £200 for over 3 dogs.

Tandridge:- £73

Swindon:- A voluntary registration with a £50 fee for a 3 year registration.

Wiltshire:- A voluntary registration. £103 for 2 years or reduced to £87 for 2 years if already licensed as a kennels, home boarder or day care.

We suggest a more detailed pricing structure…
🐾 A fixed fee for single person dog walking companies to use all the parks for companies walking up to 3 dogs at a time. This fee should be significantly lower than what is currently being proposed. This could also be voluntary to so long as there is a stated max. no. of dogs. This would make it financially viable for small businesses to survive this and encourage smaller rather than larger dog walking groups.
🐾 Additional fees should be incurred for dog walkers that walk larger groups than 3 dogs at any one time or who have multiple walkers walking for them. Again this should be staggered in pricing depending on the numbers of dogs in the group each walker is walking.

What can you do to help the Dogs of Bristol, their owners, dog walking companies in Bristol and other public space users in Bristol…..

🐾 Sign this petition
https://www.change.org/p/reduce-parks-business-licensing-fees-in-bristol

🐾 Write to Bristol City Council Parks department to voice your concerns: [email protected]

🐾 Write to your local councillor if you live in Bristol. You can find their details here: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/council/councillors-and-the-lord-mayor/find-your-councillor

🐾 Write to your MP: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

🐾 Write to APDAWG MPs and Lords:
Rosie Duffield MP [email protected]
Ruth Jones MP [email protected]
Danny Chambers MP [email protected]
The Earl of Courtown [email protected]

🐾 Write to the CFSG https://www.cfsg.org.uk/contact-cfsg/

🐾 If you are a member of a pet trade body or association then lobby them for support

🐾 If you are a pet professional, join our new association for FREE:- https://petcarepartnership.com/join-us/

26/08/2025

Apparently it's National Dog Day. Here are some beautiful dogs and one tortoise. Because tortoises are cute too.

14/08/2025

Thursday was pretty good.

11/08/2025

Out early

05/08/2025

These labradors are full of beans

18/07/2025

Buddy says have a lovely weekend everyone.

16/07/2025

Cats are awesome!

14/07/2025

Apparently Nellie was pleased with the England score

07/07/2025

Hot weather? We play in the shade...

30/06/2025

7.30am start this morning.