Town & Country

Guests like this happy camper enjoy the resort's bathing and grooming facilities. Photo courtesy of The Paw Resort & Wellness Centre a shore thing PELICAN LAKE /2 MINNEDOSA /5 LanD oF oPPortUnitY Country Town & MANITOBA Editor: Pat St. Germain pdstgermain@gmail.com insiDe a star is reBorn GAIETY THEATRE /3 Saturday, April 25, 2015 Fay McEachern Broker REALTOR ® 204-724-4456 PelicanLake&Area Trisha McEachern REALTOR ® 204-720-9470 Brandon,Shilo&Area Stephanie Leung REALTOR ® 204-215-0006 Killarney&Area OFFICE: 23147 RD. 93W PELICAN LAKE, BOX 202 NINETTE, MANITOBA R0K 1R0 Experienceonyourside RECREATIONAL • RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL • AG COMMERCIAL AG KEYSTONEMB.CA B ut sometimes, it's not a holiday that prompts the need for care. It could be something more serious. "You know there are times when people have emergencies and people are suddenly confronted with the issue of how to provide care for a dog who might be sick or need extra care," says Joanne Nichols, co-owner of The Paw Resort and Wellness Centre in Brandon. It was an almost impossible scen- ario for a gentleman who brought his dog in for needed knee surgery, right at the same time he needed heart surgery. But Nichols and her staff were able to provide the reassurance and care the family needed. "We were able to keep in touch with him on emails and Facebook and with photos so we could tell him, 'OK, we're taking your dog to surgery today.' " The Paw kept the dog for five weeks while both rehabilitated, al- lowing the mans's wife to focus on getting her husband back on his feet. "The little catchphrase that we've used sometimes is that we're beyond ordinary," says Nichols. That's the level of service that garnered Paw the Most Outstanding New Business 2014 award from the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. Caring for animals was some- thing that brought Nichols and her husband, veterinarian Frank Nichols, together. "My husband was a veterinarian and I was a dog groomer and we met at the clinic, way back in 1978 in Winnipeg," she says. "We got married and we bought an acreage outside of Brandon." The family grew with four chil- dren — Katherine, Amie, Cailey and Andrew — and then later, a couple of imports from England, British Golden Retrievers. When they had puppies, the family who adopted them asked the Nichols to care for them while they were away, and the business blossomed from there. "Once the neighbours heard, it just kind of grew, and we thought, 'Well, there's no place that we would ever leave our dogs, so if we're going to do this, let's do it the best we can.' " At first, the animals were guests right in the family home. The kids pitched in after school and on week- ends, walking, feeding and watering the pets in addition to helping out with the family's own farm animals. "I can't say enough good about my kids, because they grew up with all these different pets in the home when we were boarding them," she says. The kids learned quickly and were exceptionally trustworthy. Seeing how adept their own children had become helped the Nichols recognize the value of good training, which they have passed onto their staff. "When we go to seminars and conventions, which we continually do, we then share it with our staff members." The need for a dedicated facility for dogs and cats was evident and so every time the Nichols' travelled, they visited other boarding oper- ations, taking note of what they did and did not like. The end result is the $1 million-plus state-of-the-art facility of their own design. "It's awesome. It's not a traditional kennel," Nichols says. "It's geothermal heated so it's a good warm heat; it's fully air conditioned and we have a big air exchange unit like a hospital would have." In addition, there are large win- dows everywhere, all glass fronts and stainless steel. The luxury rooms have their own TV and a low window for a pet's eye view. All the beds are raised and covered with high quality Profleece bed- ding and all the dishes are stainless steel. Cleanliness is maintained with a high-tech wet/dry vacuum system and pets have access to a 3,000-square-foot playroom with a rubber floor gym. "We've spared no expense." The facility and staff, as good as they are, are not the only reason people bring their pets to the resort. Having a vet and a ward nurse on staff means the facility can provide specialty care like administering eye and ear drops and even prescrip- tions such as insulin. "We want to be the very best we can be and I think that shows," says Nichols. "Our clients are a little bit of an extended family, and I think one of the rewards for us is, almost every day, someone will say: 'I didn't worry when I was away.' "And that's huge, because if you think about yourself, then that would be good for you, too." ❙ Comforts of Home Four-legged friends are family at this resort Cats are used to having staff cater to their needs. Photo courtesy of The Paw Resort & Wellness Centre By Wendy King For the Free Press It's a comfort to know that when you go on holiday, your littlest four-legged family member will be cared for in a safe place.

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