Northeast Winnipeg has a new, one-of-a-kind mobile animal grooming business.

Purely Paws opened for business this past September. Owner Rob MacFarlane said the focus of the operation is to work with animals in their home environment.

"My wife and I have two large rescue dogs that have issues when dealing with new people and things," he said. "We were looking for a grooming solution that was less stressful on our animals and that’s how Purely Paws was first created."

MacFarlane said the aim of the business is twofold — to help animals that are stressed very easily and provide a convenience to pet owners that isn’t offered by other businesses.  

The Birds Hill-based entrepreneurs came up with the idea for the venture last winter.

"We started with the concept in February and were on the roads in the fall, "he said.

"The world is based on convenience, so we do that. We’re open seven days a week and we’re flexible with peoples’ working hours."

North Kildonan resident Blair Wynnyk said he likes the convenience offered by Purely Paws.

"Getting our cat groomed and having her nails clipped was always a big issue," Wynnyk said. "I think it’s great that a business like this can come to my home on my time and I can be with my pet when it’s getting groomed. I think it’ll catch on with many pet owners."

It’s a sentiment shared by many of Purely Paws’ customers and MacFarlane is confident the uniqueness of the business will make it viable for the foreseeable future.

"We’re one-of-a-kind in the sense that the van is unique and was custom built for this kind of job," he said. "We’ve got terrific reaction from customers and we believe we can stick around Winnipeg and some rural areas for the considerable future."

A self-described animal lover, MacFarlane said the best part of his job is getting to work with newfound furry friends on a daily basis.

"Working with animals is great," he said. "There’s nothing better than being able to help someone and their pet. It’s been great so far and we’re looking forward to continuing for a long time."