When the Edmonton Humane Society’s new state-of-the-art animal shelter opens this spring, it will have everything for city pet owners, including a large doggy daycare service.
And that’s a concern to some doggy daycare owners who say they could lose their business to a non-profit society.
“(The humane society) is a registered not-for-profit society, and they are opening up a business,” said Roseanna Gulleckson, a dog trainer with Makin’ Trax Canine Care and Trade Centre in St. Albert.
Gulleckson says staff at the doggy daycare were excited about the new shelter as the business has donated to the non-profit group for the last 10 years, but they were dismayed after “learning they were opening up a competing business.”
The Edmonton Humane Society says many daycare centres in Edmonton have long waiting lists for clients and it will refer people to other doggy daycare centres, even when the shelter’s service is not at capacity.
Stephanie McDonald, an executive director with the society, says daycare centres also keep animals “behaviourally sound” and socially acceptable in the community.
The society would encourage new pet owners who adopt from the shelter to take advantage of the dog centres since it’s so beneficial to animals, said McDonald.
“We’ve been providing clients to doggyday care facilities in the community, so it just made really good sense to offer our own daycare in this new building,” said McDonald.
Gulleckson said her service that can care for up to 30 dogs a day, doesn’t have a waiting list.
“We are really starting to wonder if the society has lost its focus on rescuing animals,” said Gulleckson.
