Doggy daycare boss Donna Grose is staying in touch with her canine pals by taking them on walks during the lockdown.

Miss Grose has been offering her services for free to pet owners who are key workers and vulnerable people.

And her ’walkies’ schedule includes pooches belonging to a couple of police officers and two nurses.

She closed the doors of Precious Paws in Concord House, Westbourne Road, Ramsey, as soon as the ’circuit breaker’ for the island was announced.

Miss Grose, who lives in Ramsey, and has five pet dogs of her own, said she was enjoying taking the animals out and admitted: ’It’s helping me to keep sane as well during these difficult times.’

She said around 27 dogs usually visit her but she believed it was right that the doors be closed for health and safety reasons even though businesses in the island such as hers can technically open for pets owned by key workers.

She added: ’I did not want the dogs to suffer so I’ve been taking some of them on walks.

’I meet them at the door of the house, socially distanced of course, but we don’t go too far.

’The dogs are loving it.’

Miss Grose said some owners had also been sending her photos of their lonesome hounds at home.

’We all can’t wait until we can open the daycare business again,’ she said. She has also been lending a hand with some shopping trips.

Joan Justice, manager of family business, the Ballablack Farm daycare centre in Colby, said they had no hesitation in closing temporarily because of the lockdown.

Mrs Justice said: ’The dogs become like part of your family especially when you spend eight hours of the day with them.

’The owners understand the situation and the reasons why we have closed.

’It’s a difficult situation for everyone and we just pray that everyone is safe.’

She has been running the business with her son and daughter for the last couple of years and they have two dogs of their own ’who are missing their little furry friends’.

Neil Pearson, owner of the Hound Lounge on the Balthane industrial estate in Ballasalla, is trying to come to terms with shutting the doors of the business for the second time in less than a year.

He launched the daycare centre two years ago and it has become a popular venue for dog owners from the south dropping their pets off on the way to work in places such as the capital.

Mr Pearson said he is pinning his hopes on the lockdown ending in time to reopen on Monday, February 1.

He could have opened to take in the dogs of key workers but decided against doing this for health and safety reasons. He explained: ’We have a safety first policy at the Hound Lounge and believe the health of people and the safety of their family is more important than money.’ He said he he could not wait to open up.