CHIPPEWA VALLEY, Wis. (WEAU) -Ruff Life Pet Hotel in Lake Hallie is celebrating one year in business this Sunday.
Owner Stavroula McCormick says even though more people are working from home, more dogs are coming their way.
“We have seen an increase in day-boarding just people working from home and they get distracted easily by their pet, ya know the pet comes up and wants to sit on their lap obviously or play so they’ve been coming here and are leaving their dog for the day so they can get more work accomplished,” McCormick says.
After their numbers took a hit in March they started selling their products online.
The Ruff Hotel has had to adjust to the pandemic as people’s plans and their needs for care have changed.
“They book a trip or they book a vacation and then all of a sudden someone’s got coved and they have to cancel and it’s not their fault it’s not our fault but it’s the way it is,” says McCormick.
On Golf Road, Dogtopia owner Annette Caporusso says business was just starting to make strides when the virus hit.
Daycare services were down but Caporusso says they’re adapting.
“Rather than people being gone seven to ten days, three or four days here three or four days there so we’ve still had a pretty good boarding group that we’ve had,” Caporusso says.
And with their main lobby closed…
“We’ve done a drop off and pick up concierge service for our pet parents which has been a really nice adjustment for the pet parents so that way it keeps them safe and they’re not coming into the lobby so we’re going out and getting the pets for them which allows us to maintain that safe distance for the pet parents,” Caporusso says.
Both businesses making the most of a “ruff” situation.
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