Meet ‘The Mutha Fluffa’ – the new Northampton pet care business filling void after sudden death of owner’s dog

A 20-year-old business owner has shared the success of her Northampton pet care company, which she set up to fill the void after her dog sadly passed away.

Charlotte Levy launched The Mutha Fluffa in July 2022 following the sudden death of her Dobermann, Luna.

She began by signing up to dog borrowing and walking apps to make some extra money, before realising this was her passion and set up her own venture.

The business owner offers individual and group walks, drop in visits to break up a pet’s day, and pet sitting in the owner’s home.

Charlotte said: “I always go the extra mile when looking after people’s pets as they are like their children.

“I build a rapport and genuinely care about proving the trust and friendship is there, which I believe is what sets business owners apart.”

The 20-year-old had previously set up a clothing business with support from The Prince’s Trust – a charity that helps young people get into jobs, education and training – during the pandemic.

However, with the advice of her mentor who saw how passionate Charlotte was about animals and the demand for pet sitting services, The Mutha Fluffa was born.

The business name has a “tongue in cheek approach” as Charlotte says you need to have a laughable attitude when it comes to pets as all they want to do is have fun.

The Mutha Fluffa has been received “fantastically” by the Northampton community, but Charlotte admits setting up the business has been a “steep learning curve, allowing her to gain experience with lots of different breeds quickly”.

Charlotte said: “Providing breed specific enrichment, tailored to the individual, is super important.

“No two dogs are the same. Little things like an extra long walk, sharing a route map of where we walked, lots of high quality photos and videos, and letting the owner video call their pet if they’re missing them are important.”

Charlotte’s most popular service is house sitting, where she stays overnight in the owner’s home, as social media has shown “kennels often don’t provide enough stimulation for pets”.

“House sitting gives peace of mind that the animal is safe, they aren’t alone for more than four hours at a time, and the house is left as it was when I arrived – or better,” said the business owner.

Talking about being a young female in business, Charlotte says it has been “difficult” but she has “learned so much and grown as a person”.

With her hard work and perseverance, all her clients make repeat bookings as “trust is established and she takes good care of their pups and kitties”.

This year, Charlotte hopes to gain a grooming qualification and work towards opening her own salon.

“I’ve realised I love working for myself as an entrepreneur, but I thrive under nine-to-five conditions,” said the 20-year-old, who would love to create a spa for both owners and pets.

The long-term goal is to create an ‘empawium’, with a pet-friendly cafe, spa and daycare.

To find out more about The Mutha Fluffa, you can visit the business’ Instagram page here.