- Joel Neer, who with his wife Taphi owns Happy Tails Pet Resort in west Chandler, spends quality time with some of the pets vacationing in the couple’s posh environs.
At Happy Tails Pet Resort, in west Chandler, dogs of all breeds lounge around together on leather couches in a cage-free, living-room environment during “quiet time.”
After napping, they play in an area secured with a special non-slip surface made from recycled tires, taking breaks outside in the comfort of a shaded grass area enclosed in the back of the business.
Joel and Taphi Neer, who have been Chandler residents for 17 years, started their dog-sitting business in early May.
With two dogs of their own and three being housed temporarily for friends, “We were in a situation where it was difficult for us to take any vacation time or visit friends,” said Taphi. “I’ve always been extremely picky when it comes to my dogs, and we just couldn’t find a place where we could leave them while we were gone.”
Taphi worked in human resources for 25 years, and was at a loss when it came to finding a pet boarding service where she felt comfortable leaving her dogs. Taphi and her husband have been lifelong companions to their four-legged family members, and after working for corporate America, they volunteered with the Humane Society, as well as for Campus for Compassion, a dog and cat adoption and animal rescue shelter in Phoenix.
Soon after, their love for man’s best friend lured them into opening their own boarding center on the southwest corner of Chandler Boulevard and Kyrene Road.
“We want to do anything we can to support the dogs,” Joel said. “We’re trying to recreate kind of a living-room environment, so the dogs can get de-stressed and just hang out.”
Dogs can stay with the Neers for one day or longer. “We take in dogs for as long as (the owners) want,” Taphi said. “Most of the people drop their dogs off for a week to 10 days, or even just a weekend.”
Overnight staff supervise dogs at all times, and a “pup cam” will be coming soon to their Web site, where owners can check up on their pets while away. More frequently, dog-owners drop off their pooch on their way to work and pick it up at the end of the day, she said.
With the summer heating up, water-friendly dogs will soon have a kiddy pool to splash in, complete with misters to help them stay cool, Taphi said. A grass area nearby, which slopes into a center drain for easy clean-up, provides a clean and efficient relief area for visiting dogs.
“We have canine grass that is artificial,” Joel said. “We pick up the solids and rinse all the liquids down the drain. It cleans up a lot better than regular grass.”
Joel and Taphi, who are both certified in pet CPR and pet first aid, have two standard poodles that are always waiting to meet new furry friends that take a short vacation in the comfort of the Happy Tails environment.
Before dropping a dog off, though, the Neers recommend a two-hour visit to ensure it’s the best choice in terms of the safety for the owner’s dog and other vacationing dogs.
“When someone comes in who is new, our suggestion is to have them drop their dog off for about two hours, and we do an evaluation at that time,” Joel said. “If it’s just not a fit for the dog – if it’s stressed and aggressive – then it’s not going to be a good idea for the dog and other dogs.”
Happy Tails Pet Resort does not accept pit bulls for insurance reasons, Taphi said.
Information: http://www.happytailsarizona.com/ or 602-432-6898.
