Pet parents now have Fur Baby University as an option for their dogs in Wetumpka.
Owners Talyia and Chris Porterfield have brought college fun, cafeterias, guidance counselors and “dorm style” kennels to a dog daycare, boarding and grooming business. The idea started as the couple traveled back to their Eclectic home from Nashville.
“We talked about needing to do something different in our lives, but what is that?” Talyia said. “Our kids were in school at Auburn. We thought maybe we could open up a doggie daycare in Auburn. We could get a bus and pick them up from all the college kids.”
PHOTOS: Dogs now learning at Fur Baby Univeristy
The Porterfields took the idea and brought it home to Elmore County. The real estate agent couple found property on Old Montgomery Highway just off U.S. Highway 231 and created the first Fur Baby University. It is a name they plan to trademark in hopes of future growth
“We are planning to branch off into different cities and the hope is near colleges,” Porterfield said. “The idea is mainly for the college kids to be able to bring their dogs.”
The name Fur Baby University also puts to bed a nickname — doggie daycare.
“We wanted the dorm style idea,” Portefield said. “It is not a dog spa, or grooming. The fur babies come to campus. They are assigned lockers and dorm style rooms.”
The facility also has a kitchen that pet parents can take advantage of.
“The kitchen will be used to cook for the dogs,” Porterfield said. “If a parent would like their dog to have a special protein bowl and not regular food, we can make chicken, rice and carrots.”
The university’s “students” can get lonely. Porterfield said in addition to lockers to house “personal” items, each kennel has a mailbox.
“When they are left for boarding, we want parents to leave a letter,” Porterfield said. “We will read it to them before we tuck them in at night.”
Names for the rooms remind parents and “students” of SEC schools. There are windows between kennels allowing pets to see their neighbor. The largest has space and beds for two dogs. They all open to a large indoor recreation area. There are large play yards in the back of the facility and one includes a splash pad. There are closed circuit cameras almost everywhere allowing parents to look in on their “students.”
There are individual chairs scattered around the facility and play yards. Porterfield said the idea is for employees to be stationed throughout and not gathered in the front.
Fur Baby University also has grooming services available that is located just off the “Guidance Counselor’s Office.” It allows pets to roam. It even has a separate play area.
“I don’t take my baby to a grooming facility,” Porterfield said. “I have a mobile groomer. I don’t want him caged up.”
The Porterfields are no strangers to animals of all sorts. Chris is from Fort Deposit, Alabama and Talyia from Montgomery. They purchased an Eclectic farm nine years ago.
“We have raised animals all of our lives between horses and cattle,” Porterfield said. “We have always had dogs. This is an exciting thing for us.”
As the idea of Fur Baby University was coming to life, Porterfield met Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis. They talked about their love of animals and even the mayor’s dogs Bippity, Boppity and Boe. Willis lives not far away from the new business — just across Tulane Creek. He is proud to see the Porterfields invest in a business and in Wetumpka.
“We are pleased they have chosen to do this,” Willis said. “There is a major investment here. We have never had anything like this. I think they will do well.”
Porterfield said Fur Baby already has “students” and is looking to expand the business soon.
“We have a bus coming for doggie pickup and drop off for daycare,” Porterfield said. “It is getting decorated and painted.”
The main mission of it all is the Porterfields want to help pet parents care for their “students” as family.
“We are just animal lovers,” Porterfield said.
