Local pet-care expert overcomes redundancy to bring national award back to Sefton

Sefton local, Sharren Redmond, has received a national award recognising the ongoing success of her pet-care business, Petpals Sefton. The Great British Franchisee Awards (GBFA) considers areas such as business experience, business growth, staff retainment, customer satisfaction, community involvement, and inspired leadership to determine worthy winners across the UK. Mother-of-two, Sharren, is especially delighted with receiving the award, considering the hardship she faced before starting her business.

“Before Petpals, I spent over 20 years implementing vital cybersecurity and digital forensic software for the police, and in 2018 I was suddenly made redundant. Nothing can prepare you for the impact of redundancy – especially when you have spent so much time in one sector. At this point, I started writing down ideas for my new career, and pet-care quickly became top of my list. I’ve always cared about pets. I used to volunteer at the local animal shelter and according to my parents I was always going to ’live on my own with 10 dogs’.”

Since launching at the end of 2018, Sharren and her expert team have supported pet owners across Sefton and the surrounding area, offering multiple services such as dog walks and pet taxis to deal with the massive increase in demand for pet services locally. With an estimated 52% of UK adults now owning a pet, Sharren is achieving fantastic results with Petpals Sefton*.

“Despite the impact of the pandemic I’ve built a successful and profitable business in less than five years. I now have a fleet of vans outside of my house, and it’s amazing to have built something so significant. In 2021, we went on over 3,500 dog walks, and carried out over 600 cat visits in the Sefton area. Winning a GBFA award is a fantastic accomplishment, and I know this is just the start for Petpals Sefton. I want to thank my brilliant team and customers for their incredible support, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Sharren’s ongoing commitment to supporting her local community was one area that was particularly praised by the judges and continues to be a key focus of her business going forward.

“I am a firm believer in using my business as a force for good. We have published and petitioned for various local and national causes that impacted the welfare of animals. For example, we campaigned against Highway England’s proposal to build a road through Rimrose Valley as we know it’s a valuable green space for local pet owners. I believe that by uniting the community of pet lovers we are connected to through our business, we can make a difference both nationally and locally.”

To find out more about Sharren’s award-winning pet-care services please visit: https://www.petpals.com/area/sefton/

*PDSA, Pet Population, 2022