Day-care centers provide safe, fun place for animals to play and relax

[bigdoglover]

Desert News

By Tiffany DeMasters

It took 17 years of climbing the corporate ladder before Brad Camp finally decided to pursue his lifelong passion, dedicating his life to dogs and other animals.
Now, after seven years of running pet day-care centers across the Wasatch Front, Camp says he will never go back to the white-collar world.
"I've been in the cooperate world and done a lot of things in my past, and this is what I'm passionate about," said the Salt Lake native.
Camp has provided care for pets with his four pet day-cares in Sandy, Park City and two in Salt Lake City. A fifth one is opening Aug. 1.
One of them is the Meriott Pet Hotel located at 9127 S. 255 West in Sandy. Camp said he's just trying to do his part in helping pets have a better, happier life.
When pet owners don't have a place to take their pets during the day or when they go on vacation, the pet hotel provides a reliable and loving service to dogs and other animals. They typically have 20 to 30 dogs at a time but have housed up to 40.
While the hotel is intended to make life more convenient for pet owners, Camp's goal is to create a positive experience for the animals. The day care, for example, provides an opportunity for dogs to interact socially with other dogs. The hotel is fully furnished with couches and easy chairs and lots of dog toys.
The TV is always tuned to Animal Planet, and the best in dog cuisine is provided. Full grooming and obedience training are also available, and elevated therapeutic beds are provided for dogs who stay overnight.
Cats and exotic pets are also welcome. Those animals have their own spaces, away from the dogs, where they are pampered.
"If they allow us, we definitely give them the same love and attention as the dogs," Camp said.
Camp's staff members are just as passionate about helping animals. Rhonda Guild, general manager, has worked for the pet hotel for five years. Before devoting her life to canines, she also worked in the cooperate world.

The hotel is intended to make life more convenient for pet owners as well as to create a positive experience for the animals. "I fell in love with dogs — they can read me and I can read them," Guild said.
Guild said the day care is designed so that dogs have plenty of room to run, play and bark.
"They're like kids — they do the darnedest things," she said.
One of the day care's regular visitors is a 9-month-old Australian cattle dog named Angel. Owner Paula Smith said Angel is a wonderful high-energy dog that requires a lot of attention and needs an energy release.
Since Angel has been going to the pet hotel, Smith said, she's been able to play hard and have interaction with other dogs.
"I pick her up and she's played and used all her energy, and it's a good thing," Smith said.
Originally Smith took Angel to the day care because she was planning on putting her in a kennel for a period of time and wanted her to have a smooth transition. Now she takes her there a minimum of three days a week for four to six hours a day.
"Animals are not always treated with respect," Camp said. "They love unconditionally, and it's too bad humans can't follow in their pawsteps."