The Poodle That Changed Everything
After 15 years in the NGO world, Ninian swapped a steady career for a pet boarding business. It all began with a dog nobody planned to keep.
Mylo wasn't supposed to be Ninian's dog.
The toy poodle belonged to a family friend, until someone in that household had an allergic reaction. Mylo needed a new home quickly, and in 2022 he came to Ninian's.
"Looking back, I'm grateful things turned out that way," Ninian says. "I never imagined that welcoming one little dog would eventually lead me to start a pet boarding business."
Until then, Ninian liked dogs the way many of us do: cute, fun to play with, but not a calling. Mylo, now four, changed that. Living with him showed Ninian how much personality, emotion and love one small animal could bring into a home. "I guess you could say Mylo was the one who turned me into a dog lover!"
From one dog to many
Determined to be an informed dog owner, Ninian started reading up on dog behaviour and nutrition. As her understanding of dogs deepens, her views on dogs changed too. The stray dogs she sees on the daily commute began to look different. So, Ninian began bringing food along, feeding a few on the way to work and again on the way home. It was the beginning of her canine journey.
Soon Ninian was following independent rescuers online, and when some asked for volunteers to help with feeding, she signed up. What began as a few meals became a regular commitment, and an education in medical care, rehabilitation, rehoming and trap-neuter-return (TNR).
"Feeding is just one small part of a much bigger issue," Ninian says. "Many people don't realise that these animals are simply trying to survive."
As Ninian watched rescuers and shelters struggle to raise funds, an idea took shape. What if a business could provide a good service, raise awareness, and, if it did well, give back to rescue work and TNR?
It was no eureka moment. The idea just germinated. "We spent years talking about it, exploring possibilities and figuring out whether we could make it work," Ninian recalls.
For two-and-a-half years, Ninian kept her dual existence – keeping her job and feeding strays on the side. It was a sensible plan. But a question kept coming back: could something she genuinely loved become something more sustainable?
Leaving a stable career at 40 to start from scratch is scary. "But if there's something you're passionate about and you have the opportunity to pursue it, sometimes you just must take that leap of faith."
Dogs as individuals
The result is Latchkey Paws, a dog boarding and daycare business. Why boarding? The answer goes back to Mylo. As a dog owner, Ninian knows the worry of leaving a pet with someone else, and the team keeps one test in mind: if we had to leave our own dog here, would we have peace of mind?
Admittedly, it is a crowded field, particularly in the Klang Valley where similar businesses are opening rapidly and every business owner is a professed pet lover. Ninian doesn't pretend otherwise. "Being a dog lover alone is not enough to differentiate a pet boarding business."
So, Latchkey Paws bets on treating dogs as individuals. Dogs are housed in separate areas by temperament and energy level, and shy ones are never rushed. There are daily walks, playtime, enrichment, round-the-clock human monitoring and CCTV, and owners get regular updates.
Located in Section 17, Petaling Jaya, Latchkey Paws has been open for just a month, and already has a steady stream of “guests”, mostly through word of mouth and recommendations from early boarders.
Heart versus ledger
Loving dogs, it turns out, is the easy part. "Loving dogs and running a pet business are two very different things," Ninian says. The list of new problems is long: location, renovations, licensing, finances, and keeping every dog safe.
The mindset shift has been just as big. At her previous job at an NGO, her focus was campaigns and awareness. Now she also worries about costs and whether the numbers add up. "I want to provide the best for every dog, but I also need to make sure the business is financially sustainable. Otherwise, we won't be able to continue doing what we set out to do."
The old career still pays off. Marketing helps with branding, and years of running events taught planning and coordination. The biggest carry-over is the NGO belief that "whatever we do should have a purpose beyond ourselves." And there's the humbling part of being your own boss: "You become the marketing person, operations person, customer service person, cleaner and sometimes even the handyman!"
What success looks like
Asked how she will measure success, the answer isn't revenue. It's a nervous dog who relaxes, or an owner who can finally travel or go to work without worrying. Down the road, Ninian hopes the business will be steady enough to contribute regularly to rescue efforts and TNR programmes.
Her advice to anyone dreaming of a leap is to be ready for a long road. Passion gets you started, but patience, perseverance and a willingness to learn keep you going. Start small, and ask for help.
"I'm still very new to this journey myself," Ninian says. "But I'm learning every day."
Ask Ninian to sum it all up, and the answer comes easily, and it has nothing to do with a business plan.
"Mylo taught me to love dogs. The strays taught me compassion. And Latchkey Paws is my way of bringing those two things together."
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