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HELP US KEEP OUR DOORS OPEN…
After 30 years in IT, I took an early retirement and invested my life savings (over $300,000) to pursue my dream... and I opened my first business, BuffDog Canine Fitness Center in March 2014. I spent six years developing this concept while working my full time IT job AND working part time at a pet store to gain my Dog Training certification and started conducting dog training classes. Now I am at my wits end because I am running out of money and need YOUR help to keep our doors open.
HERE’S HOW THINGS WENT…
Once the business plan was complete, I spent 3 months working with a realtor just to find a building that would approve my business concept. After signing the lease in May 2013, I immediately applied for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) so that I could make the necessary building modifications and open the doors. I hired part time dog trainers, solicited volunteers to help implement the business plan, and have contracted several professionals along the way to assist with every aspect of getting this business off of the ground. All have worked tirelessly to see that no detail was overlooked…
AND NOW THE RED TAPE…
The CUP is required by the city of Santa Ana to authorize a business to have dogs on the premises. Getting the city to sign off on my CUP took 9 months!!! You may wonder why it took so long. Well, one of the conditions the city imposed on my CUP was for ME to pave the city street in front of the building. Yes, truly! I was mortified. The funny thing is I attempted to find contractors/companies to fill the request. Here's the rub - no private contractors would pave city streets and no company that provided work on city projects would work with a private citizen. It took me additional months to get the city to waive that requirement! I was, however, REQUIRED to install $11,000 worth of lights on top of the building (which I do not own) to satisfy another requirement to get my CUP approved. AND FINALLY… after 11 months of paying rent on a building that was generating no revenue, I was finally able to open my doors in March 2014.
PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN…
So here I am today… It has been my dream to have a place where dogs - any dogs – can go and have fun; where dog trainers can come in and have a place to hold their classes LEGALLY; where dogs can run off leash without the fear of bothering other people or other dogs; and where rescue groups can get the assistance they need with the dogs in their possession.
I have installed special flooring in the the 13,000 square foot at a cost of over $60,000, purchased supplies and equipment, paid over $100,000 in rents and deposits, hired professionals and paid part time salaries, paid utility costs etc. and have not taken a salary myself. We have a beautiful facility and now need additional operating capital to keep our doors open.
PLEASE HELP. No donation is too small. If you can't participate financially, please post/share this link with your friends, family and any organization/Facebook page you can think of. Your donation or social media share helps me and the others who have tirelessly assisted in this dream, to continue to provide a place where dogs can experience a full gamut of activities in a clean safe environment.
HERE’S A LITTLE MORE ABOUT US…
BuffDog Canine Fitness Center is an indoor facility devoted entirely to the good health of dogs through exercise, training, and behavior modification. Our programs include providing access to dog sports, assisting in rehabilitating troubled dogs, and just having a good time.
With the size of the facility – 13,000 square foot open rooms - dogs can come to our facility that are overweight, have aggression issues, who are fearful or who lack socialization, and the open space allows them to expend their energy and with free access to the agility equipment and treadmills, they have the ability to achieve an overall healthy lifestyle.
buffdogfitness.com
https://www.facebook.com/buffdogfitness
After 30 years in IT, I took an early retirement and invested my life savings (over $300,000) to pursue my dream... and I opened my first business, BuffDog Canine Fitness Center in March 2014. I spent six years developing this concept while working my full time IT job AND working part time at a pet store to gain my Dog Training certification and started conducting dog training classes. Now I am at my wits end because I am running out of money and need YOUR help to keep our doors open.
HERE’S HOW THINGS WENT…
Once the business plan was complete, I spent 3 months working with a realtor just to find a building that would approve my business concept. After signing the lease in May 2013, I immediately applied for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) so that I could make the necessary building modifications and open the doors. I hired part time dog trainers, solicited volunteers to help implement the business plan, and have contracted several professionals along the way to assist with every aspect of getting this business off of the ground. All have worked tirelessly to see that no detail was overlooked…
AND NOW THE RED TAPE…
The CUP is required by the city of Santa Ana to authorize a business to have dogs on the premises. Getting the city to sign off on my CUP took 9 months!!! You may wonder why it took so long. Well, one of the conditions the city imposed on my CUP was for ME to pave the city street in front of the building. Yes, truly! I was mortified. The funny thing is I attempted to find contractors/companies to fill the request. Here's the rub - no private contractors would pave city streets and no company that provided work on city projects would work with a private citizen. It took me additional months to get the city to waive that requirement! I was, however, REQUIRED to install $11,000 worth of lights on top of the building (which I do not own) to satisfy another requirement to get my CUP approved. AND FINALLY… after 11 months of paying rent on a building that was generating no revenue, I was finally able to open my doors in March 2014.
PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN…
So here I am today… It has been my dream to have a place where dogs - any dogs – can go and have fun; where dog trainers can come in and have a place to hold their classes LEGALLY; where dogs can run off leash without the fear of bothering other people or other dogs; and where rescue groups can get the assistance they need with the dogs in their possession.
I have installed special flooring in the the 13,000 square foot at a cost of over $60,000, purchased supplies and equipment, paid over $100,000 in rents and deposits, hired professionals and paid part time salaries, paid utility costs etc. and have not taken a salary myself. We have a beautiful facility and now need additional operating capital to keep our doors open.
PLEASE HELP. No donation is too small. If you can't participate financially, please post/share this link with your friends, family and any organization/Facebook page you can think of. Your donation or social media share helps me and the others who have tirelessly assisted in this dream, to continue to provide a place where dogs can experience a full gamut of activities in a clean safe environment.
HERE’S A LITTLE MORE ABOUT US…
BuffDog Canine Fitness Center is an indoor facility devoted entirely to the good health of dogs through exercise, training, and behavior modification. Our programs include providing access to dog sports, assisting in rehabilitating troubled dogs, and just having a good time.
With the size of the facility – 13,000 square foot open rooms - dogs can come to our facility that are overweight, have aggression issues, who are fearful or who lack socialization, and the open space allows them to expend their energy and with free access to the agility equipment and treadmills, they have the ability to achieve an overall healthy lifestyle.
buffdogfitness.com
https://www.facebook.com/buffdogfitness