Cllr Sean Morgan and Claire Vokes from Caerphilly County Borough Council with Eric the dog
A former insurance worker has taken her passion for pets and turned it into a business.
Lisa Davies has launched pet care business Alby and Eric in Abercarn with the help of a £500 business grant.
Having reached a senior position in the insurance industry the RSPCA volunteer, decided to change course into self-employment to follow her dream of running a pet-care business.
Lisa said: “Many people here have dogs and favour those which have a lot of energy and need plenty of exercise, such as Springer Spaniels.
“That means a lot of people here need help with their animals, particularly if they work full-time.
“These days people are very busy, and don’t always have the time to spend with their animals as they would like.
“We offer an animal visiting service in the day to check on the pet and make sure everything is OK.”
Alby and Eric, named after her own German Shepherd Dog and father’s Springer, offers grooming, walking and pet-sitting for four-legged friends.
Lisa has invested £10,000 in equipment for her new salon at her home in Llanfach Road in Abercarn and has also just completed her six-week professional dog grooming in Classic Canine Cuts in Blackwood, an award-winning City and Guilds accredited salon.
The venture has been supported by a £500 Business Start-Up Grant from Caerphilly County Borough Council and Tata Steel subsidiary UK Steel Enterprise.