The love continues this month as CAHS reflects on the support we’ve received from Pet Rendezvous, a local business that has served Conway pets, and their human owners, for decades.
Payton Cressy, owner and CAHS board member, has provided unfailing support for shelter animals, in addition to maintaining her commitment to superior animal care in the community. Finding a team you can trust with your furry family member’s well being can be a stressful experience. Pet Rendezvous’ stunning reputation for animal care takes those worries away. Although animal boarding constitutes the bulk of their work, Payton and crew offer the community professional grooming services, daycare, dog training, and more.
Area residents may know how Pet Rendezvous helps the community, but they may not realize the crucial support Pet Rendezvous provides our homeless animals as well. “High energy puppies kenneled at the shelter don’t show well,” Payton relates, explaining that her space is often used to train and socialize dogs of all ages at CAHS. “Once they are able to get their energy out, they show better, and acclimate better to their future homes.”
Payton and crew groom shelter dogs, allowing them to put their best paw forward during prospective adopter visits. Pet Rendezvous also supports CAHS by providing a novel space to dogs who remain at the shelter for months on end. Similar to a field trip or community outing, they get to explore a new area every now and then.
The assistance Pet Rendezvous provides CAHS goes beyond training and socialization. Staff members commonly respond to volunteer opportunities, lending additional hands at a moment’s notice. Pet Rendezvous has committed to helping the shelter this February, for instance, with our large transport of dogs. Payton and crew also use their Facebook page to help advertise shelter needs to followers and post videos of dogs up for adoption.
Relationships with pet owners and CAHS animals give Pet Rendezvous team members the opportunity to recommend specific shelter dogs as future family members. Occasionally, Pet Rendezvous also helps foster CAHS animals. Paige, a beloved yellow lab, is one example of this. When Paige needed medication outside of typical shelter hours, Payton devised a creative solution where Paige became Pet Rendezvous’ lobby dog. Staff were able to administer Paige’s medication with ease and delighted in her company.
Payton’s decision to serve on the Conway Area Humane Society Board of Directors is rooted in her desire to improve shelter operations. Her passion in training aggressive dogs, for instance, finds an appreciative home at CAHS. Payton’s personal experience with animals is lifelong. Her mother, Karla, owned Pet Rendezvous when Payton was a child. As a young adult, Payton worked for the family business. After receiving a degree in business management, she returned from college and purchased the family business so her mother could retire. Four years prior to that purchase, she ran the Rendezvous alongside her mom.
“Pet Rendezvous is in the same hands it’s always been in,” Payton explains. The only real difference is dropping the name ‘Karla’ from its former name, ‘Karla’s Pet Rendezvous’. The stability of consistent, knowledgable animal care is priceless, for CAHS and for the community. Although the need for boarding animals has lessened this year, their top notch daycare services are going strong, a result of so many new dogs being adopted. Their behavior modification and obedience training classes are more in demand than ever. Grooming has also seen new heights of popularity.
Whether you have a new animal family member, or would like to (literally) teach your old dog some new tricks, Pet Rendezvous can help. From daycare needs to giving your dog a new ‘do, and training opportunities or a bit of retail therapy, you can trust Pet Rendezvous to treat your furry family members as their own and help your family grow in meaningful ways. Stop by today. If you are a business looking to support CAHS and the important work we do, click here for sponsorship opportunities.
