South East Canines’ Flag Ship Funding

Aim

Help South East Canines expand into a purpose-built warehouse daycare, grooming & retail, creating jobs and better dog care

Hi, I’m Elliott, founder of South East Canines Ltd. I started this business to provide high-quality, reliable dog care in the local community. On any given day, I walk 15–20 dogs, keeping them happy, healthy, and well-exercised. 

I know how stressful it can be to find someone you can truly trust with your dog. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how much owners worry about safety, well-being, and whether their dog’s needs are really being understood. That’s why I set out to create a service built on trust, education and genuinely high standards of care.

Every summer, we have the same problem. It becomes too hot for dogs to exercise safely outdoors. Add in thunderstorms, lightning, high winds and unpredictable weather, and there are many days when walking simply isn’t wise or safe at all. Yet dogs still need stimulation, social interaction and structure. The vision is to open a chain of modern, fully indoor, weatherproof doggy daycare centres - safe, climate-controlled environments where dogs can play, learn, and relax, whatever the weather outside.

Additionally, the pandemic led to a surge in first-time dog owners. Many did their best, but a significant number of dogs lacked proper early socialisation and structured training. As a result, we are now seeing more dogs with anxiety, poor social skills and behavioural challenges than ever before. This has created a real and lasting gap in the quality of support available to both dogs and their owners.

The mission is to build education-led centres that don’t just “watch” dogs, but actively improve their lives: blending daycare, grooming, professional training, owner education seminars and carefully chosen lifestyle retail. The aim is to raise standards across UK pet care, support a generation of dogs who need extra guidance, and give owners absolute confidence that their dogs are safe, understood and thriving - whatever the weather, whatever their background.

The Team & Idea

Antonio Lopez | Sales Director, South East Canine Centres

Antonio Lopez is Sales Director at South East Canine Centres, working alongside CEO Elliott Sumner to drive commercial expansion and position the brand as a premium leader in the pet industry. Combining high-level retail strategy with modern sales infrastructure, he leads the company’s growth roadmap, building strong revenue pipelines while ensuring every customer touchpoint reflects a high-end identity across both digital and physical locations. With six years managing major retail activations for N2O, including large-scale Tesco seasonal campaigns, Antonio brings big-retail expertise to scaling the centres’ on-site presence. Drawing on his SaaS SDR background, he also champions simple, tech-driven systems that streamline operations, centralise customer data, and automate admin—keeping the team focused on delivering exceptional, personal service.

Jessica Kirby | Brand Activation 

With over a decade of experience in management, sales, and brand development, Jessica brings a polished, client‑focused approach to the dog behaviour and daycare space. Currently working in account management for a global brand engagement agency, she combines strong operational leadership with a deep understanding of communication, editorial work, and relationship‑building. Her ability to manage complex client needs, streamline processes, and deliver consistent brand experiences translates seamlessly into creating trusted, high‑quality services for dogs and their owners.

Bianca Mandemaker | Product Sourcing & Operations

Bianca leads the curation and procurement of South East Canine’s retail offering, combining her design background and strong understanding of consumer trends to deliver high-quality, purposeful products for modern pet owners. With a degree in design and experience in visual merchandising and retail operations, she sources distinctive, premium items—from enrichment toys to essential canine products—ensuring each meets the brand’s standards for quality, safety, and cohesion. Her expertise in inventory logistics, supplier relations, and administrative systems underpins the business’s operational stability, while her passion for nature and illustration influences a thoughtfully curated range that reflects organic design, supports dogs’ natural instincts, and strengthens the brand’s community-focused ethos.

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Our team is growing: I plan to hire two experienced dog walkers, a daycare assistant, a part-time manager to oversee daily operations, and a professional groomer to complement our daycare. 

Our idea is simple: take the founder-led model that works and make it repeatable, safe, and professional. That means a purpose-built indoor warehouse daycare, trained staff operating independently, and complementary services such as grooming and a small retail shop for pet products.

“Elliott is just brilliant!! Our 15 month black Lab can be a handful as he just wants to play. Elliott has helped me with advice to help calm him down and gives Rodney 1-1 time on a walk if needed. I know Rodney looks forward to his walks and is well looked after. He is given a chance to socialise with other dogs, play and experience new places.

I’d really recommend Elliott to take great care of your dog”

Our Vision

Our vision is to be the go-to dog care provider in the area, providing safe, happy, and stimulating care while creating jobs and training opportunities. In Phase 1, we’re focusing on building a fully operational warehouse daycare, launching grooming, and testing a small retail offering. Hydrotherapy and a larger retail expansion will follow in Phase 2, once we have proven the model.

“[Elliott] Cared for my 2 dogs! One a bit of a nightmare but always felt they were in good hands! Received updates and pictures which really made my day! Would absolutely recommend for dog walking. No problems or concerns what so ever! ”

How We’ll Use Your Support

With your support, we aim to raise £300-350k to fund Phase 1:

• Warehouse Daycare Setup: flooring, fencing, signage, and fit-out

• Vans & Equipment: vans for walks and transport to and from daycare

• Staffing: 2 walkers, 1 daycare assistant, 1 part-time manager

• Grooming Setup: room, equipment, and a professional groomer

• Shop & Online Commerce: essential products for in-store and online

• Marketing & Website: promote services and make booking easy

• Contingency: cover unexpected costs

This funding will enable us to demonstrate the staff-led model, ensure high-quality dog care, and lay the foundation for future growth. Every contribution helps us create a safe, happy environment for dogs and peace of mind for their owners.

Some more reviews:

"When we moved to Burnham last year we were struggling to find a trustworthy dog Walker for our overactive Golden Retriever. We came across Elliot’s details by chance and has not looked back since then. We would recommend Elliot to be able to walk any dog. Elliot is a highly professional, committed and trustworthy person. Whisky waits for the sound of his truck and trots off happily with him. We are extremely lucky to have found Elliot and can relax when we are working knowing that Whisky will be well cared for…." 

"Elliott is incredible with Louis and has the patience to deal with him too! Takes pride and time in what he does and really cares about the dogs and their development. He manages a range of breeds and temperaments but ensures there's a right balance of energy on each walk! Definitely recommend Elliot"

"Eliott is great! Our Jazz loved going on a walk with him. Always accommodating our needs. Would highly recommend him!!"

This is the moment where it all begins. By investing now, you’re helping bring the first centre to life and laying the foundations for what we believe could become a new benchmark in UK dog care. You’re backing an idea driven by real need, changing weather, changing ownership patterns, and a growing demand for safer, smarter, more supportive environments for dogs and their people. With your support, the first doors will open, the model will be proven, and the path will be set for national expansion. If you want to be part of something from day one, shaping the future of modern, education-led doggy daycare, we invite you to join us on that journey.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 8th May 2026