Ochiltree: Hilltop Boarding Kennels nominated for award

Hilltop Boarding Kennels is up for for the top boarding kennels in Ayrshire in the Local Pet Awards.

Being a family-run business that only started around four years ago, owner Pamela Weir described the feeling of being nominated as "surreal".

Pamela previously worked as a veterinary nurse, but she turned her hand to opening the boarding kennels near Ochiltree.

With 14 kennels, Hilltop already has bookings for next year.

Hilltop Boarding Kennels (Image: NQ Archive)

Pamela runs the kennels with family, including daughter Natalie, who she says has been an excellent help in achieving all they have done.

"I think people like it because we are a smaller kennel," Pamela said.

"It means we can spend more time with individual dogs and makes sure they are getting the proper care and attention they need.

"People put a lot of trust in you when they leave one of their family members with you, so being able to put them at ease is something we're always trying to do.

"I'll send people wee videos of their dogs to show them how they're doing, and I'm confident with giving out any medication necessary because of my background.

"My daughter is a great help as well because she's been brought up with dogs and she knows how to treat different kinds of dogs.

"So I think all of these wee things adding up is possibly why people keep coming back here and they're confident with us here".

The kennels near Ochiltree. (Image: Hilltop Boarding Kennels)

Voting closes on March 31, and can be accessed here.

Pamela is thrilled to be in this position, and she will make sure it drives the team to keep up their great standards.

She added: "It's amazing when you get nominated for something like this.

"You don't do your work everyday for recognition like this, but it's amazing when the spotlight shines on you like that".