AS every self-respecting hotelier knows, a guest’s health and welfare is of paramount importance.

Madeleine Fear always makes sure her residents have plenty of bottled water, fresh green vegetables and a clean warm bed for the night.

She will even check their backsides once a day to make sure they have cleaned themselves properly.

Now this might sound above and beyond the call of duty but in this case it could be a matter of life or death.

For Madeleine runs the Small Furry Pet Hotel at Bransgore taking care of people’s rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters and chinchillas while their owners are away.

“We have to do regular ‘bum checks’ because rabbits have quite complex digestive systems so you have to be careful what you feed them,” she explains.

“If they get an upset tummy they can get what’s called Fly Strike where flies lay eggs and the maggots eat into them and they can die of shock – it can happen very quickly.”

Madeleine’s critters enjoy all the creature comforts. There’s a pile of pink heat pads to keep their furry bottoms warm at night - in the summer these are filled with cold water to keep them cool!

There’s also a basket of fresh vegetables including celery, parsley, lettuce, carrots and cabbage and piles of sweet-smelling hay.

She is prepared to accommodate various dietary requests such as the rabbit who would only drink mineral water and came with his own piece of carpet for the cage.

“Apparently it matched the carpet in the house,” says Madeleine who owns two horses, five dogs and a couple of rabbits.

The 33-year-old entrepreneur set up her pet hotel four years ago in the back garden of her bungalow which she shares with her husband and two young daughters.

“I used to have to ask neighbours to look after my pets if I was going away but I used to feel awkward about it and I used to worry about them too.

“On my honeymoon I spent around £300 on phone calls back to the UK checking that all my animals were OK!

“I’ve always enjoyed looking after pets and the whole idea is so people can go away and relax.”

And it’s not just furry mammals. Some of Madeleine’s previous guests have included tortoises, chickens and even a large African snail.

“He was about the size of my hand and he was the only guest we’ve had who kept trying to escape - although very slowly,” she adds.

Prices start at a very reasonable £3.60 a day for a rabbit which includes bedding, vegetables and care.

“It is a labour of love and I am very proud of how we work - the biggest compliment is when someone says that they didn’t worry at all,” Madeleine adds.

“I love to see an animal happy. I worked in dog rescue for a couple of years but the problem with that is that you always see the bad side.”

Madeleine has been nominated for the Echo-backed Business Mother Of The Year Award “I really wanted that home/life balance. I wanted to be there to do the school run but I also want my two daughters to have a work ethic too,” she says.

“More and more women are setting up their own business and I think it is great that there are awards there that can recognise their achievements.”

If you have a rabbit or guinea pig that you are proud of the Small Furry Pet Hotel is sponsoring a pet show at Merrifield Park in Sopley on April 16.