Geaux Health & Fitness Magazine June 2014 | Page 33

feaux paws

Not Just Part of the
Doggie Daycare Craze
Petz Plaza Celebrates 12
Years in Business
by Pamela Labbe
Pet ownership in the U.S. has risen significantly over the last couple
of decades, reaching 82.5 million pets, according to a 2013 National
Pet Owners Survey. And more pets mean a greater demand for boarding, grooming and training services. This year, pet boarding alone is expected
to account for 42 percent of industry revenue.
Petz Plaza has been a family-run business in the heart of Baton Rouge for 12
years, well before the doggie daycare craze of late hit the city. Offering lots of different services for all kinds of dogs, Petz Plaza in Baton Rouge prides itself in offering exceptional customer service by
compassionate and caring people. Michael Hackett manages the Perkins Road location, while his wife, J.T., runs the
8380 Jefferson Hwy. location.
“The idea for Petz Plaza came about 15 years ago,” explained Michael. “My Dad (who is a veterinarian) always had a vision of opening a boarding facility next door to his vet clinic. At that time, the pet industry was really starting to boom.
I was a marketing major in college and I started to help him do some research on the trends that were happening at that
time,” Michael said.
The Jefferson store opened its doors Aug. 1, 2010. Dr. C.B. Hackett, Michael’s father and business partner, has his
veterinary office conveniently located across the courtyard from Petz Plaza at 4763 Perkins Rd. Animal Health Clinic of
Baton Rouge is at 4803 Perkins Rd. Michael’s mom handles the bookkeeping.
Michael quickly became interested in not only helping his father, but also in taking a management role. “At that time,
what he had in mind and what I had in mind was very different,” Michael said. “He looked at things from a very functional perspective while I looked at things from more of an innovative side. As a result, I think that we created something that combines form and function.”
Open seven days a week, store hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays; and
3 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Petz Plaza offers overnight boarding, grooming, daycare, day boarding and retail. In addition, the
facility offers a pet pickup and delivery service, called the Petz Plaza Pet Taxi (225-302-TAXI), which comes in handy
for busy pet owners and is available for both Baton Rouge locations. GH&F

June 2014 geauxhealthandfitness.com

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