Alberta Wildfire - Associate Vet Clinics Offer Free Boarding

Select Associate Veterinary Clinic (AVC) hospitals in Edmonton and Calgary are offering free boarding for pets of families impacted by the Fort McMurray wildfire.

Boarding assistance at participating hospitals is based on availability. Pets should be current on vaccinations, but if they are not, AVC veterinarians will update vaccinations free of charge.

AVC Hospitals will also offer a free health assessment exam for pets that have been displaced as a result of the fire.

“Our hearts go out to all of those who have been impacted by the Ft. McMurray fire disaster,” Robert Pakai, Sr. Regional Operations Director, Alberta for Associate Veterinary Clinics, said in a release.

“As I travelled today throughout Calgary to the clinics picking up donations from our clients and clinic team members, it was evidently clear the passion our teams have for helping people make pets’ lives better.”

Calgary donations

AVC clinics in Calgary have collected enough food and supplies to fill five pickup trucks.

Pet owners are encouraged to contact the Canadian Red Cross or any of the following AVC hospitals for boarding assistance and more information.

Edmonton

Guardian Veterinary Centre

5620-99 Street

780-436-5880

Capital City Animal Hospital

11104-102 Avenue

780-433-9505

Calgary

Calgary North Veterinary Hospital & Emergency Service

204-4th Street NW

403-277-0135

     

Calgary Animal Referral & Emergency Centre (CARE)

7140 12 Street SE

403-520-8387

Western Veterinary Specialist & Emergency Centre

1802 10 Avenue SW

403-770-1340

All other AVC hospitals in Alberta will be offering free wellness exams and collecting food donations for pets impacted by the Fort McMurray wildfire.

LEGISLATION - BC Passes Law to Better Protect Cats and Dogs

(Cheryl Wallach)

The BC government announced it has followed through on its commitment to enhance the protection of cats and dogs in British Columbia by passing an Order-in-Council (OIC).

The OIC provides a new regulation under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act that recognizes the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Codes of Practice for both kennel and cattery operations as generally accepted practices of animal management for commercial breeders and boarders of cats and dogs in British Columbia.

The Codes of Practice include specific requirements for sanitation, spacing, housing, food and water, ventilation, care supervision and transportation.

“The B.C. government expects all British Columbians to treat their animals with care and respect including dog and pet breeders. The consultation is all about balancing the interests of the cat and dog breeding industry with the expectations of B.C. citizens regarding the health and welfare of companion animals and ensuring adequate animal welfare oversight of commercial breeding establishments,” Norm Letnick, Minister of Agriculture said in a release.

Their next steps include consulting with kennels and catteries about possible proactive monitoring and license or registration requirements to operate as a commercial breeder in the province.

“We commend the B.C. government for its responsiveness on the important issue of unregulated dog and cat breeding," said Craig Daniell, chief executive officer of BC SPCA.

"This first step of adopting the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Codes into law lays an important groundwork for establishing a licensing and inspection program that we are pleased to be providing input on now.”

BUSINESS - American Kennel Club Opening Retail Centre In New York City

Manhattan will be the home of the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) first retail store and dog-care centre.

The 4,000 square foot facility will offer day care, boarding, training, grooming and walking services along with retail sales, reported the Wall Street Journal.

The dog-care centre will be located at Via 57West, on West 57^th Street, a luxury residential building with 45,000 square feet of retail space.

“We are experienced people with lifetimes involved with the care and showing and exhibiting of dogs,” Dennis Sprung, AKC’s chief executive, told the Wall Street Journal. “We bring that knowledge and experience to the table, and now we are just applying it to brick and mortar.”

As the United States’ registry for purebred dog pedigrees and promoter of sanctioned purebred dog events, the AKC has seen first-hand the devotion Americans have towards their pets – and the resources they commit to them – making this move into the pet retail business make financial sense.

According to the American Pet Products Association, of the $60.6 billion pet owners spent on their pets in 2015, an estimated $5.24 billion went toward grooming and boarding services.

The AKC plans to open more dog-care centres in other major cities.

DayCare and Boarding Services may be the Answer

Declining pet visits and excess capacity has those who service the companion animal industry searching for ways to improve or expand services to existing clients.


Large operators like PetSmart are presently experiencing the benefits of having integrated their retail operations with other services over the past few years.  But it is not too late for other service providers to move in this direction. During the Regional Summits last month, service providers in the lower mainland of British Columbia reported they are exploring ways to convert excess shelter capacity into daycare and boarding facilities.


Delivering a 'home away from home' is not a new idea but shelters, veterinary clinics and hospitals may have a significant advantage over other service providers because of the level of management, professional services and even volunteer resources they can commit to delivering these new services.  Understanding the needs of the customer and pets who require these services will be important, however, evolving the business model to create a more holistic approach to client services is likely to create wins for everyone.


Ani-Mall Pet Hospital in Middletown, New York, is accredited by the American Association of Animal Hospitals (AAHA) and offers a full range of veterinary and wellness services including annual exams, vaccinations, pet dental care, and elective surgical procedures. Recently it also began offering pet boarding and day care services to pets in the area it serves.


Among the needs that can be satisfied with boarding services are:

• Vacations
• Family events or parties that cause stress/anxiety
• Business travel
• Socialization/behaviour issues

"Our goal is to create a safe, loving and compassionate environment for pets," said Dr. Michael Barra, veterinarian and owner of Ani-Mall Pet Hospital. "Our entire veterinary care team is dedicated to being your pet's 'home away from home' - whether your pet needs daycare services to let out energy or a safe place to stay while you go on vacation."

View the Ani-Mall Services

When should you explore new options for your business model and service offerings? The evidence from PetSmart and other successful ventures would suggest the right time is always.


Got an idea?  Please share it with your colleagues in the comments area below.