Cllr Christopher Spruce with Chris Balch, Harley and Pets at Home employees
Cllr Christopher Spruce with Chris Balch, Harley and Pets at Home employees

A four-legged guest of honour was present as a new pet store opened in Lichfield.

Three-year-old golden retriever Harley joined Lichfield City Council Mayor Christopher Spruce to open the new Pets at Home shop at Lichfield Retail Park on Eastern Avenue.

Harley has just completed a training programme with local charity DogAid, aimed at giving her the skills to be able to help owner Chris Balch with household chores.

She showed off some of her skills at the opening of the new store, before being taken on a tour of the facilities by manager Helen Fern.

Helen said:

“We’ve all worked really hard to get the store looking fantastic for our customers and their pets, so it was great to be able to share our knowledge of responsible pet care with so many of them on opening day. I’d also really like to thank all our special guests for their support over the weekend.

“We look forward to being actively involved in the local pet community and hope that we are able to support lots of local organisations in raising awareness of responsible pet care in the area.”

The Border Collie Trust GB took part in the store’s opening celebrations, with some of the charity’s volunteers raising awareness of their work.

One of the features of the new store is a Pet Adoption Centre where needy pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and other small animals, are cared for until a new home can be found. There is also an aquatic centre with cold water and tropical fish, as well as a wide range of accessories.

The new shop has created seven new jobs.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.