Pet Stop’s retail store on Mills Creek Road will close permanently this month after years of flooding made the business harder and harder for customers to reach.

The pet supplies shop’s final day will be November 23. A closure sale is under way.

However, the business will still offer dog daycare, grooming, cat boarding and K9 Kraving raw dog food from its second location at 2 Mills Reach Lane.

Natasha Lambert, the owner of Pet Stop, said the decision to shutter the retail side stemmed from repeated disruption from flooding along Mills Creek Road, particularly during heavy rain and high tides.

The store opened in September 2018 and sold pet supplies and small animals, later adding grooming, boarding and dog daycare.

Ms Lambert said that access to the retail store was at times affected for weeks, forcing some customers to shop elsewhere.

“Reliable access is essential” for a retail business, she said in a statement. “When customers cannot safely or easily reach the premises, they may have little choice but to seek products elsewhere.”

Flooding around Mill Creek has long affected businesses and residents in the low-lying area of Pembroke. Heavy rainfall and high tides can leave roads impassable, with business owners previously reporting lost trade, staff disruption and concerns about access for emergency vehicles.

The Ministry of Public Works allocated $200,000 in the 2021-22 Budget towards measures to cut down on flooding in Pembroke, including canal cleaning and maintenance, and upgrades to a grate and valve. The problem has persisted, however.

More recently, concerns have also been raised about the condition of the Pembroke Canal seawall. That issue is separate from the road flooding caused by heavy rain, although both have heightened concern about the area’s vulnerability to floodwater.

Pet Stop said it had explored relocating its retail operation but could not find the right premises.

The company said it was grateful for its customers’ support since opening more than eight years ago and would keep caring for pets through its remaining services.

Dog daycare will operate Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm. Grooming will be available Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 3pm.

• Customers can book daycare, grooming or cat boarding by calling 824-7387 or e-mailing petstopbda@gmail.com