Away at Camp Bow Wow

Beverley Stevenson’s husband suggested she start her doggy daycare in Monroe two years ago, as the Idaho couple passed the Evergreen State Fairgrounds on U.S. Highway 2.

They were headed toward Everett to meet their daughter, Sheri Mahan-Hunter, who was partnering with Stevenson to open a branch of Camp Bow Wow, one of the largest pet care companies in North America. She didn’t take her husband’s comment too seriously in the moment. These days she believes it would have been wiser to pay attention, as it could have saved some time.

The mother and daughter fought for more than three years to get their business up and running.

They pursued sites around the region. The odds appeared to be against them at times. Zoning, securing permits and lack of available space proved to be major hurdles.

Finally, in Monroe, things started to fall into place.

Doors were officially unlocked on March 3. The business’ address is less than two miles away from that same stretch of road, at 16642 146th St. SE., Suite 175. When Stevenson and Mahan-Hunter first visited the site just off Fryelands Boulevard, it wasn’t much to look at.

“There was nothing, just ground,” she said.

There was another serendipitous moment that inspired Stevenson and Mahan-Hunter to become business partners years earlier. They unknowingly booked the same dates for a trip to Hawaii. Stevenson had just welcomed a puppy into her home, but usually she dog sits while her daughter travels. This time they had to figure out other accommodations. Stevenson said that turned out to be an unexpected challenge.

“It was my dog’s fault that we opened Camp Bow Wow,” she said.

Stevenson ended up taking her 9-month-old companion to a Camp Bow Wow location in Idaho, one of nearly 140 stores in the U.S. and Canada; about 40 more are in the process of opening. The company aims to have 1,000 up and running in the next few years.

Stevenson’s own experience with leaving her puppy at the facility turned out to be very positive. She and her daughter decided they wanted to help provide a community someplace safe for families to send their pets, and to build on the company’s mission, which is to encourage healthy dogs and pet owners.

Mahan-Hunter and Stevenson are not alone.

About 70 percent of the company’s franchises are owned by women, according to Camp Bow Wow.

“Camp Bow Wow is thrilled to soon be providing pet parents and dogs of Monroe a fun and safe place to play,” said Camp Bow Wow president Christina Russell in a news release.

So, weeks before what was supposed to be Stevenson’s official retirement from selling insurance, a career she grew for more than four decades, she had committed herself to reentering the workforce. This next step would be an even more involved position. 

Luckily, Stevenson and Mahan-Hunter’s love for the animals outweighs the workload. Once construction was complete in Monroe, the building was still just an empty shell. Dozens of kennels, play areas, a front desk and grooming room would have to pass Camp Bow Wow’s standards before the grand opening could happen.

The date was delayed multiple times, said Taylor Hunter, Mahan-Hunter’s husband and store manager. Sleep was sparse in the month and a half leading up to the culminating event.

As of Wednesday afternoon, they already had regulars. Hunter pointed to a list of dogs in the middle of an interview, and those who had been back a few times and were approved as temporary tenants. Each canine must go through a vetting process, he said.

The owner is not allowed to be a part of the examination, so they can wait in the lobby, or drop the dog off for the day for no charge. It takes about three hours. The pet is introduced to two other canines, a male and female.

The idea is to gauge how the dog will interact with its potential playmates. An invitation to come back is offered, if the first meeting doesn’t go well. 

“We all have bad days — dogs are entitled to bad days, too,” Stevenson said.

All of the employees are trained and certified to perform CPR on the dogs, she said. Hunter said feeding is included in the cost of care, and families must bring meals for their animal. It can be hard on a pet to change their diet abruptly, but there is extra food on hand, he said.

Hunter said boarding can be overnight or just for the day. Some owners choose to bring their dogs for much-needed play time. Many leave happy but exhausted after the eventful experience, he said.

Doors close at 7 p.m. Video cameras are used to monitor the facility over night. Stevenson said the tenants are known to rest well without a person around, so no staff stays on site. Studies show they do enjoy soothing music, she said.

“The dogs are left alone in the evening with (Johann Sebastian) Bach,” Stevenson said.