Charlotte and Tim Claydon (both 52) say their pet care business, which they started in 2021, has allowed them to put one of their children through university and will also pay for their next child, who will start in September 2025.
“It’s frightening how much the cost of going to uni has gone up since our first child went in 2017. Without our We Love Pets franchise, we simply could not have afforded it,” says Charlotte.
Tim and Charlotte have three children: Thomas, now in full-time employment, Max, who is in his first year at Warwick University, and Clemmie, who hopes to go to university in Surrey to study psychology.
Charlotte explains, “Max’s funding from the government is £4,000 a year, but his accommodation is £8,000, so we’re already £4,000 down before he’s even looked at food, transport, and bills.”
Tim added: “Of course, he can get a part-time job to offset some of those costs, but it’s a lot for a young person to take on, and we wanted to help. When our first child, Thomas, went, the grant was bigger, and the costs were lower, so we’ve had to dig a lot deeper to help Max out, and we want to do the same for Clemmie when she goes next year.”
Charlotte has always been entrepreneurial, having previously run her own business arranging for young people to come to the UK on exchange. However, after Brexit, the costs for visas increased dramatically, making it difficult to continue. So, she knew the hard work involved in running a business in Stevenage.
“To run your own business, even a franchise, you need to be passionate about the subject. The only thing I was more passionate about than my previous business was pets, and I was aware of the franchise business model, so I began Googling ‘pet care franchises,’ and We Love Pets popped up.”
A franchise is where a person buys the right to run a branch of a business and pays the franchisor a percentage of their profits each month in return for full training and support. We Love Pets has 182 branches across the UK, including their franchise in Stevenage.
“I knew I loved pets, but I hadn’t a clue how to run a pet care business, so it made sense to buy a franchise and get fully trained and supported. We are so happy we did. We Love Pets is like a family. The owners, Jo and Ryan, are incredibly knowledgeable about the pet care sector, and they have a large team who are always on hand to help. I don’t have to worry about websites or online booking systems; that’s all taken care of, leaving Tim and me to focus on growing our business in Stevenage”
Tim and Charlotte’s business offers dog walking in Stevenage and boarding, doggy day care, puppy visits, cat care, and small animal care. They currently have a team of 15 dog walkers, boarders, and pet carers in Stevenage to help care for approximately 60 clients a month.
Things are going so well that the couple are about to buy the neighbouring territory in Hitchin, which Charlotte says will pay for Clemmie’s university costs and, once she’s graduated, the family’s holidays and treats.
“It’s literally that simple. Each new branch will help us pay for the next child’s uni fees and holidays. Eventually, our dream is to get a management team in place to run the business so we can spend time in Spain, knowing the business is in good hands back at home.”
Tim and Charlotte’s final words of encouragement to anyone thinking of following in their footsteps and buying a We Love Pets franchise is to just do it: “We haven’t regretted our decision for one minute. Like any business, it has its ups and downs, but that’s just life. The fact that it has given us enough money to support our children’s education is fantastic, and it’s great to see that our hard work is paying off. Now to get our hands on that sunbed in Spain!”
