MORE CANBERRANS are turning to professionals to pamper their pooches, with dog-walking services across the ACT run off their feet over the New Year period.
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Pet kennels around the Canberra region are routinely booked out for Christmas and Easter six months in advance, leaving a growing number of time-poor pet owners scrambling to secure the services of alternative pet minding businesses.
Canberra Critter Care's LaWanda Anderson said she turned down as many jobs as she accepted over the festive season.
''The holiday period in Canberra is insanely busy,'' she said.
''I have been working 5am until 7pm all during the Christmas week.
''I don't get a day off except every few months - and I could have taken twice as much work.
''People were calling right through Christmas, even offering to pay double, for someone to take care of their pets.''
Puppycat Pet Care's Michelle Rooney said her service was fully booked for the summer break by late August, but demand was increasing for her service throughout the year. ''We are taking on new walking clients nearly every week,'' she said.
''I have been surprised by the growth in demand for walking services over the past six months. To continue meeting this demand I will be looking to recruit more staff early [this] year.''
In addition to holiday makers, busy bureaucrats, defence personnel on interstate or overseas postings and political apparatchiks who travel frequently make up much of Canberra Critter Care's clients, while pets behaving badly are the big growth area for Puppycat Pet Care.
Mrs Anderson said Canberrans loved their pets, but were too time-poor to take care of everyday care activities such as grooming, walking and socialising their animals.
''I think with the cost of living in the ACT that most families have to have two incomes to survive,'' she said.
''This leaves less time for their treasured pets.''
Ms Rooney said regular exercise had benefits for frustrated pets and guilt-ridden owners.
''We walk a lot of dogs that prior to their owners engaging our services would destroy backyards through boredom,'' she said. ''We become a big part of their lives because we are meeting one of their most basic needs.
''Dog walking is the only job in the world where you can guarantee that you will always get an excited and happy greeting every time you turn up to work.'' FRANCES STEWART