Lakes Region Pet Resort celebrates 5 years – time flies when your tail's wagging

Lakes Region Pet Resort owner Cindy Ingalls and employee Mary Sapack cuddle with “Gabby” and “Harvey.” The business recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. (Adam Drapcho/Laconia Daily Sun)

CENTER HARBOR — Although there were pet boarding facilities in the area, Cindy and Mike Ingalls struggled with choosing one to leave their dogs with when they went away. For them, their dogs were more than pets, they were family members, and they wanted to leave them somewhere that they would be treated as well as they are when at home. Then, through a conversation with a woman who runs a luxury facility in another state, the solution came to Cindy: she should start the pet resort she wished existed.

That conversation led to the opening of Lakes Region Pet Resort, in Center Harbor, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in November. The common wisdom is that if it can survive to the five year point, then the business model is sound. Cindy Ingalls said she didn't have to wait nearly that long for vindication, though.

"Right from the beginning, I felt that the area needed something like this," she said. She saw a need for a boarding facility that was safe, activity-based, and unique in its high-end treatment of the animals staying there.

"I felt that it was time for a new chapter in my life, I was willing to make the investment to start a new business... By month three, we were making a profit. We never looked back. It's been wonderful," she said.

Lakes Region Pet Resort boards dogs in private rooms – not crates – or, for a premium rate, can keep dogs in a home-like setting. There is always someone on the property, and the dogs get a lot of outdoor time – each dog goes into the outside play area as often as ten times each day, and while they're out there, Ingalls or an employee is observing, watching for a signal that the dog is ready to head back into its private room for a rest.

Ingalls said her facility, which also boards cats, has 32 rooms in the barn-like building, plus room for more in the house. The maximum capacity is 55, which they will hit on major holidays and during the summer.

In addition to overnight boarding, Lakes Region Pet Resort also offers "doggie daycare," which offers dogs a chance to play and be active while their owners are busy during the day. Ingalls said she has 30 dogs in the daycare program, from all over the Lakes Region, including five dogs that have been with the program since the business opened.

Reaching their overnight capacity so frequently suggests the opportunity to expand the facility, but Ingalls said she doesn't have the interest to do so.

"It's not about volume here. I can't sleep at night if I don't feel that the animals aren't getting the best care... Bigger is not better, in my opinion."

However, she did find a way to expand their services. Lakes Region Pet Resort now has an employee that makes house calls for animals that need to be fed or let out during the day. That service costs $25 for a single visit, or $20 per visit for multiple visits per day, and has proven to be another hit for the business. Ingalls said she sees room for that service to grow, but slowly.

One reason for her caution is that finding the right kind of employee can be a challenge. Her ideal employee carries all the traits that most businesses look for – dependability, positive attitude, trustworthy, diligent – but also must love caring for pets. Most people imagine that the job involves playing with animals all day, when, in fact, it's mostly about feeding them and ensuring that they have a clean environment to play or rest in.

Ingalls has good reason to be selective with her workers – her reputation is built on providing an unusual level of service. Most of her clients are aged 45 and older, and they're often either retirees or second home owners.

"Their dogs are their new children, they spoil them and they want us to spoil them," she said. "These (pets) are family members... we take this very seriously."