“Concern for animals is a matter of taking the side of the weak against the strong, something the best people have always done.”
Meet the Owners
Dogwood Acres began out of a desire by owners, Kurt and Audrey Reichardt to find a quality pet retreat for their beloved Black Lab, Casey. As young, accomplished professionals, they had the opportunity to travel extensively, but hated leaving Casey somewhere they would not stay themselves. They wanted a place where Casey could get lots of outdoor exercise and tons of personal attention in a clean and comfortable setting.
Recognizing that their expectations for a pet care facility were high, but assuming there must be others that share the same desires for their pets, they began developing Dogwood Acres.
To achieve their vision, they combined their love of animals with their respective professional backgrounds. Kurt’s background is in architecture and Audrey’s expertise is in organization development, human resources and customer service. In addition, Kurt grew up helping his family run a small veterinary clinic and Audrey grew up on a horse farm where animals were a part of her everyday life. All of this led to creating a place where they could feel good leaving Casey. And so, Dogwood Acres Pet Retreat was born on September 9, 1997.
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Facility Before |
Facility After- with additions |
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The business has improved and grown, but the vision was clear and still remains. Kurt and Audrey wanted to create a place where pets would enjoy visiting. A place dedicated to what animals enjoy doing best - playful exercise and socializing with each other and/or their human companions. Kurt and Audrey were pioneers in the pet resort concept and led the industry in providing doggie daycare to their clients. They also love the challenge of catering to each guest and take great pride in ensuring that each guest has the best experience possible.
Kurt and Audrey work at the retreat every day along with their dedicated staff of 35+ Pet Attendants and Guest Service Representatives. They remain focused on their commitment to provide an environment where pets are happy, healthy and engaged; and superior pet care is provided from a foundation of sound medical practices and positive behavioral methodology. They value the individuality of the pets in their care, and share their love of animals through an active engagement with the community. |
Dogwood Acres is not the only thing to have grown over the years - so has Kurt and Audrey’ s family. Their children, Alexandra and Connor, are growing up at Dogwood Acres and share their parents’ love of animals. They have also added several four-legged members to their family: Tank (a Pug, French Bulldog mix), Guinness (a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog) and Cinders the cat. Casey continues to be at the heart of the family – both at home and at the retreat.
