BARRIE, ONT. — A Coldwater-based pet-care centre hopes to recover from its pandemic-induced losses by introducing a new service that it says is unique to the area.
Pine Ridge Pet Centre is located in Coldwater and provides residents of the surrounding community with a daycare service for their dogs and cats. It is now offering a pickup and delivery option for dogs, making its services easier to access.
"I kind of took the concept of what I've seen elsewhere down in the US and retrofitted this van so the dogs are not loose and they are safe in travel crates," said owner and operator Paul Pobega. "The crates are all secured down into the van, so they don't move around; there's no tipping. If there's any issues, the dogs are protected in those crates."
The motivation for the new service comes after a challenging year for the business. While it typically operated at 90 per cent capacity, the pandemic saw a dramatic loss in revenue for the company, with many people working from home, allowing more time with their pets.
"When the pandemic hit in March [2020], it was literally an exodus," Pobega says. "We were booked in towards the end of April, the building was booked full, and by the end of March, the building was empty."
In early May, Pobega's retrofitted van was ready to begin offering to pick up and drop off animals for his clients. Located about 20 minutes outside of the core of Orillia, Pobega is hoping to make accessing the remote property and the benefits it brings for dogs easier.
"Dogs are social creatures. They need to socialize," Pobega says. "This gives the dogs the opportunity to come out and be dogs and enjoy and have a good time, run and play and socialize with other dogs. Not just being a pet at home, but allowing a dog to be a dog."
Since launching just a few weeks ago, Pobega says he's already nearing half-capacity of the van on a typical day. For dog owners like Tracy Ray, having easier access to the help of Pobega's experience for her rescue dog is great.
"Within two days of him socializing her with the other dogs here, she was able to cope with other dogs and people, and I was able to walk her, which was really exciting," Ray says. "I also noticed a big change in her personality, in that she was happier, so we've been coming ever since."
Pobega has been operating the business for 18 years. It was founded with his passion for animals in mind, having more than two decades of experience working with canines.
His new van can hold up to 10 dogs, ranging from small to extra-large breeds. He says he will travel up to 25 kilometres if there is enough interest in the area.
