Meegan Kennels gives pets a home away from home

PATASKALA – Even pets need a home away from home.

Whether her canine customers are using Meegan Kennels as their version of a spa day, hotel vacation or just a few hours to get out of the house, owner Deb Gutman wants her facility to be just that.

"People tell us all the time that, when they pull onto Watkins Road, their dogs gets really excited because they know they're coming here," she said. "We really give our clients peace of mind while they're out on vacation. We take care of their pets like they are our own."

The kennel was started in 1989 by two women who ran it for 16 years before deciding to retire. Gutman was working as a banker at the time, and although she thought owning her own kennel might be fun someday, she never thought that dream would be coming true quite so soon.

She remembers feeling as if she was having a bad day when her best friend and now business partner Leith Merkle called her to let her know Meegan Kennels was up for sale. Gutman thought it sounded interesting and decided to check the place out.

The more Gutman thought about the idea of running the kennel, the more she fell in love with the idea. Within a year she sold her house in Delaware and was moving into the small home next door to the kennel, officially taking over the business in February 2005.

Trading a career in banking for one as a kennel operator was a big move, and many of Gutman's friends couldn't help but ask whether she regretted it. But she never has and doesn't expect she ever will.

"I'm happier now getting no paycheck than when I was in a corporate job and getting a big paycheck," she said. "It's just a really big joy to me being here every day. There's no way I would trade this."

Merkle, a former vet technician, started her own grooming business and decided to team up with Gutman at Meegan Kennels, providing all the kennel's grooming services.

Together, the two women, along with Gutman's husband, Doug Fratus, have made sure Meegan Kennels provides a loving, friendly atmosphere for their animal clients. Gutman has kept the kennel small, giving her and the staff more time to give each of the animals individualized attention.

That personal time with the animals paid off in a big way when it came to a bottlebrush cat named Bob.

Bob was staying at Meegan Kennels while his owner was out of town, and Gutman noticed he was acting a little off one day. She became increasingly worried about him and made the call to take him to his veterinarian. It turned out Bob was experiencing a thyroid storm, and he began having a heart attack while at the vet's office.

Gutman's quick decision to take Bob to the vet saved the cat's life, and his owners couldn't have been more grateful.

When pets are dropped off at the kennel, they are given a complete profile in the kennel's database so each staff member knows what kind of food it eats, what medications it might be on and everything else that goes into its care.

If Merkle gets a new client for grooming, she makes sure to take it slow with the animal to see how it reacts to the grooming process. If a dog is getting antsy about a blow-dry, she'll towel-dry it instead. It's all about making the animal comfortable, she said.

"I don't consider this a job, I really don't," Merkle said. "I have great clients and wonderful dogs. I just love it. I love taking a dog's little scruffy face and making it all cute."

Everyone who works at Meegan Kennels has a serious passion for animals and what they do each day. Gutman is happy every single day she makes the short walk from her home to the kennel, and she plans to keep serving her human and canine clients for many years to come.

emaddern@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8513

Twitter: @emmaddern

About This Series

"Aces of Trades" is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs — whether they're unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at advocate @newarkadvocate.com

Meegan Kennels

Meegan Kennels, at 5177 Watkins Road in Pataskala, provides boarding, grooming and day care for dogs and cats. The kennel is open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and on holidays.

For more information or to set up an appointment, call 740-927-7829 or visit www.meegankennels.com.