In 2010, Karissa Schreurs incorporated her small business, KMS Enterprises, LLC, and began operating Canine County Club as an all-inclusive, “home away from home” for the Des Moines Metro’s friendliest residents. Since then, Canine Country Club has grown into West Des Moines’ largest dog daycare facility, with close to 11,000 square feet for local pups to spend their days playing while their humans work, enjoying the hotel and spa when the humans leave town, and going to “school” for everything from basic puppy obedience up to advanced “college level” courses for competitive obedience, agility and more. Wandro & Associates' office dog, Moose (check out his profile on our website here), often spends his days relaxing at Canine Country Club when his owner is in trial!
With the growth of Karissa’s business has come constantly changing legal needs and she has worked with the attorneys at Wandro & Associates, P.C., to help navigate the increasingly complex environment that small business owners face.
Canine County Club (and other “doggy daycares”) are regulated in Iowa through the Iowa Department of Agriculture. In 2019, dog daycares faced new regulations that could have been catastrophic to the industry’s ability to continue to provide their clients with needed services. Karissa spearheaded an effort by group owners and industry leaders to help ensure that the daycares would be allowed to continue to operate and provide the services their customers desired. Karissa and the other dog daycare owners worked with the Government Relations department at Wandro & Associates to fully understand the proposed regulations, propose a mutually beneficial solution to the regulators and continue to work with members of the Iowa legislature to find solutions that provide for the safety of pets while allowing these businesses to grow and meet the needs of their customers. The Government Relations department at Wandro & Associates has experienced lobbyists with knowledge of the laws and working relationships with both sides of the political aisle, allowing clients to navigate the complex and everchanging landscape of legislation and regulation.
Canine County Club was experiencing unprecedented growth through January and February of this year. However, just like the huge corporations on Wall Street, small businesses faced a mortal threat with the outbreak of COVID-19 in March of this year. With social distancing, work from home and limited travel, the need for pet services plummeted overnight.
Karissa, like most small business owners, faced tough decisions. Would she have to lay off her employees who depended on their jobs at Canine County Club to pay their rent and put food on their tables? Default on her lease and risk eviction and the end of her business? No, Karissa was going to find solutions to keep Canine Country Club open, and her employees and rent paid.
Karissa worked with the Small Business attorneys at Wandro & Associates to stay on the cutting edge of the available programs to help keep her business open. Wandro & Associates guided Karissa to help determine if temporary work reductions through Iowa Workforce Development could provide benefits to her employees. Karissa applied for an received an Iowa Small Business Relief Grant as well as a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the SBA. Working with her attorneys, Karissa was able to find a solution to keep her employees on staff and paid during these uncertain economic times and keep her business open.
While we aren’t through the woods of COVID-19 yet, we can now start to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. By working with Wandro & Associates to stay up to date on the quickly changing laws and programs available to small businesses, Canine Country Club is well positioned to come through this economic disaster still standing.
If your dog needs a home away from home, you can contact Karissa through the website for Canine Country Club at https://www.ccc-wdm.com. If you or your small business needs legal assistance, you can contact the attorneys at Wandro & Associates through this website or by calling 515-281-1475.
Have questions? We have answers.
Call us at 515-281-1475 or email us at akanne@2501grand.com.