Husband-and-wife seek new owner for one of Scotland's largest doggy daycares

A husband and wife are looking for a new owner of one of Scotland’s largest doggy daycares.

Jon and Mhairi MacLeod-Dunford are seeking a new owner for Hilltop Doggy Day Care just outside Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

The couple founded the day care in 2023, inspired by their love of dogs, and have since grown the business, which can accommodate almost 10,000 dogs each year.

The daycare offers dogs and puppies a unique blend of exercise, enrichment and play across its purpose-built eight-acre countryside site.

Day-to-day operations are managed by a team of four experienced staff members, supported by “doggy buses” that collect and transport dogs from several towns in the area.

Hilltop is located directly opposite the new £450m Center Parcs development, expected to attract around 250,000 visitors annually when it opens in 2029.

Hilltop’s facilities include a purpose-built, newly refurbished doggy activity barn and five secure, dog-proof fields.

These feature a sensory garden with bark and sand pits, as well as a dedicated dog parkour area for dogs of all ages and abilities.

Jon MacLeod-Dunford said: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Hilltop. Our ambition has always been to create somewhere that dogs genuinely love coming to – a Disneyland for dogs.

“Serving hundreds of owners across the Borders has been a real privilege.

“We’re now excited to hand over the lead to someone who shares that passion and can take the business into its next phase, realising the full potential of the site.”

The founders are inviting expressions of interest from dog lovers, entrepreneurs, pet industry operators and investors looking to take the business forward. For more information, visit here.