THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408190274
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover story
SOURCE: BY ROBYNE R. COOKE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 144 lines
LUCY SCHACK RECENTLY returned to Chesapeake from Nova Scotia, where she had accompanied one of her clients on a business trip.
The traveler was a short-haired pointer named Kabooski.
Making travel arrangements for animals is just one of many special services Schack's Chalquest Hilton Kennels offers, but it's quickly becoming one of the most popular. With a large number of business and military people transferring in and out of the Hampton Roads area, there is always a demand for her services, said Schack.
When pet owners are relocating to another city, it is often more convenient for them to go ahead, leaving the family pet behind while they look for housing. The pet can follow after they are settled in the new place.
Suzanne Brown, who is in the Canadian armed forces, wanted to do just that. She and her husband drove to Nova Scotia and spent a month in a hotel while they looked for a new home. They left Kabooski in Schack's care so he could prepare for his trip to join them later.
``The better prepared the animal is to make the journey, the better he'll be when he reaches his destination,'' Schack explained.
To combat the natural anxieties a pet may have, Schack introduces the pet to the crate it will travel in on the plane, gradually increasing time spent in the crate until the animal feels completely comfortable. If a trip will take 14 hours to complete, for example, Schack makes sure they are used to spending 14 hours at a time in the crate.
Schack also takes the pet on frequent ``field trips'' to the airport so they can grow accustomed to the sights, sounds and smells of planes and airport activity.
``By the time they're ready to go, they're not basket cases,'' she said.
Any necessary health certificates, vaccinations, quarantines and paperwork are researched and organized by Schack as well. Owners can handle as much or as little of the travel arrangements as they prefer, since Schack's goal is to make them happy. Each program is customized to the owner's specific wishes, she said.
One option is for Schack to travel with the animal, so she can take it out for a walk and fresh air if there are any layovers en route to their destination. If there is a plane change, she has airport personnel double-check to be sure the animal has made it onto the plane.
``Though I've never had a problem, I'd be the airlines' worst nightmare if the animal weren't on that plane. It wouldn't take off,'' she said firmly.
``The dog or cat is my responsibility until the owner calls me and says `We have him, and he's fine.' ''
Brown, who is now settled in Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, said Schack's service was well worth the money because of the time and worry she saved. Kabooski's trip cost the Browns about $2,000, which included 45 days of boarding, travel arrangements and air fare for Schack and the dog.
But prices vary greatly, said Schack, depending on the number of days boarded, the distance traveled, the services required and whether the pet travels with or without a human companion.
``He's like our kid,'' Brown said of Kabooski. ``He had to come.''
In the year and a half since Schack started the pet travel service, she has made arrangements for animals traveling to Japan, New Mexico, California, Canada, Nova Scotia and Hawaii.
Schack said owners often don't know what's best for animals who must travel. For example, she said dogs should never be given food while on a plane, just a small dish of water. Though many people might think a variety of chew toys would help ease the boredom of long flights, they can actually be dangerous because the animal could choke and no one would be available to help it, she said.
Before take-off, Schack makes sure that the animal's cage is padlocked and that identification is secured to the outside. She removes collars so there is no threat of the animal strangling.
Schack said it is safer for animals to travel as excess baggage on an airplane rather than as cargo. If they travel as cargo, animals can wait up to seven hours between connecting flights. In extremely hot or cold weather, that could be dangerous, not to mention a strain on the animal's nerves.
Schack doesn't take her responsibility lightly. Her love of animals has been lifelong.
Since she opened her business in the mid-1970s, it has grown into a 3,600-square-foot, animal-friendly facility at 2525 St. Brides Road. The well-appointed kennels have indoor-outdoor runs and lushly landscaped lawns with benches and shade trees. The 5 1/2-acre campus features a walking trail where Schack and her full-time manager, Sharon Fisher, exercise the boarders.
``A lot of these dogs have been coming here since they were puppies,'' she said.
Extras such as daily brushing, Frisbee or ball playtime, vitamin supplements, gourmet meals and padded sleeping cushions are offered for a moderate fee.
``We've never had a dog that wouldn't come through that door. If I can do it for you, I will,'' boasted Schack.
She is currently boarding some cockateels in addition to several dogs. In the past, there have been cats, gerbils, ducks and even a pot-bellied pig. The only animals she won't accept are snakes and monkeys.
``I don't like snakes, and monkeys can carry diseases,'' she explained.
``We've used her services since about 1982 because she offers a really safe and pleasant environment. She even sends our pets Christmas cards,'' said Chris Rowland, a Chesapeake resident. ``They even call your vet to make sure you're up to date on shots before you bring your pet in. We always recommend her to other people.''
Schack said: ``People are not just paying us to house their pets. They're paying for that secure feeling.''
To demonstrate her point, she read a postcard that one customer had sent to her own pets, Caramel and Hershey. ``That happens all the time,'' she laughed.
Other services offered by the kennel include bathing, grooming and day care, as well as ``AftaCare,'' a special program for animals who have had surgery and may need special attention while their owners are at work. A whelping center serves those owners who are inexperienced or squeamish about helping their pet deliver babies.
``After delivery and a final OK by the vet, mom and babies are ready to go home,'' said Schack.
Chalquest Hilton Kennels teemed with activity as birds chirped, dogs barked and owners arrived and departed. The telephone rang again, and Schack laughed as she answered it.
``I wish someone would bring me a bird that would help me answer the phone,'' she said. MEMO: More information on Chalquest Hilton Kennels is available by calling
421-7411.More information on Chalquest Hilton Kennels is available by
calling 421-7411.
ILLUSTRATION: Photos by L. TODD SPENCER
Lucy Schack, owner of Chalquest Hilton Kennels, gets Yogi accustomed
to the cage in which the dog will travel.[color cover photo]
From left, Lucy Schack, owner of Chalquest Hilton Kennels on St.
Brides Road, and Susan Gladstone watch trainer Kay Walters work with
her sheltie, Teo.
A whippet has plenty of room to run at Chalquest. The kennel's 5
1/2-acre campus has indoor-outdoor runs and a walking trail where
boarders are exercised.
Ginger finds the purr-fect place to get attention from employee
Sharon Fisher while owner Lucy Schack watches.
Meghann, a 2-year-old collie, gets a grooming session from Susan
Gladstone at Chalquest Hilton Kennel.
by CNB