This is unique in retailing, but get it right and you have a formula for success.

Most retailers only have to concentrate on one or two generations and put picture together, but pet buyers and carers need special treatment and each group needs different requirements. That’s challenge of success in this retail sector.

What services do you include within retail sector, i.e. veterinary services, grooming services and care talks. Plus, what services do you provide to get customers to linger longer, i.e. café, restaurant, pet shows etc.

This is a retail sector that is growing and therefore innovation is inevitable.

We had a terrible experience with our cat Milo, when he recently developed a lower urinary tract infection and had to be admitted to stay 2 nights in a local vet clinic while he underwent surgery and monitoring for this common cat health problem. After seeing how terrified he was at clinic and then worrying whether he would live or not because he refused to eat anything for a week after we got him home and had to be forcibly fed water to keep him hydrated, we simply could not bring ourselves to consider idea of declawing no matter how stressful his clawing behavior was.

Milo is part of our family. God gave him all parts he has for a reason and declawing to us is tantamount to saying he is less important than any other member of our family; something that we couldn't bring ourselves to think.

Pets count on us to look after their best interests. When we take on responsibility of owning a pet we make what should be a statement of promise to protect them, nuture them and ensure that they are looked after. If you are considering declawing as a way to deal with your cats clawing behavior, I would urge you to please try some less invasive methods first before you resort to such a drastic measure. Why risk potential side-effects and trauma that can accompany any surgical procedure if there are clearly other, less invasive ways of dealing with this problem?