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I always tell my kids to make sure, when they grow up, to pick a career they will love.
So in honor of the recent Labor Day weekend, I want to highlight a woman who did just that, changing her career based on her love for animals.
In June, Cassie Scofield opened a business called Camp Bow Wow. She and her staff have been pampering dogs of Cabarrus County ever since.
“My family has always had dogs our entire lives … not to mention fish, ferrets, birds, turtles, snakes and more,” Scofield said.
Scofield has had a number of jobs over the years, including teaching English and journalism at A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis.
“I knew quickly that it was not the job for me,” she said. “After stints of teaching, newspaper writing and three years as a spa manager, I got a little restless and started researching careers working with animals.”
She said, “I've had dogs my entire life, love going to the zoo and am just an animal person in general. I did months of research, from vet school to zoo keeping, and came across Camp Bow Wow.”
The dogs are treated with the utmost care and protection. “Our brand-new 8,000-square-foot camp is always between 64 and 78 degrees to keep our furry friends comfortable,” Scofield said.
The camp has solid security. “We have live Camper Cams in all of our play yards, so guardians can log onto our Web site and check in on their pets while they're away,” she said. “We also have 24/7 fire, security and temperature control monitoring.”
The dogs have a lot of freedom and seem to have a great time there.
“Dogs are always off leash in our all-day play environment and can go inside and outside as they please to use the bathroom and romp and play,” Scofield said. “All dogs participate in our day camp program, and campers only retire to their overnight cabins if they are eating or sleeping.”
For more information, visit www.campbowwow.com/concord, or just show up and the staff will give you a tour anytime. It's located at 8010 Myint Lane, Suite 110, Concord, off Odell School Road.
A “Grand Opening Hoedown” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday will be a day of festivities, with free pizza and wings. DJs from the KAT Country radio station will be there, as well as caricature artist Eric Melton; a portion of Melton's sales will be donated to the Humane Society of Concord and Greater Cabarrus County. And don't forget to bring your dog.
“This lets our clients know that they can come on out to camp to have a laid-back, doggone good time with their pups,” Scofield said.
Freelance columnist Linda Doherty (northwestcabarrus@gmail.com) writes from her home in Moss Creek Village.
