Nottinghamshire-based pet and home service secures £9,000 funding for new transport
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 25 September 2025
UPDATED: 25 September 2025
Pet and Home Services, a bespoke pet sitting service, founded by animal-lover Alex Tobin, has secured £9,000 in funding from First Enterprise under the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme. This funding has been used to purchase a car for easier transport.
This business offers pet sitting and dog walking services that are designed to meet the pet owner’s needs, without any disruption to the pet or owner's routines. In addition to dog walking, Pet and Home Services also offers training.
Alex has always had a love for animals and has always been around pets and dogs while growing up. During a difficult time with her mental health, Alex began walking her friend's dog and was later recommended a pet sitting app. She loved taking care of her clients' pets, and as her mental health improved, she decided to start her own pet services business. Alex’s passion and genuine love for animal care have put many customers at ease when putting their pets in her care.
The car purchase has allowed Alex to visit various country parks with the dogs she looks after, meaning she is no longer limited to walking in the local area. Additionally, the funding has boosted her business and enabled Alex to take on more clients and expand her regular work.
First Enterprise provides business loans ranging from £500 - £250,000, which are funded through several regional funds, for start-ups and SMEs that are unable to borrow from traditional high-street lenders. The not-for-profit organisation reinvests any surplus into loan funds to further support economic growth and job creation in the local communities.
Alex Tobin, Founder of Pet and Home Services, comments:
“The loan has allowed me to turn dog walking and pet care into a career. One of my challenges as a potentially Autistic individual is the paperwork aspect. My Investment Manager, Lottie from First Enterprise, was incredibly helpful through this process. We arranged a phone call to go over the information she needed. I wouldn't have been able to secure this loan without Lottie's help, she was always reassuring and encouraging.”
Lottie Naylor, Investment Manager at First Enterprise, comments:
“I could really see Alex’s love and passion for taking care of animals through our conversations. I thoroughly enjoyed working with her through this application, and it was a pleasure getting to speak to her in the call. I wish her all the best with the business!”
Louise McCoy, Managing Director, Start Up Loans Products, British Business Bank, added:
"The Start Up Loans programme is well placed to support businesses like Alex’s, going from a side hustle type business, walking her friend’s dog through to now growing and taking on more clients. The journey Alex has been on, especially when she speaks about the improvement in her mental health, is inspiring and it’s exciting to hear she is now investing in a car to further grow her business.”
