I'm Helen Motteram, founder of the Pet Professional Network (PPN), the UK's first business and ethics support network built exclusively for kind, force-free pet professionals.
At PPN, we help dog trainers, behaviourists, groomers, walkers, vets and other animal professionals grow their businesses with integrity. We combine community, mentoring and business education so members can thrive without compromising welfare or values.
After experiencing isolation and bullying in the pet industry, I realised how many ethical professionals felt the same. In 2017 I created a private community that offered safety, respect, and collaboration, not competition. It quickly grew into a full membership organisation with training, business support, and global reach.
Our mission remains clear: to raise industry standards through kindness, education and community.
The pet professional industry lacked safe, supportive infrastructure for ethical practitioners, but I noticed something essential missing: a community that prioritised welfare-based methods, business growth and psychological safety together. Many force-free professionals were experiencing isolation and bullying within the wider pet industry, competition and comparison rather than collaboration, lack of business support that aligned with ethical values, no vetted community of like-minded professionals, and difficulty growing businesses without compromising on welfare standards. I wanted to create a network that bridges these gaps, offering community, education and business support built on kindness and science-led practice.
In 2017 I created a private community that offered safety, respect, and collaboration for ethical pet professionals. What started as a support group quickly grew as members found value in connecting with others who shared their values.
Over time I formalised the organisation into a full membership network with structured offerings:
As word spread about our ethics-first approach and supportive community, membership grew beyond the UK to include pet professionals internationally. We expanded from a private group into a comprehensive business support network offering training, resources, and community for professionals at all stages.
I draw on my own experience as a working dog and bird behaviourist to ensure everything we teach is grounded in real practice, not just theory.
Word of mouth from members includes ethical professionals recommending PPN to trusted colleagues. Safe community reputation means being known as the place where force-free professionals can be themselves. The professional directory provides visibility for members that also attracts new prospects. Educational content through webinars and CPD resources demonstrates our expertise. The personal mentoring program, The Distinctive Pet Business Coach, serves as a premium offering.
If I were starting again, I would formalise the structure earlier by moving from informal group to membership organisation sooner, document processes and resources systematically to build the library of templates and guides from the start, invest in technology platforms earlier for better member management and resource delivery systems, and create tiered membership options sooner to serve professionals at different stages.
We're continuing to grow our network across the UK and internationally, adding new training and wellbeing resources for members. My goal is that PPN becomes the natural home for ethical pet professionals who want to do good work and build thriving businesses.
I plan to expand our CPD offerings, develop more business templates and systems, and deepen our mentoring programmes to support members at every stage of their journey.
It is a membership organisation founded by Helen Motteram, designed as a safe and collaborative community for force-free pet professionals. It provides business support, training, and peer-to-peer connection to help ethical practitioners grow their businesses without competition or bullying.
Helen Motteram started the network in 2017 after experiencing isolation and bullying within the pet industry. She wanted to create a supportive space where ethical professionals could find respect, collaboration, and practical business guidance that aligned with their welfare-based values.
The network is for ethical pet professionals who are committed to positive, welfare-based methods. Membership is carefully vetted to ensure everyone shares the core values of kindness, science-led practice, and community over competition. It started in the UK but now welcomes international members.
Members get access to a wide range of resources, including business mentoring, webinars, CPD opportunities, downloadable templates, and peer support groups. The goal is to provide both the ethical framework and the practical tools needed to build a thriving, Fearless business.
The network is built on five key pillars: putting ethics first, maintaining a safe community free from judgment, grounding all teaching in real-world experience, providing business clarity, and upholding high standards through a vetted membership.
