Pet Lovers Centre
 | |
| Industry | Pet Products, Pet Stores |
|---|---|
| Genre | Pet Care Pet Supply Store |
| Founded | Singapore 1973[1] |
| Founder | David F C Ng & Robert F L Ng |
Number of locations | 79 (59 in Singapore, 16 in Malaysia & 4 in Thailand) |
Area served | Singapore, Malaysia & Thailand |
Key people | W H Ng (Managing Director) / David W T Ng (CEO, Executive Director) / W K Ng (CFO, Group Director) |
| Products | Trustie, The Pet Safari & Burp! |
| Website | Company Homepage |
Company Profile
Pet Lovers Centre Pte Ltd (PLC) is the largest Asian retailer of specialty pet services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. It provides a broad range of competitively-priced pet food and pet products; services include pet training, pet grooming, pet boarding and pet adoption.
It supplies products for dogs, cats and small animals, comprising edible bones, edible and non-edible chews, dog and cat food and treats, toys, pet carriers, grooming supplies, and other accessories. It also supplies food, cages and habitats, toys, chews and related accessories and products for fish, small animals, and specialty pets. Their stores are stocked with more than 10,000 products, all available at every day, low prices. In addition to providing great value, they have a wide range of products in the industry, including products exclusive to PLC.
Pet care consultants trained in veterinary science are within arm’s reach in more than 60 percent of PLC’s stores. The pet care consultant assists customers with queries and veterinary advice. These pet care consultants also provide professional advice for pet illnesses, ranging from a simple cold to cancer. [2] [3] [4]
In 1980, PLC launched its own brand of pet accessories called Trustie, and in 1996, launched its food brand called Burp! PLC is constantly enhancing its own line of pet food to provide quality pet nutrition at affordable prices. [5]
PLC has become the largest and most recognisable brand name when it comes to pet supplies in Singapore. As of 1 December 2014, PLC has 60 stores island-wide, 15 stores in Malaysia and 4 in Thailand, and they are still growing. PLC is also associated with internationally recognised professional bodies. It is a member of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS), an associate member of World Wide Pet Supply Association (WWPSA), and a member of the Pet Enterprises and Traders Association of Singapore (PETAS).
PLC also publishes a pet magazine. The magazine is sold in Singapore, and is called ‘Petlovers Magazine’. [6]
In 2012, PLC organised a meet-and-greet event for pet lovers to meet celebrity dog behaviour expert, Cesar Millan. [7] In December 2012, the company launched a mobile app and mobile site. The app and mobile site included a chat function and GPS locations of each store. [8]
History
Early Years
Pet Lovers Centre Pte Ltd (PLC) was established in 1973 by two brothers, Mr. Robert Ng Fook Leon and Mr. David Ng Fook Choy. Their first retail store was set up at Shaw Centre on Scotts Road. [1] The company also took up retail spaces from Yaohan and supplied to NTUC (Today's Fairprice) supermarkets.
In 1995, Mr. Robert Ng Fook Leon’s youngest son, Mr. Ng Whye Hoe, made the decision to take over the business together with his school friend when the company went into financial difficulties. [9] [10] At that point in time, the company owned three stores, one of which was located in Shaw Centre. [9] [11]
Today, Mr. Ng Whye Hoe (Managing Director) and his two brothers Mr. David Ng Whye Tye (CEO) and Mr Ng Whye Keong (CFO) are the key forces behind growing and developing the Pet Lovers Centre brand. They aim to position Pet Lovers Centre as a fore-runner in Singapore's pet industry and a leader in pet care services in the Asia-Pacific region.
In 1999, PLC created its flagship, one-stop, mega shop for all pet needs called The Pet Safari, at East Point Shopping Mall, thereafter, at Vivocity (Singapore’s Largest Shopping Mall) in 2006 and at nex Mall in 2012. The Pet Safari concept store was so successful that PLC extended this same concept to Malaysia in 2003 and Thailand in 2014. Each location in Singapore has a unique theme and all the stores are located strategically in key shopping malls across Singapore. PLC’s international expansion plans also cover China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. [1] [9] [3] [10]
When The Pet Safari first opened in Singapore, it was commended by the then-Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs, Raymond Lim, for its innovation. [12]
Philanthropy
In 2009, the company established Pet Lovers Foundation as a non-profit organisation to institutionalise all corporate social responsibility efforts and charitable activities undertaken by the company. The foundation is involved in many charitable activities including working closely with animal welfare groups in Singapore such as Animal Lovers League[13] and Cat Welfare Society. [14] [15] Proceeds from their brands Burp! and Trustie, are donated by PLC to Pet Lovers Foundation.
In 2010, Pet Lovers Foundation embarked on "Project Braving Antarctica”, a charity fundraising project for The Salvation Army Gracehaven Children’s Home. In total, they raised $110,245.04 for the cause.[14]
In 2011, PLC implemented measures to help curb the impulse buying of rabbits in the Chinese year of the rabbit.[16] They organised adoption drives with dog and cat organizations,[17] and movie premier screenings to benefit animal welfare organizations, and also sponsored the loose change box initiative.[1] In 2012, the company ran its fifth Dry Food Drive, which aims to help abandoned pets.[1]
Pet Education Tour Visit
Educational visits are provided by PLC to schools in Singapore. The visits aim to improve knowledge of pet ownership responsibility. Another tour option provides local schools with tours of PLC stores. [1]
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
PLC pays periodic visits to one of its beneficiaries, the Kreta Ayer Senior Activity Centre (KASAC), as part of their CSR activities, to keep its promise of ‘giving back to the society’. It is an effort geared towards the well-being of the elderly. Apart from food and basic essentials, the company also provided pet-assisted therapy. Based on research that shows that older folks need pet company, [[18] the company has provided the company of furry friends since 2012. [19] It has been visiting KASAC since 2012 to carry out its care for the aged.
The company also takes the initiative to educate children on responsible pet ownership. Since 2012, it has been conducting free, educational visits to different schools, and demonstrating how to handle pets with care and responsibility. They have plans to launch a Pet Lovers Centre Kids' Club too. This will be an additional platform for Pet Lovers Centre’s CSR activities, as it will work to create awareness among children about proper pet care, so that pets are not neglected by young children. [20]
Adopt 1st! Centre (AFC)
Pet Lovers Centre's AFC initiative took a new approach to educating the public on pet care. The Pet Lovers Foundation collaborated with PLC to address the often-ignored issue of pet abandonment. Launched in early October 2013, the AFC is a dedicated, 113 square-feet, commercial space in the Kembangan area meant for housing abandoned cats and dogs, so that animal welfare groups can connect at one spot and carry out adoption drives. With the launch of AFC, many of these abandoned pets have found new homes and received the care that they deserve. An AFC opened in Malaysia in July 2014. [21]
Donation Drives
Pet Lovers Foundation started carrying out the pet food donation drive in 2008 and it has been a yearly practice since then. At first, its aim was to help only stray and abandoned dogs but since 2012, cats have been included in the drive too. The drive has become a yearly tradition for Pet Lovers Foundation to commemorate the Christmas season to show love, care and compassion to its animal friends.
From 11 to 29 December 2013, PLC organised a dry food donation drive with proceeds going to over 1000 animals housed by Animal Lovers League (ALL), Cat Welfare Society (CWS) and Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD). They collected seventeen times more dry food during this drive than in the first donation drive, totaling 11,908.36 kg and amounting to $180,497.50. To encourage more donations, PLC lowered the price of pet food in its stores. [22]
Milestones and Awards
PLC has received numerous awards and recognitions, including a commendation from the former Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Raymond Lim, for its business initiatives. [12] They have achieved the following milestones and awards [12] [5] :
| Year | Achievements |
|---|---|
| 2013 | First Asian retailer to win The Global Pets Forum Award 2013 (Prague, Czech Republic).[23] |
| 2012 | Organised the first public appearance of Cesar Millan in Singapore. [7] |
| 2011 | Initiated the Braving Antarctica project that raised funds for The Salvation Army Gracehaven Children’s Home on 21 July. A total of $110,245.04 was raised. [14] |
| 2010 | Second runner-up in The Global Pets Forum Award 2010 (Vienna, Austria). |
| 2008 | Singapore Prestige Brand Award winner under the Heritage Brands category in 2008. |
| 2004 | Best Pet Shop Award from the Pets Enterprise and Trading Association of Singapore (PETAS) from 2004 to 2005. |
| 2003 | Largest pet store in Malaysia in the Malaysian Book of Records. [24]
Clubpets Readers Choice Award - Voted Most Popular Pet Shop from 2003 to 2006. |
| 2002 | Finalist of the Phoenix Award
Retail Courtesy Award (Gold) Excellent Service Award |
| 2001 | Singapore Creative Circle Award (Bronze) |
| 1996 | Introduced their house brand of pet food, Burp! |
| 1995 | Mr Robert Ng’s son, Mr Whye Hoe Ng took over the business with a school friend. |
| 1980 | Introduced their pet accessories house brand, Trustie. |
| 1973 | Founded by brothers David Ng and Robert Ng.
Opened Singapore’s first pet store in Shaw Centre at Scotts Road. |
References
- ^ a b c d e f Pet Lovers Centre Story
- ^ Pet Lovers Centre. "The Pet Safari".
- ^ a b Lim, S. (22 April 2008). "Catering to the needs of furry friends". The Business Times. Factiva.
- ^ Chew, C. (5 September 2010). "A dog's best friend". The Straits Times. Factiva.
- ^ a b Pet Lovers Centre. "Key Milestones".
- ^ "Pet Lovers Magazine First Edition" (PDF). Petlovers Magazine. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ^ a b Channel NewsAsia (2 Jun 2012). "Dog expert Cesar Millan wows fans in S'pore". Channel NewsAsia. Factiva.
- ^ "Pet Lovers Centre App for iOS". iTunes. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ^ a b c Guevarra, V. (19 Jan 2003). "The family business is his pet interest". The Straits Times. Factiva.
- ^ a b The Straits Times (16 Apr 2008). "Pet project: Starting chain in major cities". The Straits Times. Factiva.
- ^ Pet Lovers Centre. "Locations".
- ^ a b c Pet Lovers Centre. "Corporate Profile".
- ^ Good Paper. "The C.H.A.T. Pack". Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ a b c Pet Lovers Centre. "Braving Antarctica" (PDF). Cite error: The named reference "Braving Antarctica" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Salt. "Warmed By Compassion". Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ Agri-Biz. "No Hop In Sales Of Bunnies". Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ Asia One News. "Abandoned by monsters, cared for by pet lovers". Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ "10 Reasons Older People Need Pets". Retrieved 30 July 2014.
- ^ "Pet Lovers Foundation's Visit to KASAC" (PDF). Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "PLC Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR". Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "PLC Adopt 1st! Centre ( AFC )". Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ Then, A. P. (21 Jan 2013). "Animals in shelters to benefit from successful donation drive". TODAY. Factiva.
- ^ PETS International. "Global PETS Forum Award - hall of fame".
- ^ Content Yudu. "Singapore Book of Records Business World".