Under the principle of loving “all creatures great and small,” Northlea United Church at 125 Brentcliffe Rd. recently invited Pawsitively Pets owner Jennifer Ego to set up shop on the second floor of their premises.
“From our point of view, it fits in perfectly with the philosophy of our church,” says board member John Dundy, who helped spearhead the idea. “We already have dog training courses, and the blessing of animals.”
Pawsitively Pets hosts children’s parties, and even a camp, where children can interact with animals. Its former premises on Parkhurst was recently purchased by SmartCentre for development.
Both Dundy and Ego worked closely on renovations, including soundproofing the space so that the animals, including cockatoos, snakes, rabbits and chinchillas don’t disrupt either churchgoers or other tenants, including a Montessori School.
“We don’t keep dogs or cats because they need a home environment,” says Ego.
All the animals are rescues.