Listen to this articleDan’s Pet Care has opened its first cage-free boarding and doggy daycare center, in Glen Cove.
What started as a pet-walking service out of his parent’s basement 14 years ago, is now a 24/7 daycare space for pets, said Daniel Reitman, the company’s CEO and founder.
Reitman launched the company in 2009, after dropping out of college and spending several years working at Manhasset Animal Hospital.
“I was lucky enough to be able to turn my love of animals into not just a job, but an actual business,” she said. “I started with a few clients here and there on the weekend and before I knew it, I was hiring employees and growing the business all over the Island.”
Today, at the 5,000-square-foot center in Glen Cove, 4,000 square feet is dedicated to an indoor play area, while outside, there is another 2,000 square feet for play. The center features full-time staff, an on-call vet and a focus on “strict hygiene,” according to a press release about the new center. All team members receive pet first-aid and CPR training.
Pets get regular playtime at the center. In addition to daycare, the center offers grooming, training and other services, including flexible pickup times and a pet taxi.
The company, which has a digital focus and an avid social media following, now has 80 employees, and more than 3,500 clients, Reitman said. He hopes to expand services to Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as Queens, Brooklyn, and New Jersey, in addition to reopening in Connecticut.
“We’ve been looking for a long time to build our app and expand our facilities across the country,” he said.
The expansion of Dan’s Pet Care comes at a time when the pet care industry is growing. Since the pandemic, there have been 5 million more pets in the United States, according to a 2022 report by Morgan Stanley. Spending on pet services is expected to grow throughout the decade, reaching $118 billion by 2030, according to Morgan Stanley.
The company has grown its social media following to over 700,000 on YouTube, over 100,000 on Facebook and over 50,000 on Instagram. Engaging online content of pets and their antics led to coverage in People, The Dodo, as well as network news.
Still, Reitman hasn’t forgotten his roots.
“We were in my parents’ basement from 2009 to 2016,” Reitman said of the company’s early beginnings.
“In 2016 we got a one-room office in Port Washington. In December of 2021, we leased our office in Manhasset where we have a production studio and lots of office space. We also opened our office in Brooklyn last summer of 2020,” he said.
The company opened its doors in Glen Cove to the public on Dec. 18, he said.
COVID, he said, has hit the company hard. That’s when people are at home, and don’t need dog-walkers. Layoffs immediately followed.
“After I fired the whole company, we had to crawl back from zero,” he said.
Now, as the company returns to growth mode, Reitman says he’s keeping his focus on safety.
“Safety is our number-one priority, always has been and always will be,” he said. “I put my name on this business because I stand by what we do and that is to give pet parents peace of mind.”
To help dogs and cats in need, the center has installed an 85-inch monitor in its lobby, featuring those available for adoption at Cove Animal Rescue, and Gatto’s Pups so that these animals can find new homes.
Until January 31, the center is holding a giveaway – a whole year of doggy daycare. The company is also partnering with BarkBox, The Farmer’s Dog and other local businesses for additional giveaways.
These days, Reitman is thankful.
“I was a handful as a kid,” he said. “I was in rehab at 16 and struggled with drug abuse in my late teens and early twenties. I was fortunate enough to clean up my act and incorporate that addiction into this business. I eat, breathe and sleep in what we do. Some may say I’m obsessed but I feel like I’ve found my calling.”
