Your Pets Warehouse, which re-invests its profits to provide job training to out-of-work young people, has received a boost from a £10,000 donation.

The Tonypandy pet store is the brainchild of Kate Wood, who said: “There are a whole host of reasons why some young people don’t always stay on track with their education but giving them the chance to improve their skills is the best way to help them achieve long-term stability through employment."

Hilton Cardiff donated the money to the charity to support the work-based learning, which the company values as a “great way of improving your social skills and employability”.

Kate added: “This donation has been an incredibly generous asset which has helped us to expand our resources so we can offer even more training opportunities to young people who are looking to secure permanent work.

“Our profits from the pet shop are invested back into training for volunteers and staff, but donations and funding from organisations, such as Hilton Cardiff, really help us to sustain and broaden the support we can offer to young people.

“After working in the pet industry for more than 25 years and in a special education school between 2002 and 2006, I realised that I wanted to combine my experiences to create a business which supports those who have been out of work and who want to reconnect with society.

“Your Pets Warehouse is unique in that all trainees, work experience and volunteers must care for the animals at the store, so the extra element of responsibility helps them to appreciate the importance of their role and boost their confidence.

“Having a cuddle with the rabbits and guinea pigs is also a great way for our young people to de-stress if they are having a tough day, which in turn gets the animals used to being handled ready for their future owners.”

The pet shop offers work experience to disadvantaged young people in the area as well as offering a range of NVQ Level 1 qualifications in business administration, customer service and work-based animal care.

Marie Fagan, general manager at Hilton Cardiff, said: “Your Pets Warehouse is an exemplary social enterprise which provides essential work experience and training to young people who may have difficulty securing other learning opportunities.”