Pet business owners to the rescue

Pet business owners in the Madawaska Valley come to the rescue this weekend with initiatives to help pets. The commitment to animal welfare is a common theme among owners of pet businesses. Here we focus on two such pet retailers in the Valley who are both hosting events in Barry’s Bay on Saturday, September 1.

Cat Nap & Lazy Dog Pet Outfitters

Melissa Cieczkowski and Elton inspect some of the raffle prizes

Melissa Cieczkowski and her father, Ed, have been co-owners Cat Nap & Lazy Dog Pet Outfitters since early summer. Between them, the Cieczkowski father and daughter team demonstrate a considerable personal commitment to rescue animals. Cieczkowski has two dogs and five cats, while her father has nine cats. Yes, that makes a grand total of sixteen rescue animals across two households. Cieczkowski has a history of involvement in projects to aid animals in distress from injury, abandonment, loss or emergencies such as the Fort McMurray wildfire. On Saturday, September 1 they are hosting a raffle fundraiser at their shop in Barry’s Bay in aid of Whitney Animal Rescue. Purchase of raffle tickets will help provide funding to spay and neuter local animals in need. Tickets cost 50 cents each or three for $1.

Elton (shown at top) is the official greeter at pet outfitters Cat Nap & Lazy Dog. He is named for well-known entertainer, Sir Elton John, who, it is said, he resembles …

Andrea’s Pet Salon

Andrea Mock with her rescue dogs including a mother and son Chinese Crested

Also on Saturday, September 1, Andrea Mock celebrates the grand opening of Andrea’s Pet Salon at 38 Bay Street in Barry’s Bay. A recent arrival to the area from the West via Brampton, Mock and her partner have purchased his parents’ house on Kamaniskeg Lake where they now live with their four dogs. Like the Cieczkowskis, Mock is committed to animal welfare.  Her approach to grooming is sensitive to the individual dog’s personality, age, and physical condition. Mock has 25 years’ experience grooming dogs; for 23 years she operated her own business in Saskatchewan. She ensures that the dogs she works on are not subjected to any undue stress during the grooming process. Mock is hosting an Open House on Saturday Sept. 1 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. when she will give away treat bags for dogs containing items available from Cat Nap & Lazy Dog Pet Outfitters.