49% of Spanish households now host a pet, with eight out of ten considering them to be ‘one of the family’. In fact, the number of registered pets now far exceeds that of children under 15 years of age. Latest figures estimate 9.3 million dogs and 5.8 million cats, versus fewer than 7 million children. Pet-related products and services are very much in demand, which bodes rather well for these three Mallorca entrepreneurs.
Julie – HappyTrailz Pet Transport
Back in the 60s, nothing said ‘sophistication’ like a poodle with a fancy hairdo and Julie’s father was the breed’s most sought-after groomer. Toddler Julie was often found in his Midlands parlour tucking into handfuls of Bonio biscuits – her blonde locks have always been glossy.
Julie’s first career wasn’t shuttling animals, but passengers as cabin crew for British Caledonian (soon to be British Airways). She adored life in the sky until motherhood popped her feet back on the ground - Solihull to be precise - where Julie set up home with her two dogs, two cats, and two daughters.
Step one was finding doggy day care so she could get back to work. Julie searched high and low to no avail. There was nothing for it but to set up HappyTailz Pet Care Services. With the help of her teenagers, the business offered dog walking, day care, and overnight stays, with a smattering of cat, chicken, goat and duck clients thrown in for good measure. With her great reputation and obvious passion for animals, Julie was inundated. But, as each of her ‘assistant’ daughters drifted off to Uni, Julie put HappyTailz on ice and dusted off her flight attendant uniform for a second chapter.
In 2015, Julie bought a holiday pad in Mallorca and proceeded to flit back and forth to the UK with chihuahua Tommy. Travelling with a dog was arduous – the time on the road, the bureaucracy – yet private transport services seemed inadequate. Dogs were loaded in dark crates for hours on end and she felt Tommy deserved better. Again, there was nothing for it so Julie inserted an ‘r’ and made the pivot from HappyTailz to HappyTrailz Pet Transport.
Animals are at the heart of Julie’s business. The modern HappyTrailz vehicle provides split-level accommodation – cats cosily downstairs, dogs gazing out of their window seats – and a fridge to chill raw food and essential meds. Everything’s kept in tip top condition, tyres/fluid levels/lights checked before each trip, and there’s always a co-driver. Overnight stops are in a bijou French farmhouse, where dogs are free to roam/sleep where they please and cats have a dedicated playroom. Aeroplane trips are also on the menu, so long as weight doesn’t exceed eight kilos.
Qualified in pet first aid and animal behaviour, Julie is fully licensed to transport dogs, cats and ferrets in the UK and Europe. She’s yet to take her first ferret…
@happytrailz.pet.transport on insta
Heather - Mallorca Force-Free Dog Training
From the moment she could talk, all Heather chattered about was “dog, dog, dog”. As a youngster, she’d lie in wait at the walking path at the end of her quiet Glasgow street, petting each and every dog as they scampered past. After many years of intense pestering, her parents relented and 11-year-old Heather got her first dog: collie/retriever Spencer.
In 2005, Heather’s best friend upped sticks and moved to Mallorca with her family. Age 15, she decided to join them for a gap year – a year that became 19 (and counting). Living in Cala Ratjada and employed summer seasons in hotels/hospitality, Heather was desperate to work with animals so put an advert in Mil Anuncios stating, “no professional experience, but a desire to learn”. Barely expecting a response, famous Palma groomer Guau Club got in touch and offered her a winter job. Of course, all Heather’s earnings went on transport to and from the northeast, but at least she was being paid to learn. By 2015, and now (sensibly) living in Palma, Heather finally landed a dream vet nurse/reception job with CalviàVet.
In the background, Heather had been quietly building up her dog training skills. She’d attended courses and seminars, shadowed professionals, and eventually got certified with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers. In time, she reluctantly left CalviàVet so she could further explore her dog behavioural endeavours. Then came the pandemic, the impetus Heather needed to go fulltime with Mallorca Force-Free Dog Training. It was a lockdown winner. Pet sales boomed as people looked for emotional support, and dog training ticked the ‘outdoors’ and ‘distancing’ boxes quite nicely.
Today, Heather’s clients tend to fall under two umbrellas: those looking to work through and improve their dog(s)’ behaviour and those who wish to get things right from the get-go. Her best advice is to be prepared, set yourself up for success and train your dog from the day it arrives – don’t wait for problems to arise. Get your pup used to sounds, places, smells, so they can cope with every demand that society throws at them.
@mallorca_dog_training on insta
Romilly – Palma Paws Dog Grooming
Romilly grew up in an animal obsessed household. Not content with pet cats and rabbits, she and her mother would rescue and nurse injured seagulls and squirrels - there was just one thing missing: a dog.
As soon as Romilly set up home with her boyfriend, project dog became number one priority. Preferring to adopt not shop, they did the rounds of the rescue shelters but were constantly refused on grounds of being ‘too young’ (18 years old) and/or ‘living in an apartment’. They grudgingly accepted defeat and bought cocker spaniel Felipe from a breeder. When Felipe was nine months old, Romilly and her partner relocated to Mallorca. A long car journey with a crated puppy who just wants to run was quite the challenge - ‘never again’, she said.
Initially working for her father’s real estate business, Romilly knew she wanted a career with animals, just didn’t know what. When Felipe was due his first Spanish groom, she stumbled upon that ‘what’. Groomers in the UK had a full-on pamper vibe, a sort of doggy spa, and that didn’t seem to be the case in Spain. Furthermore, each parlour Romilly visited had a waiting list – the demand was definitely there. Taking the bull by the horns, Romilly did a month-long dog grooming course in Alicante and, now fully qualified, set up shop in perfect Portals Nous.
Since opening on 1 April 2024, Palma Paws has been a runaway success. Wash, brush and blow, ear cleaning and nail clipping, Romilly does it all, careful to use natural, vegan products. She takes her time - no rushing - and there is no overlap between clients to avoid stressful woofing. Meanwhile, their humans can nip to the nearby beach, marina, or one of the village’s smart cafés, for a moment of peaceful RnR – it’s a win-win.
@palmapawss on insta