Our History

How we started

HugglePets in the Community has been set up by two Directors in Wolverhampton who own a pet store called HugglePets. The
retail store has previously undertaken events for the community, such as taking animals into care homes, schools and hosting family fun days in store. The Directors appreciated that animals have a big impact on those in the community that were lonely, have special educational needs and/or struggle with poor mental health and wanted to do more.

The Directors undertook a series of research activities and surveys. They looked into ways of how their animals could support people and how they could make a model that was sustainable for the community. It was id
entified that Animal Assisted Therapy, Activities and Interventions for those with poor mental health and special educational needs would be beneficial for the wider community. 

From this, HugglePets in the Community was born, it is a non-for-profit organisation launched in 2018 to help motivate, inspire and empower members of our local community through animal-related therapy and initiatives.

Mike Dixon, Chair of the Board said: “Our community is at the heart of everything we do, we are passionate about what we do for our local community and we want you to be part of it too!”

HugglePets in the Community - Crowdfunder Campaign for £96,000 to build the UK's first crowdfunded Community Aquarium and Sensory Activity Centre 

Animal Assisted Therapy

Educational Workshops 

Corporate Team Building Workshops 

Sensory Activity Centre