Sies Petcare

Sies Petcare is a medical animal care and pet sitting service which has been supporting South East London’s pet community for over three years.

The company was founded in 2016 by Sieske Valk, a sole trader who is passionate about offering the best care possible at affordable prices for her clients.

Born in the Netherlands, Sieske sees cycling as the logical option for getting around. She initially tried using a pedal bike with a front crate but this was not fit for purpose as there were no gears or pedal brakes. After a week of trialling a cargo bike, Sieske quickly found it was too heavy for the long distances she travelled and the load she transported. Sieske previously used a petrol car, but chose to switch to an ecargo bike to better serve her business needs and for environmental reasons.

Motivated by her desire to improve air pollution, Sieske successfully applied for the eCargo Bike Grant Fund in 2019, and is now the first dog walker in London to use an ecargo bike to transport her clients’ dogs.

Sieske was allocated £950 of funding from the eCargo Bike Grant Fund and £500 from Team London Bridge, which enabled her to choose an ecargo bike that was practical for her business, well-built and required less upkeep than her car. The total cost of the bike was £6,500, including alterations and safety measures. Sieske was pleased with how quick and easy the application process was.

The ecargo bike has proved a cost-effective alternative to a petrol car and has saved Sieske £22.50 per week on fuel costs and £15 per week on cleaning fees, amounting to roughly £2,000 of savings per year.

Sieske travels around 100 miles per week on the ecargo bike, which she would otherwise have travelled using a petrol fuelled car, saving approximately 1,600kg of CO2 emissions per year.

Since acquiring the ecargo bike, Sieske has found the provision of cycle lanes is improving all the time. The ecargo bike has made it easier to travel from A to B without having to sit in traffic and is much easier to park, reducing the amount of time wasted searching for a parking space as she did when using a car. A daily charge of the battery is sufficient for the business needs and Sieske is able to use ‘Turbo mode’ to assist her at the end of a long day.

The feedback from onlookers has been extremely positive and many have been inspired to purchase an ecargo bike themselves.

The grant has helped Sieske’s business thrive and now she has more time for dog walking. As a result, Sieske feels fitter, healthier and happier knowing that she is contributing to making London a more sustainable city.