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'Some pet parents pull up in scrubs:' Dog-sitting service deemed essential

Like other dog-sitters, Durham's "Camp Bow Wow" was part of the city's "stay at home" order to help minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus until owners of the dog-sitting business explained how essential they are.

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By
Rick Armstrong
, WRAL photojournalist

A dog-care facility is now considered "essential" according to Durham city leaders.

At first, employees of Durham's "Camp Bow Wow" were part of the city's "stay at home" order to help minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus. That's when owners of the dog-sitting business explained how essential they are.

"A ton of Duke (health care) workers drop their dogs off here," said Ashley Hippensteel, manager of the franchise's Durham facility. She believes people like nurses are working crazy, long hours and shouldn't be distracted by dog care issues or infection risks when they drop off their dog.

"You're taking care of something that cannot take care of themselves--so, there are children, the elderly and then there's pets," Hippensteel said.

She said some pet parents pull up in scrubs.

"We are meeting them on the curb side so, you know, that way nobody has to come inside if they don't feel comfortable doing so," she said.

The dog-care business also offers pet owners a web-cam view of their pet's activity day or night, indoors or outdoors. "They can go in and out as much as they want so these guys get to enjoy the outside in this beautiful weather as well as the inside when it's not so nice out," said Hippensteel.

She says the company strongly promotes infection control and social distancing among their staff. They consider themselves an essential team in the fight against COVID-19.

​Hippensteel says many teachers also rely heavily on Camp Bow Wow to give their dogs a place to play while they conduct online classes from their home without interruptions.

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