DOG-loving couple Emma and Steven Bradley have launched a new pooches’ day care centre — and found the perfect therapy for their poorly son.

The duo have opened Molly Moonshines on 4.5 acres of land next to Worsley Garden Centre after quitting their jobs.

Dental nurse Mrs Bradley, aged 33, and utility company manager Mr Bradley, aged 35, needed an income while caring for their seven-year-old boy Lewis, who suffers from Crohn’s disease.

According to his mother, Lewis’s illness — a long-term condition which causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system — is now in remission, because he loves being surrounded by dogs so much.

“As a family, we have always been dog lovers,” said Mrs Bradley, a former pupil of St Joseph’s High School in Horwich.

“Caring for Lewis while holding down full-time jobs was always difficult — nearly impossible.

“When we decided we couldn’t carry on, we still needed an income, so this was the perfect solution.

“We have fostered dogs for years. Whenever people needed a home for a dog, they would always come to us.

“A friend asked me if I would walk her dog and it grew from there. Now, we’ve got a waiting list of people wanting us to look after their dogs during the day.

“Being around dogs has done Lewis the world of good. He is in remission now, and I am convinced it is because the dogs.”

The Bradleys say they were fortunate to find the location — a former birds of prey centre — and are renting it from owners Peel Holdings.

Mr Bradley, a former pupil of Westhoughton High School, has ambitious plans to make the most of the outside space available for use.

“Dogs love being outside and playing and, happily, we’ve got plenty of fenced off space to use,” he said. “We don’t board dogs over night here, but we sometimes take them in at home.”

The couple also assess the dogs before they agree to take them for day care.

“We don’t take dogs that are outwardly aggressive,” said Mrs Bradley. “They have to be socialised and they have to be the type of dogs which interact well with each other. We can, however, recommend behavioural specialists who can help people with aggressive dogs.”