Don't Fret Pet!

Written on the 9 December 2010

DOGS – A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND!
 

TWO Melbourne-born women have found that dogs, rather than diamonds, are a girl’s best friend.

Jenny Brearley and long-time friend, Kathleen Mansfield, run the successful, national “Don’t Fret Pet!” franchise group and now aim to bring the business back “home” to Melbourne.

The business was started by Brearley in 1993 and franchised five years later. In 2000 Mansfield joined Brearley in the business and, working together, they have sold franchises around the nation and created the largest pet-minding service in the country.

Brearley and Mansfield attended both primary and secondary schools together and have remained friends – and now business associates – for more than 40 years.

“We work very well together and because of knowing each other and each other’s families for so long, we have total trust in each other,” Mrs Mansfield said.

They have a franchise operating in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne but the pair are now keen to see their business established in all other areas of Melbourne.

The service – the first of its kind and the largest in Australia - arranges for dogs to stay in the homes of carefully-screened, pet-loving minders while the owners are away.

“Our vision is to make our service available to dog owners all around Australia,” Ms Brearley said.

“The feedback we get from our clients is wonderful as they tell us that they don’t fret about their dogs when they are away as they know they are happy and getting lots of attention.”


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The company also operates a home visiting service for pets who prefer to stay in familiar surrounds. “We found that many of our clients wanted their dogs, being pack animals, to have human company but also had other pets like cats, birds, fish and the occasional snake, who were better suited to having someone come in and care for them once or twice a day,” Mrs Mansfield said.

“We also bring in mail and put out bins to make it look like somebody was at home so our clients feel that their home is more secure.”

“We are looking for business-minded pet lovers to run their own very professional service but we’ll be there to train and support them along the way,” Ms Brearley said.

“We have a fabulous team of franchisees and a rigorous selection process to help us to take on the best possible candidates.

“The Pet Industry is growing at an average rate of 15.5% per annum and our service is growing at an average of 28% per annum so, in a growth industry, we are far outperforming the average growth rate. Even during the Global Economic Crisis we continued to grow,” she said.

People interested in running their own home-based “Don’t Fret Pet!” business in Melbourne can fill out the contact form here.