Document text
Medford opens door to doggie day care By Damian Mann Jun 20, 2022 12:15 AM A A 3 View all photos The council voted Thursday to allow dog day care facilities in commercially zone areas Jaquie Mansfield grooms Button Thursday at Pickles Paw Spa and Land of Paws in Medford. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune Jaquie Mansfield grooms Button Thursday at Pickles Paw Spa and Land of Paws in Medford. Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune Andrew Thomson, owner of Pickles Paw Spa and Land of Paws, is building a doggie day care facility at his grooming business in Medford. Indoor dog day care facilities soon could make their mark in Medford. “There’s definitely a need for it because there isn’t one in Medford,” said Andrew Thomson, one of the owners of Pickles Paw Spa and Land of Paws at 711 Stewart Ave. Medford City Council unanimously approved a code change Thursday to allow canine day care in commercial-zoned areas. Thomson said that during COVID, many local residents got dogs to keep them company, but now they’re back in the office and need a place for the pets during the day. Before the code change, kennels could operate in some industrial-zoned areas. Pickles Paw Spa and Land of Paws sent the city a letter Dec. 13, 2021, requesting the code amendment. Currently, dog groomers can have multiple dogs in their care while waiting for owners to retrieve their pets after they have been groomed. Medford code doesn’t restrict how many dogs can be housed while being groomed. But the code change will allow existing dog groomers in commercial areas to provide day care for dogs. Thomson, who has another grooming business outside of Ashland, said customers bring in their dogs for grooming, and the animal stays at the facility for two to six hours, depending on the type of grooming service performed. With approval from the city, Thomson plans to offer dog day care from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There won’t be any outdoor runs for the dogs at the facility. “This is strictly an indoor operation,” he said. Thomson said the details are still being worked out with animal control officials, but generally he plans to have about 50 square feet of space available per dog. Pickles Paw Spa has an approximately 8,000-square-foot building that is shared with two other suites, and Pickles already operates a dog grooming business at the location. At the Average Daily Trips rate for pet supply superstores, the rate for this entire building would be about 28 trips. The trip generation for canine day cares is anticipated to be low, according to city officials. Thomson said the dogs will be kept in an open area, one for large dogs and one for smaller ones. He said he will also have 4-by-6-foot runs for new dogs to give them time to adjust to the new surroundings. “Every dog has to be temperament tested,” said Thomson, who has been in the business for 30 years. “We can’t have dog fights.” He said there will be some work left to do to accommodate the dog day care area before it can become operational. Matt Brinkley, Medford planning director, said there is a shortage of canine day care operations in the valley. “There’s a pretty significant need for it, speaking from my own experience,” he said. “(The code change) just provides some rules and makes it legal.” Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at [email protected].