Pooch perks at N.S. doggy daycare include daily bus ride
'You get to see all the smiling faces and the wagging tails. It's pretty fun,' says bus driver
A doggy daycare in Scotch Lake, N.S., is offering a new and special service that its clientele — owners and pets alike — are growing to love.
Goodhands Boarding Kennel has been taking care of dogs for six years.
This week, it began a pickup and drop-off service, taking dogs from home to daycare and back.
Co-owner Rachel Haggett has always wanted to offer a transportation service.
"I hate the thoughts of them sitting home all day, bored or in a crate, when they could be here playing," she said. "So I said 'We gotta go get them!'"
Owners love it too
Haggett said her human clients are especially interested in the service for the winter months ahead, and they're loving the convenience of the early morning pickup at the door.
"They have to get to work on time and we don't open till 8 o'clock, so the bus leaves before that so they can make it then," she said.
That's part of the appeal for veterinarian Julianna Parsons, who uses the bus for her dog Jesse.
"It's always, in the morning, a rush to get her out there and get back into town to get to work," she said. "So, if she keeps going and she likes it, it'll cut off the commute time."
There's space on the bus for six dogs in crates and there's a harness option for extra large dogs.
Owners who've put their pets on the bus this week say the dogs are getting used to it and are actually excited to go for the ride, many wearing their own backpacks.
Loud and loving it
Kennel co-owner Wayne Deveaux gets to do the driving and puts up with the barks and squeals of his daily passengers, but says he's "lovin' it."
"It can be loud," he said with a chuckle, "but other than that, it's pretty enjoyable, actually. You get to see all the smiling faces and the wagging tails. It's pretty fun."
Deveaux drives at least two routes every morning — one to and from the northside area of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and another to and from Sydney.
His goal is to have his passengers on the bus for no more than an hour.
So far, all the dogs being bused to daycare have been kennel regulars.
New dogs will be brought to the kennel by their owners first, where they'll get to know the staff and even try out a crate on the bus for practice.
Haggett is delighted the dog bus is finally on the road.
"I just hope it gets the dogs here safely so they can enjoy their day, too."