Murrysville ’ s Walkers Pet HoTail Pet Care Center has proudly been taking care of animals for 10 years — that ’ s 70 in dog years ! Owners Sam and Michele Rubin are happily celebrating the 10th anniversary of their “ Pet HoTail ” this year . Sam and Michele have been Murrysville residents for many years .
The two met in college and , ironically , both had a dog named Trixie .
Following college , Sam worked for large companies launching new products in diverse categories — all the time searching for a product or service with a unique point of difference that customers needed in an area that wasn ’ t dominated by large companies , to see if he could create a business of his own . Pet care met those criteria . At the time , most boarding services were either offered by small , home-based businesses or by veterinarians who ( often reluctantly ) boarded pets to keep their clients happy .
“ I was worried about opening a kennel because I have bad allergies ,” notes Sam . “ I went to about 100 kennels on the east side of the state — some of which I walked into and was unable to breathe . Luckily , I learned that if a kennel is kept clean , my allergies are not bothered .”
He went to work at one of the best kennels in the area — which happened to be run by veterinarians — and wrote a business plan for the owners . “ Their income doubled , but like many veterinarians , they were more interested in the medical side of the business , not the lower margin pet services side , and they didn ’ t want to partner with me to open additional kennels ,” says Sam . “ I knew I had a solid , proven business plan and I knew what was needed to launch a business , so I figured it would be easy to start my own .”
It took him seven years to open Walkers Pet HoTail . “ It was very difficult to find a good location ,” Sam explains . “ Kennels have many zoning restrictions , since neighbors are often concerned about noise . I found that renting a building was also difficult , with owners concerned about pets damaging their property and complaints from adjoining tenants . I also wanted a location that had property to allow outside walks and was easy for customers to access .”
Sam and Michele found that location in Murrysville for establishing Walkers Pet HoTail . “ The building was vacant for 10 years and was overgrown with weeds , vines and trees , making it hard to see from the road . The roof was leaking and part of the floor was collapsing . Route 22 was still under construction , but I knew it would be an excellent location for Walkers ,” says Sam . “ We had to clear many hurdles I hadn ’ t faced before — zoning , financing and construction — but we did it .”
He notes that Walkers Pet HoTail doesn ’ t “ breed or sell pets , but we have just about everything your pet needs .” Services include overnight boarding for dogs and cats ; Doggie Daycare ; grooming for dogs and cats ; training classes ; pet supplies ; and veterinary services including yearly exams , checkups and vaccinations , spay / neuter and dental procedures , prescription foods and medicines . Walkers also offers free monthly puppy parties and Yappy Hours to help dogs and their people socialize , and many other events such as annual “ Howl-o-ween ” and “ Howl-iday ” parties that benefit pet organizations in the local community .
“ The most important service we offer is advice — and it ’ s free ,” says Sam . “ People love talking about their pets and our staff is very knowledgeable . For example , we have owners tell us the harness they purchased at a ‘ big-box ’ store to prevent their dogs from pulling doesn ’ t work . If the fit isn ’ t right , it won ’ t work . Customers are often surprised we sell the same harness for less , although we don ’ t like to sell it if we don ’ t fit it properly . At Walkers , owners can bring in their dogs and we ’ ll fit them with the right harness . Similarly , customers may mention that their pet is having an issue associated with the type of food they are using , and our staff can recommend alternatives .”
Over the years , Walkers Pet HoTail has continued to improve and expand the products and services it offers . In boarding , it has tripled the number of high-quality suites ( not runs ) available for dogs year-round . For Doggie Daycare , it has expanded to offer supervised “ Play-All-Day ” daycare with enrichment activities in addition to “ Interval ” daycare , which is suitable for all dogs . Walkers also purchased state-of-the-art veterinary equipment to perform procedures such as spaying / neutering and dental work . The store ’ s retail section has expanded from a few basic items to a full line of premium pet products at prices below big-box pet stores . The training programs include certification for the AKC STAR puppy as part of the Basic Obedience class and CGC ( Canine Good Citizen ) certification as part of the Intermediate class . This past summer , the cattery and grooming rooms underwent a major upgrade , with brand-new equipment designed and built by a local company .
Walkers Pet HoTail also supports the local community in many ways . “ We have donated more than 1,000 pounds of food to local shelters every year since 2011 , participated in and made donations to events that benefit the community , and have held events that benefit local organizations ,” notes Sam . “ We have been recognized by our local community , receiving several Gold Reader ’ s Choice and Quest for the Best awards .” Volunteers are accepted for puppy parties . Typically volunteers are people who are interested in working at Walkers in the future .
When asked what he loves most about his job , he answers , “ Puppies ! Puppies ! Puppies ! Puppy tummies , puppy fur , puppy breath . I could be working on a project like one would in any business , but when a puppy comes in — it really makes my day !”
For more information , call 724.327 . PAWS or visit WalkersPetHoTail . com . n
Walkers Pet HoTail will host its annual ‘ Howl-iday ’ Party on Thursday , Dec . 21 , from 7 to 8 p . m .
The party is free and open to the public . Walkers encourages people to call in advance regarding attendance , but an RSVP is not required . Holiday portraits with Santa Paws will be offered . Donations for photographs will be accepted to benefit the Westmoreland CART ( County Animal Response Team ). All dogs MUST be on leash . Veterinary records are required – so party goers don ’ t get each other sick ! Rabies , Distemper Series vaccinations must be current .
Walkers Pet HoTail is located at 4603 William Penn Hwy . in Murrysville . For more information , call 724.927.7297 or visit walkerspethotail . com .
Murrysville | Winter 2017 | icmags . com 17