Hi! My name is Megan Marshall. I am a 28yr old, aspiring Pet enthusiast, residing in Edmonton, AB Canada. 

For as long as I can remember I have had a passion and love for animals. From my first kitten when I was one, to my two special cats I have now, and all the dogs and small animals in between. My life has always involved an animal. 

For the last decade I have put my heart, soul, sweat and tears into working in the pet industry. What I thought I truly would enjoy doing for the rest of my life. The realization of this being just the beginning is what sparked the fire to want to do more. 

 For the first few years while finishing high-school I worked at a local pet store in a small town outside of Edmonton. My duties included caring and cleaning of all the animals and their enclosures, taking daycare dogs for walks, stocking products, tending to customers, and consistent upkeep in knowledge of the products/animals being cared for/sold within the store. I learned a ton working here but I knew it wasn't what I was super passionate about. So I left to finish school and continue to try and figure out what I want to do. 

Shortly after graduating I moved to Edmonton. Here, I got a job at a Dog Daycare! I had never heard of such thing before, but I had a great feeling it was going to be exactly what I wanted to do! 

I can only speak from experience, but IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK. 

I worked for this Daycare for 2 years. I was completely new. A fresh sheet of paper for everyone to write everything they thought was right in the dogs world, crumple it and toss me out. There were too many things wrong with this business. The safety of the dogs was never a priority. The business was run by a shady family, the employees were treated poorly. It was all just bad. The only bonus was the complete course I got to take on Dog behavior and body language plus how to run a daycare through this company. Which extended my education and knowledge for this new thing I'm feeling super passionate about! 

 After this I continued to educate myself. I wanted to be better. I wanted to know more. I was hooked but for different reasons. THE DOGS. I know there had to be a better way. 

 Not long after I joined another Daycare. This place was what I once thought was a step in the right direction, but things could have been better. So I put 5 years into this company. I do my best, work hard and try to only add valid, beneficial information to help the processes within the business. Turns out they're just like the other one. In it for the wrong reasons and not enough accountability being held within this field of work. 

 (I am unable to write publicly about certain incidents. The reason I no longer work for these Businesses is strictly due to my own personal decisions and this statement has nothing to do with the business/s directly.)

So here I am. Writing this. I want more for dogs that attend daycares. I want more for the Employees that work at these daycares. 

I want to do something more than be a Dog Daycare supervisor, or dog trainer. I want to get more involved in the processes of the operations. I want more safety. More responsibility. More accountability. More training. REGULATIONS.  

 After 7 years in the dog daycare industry, talking with past coworkers, dog daycare owners, pet owners and friends. I know what the main issues are and I know there's a better way. We just need to put it in action!

 

(If you didn't know, Dog Daycare businesses are completely unregulated. There's no federal, provincial or municipal regulations in most places in Canada. Why? Because it's new. Its unheard of. All you need is to be in the right zone in your town/city and have a business license, maybe a kennel license and pass a building inspection. THAT'S IT.)

 

So what is it that can be done? What are we asking for?

Government assistance which looks like provincial or municipal regulations on Dog Daycare and Boarding facilities. 

 

Below are a few Mandatory Regulations we would like to see. 

 

[ ] Staff to dog ratio. (Currently this is up to the daycare to decide, and to keep costs low, they tend to have the minimum amount of staff to maximum amount of dogs. 1:35 +) Regulations stating 1:10 or 1:15 MAX staff to dog ratio 

[ ] Provide Employee equipment and proper training with equipment (walkie-talkie, leash, treats, pouch, clicker, ect)

[ ] Employee health/safety coverage. (Danger pay) This job is not a "safe" job by any means. Working with live animals. Heavy objects. Cleaning Chemicals. Physically demanding job. Employees need more coverage in case of injury at work or insurance should an employee be injured by an animal. 

[ ] Adequate Air control (Air conditioning, heat), fire safety procedures, general emergency procedures (in case of flood, fire, break in). 

[ ] Proper and modern Employee training on Pet first aid, behaviors and body language of dogs. 

[ ] Building must be properly constructed to withstand moisture, heat, air flow, loud noises. 

[ ] Proper waste management, septic systems for animal waste. 

[ ] Basic necessities must be provided. - Shelter, (Indoor/outdoor), shade, water, food (if animal is to be fed while in care of said daycare) 

[ ] Force free and cruelty free - the use of Prong/shock collars are not permitted. 

[ ] Potential dog restrictions ex. Behavior, Spayed/neutered state, age, number limit on daycare dog attendants (meet certain criteria or daycare isnt an option). 

[ ] Dog assessments should be done prior to any dog attending daycare. - meet and greet, questionnaire for family, test dog with trial dog, test dog in daycare, give feedback.

 

Dont get me wrong, Dog daycares, can and should exist. Dog owners need help more than ever before. So why wouldn't us, the people who make it their lives, their professions, their passions to be the best, and help in the best ways we know how?

 

 

 

If you have worked in the industry, heard stories of dog daycares on the news for the wrong reasons, and want change, please stand with me and help me get some regulations put into this area of business!

 

Just a side note, there has been government regulations in Child Daycares since the beginning! Why? Because of course you want your child to be safe and learning while attending daycare!! Why do we still consider children more important than our pets, yet we baby our pets more than ever before. 

 

Below are a few links of some more information. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/off-the-leash-dog-grooming-day-care-1.5215664

 

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/proposed-amendments-to-the-city-s-responsible-pet-ownership-by-law-in-the-works-1.5734914