Massive, state-of-the-art campus features video monitoring, splash pads, swimming pool, grooming spa.
By Cameron Wallace
Leaving a pet at an overnight facility for any length of time can be a stressful experience for both pets and their owners, but sometimes it must be done.
Lisa Larsen and Paige Arenschield are trying to make the process a little less difficult by creating a facility tailored to the concerns of pet owners.
This Friday, June 16, after more than a year of hard work, Larsen and Arenschield will debut iLuckyDog Pet Campus in Katy, to the sound of heavy panting and happy barking across Greater Houston.
The 87,000-square-foot campus will house a number of resources for pets and their owners, including indoor and outdoor suites complete with owner-pet video conferencing capabilities, a grooming spa, a climate-controlled indoor play area with a padded floor, and more. The outdoor “Dog Park” will feature a 180-square-foot swimming pool and two splash pads. In the future, Larsen and Arenschield plan to add a building to house Cat Suites, featuring gentle ambient light and sound.
The breadth of doggy resources does not stop at playtime equipment, however. The campus will also feature a veterinary care clinic to treat both guests and other pets that aren’t staying at iLuckyDog, as well as a wellness center for dogs that require special care, like elderly or injured dogs. Owners need not worry about their pets’ day-to-day well-being either, as iLuckyDog guests will be monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by staff.
Larsen and Arenschield broke ground for the project last July, and were hoping to open for business by November. A year later, the project is complete, and the facility will begin taking care of pets on Tuesday, June 26. Since its inception, the project had seen a number of ups and downs, from the challenges of finding a location, to financing and construction. Fortunately, the duo’s previous employment experience was such that they had the skills to see the project through.
Larsen worked in the highest levels of the international tourism industry, and Arenschield worked in the (human) health care industry, starting sleep apnea clinics throughout the South, and then as a hospital systems analyst. Between them, they had intimate knowledge of the skills required to start a business, and the effort required to do so.
The campus opening will begin at 3 p.m. Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Participants will then receive a tour of the facilities as well as pet wellness education material for owners. The open house will continue from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
More photos below.
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