“This is goodbye,” thundered a Facebook post from the Qimmiq dog kennel on Monday, sending fear into the hearts of hundreds of Yellowknifers.
Qimmiq is among the handful of dog boarding facilities relied upon by Yellowknife families to take care of pets while they’re on vacation, dealing with an emergency or otherwise too preoccupied to prioritize the pooch.
You can relax: Qimmiq isn’t going anywhere.
The new owners are Christy and Greg Lewylle, who have now formally taken over. The goodbye is from Jo Kelly and partner Shane.
For 16 years, Jo has been the face of Qimmiq, which began in 2008 when one of Shane’s co-workers needed somewhere to house their dog for a week.
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“His owners were so enthusiastic about this care that they told friends and other co-workers, and soon others were approaching us to care for their dogs, wanting us to keep them fit and happy,” the two wrote in an update early on Monday.
“We didn’t really know what ‘doggy day care’ was until we started one. It was kind-of embarrassing.”
The outgoing owners say they will spend more time with family – and with Jo’s own dog team.
“Qimmiq Kennels was created by accident, but it turned out to be the best decision of our lives,” Jo and Shane wrote.
“We hope you will continue to support the business we built with the new owners, Christy and Greg, on their own incredible journey with the best darn dog kennel in the Canadian North.”
