29 September 2026
For many of us, a Pembrokeshire holiday wouldn’t feel quite right without the dog coming too. But bringing a four-legged family member can sometimes mean compromising on what you can do while you’re here. That’s where The Paw Path comes in.
Based just outside Whitland on the Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire border, this family-run pet care business is the creation of husband-and-wife team Crystal and Mike. From doggy daycare and adventure trips to pet sitting and their very own Pet Taxi, their aim is simple: to care for every animal as though they were their own.
As The Paw Path joins the Visit Pembrokeshire family, we caught up with Crystal to hear how the business began, why their Pet Taxi could be a gamechanger for visitors and what they love about exploring Pembrokeshire with a dog (or two!) in tow.
Crystal, tell us a little about The Paw Path and how it all began.
The Paw Path has been a real labour of love for Mike and me. We’ve built it together from the ground up with a lot of hard work, plenty of sweat and definitely a few tears along the way!
We started as a small local pet care service in August 2024 and have since grown to open our 3,500 sq ft licensed dog daycare, alongside a much wider range of services including dog walking, pet sitting, overnight stays, home visits, adventure trips and our Pet Taxi.
We’re really proud of what we’ve created, but we’re nowhere near finished. We’re constantly reinvesting, improving what we have and asking ourselves what we can do better.
What’s at the heart of the business for you?
A genuine love of animals.
Our big ambition is for The Paw Path to become the go-to pet care service in West Wales, but however much we grow, we never want to lose sight of why we started.
Every animal we look after is somebody’s baby, and that’s something we never forget. We understand how much trust it takes to hand your pet over to someone else, so we want people to know they’re leaving them with people who genuinely care.
You offer something that could be particularly useful for people holidaying in Pembrokeshire – tell us about the Pet Taxi!
We have our own Pet Taxi, and it’s something we’d really love more visitors to know about.
If you’re staying in Pembrokeshire with your dog, we can collect them directly from your holiday cottage or accommodation, bring them to us for their own fun-filled day at daycare and then bring them safely home afterwards.
It means that if there’s somewhere you really want to visit that isn’t dog-friendly, an activity you’d love to try or even somewhere you fancy going for a long lunch, your dog can have a great day out too!
We love the idea that people can bring their dogs on holiday to Pembrokeshire without feeling as though they have to miss out on other experiences while they’re here.
Is the Pet Taxi just for daycare?
Not at all. We can also help with local and longer-distance pet transport, including trips to vet and grooming appointments and other journeys.
It’s all part of our aim to make The Paw Path a one-stop shop for pet care.
That might mean popping into your accommodation to feed your pet, give them some company and plenty of fuss, taking your dog for a walk, looking after them overnight or taking them on one of our adventure trips.
We want to be there for whatever owners and their pets need.
You’ve lived in Pembrokeshire all your life. Do you have a favourite place to explore?
That’s such a difficult question because we’re honestly so lucky to live where we do!
I love our beaches and coastline, but I think some of my favourite places are actually the ones you just stumble across – a new woodland walk, a little stream, a riverside path or somewhere tucked away that you’ve probably driven past a hundred times without realising it was there.
Usually, I’ve got a dog or two with me, which probably makes finding them even better!
I’ve lived in Pembrokeshire all my life and I’m still finding new places I didn’t know existed. There’s always another path to walk and another corner to explore.
Supporting other local businesses is important to you too. What would you like to do more of?
There are so many brilliant independent businesses across Pembrokeshire and West Wales, and we want to work alongside them rather than everything being about us.
We’re already collaborating and exploring ideas with businesses offering everything from local dog treats, food and pet products to holiday cottages, holiday parks, dog-friendly cafés and restaurants, dog parks and walks.
If The Paw Path can help connect some of those dots while supporting other local businesses, that’s exactly what we want to do.
Local businesses supporting one another makes everybody stronger – and hopefully makes Pembrokeshire an even better place to visit with your pets.
Finally, what’s next for The Paw Path?
We’ve got plenty of ideas!
We’re constantly reinvesting in the business, improving what we offer and dreaming up what comes next – and we have a couple of exciting announcements on the way that we’re not quite ready to share yet.
Ultimately, we want The Paw Path to become a name that people know, love and completely trust with their animals.
However much we grow, though, that fundamental promise will stay the same: Tailored Care for Happy Paws.
