Pet Product Marketing: Retailer Of The Month
We stop for a chat with ProtectaPet Ltd
What is your ethos and reason for starting the company?
The need for cat containment is increasing as we enter an age of increased danger and risk for free-roaming cats. As a team of pet lovers and owners, we understand the needs and have spent seven years patenting products and offering of the best combination of quality and value for the discerning pet owner. Our ethos is simple: a happy pet equals a happy owner. Understanding the behaviour of our pets is a good start to developing products that make pets feel closer to their natural habitat. We offer a UK-wide installation service or, for DIY enthusiasts, we sell our pet containment products direct to the public in our online shop.
How do you get new trade?
Most of our customers are referrals from previous happy customers and social media plays a pivotal role in sharing photos of what we do.
What works particularly well?
Pet Industry endorsements, exhibiting at the London Pet Show and the Supreme Cat Show (cat equivalent of Crufts). We are also now endorsed by International Cat Care and Emma Milne the TV Vet. ‘Cat World’ in the Family Pet Show in Manchester is secured by our cat-proof fencing - a great showcase.
Please tell us a little about any animals you own.
Leo, our ginger tom, aged 9 and the first ever cat to benefit from our cat containment system after we lost his sister in 2009. Jazzy, a tortie aged 7, Poppy our daft labradoodle also aged 7, who is kept in check by the cats. He favourite hobby is sleeping on the sofa while no one is looking.
Fact file
What is ProtectaPet?
A leading and established UK supplier of pet containment components providing a safe environment for pets.
Who are the owners?
Eve (Communications Director) and Simon Davies (Operations Director).
Origins
Eve has worked in marketing and public relations and specialises in communication strategies and social media. Simon is qualified in product design and specialises in mechanical engineering. He turned his expertise to pet products after he lost his beloved cat Lola in a road accident in 2009. Simon is the lead product designer around the needs of pets and their owners.
Location
Unit 1, Canal Lane, Tunstall, Stoke on Trent, ST6 4PA
Website
Awards and Patents
ProtectaPet was selected as a Finalist and Highly Commended in the Category ‘Science, Technology and Innovation’ at the Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. The business was also commended in the categories ‘Most Promising Start Up’, ‘Small Business of the Year’ and ‘International Trade’.
All designs are protected by UK Patent, US Design Patent and OHIM Design Registration. The pet containment components are modular and so they can accommodate all garden boundary types and enclosures can be extended or used with other ProtectaPet products, The enclosure system incorporates patented Cruci-Lock push fit technology, which enables the cat enclosure to be securely constructed on hard or soft surfaces. The modular enclosure components are designed around the client’s requirements: mesh types, number of gates and size can all be customised.