Free dog “parking” offered to Granville Island guests

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It takes Drina Doyle about five minutes to walk to Granville Island from her home with her three-year-old Havanese, Rogue, depending on whether her dog “wants to sniff or not.”

But these walks always stop at the gates of the public market. Dogs are not allowed where food is served or sold, so Doyle can’t come in to get coffee or ingredients for dinner.

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But thanks to smart dog stations recently installed at Granville Island, Doyle can now safely leave Rogue while she goes shopping.

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“The first time we put it on for three minutes to see how he would react,” she explained. “We left him a blanket and a treat and he really likes it.

“Now, even when we’re in the zone, he tries to get in. He associates it with ‘I can take a walk’ and ‘My humans will come back.'”

PetParker Canada CEO Adi Kabazo brought the idea from Brazil, where it was launched five years ago. Kabazo bet that businesses would be interested in offering a dog-friendly retail environment that could attract new customers and retain them.

There are 22 stations in more than a dozen locations across Metro Vancouver, including Stong’s, Save-on Foods and Urban Fare, with a few more in the works.

Like many entrepreneurs, Kabazo came up with the idea for PetParker after purchasing his first dog during the pandemic, a Golden Doodle named Sophie, and realizing he needed a place to park the pet for that he was doing his shopping on foot.

“My closest grocery store is seven blocks away,” he said. “If I can walk my dog ​​and grab a carton of milk, that’s one less car trip. »

Companies rent the modules on a subscription basis and pet owners can access the stations for free through the PetParker app.

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The steel nacelles are ventilated, temperature regulated and bolted to the ground. Designed for short stays, the spaces will accommodate small and medium-sized dogs weighing up to approximately 45 kg. Dogs must be at least six months old, clean, in good health and up to date on vaccinations.

Each station has an electronic app-controlled lock and a built-in camera allowing owners to view their pets.

In addition to regulations that prohibit dogs from entering food premises, municipalities like Vancouver prohibit leaving dogs unattended and tied to a bike rack or parking meter, although this is common practice. But dogs can become aggressive or anxious around other people, leading to negative human-dog interactions.

There is also a risk of dog theft, such as in a February incident in North Vancouver when a golden retriever was stolen from outside a pharmacy.

For non-food businesses, it is up to the owners to decide whether they want to allow dogs on their property. Some cannot do so due to safety concerns or potential liability issues. Others may prefer a dog-free environment, as not everyone is comfortable around dogs.

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PetParker provides flexibility and freedom for dog owners and helps create an accessible environment, Kabazo said.

“Rather than telling people you’re not welcome with your pet, tell them they’re welcome and we have a solution for you.” Your pet will be safe and protected and you won’t need to rush into the store and come out worrying that your dog is no longer there,” Kabazo said.

Data shows that pet owners use the modules between three minutes and an hour, with an average of around 15 minutes.

Granville Island has four modules – three outside the public market and one outside Net Loft – as part of a six-month pilot project to allow the owner, CMHC, to assess whether it is worth it .

A launch party will be held Saturday in the courtyard, with demonstrations and a question-and-answer session with a dog trainer.

So far, Kabazo said the Granville Island resorts have been popular with locals and tourists.

“It’s a beautiful place that anyone can visit, and for locals, there’s nothing like ending your walk with a coffee and a bagel.” But what do you do with your dog? Now we are changing that,” Kabazo said.

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