For doting pet owners like Peggy Makowski of Louisville, even a single night away from their animals can be difficult. But her 2-year-old Boston terrier Lucy's recent stay at Treats Pet Resort made a 16-day separation easier on both pet and owner, Makowski said. The upscale kennel in eastern Jefferson County offers individual, air-conditioned dog suites that are outfitted with flat-screen televisions, DVD players, miniature and twin-sized sleigh beds, carpets and art - at a cost of $38 per night.
"Lucy loved it there, I could tell," Makowski said. "They took really great care of her." Each night the staff gave Lucy her medicine inside cheese as Makowski did at home.
The kennel owners always answered Makowski's calls, and when she picked Lucy up, it was the first time her dog wasn't shivering and upset after a boarding stay, she said. "It made me feel better," she said. "Then I could relax on my vacation.
" Treats also provides Web camera access to pet owners who want to check up on their animals while on vacation. The kennel also offers grooming services, a personal photographer, unlimited outdoor walks and 24-hour individualized care. Ron Brown of Jeffersontown said sending his dog Lucky to Treats was like a trip to Club Med.
"We were just blown away," Brown said after his Catahoula leopard hound spent four days at Treats recently. "For what your animal gets, the price is phenomenal," said Brown, who has told several neighbors and friends about the business. Treats is part of a trend offering upscale services for pets.
The Three Dog Bakery in St. Matthews, for instance, makes and sells gourmet treats, and the Canine Social Club in the Hikes Point area provides day care for dogs - with playground equipment - while their owners are at work. Like Treats, Pet Suites in Middletown offers easy-listening music, televisions and individual beds for dogs.
Treats took four years of planning by owners Rachel and Mike Halbleib before it opened last month. "We didn't realize how busy we'd be right out of the gate," Mike Halbleib said. "It's great to know that people trust us with their pets and that they feel safe and secure with their dogs here.
" Though Treats doesn't plan to expand its canine facilities, which hold up to 20 dogs, the Halbleibs have customized part of the building for feline visitors to receive the same personalized care along with the luxury of a "theater room." For doting pet owners like Peggy Makowski of Louisville, even a single night away from their animals can be difficult.
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