County Seat Newspaper
of Clare County

Canine Guest House Opens in Clare

TLC for your pet in a country setting

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When you see the beautiful Kramp home in a country setting on East Colonville Road north Clare, you might wish Deborah Kramp was more inclined to take care of people than animals. You can’t stay there but now your cat or dog can with the opening of Canine Guest House LLC.

Kramp, a  retired nurse, had a little dream to open a pet boarding business. On the day the Cleaver visited, she was the typical small business owner awaiting the inspection of her new building and making a list of countless small details still left to complete before she could accept furry friends. (Spoiler-the inspection passed on the first try!)

Kramp’s new business is licensed by the State of Michigan and will be inspected locally by the Clare County Animal Shelter.

The guest house will be licensed to accept up to seven pets at a time. Kramp purposely kept her numbers low so she could provide attention to each pet.

“Nine or more pets would be pushing it for me,” Kramp said. “I want to take them for walks and make sure they are all OK and not just leave them for the day.”

While the Canine Guest House is a small home-based business the 10-by-24 custom building, safety, and professional details all ensure a safe and happy stay for your pet.

Pets staying at the Canine Guest House are treated to a heated or air-conditioned building and separate kennels. Each kennel has its own platform for easy cleaning, a feeding station and access to the outdoors. A special cat motel houses feline guests.

Kramp is serious about the health of the animals in her care, and has taken pet first-aid and CPR classes in additional to her nursing experience. She points out, “We aren’t much different!” Kramp has also taken classes about dog and animal behavior.

As a nurse, Kramp also has no qualms about accepting pets that may need medications.

“A lot of places don’t do medications,” she said. “I had a little dog that was diabetic. So, I will do dogs that are on medications”

Kramp has taken into account what experiences she liked and disliked boarding her own pets and used them to create the environment she desired.

Kramp’s backyard is parklike with plenty of room to walk dogs, complete with grazing chickens! Overall, Kramp said she’s happy with how her vision for her building and business turned out, and the calls began to come in as soon as Kramp began her Facebook and Google marketing.

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