New pet resort opens with VIP suites, outdoor pool, charitable mission

Feb. 8, 2018

Calling it a pet resort is not an overstatement.

Especially not for the 10 lucky canines who can be accommodated by the VIP suites at Paws Pet Resort, which opens this weekend.

Those spaces are set up as miniature bedrooms, accented with chandeliers, glass front doors and televisions for background noise reminiscent of home.

Owners can use a PetCam in the suite to view their pet, talk to it and even dispense a treat with the push of a button.

 

The suites are among several unique features at the business, which offers boarding, day care and grooming for dogs and cats.

Jeanine Lubben owns the business with her husband, Vince, who also co-owns Wireless World.

A stay-at-home mom, she “felt the nudging I was supposed to be doing something else” and was inspired at a conference featuring a business created for the purpose of donating to charity.

“I was just in tears and said I could do this. I could go back to work if it’s for something bigger. And I still didn’t know how it would all come together, but a lot of prayers and planning later, we ended up here.”

The 10,000-square-foot building at 7121 S. Cliff Ave. will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Reservations already have started coming in for its 80 suites. All rooms are private, so dogs aren’t looking at each other and barking.

“Because our building was built from the ground up, we really had an amazing opportunity to design everything with the health and comfort of the pets in mind,” Lubben said.

The HVAC system has “near hospital-grade air flowing 24 hours a day,” she added. “Which means far fewer odors, airborne allergens and airborne viruses.”

Flooring is nonabsorbent, so accidents don’t soak into concrete. Every room has a drainage system, and suites are broken up in five rooms “cutting way down on the noise level,” Lubben said. “This helps to alleviate some of the stress dogs feel.”

There’s plenty of opportunity to reduce stress in the play areas, which include a 1,400-square-foot indoor area with a rubberized underside to support joints as dogs jump off of play equipment. A 12,000-square-foot outdoor area uses a special canine turf and features a bone-shaped pool.

“One side has steps for bigger dogs, and the other side has a little edge so little guys can climb right out,” Lubben said. “It’s pretty cute.”

Dog day care is available weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and grooming will be provided by Glamour Paws, which is adding the physical location to its mobile grooming business.

In keeping with her charitable inspiration, Lubben will donate $5 per stay to various organizations. Funds raised will be divided among Sioux Falls Mission Haiti; Partners Worldwide, which gives microloans to entrepreneurs in Third World countries; the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society; and B-Squad Dog Rescue in Brandon. The two local animal-related causes will rotate each quarter.

Response from job applicants was significant, with 300 people applying, “so we had a great pool of candidates,” Lubben said. The general manager is Dave Hyde, who has spent more than 15 years in pet industries, “and a lot of the people we’ve hired are vet techs,” she added.

The Saturday open house will include several giveaways and gift bags for the first 75 customers.

Lobby hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

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New pet resort opens with VIP suites, outdoor pool, charitable mission

Calling it a pet resort is not an overstatement. Here’s a look inside Paws Pet Resort, opening this weekend.

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