Grantham dog day care centre Who Let Your Dogs Out? receives planning permission from South Kesteven District Council

A business owner is "super excited" to have received planning permission for her dog day care.

South Kesteven District Council has formally approved plans from Who Let Your Dogs Out? to convert an office and light industrial unit at the Alma Park Industrial Estate in Grantham.

Owner Sara Barnes, a Grantham Journal columnist, said the permission had been "a long time coming".

She described the business as "enrichment and training based," adding: "What we don’t do is let the dogs play all day." She argued that at traditional dog day cares, dogs just play all day and return home "overtired".

Open Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm, Sara aims to offer dogs a structured routine, incorporating periods of rest, group or individual training sessions, and time for enrichment.

She said that a significant part of the service is about "giving the dogs the chance to act on their natural urges," referring to a sandpit where dogs can dig if they feel the need to.

The business began as a dog walking service nearly seven years ago, after Sara decided to take a six-month break from a highly-stressful project management role.

The doggy day care and adventure centre opened in November last year, following the submission of the planning application in August.

The idea of opening a centre stemmed from an increase in enquiries for dog day care services, which Sara could no longer accommodate from her home.