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Pet day cares lending a helping hand amid COVID-19 outbreak

Happy Hounds is also giving discounts to health care workers and first responders – looking out for those looking after the rest of us.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Local businesses are stepping up to help pets, from discounts for health care workers to gathering food for folks who are having trouble feeding their furry friends.

Open and still caring for pets at Happy Hounds Dog Resorts. The On Your Side team has been following the business since December 2018 when a storm led to this Beach Boulevard strip mall roof collapse.

Happy Hounds was a tenant down the line from the damage but was forced out when the city deemed the entire structure unsafe. In March 2019, we saw the business in a new space -- rebuilding. Now it's Spring 2020, and coronavirus is the latest issue to contend with.

“We’ve got a responsibility to be there for their needs again, our first responders, right now things are very tough and a lot of places are closing their doors but we owe it to the community to stay open,” Happy Hounds Dog Resorts owner Brian Dineen said.

He explained despite a noticeable amount of business missing – it won’t mean layoffs or impact employees.

“They’re our family and we need to make sure they’re taken care of and so that’s another reason that we think it’s so important to stay open,” Dineen said.

Happy Hounds is also giving discounts to healthcare workers and first responders – looking out for those looking after the rest of us.

And that’s not the only company giving back.

The On Your Side team also spoke with Sawgrass Pet Resort in Ponte Vedra. A collection of wet and dry food already stacking-up showing that for those unable to feed their pet – there is help.

Both companies say they’ve upped cleaning and distancing practices: offering to collect pets curbside just to add another protective measure.

“We’re all in this together, it’s a stressful time and we’re here just like a lot of people are trying to alleviate some of that stress,” Dineen said.

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