by Danielle Frawley

Every pet owner wants to know that when they go on vacation or when they are at work five days a week that their special cat or dog is well cared for. In Shelburne, Prima Dogga does just that.
Liz Weir and Garth Kauffman, husband and wife, purchased the former "O'Neil's Kennels" and reopened its doors anew about one year ago.

Weir and Kauffman, who moved to Vermont from California, are still busy renovating and upgrading the building and the surrounding grounds. The kennel is located on Bishop Road.
"It was too good an opportunity to pass up," said Weir, a certified dog trainer who currently trains dogs at the Chittenden County Humane Society. The couple hopes to make training part of the business in the near future. Another feature of the kennel will be an on-site groomer. The hope is to make the business a one-stop dog and cat boarding, training, and grooming facility, explained the couple.

Doggy day care is available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Boarding is available all year long. Drop-off and pick-up times are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays are by appointment only from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Weir and Kauffman want to focus on quality care rather than quantity, and have in that effort decreased the number of kennels and made many improvements. One improvement is the addition of doggy beds for each canine.

Additional services available are "love sessions," which are 15 minutes of undivided attention for your pet(s). This includes lap time, brushing, petting, and scratches. "Let's go walking" is a 15-20 minute leash walk. There are 10 acres to utilize as well as the local roads.

Pets can stay for as short or as long a time as needed: one cat stayed for two months while its owner was on vacation. Keep your eye out for individual and group dog training and obedience classes in the near future. For now, Prima Dogga offers animal care done right; they will take good care of your dog or cat. Visit the website for more information at www.primadoggavt.com.