CoronavirusFt. Wayne MarketLocal News

Local kennel tries to cope with effects of COVID-19

Yard Play Service - Photo by Bill Law

ROANOKE, Ind. (WOWO) – Many area businesses are feeling the effects of the COVID-19 virus.  Kennels are among those businesses taking a hard hit with the stay-at-home order, especially this time of year.

Many pet owners need a place to keep their furry loved ones while they go on vacation or travel for business.  This time of year is normally a busy time for kennels as many families are traveling for spring break.  Kennels also offer more services such as daycare, bathing, nail clipping, ear cleaning, socialization time, yard play and nature walks.

William Law, owner of Law’s Country Kennel in Roanoke, tells WOWO news that his business has been greatly affected by COVID-19.   Law says that normally this time year when it is spring break “we would have probably 80 to 100 pets in here that we are taking care of.”  The kennel has about 52 indoor/outdoor spaces and a staff of about 15 employees, most of them full-time, to handle that amount of pets.  He says that this year, all but one or two have canceled.  Law adds “we went through a wait-list of probably another 50 individuals that also no longer needed our services this year because of the coronavirus.”

Currently, Law has narrowed his staff to a skeleton crew with maybe one or two employees working per shift.  Normally he has around six employees working per shift.  Law is trying to rotate his staff so that everyone can bring in a paycheck.   He says they still have around five to ten daycare animals that come throughout the week for those who are constructing new homes or for those who don’t like the idea of leaving their pets alone at home all day while they are at work.

Law’s Country Kennel is considered an “essential” business and is trying to accommodate the social distancing requirements by checking pets in and out in the parking lot.  Law says “It’s tough because when we pick up here, I want to make sure that my staff is able to stick with us here through this tough time and giving them as many hours as possible is important.”

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