Jacki Little started her business three years ago when she received distressing news about her cat’s health.
Gizzls was diagnosed with a kidney disease and the vet only gave him three months to live.
“Gizzls was only four at the time, which was really young.
“I was horrified and devastated,” she said.
Little, who had previously worked as a website designer, recalled that a former client specialised in medical marijuana and cannabis oil.
“I’d actually designed a website for a client who specialises in medical marijuana and cannabis oil.
“I explained the situation to him and I started giving Gizzy the oil and the change was phenomenal.
“He put on weight and came back to himself and it was amazing.”
But the oil wasn’t a great flavour so Little made contact with a pet nutritionist and developed a treat that was a bit easier for Gizzls to digest, and that is how her business Gizzls CBD for pets was established.
Little said she had identified the need in the market, and the pets were the inspiration for the ranges.
“The pet nutritionist makes sure that there’s all the right levels in the supplements that go into the treats.”
At the start of the lockdown, Little had already began developing her botanical range when she realised that pets where also affected by the upset of the pandemic.
“A lot of people adopted animals during the lockdown.
“People were also spending more time at home so they were maybe noticing things that they never noticed before.
“I have quite a few clients who could in the past leave their dogs at home for seven or eight hours (but) were suddenly finding they couldn’t leave their dogs alone for an hour without the animals getting totally anxious and tearing up the house.”
The Gizzls botanical range includes four supplements for wellness including anxiety, joint and mobility.
These are all natural dog treats with adaptogens that help balance pets hormones, immune system and responses to stress factors.
Little described the adaptogens as “amazing little herbs that bring balance to the body – in humans and in dogs”.
“What’s amazing is that they do this without stimulating or suppressing any body function; they simply balance them.”
Animal trainer and behaviourist Jason Bailey agreed that the lockdown had taken its toll on pets.
“Because our social lives has changed the dogs have suffered because their socialisation with other dogs has almost come to a halt.
“So there are a lot of puppies and teenage dogs who haven’t been interacting with other dogs on a social level,” said Bailey.
He said the stay at home orders had a real effect on the animals, especially those puppies adopted during the lockdown.
“Those animals haven’t been exposed to a variety of people and now we have problems with teenage dogs and aggression issues but it’s because of the lack of association which stems from fear and anxiety.
“Canine calming collars can help as well as supplements.
“What works for one dog might not work for the other dog so it’s best that the owners consult with a professional and weigh up their options.”
Little is optimistic about the future of her business.
She said was hopeful that it expands to reach more animals that need the boost.