Community interest company launched to support industry’s mental health well-being

A new community interest company, called Care Pet Professionals (CPP), has been launched to help support the mental well-being of pet professionals.

CPP, spearheaded by pet groomer Bill and NHS healthworker Jules, aims to bridge the gap between the NHS and mental health services for pet professionals.

Bill left the Police Service after 19 years, and having had one foot in the pet industry (as his wife is a Veterinary Nurse and Pet Groomer), he started a new career within the pet grooming world as a Business Coach. He says he soon realised that the pet grooming world “has similar issues and mental health challenges as anyone else but that there was no support”.

According to CPP, 40% of pet professionals’ mental health is suffering due to their work, as they have some of the “highest levels of stress, anxiety and depression of all careers”.

Together with Jules, Bill created CPP, which provides its members with mental and physical well-being support through various tools, such as raising awareness through articles, blogs, and podcasts; providing recommendations for books and self-help tools; highlighting different therapies and counselling options and then using the funds raised by the members’ contributions, sponsorship, and donations to pay for support for the members.

Courses such as Mental Health First Aid can be undertaken, and Trauma Risk Management (TRIM) can be provided for businesses or individuals that have been exposed to trauma or potential trauma.

More information on the initiative can be found on www.careofpetprofessionals.co.uk.