Turning a negative into a PAWSitive

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This article was published 21/05/2020 (2066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Despite all the uncertainty that’s been brought about because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Sandy Walter’s animal daycare and spa has remained open to Brandon pet owners throughout the pandemic.

The founder of PAWSitive Experiences told the Sun this past weekend that she has been more than happy to provide local cats and dogs with an outlet for socialization and exercise during these trying times, especially since these get-togethers offer a level of interactivity that some humans simply cannot provide.

“Some dogs come here for weight loss, because a lot of people can’t take them for those runs that they need,” Walter said. “So they come to daycare three times a week, for example, and get to run and play and be motivated by their doggie peers.”

Walter said her primary goal is improving the mental well-being and overall health of these animals through providing various services, which includes grooming and behavioural therapy. 

Because of this, PAWSitive Experiences is considered an essential service under section 67 of the province’s newly modified Public Health Act, which came into effect on April 1 and allows for boarding kennels, farms and any other business that looks after animals to operate during the pandemic. 

However, Walter said the outbreak has slightly changed her day-to-day operations. 

Not only has business been slower than usual throughout March and April, but Walter has also been putting various safety precautions in place to make sure that all her clients are protected from the virus.

This involves increasing the frequency of her cleaning routines and allowing only one human customer inside the premises at once. 

Walter said most of her patrons have been understanding when it comes to these increased safety protocols, although she admits that the “one client at a time” policy still makes things a little awkward. 

“We can’t finish conversations now, because if the next client is coming in, the current one has to move,” she said.

Even though Walter officially opened PAWSitive Experiences in 2011, she has been training dogs and horses since childhood. 

Throughout this time, Walter also volunteered at many Westman animal shelters, where she discovered that countless animals in the region were being abandoned or put down because of simple behavioural issues that can be easily corrected.

“Some people don’t want to work with a certain behaviour, when it’s something they can actually work through,” she said. “So it kind of grew from there, and I just wanted to be able to really keep dogs with their people for their forever life.”

Even though she currently brands her business as an animal spa and daycare, Walter said behavioural learning is still the core of her approach to looking after these cats and dogs. 

“They can be silly and run and play, but they still have to follow a set of boundaries and rules and good manners,” she said. “Boundaries and manners are two of my big key things.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Walter said she has also been more than willing to accommodate front-line workers, some of whom have pets that need expert supervision for up to 12 hours a day. 

Despite the recent drop in business, Walter said things have been picking up in May now that the province has loosened some restrictions on public gatherings. 

Moving forward, the PAWSitive Experiences owner hopes Westman residents keep her business in mind if their pets need an escape from the somewhat repetitive nature of life under COVID.

“I’m very grateful for every single person who chooses to come in,” said Walter. “And anybody who gets to know me knows that I take just as good care of their pets as I would my own.”

PAWSitive Experiences is located at 859 Ninth St. in Brandon. 

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com 

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