A pet shop in Norwich said a new trend of people feeding their pets the “wild wolf” diet had saved the business from closure.
Joe Sylvester, who owns Joe’s Pets on Norwich Market, said he’d been inundated by requests for “natural” pet treats like pig snouts, cow windpipes, and rabbit ears, with pet owners turning their backs on processed food.
He said the upsurge in custom had pulled the business from its “toughest period in 40 years” after shoppers disappeared from the city centre during Covid.
Mr Sylvester said: “The pandemic was terrible. Because we were considered an essential business there were no grants or support, so for a while it looked like we were going to have to start completely from scratch.
“But recently we’ve not only seen our regulars returning but also new customers looking for natural treats.
“It’s a huge trend right now – people are looking for rabbit ears with the fur still on or pig snouts.
“They want their dogs to eat like they would in the wild, like wild wolves.”
Mr Sylvester said he’d been stocking natural treats for years, but that since online shops started raising their prices in line with demand, he’d seen an influx of people looking for a deal.
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He said: “People are paying upwards of £4 for pigs’ ears online, whereas I’m still stocking them for 99p.
“We’re buying more of that sort of product than ever before, and it’s very cost-effective for us.
“We offer a pick ‘n’ mix deal so the dogs can choose a few different things they like.”
Looking forward, Mr Sylvester said he predicts the business will be back in the green by Christmas.
He added: “This trend has been a godsend. We’ve still got a way to go, but I’m hopeful.”
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