CALGARY -- Offering blueberry facials for dogs, one-on-one cuddling and luxury hotel rooms for pets, The Petropolitan is finding success in downtown Calgary.
The business was the first of its kind to be approved by Calgary city council. The city gave the urban kennel the green light in January 2019 and the first fur-covered, tail-wagging clients came through its doors in April.
"It’s basically a full-service pet service facility," said founder Hailey Seidel. "It’s just like home, it’s just as comfortable."
Seidel says it was important to have the business in the downtown core The 6,700 square foot facility is located on 9th Ave. S.W. in the shadow of the Calgary Tower.
She says many of their customers are professionals who drop their pets off while commuting to their downtown jobs, while others use the service when leaving the city for a long weekend or a day of skiing.
But some people just bring their four-legged friends for pet pampering.
Three "luxury suites" are available, complete with full-sized, four-post beds, artwork and colourful decor. Staff are onsite 24/7 for cats and dogs staying overnight and customers can even opt for a "one-on-one cuddle session before bed" for their animals.
Several indoor play areas separate dogs based on size and energy level.
"We can customize every pet’s level of experience — whether a pet is a senior that has limited mobility and needs less activity to maybe a puppy that needs more bathroom breaks."
Pets are big business in Canada. Pet owners spend more than $7 billion annually, according to StatsCanada, and about 60 per cent of Canadian households have at least one pet.
"For a lot of people who don’t have kids, their dogs are their family," said Seidel.
Christmas has proven the busiest time for The Petropolitan, Seidel says, with its maximum capacity sitting around 100 dogs and 40 cats.
