Moving Mountains for Pets (and Their People)
An Interview with Pet Lodge Owner Steve Sewell
On a not-so-long-ago October night in Truckee, CA, temperatures were hovering around 38 degrees Fahrenheit, and snow was most definitely in the forecast.
“It’s an interesting place from a weather standpoint,” says Steve Sewell, owner of Truckee-Tahoe Pet Lodge, with a chuckle. A slight understatement for a destination that can cull up to 204 inches of snow annually. It’s just part of what makes Tahoe a huge draw with skiing and nature enthusiasts, who regularly flock to nearby recreation spots like Lake Tahoe and Reno. They love the interesting weather.
And now, thanks to Steve, the dogs can come along too.
Currently celebrating 15 years of business, Truckee-Tahoe Pet Lodge is a 15,000-square-foot facility offering dog and cat boarding, along with dog daycare. Their main differentiator? Tahoe makes vacationing (and hitting the slopes) with one’s pets a snap; over the decade, they’ve ensured that animal lovers have access to their best pals whenever and however they want while vacationing, whether care is needed for just a few hours, a whole day, or several nights.
But getting to this point wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.
A VACATION STATE OF MIND
Before pet care, Steve sold industrial electronics in Silicon Valley for almost 30 years. Semiconductors, not schnauzers, were his bread and butter while he worked for a notable distributor. Then the economy changed and Steve thought about a pivot.
Steve’s wife Laura was instrumental in the decision to purchase a small pet care facility in the small Californian town of Newcastle, on the other side of the Sierras. The “Mom and Pop”-style outfit wasn’t big enough to support adequate personnel, however, and the ensuing workload soon overwhelmed Steve and his wife.
“We couldn’t take time off,” he recalls. “We had great clients, but it just wasn’t working.”
Then, in 2010, Laura saw an existing boarding business in the breathtaking Truckee mountains for sale. And something clicked.
“We’ve always had pets. Whenever we’d take vacations, we’d have to rely on sitters—and as many people know, that’s so unreliable. Not that sitters are bad; they’re just in so much demand. If you want to use them, you have to schedule them months in advance. It was always such a pain to find someone. You would call the person you wanted, and they couldn’t come. Then they’d refer you to two others, and, well, they were busy too. A boarding facility specifically for vacationers seemed like such a good idea. To this day, so many of our customers are people who couldn’t find a sitter.”
Almost half of Truckee’s customers hail from various places in Northern California, says Steve, primarily the San Francisco Bay Area.
“What happens is they want to come up to Lake Tahoe for vacation or the weekend or whatever, and the places they’re staying at, for one reason or another, don’t accept pets. But they want to have their dogs with them to go for hikes and enjoy Lake Tahoe.”
Also, the reality is that a truly pet-friendly hotel is a rarity. Pet owners and their animals require amenities that ensure dogs and cats feel welcome and relaxed. It’s a tall order, but one that Truckee-Tahoe Pet Lodge fulfills in spades, complete with spacious accommodations, ample playtimes, and continuity of care delivered by animal-loving pros.
“We’re the perfect solution,” Steve says.
HOW TRUCKEE MAKES IT EASY TO TREAT YOURSELF (AND YOUR PETS)
Steve and the rest of the Truckee crew pride themselves on high-end service and accouterments geared toward all guests. Truckee-Tahoe has it all: comprehensive boarding, daycare, and bathing services, dedicated pet areas, comfy bedding, and complimentary toys and treats. They even provide nightly tuck-ins for good boys and girls.
“Our rooms and enclosures are not kennels,” he says. “Pet owners come in and look at their dog’s accommodations and say, ‘Wow, this is nicer than where we’re staying.’ We want the dogs to feel at home here. And we have a ton of long-term customers, so I think we’ve achieved that goal.”
The pet lodge, he notes, currently employees about 25 pet care coordinators, with nearly half having been with the company for five years or more.
Steve is thrilled with the team he’s assembled. His manager and co-manager cover day-to-day operations (“They are awesome—I’m really lucky to have them”), while he handles behind-the-scenes financials and staffing.
“We have an amazing staff. And I’m happy to provide work for them. I love what they’re doing, and I’m happy my business gives them an opportunity.”
AN AWESOME THING
While Steve notes that the initial years of pet lodge ownership were somewhat challenging, Truckee-Tahoe has gained its footing over a decade and is proud to offer vacationers with pet care peace of mind year-round.
Still, he offers a few words of advice for industry newbies, as well as those who have been in the game for years. He says the key to success lies in assembling a good, hard-working crew and putting people and their pets first.
“It’s all about providing a good service at a good price and being good enough that people want to come back,” he says. “Most days, I spend some time in our lobby. It’s amazing how many customers pull me aside when they find out I’m the owner. They tell me how much they love the place, how much they love the staff, and how much their dogs love coming here. It’s an awesome thing.”