Canine Cabana Cares for Military, Domestic Dogs

Angie Frazier and Kendall Duncan may be working with less challenging animals these days, but their job hasn't become simpler because of it.

The pair of former Busch Gardens zookeepers spent years with hyenas, lions, tigers and elephants, but these days, their four-legged friends are of the domestic variety. As owners of Riverview's , Frazier and Duncan are challenged each day with the task of caring for other people's dogs, socializing them properly and keeping them out of trouble while their owners are at work.

"We have over 25 years of experience of animal care, and there was a need in this area for this type of business," Frazier said. "We have been successful because we provide overnight stays, training, bathing and doggy day care. We love spending time with the dogs, but this job has been so rewarding because of how involved we've been able to become in the community."

With their passion for dogs, Canine Cabana's owners have gotten to work with the dogs serving in the military overseas as bomb detectors, patrol dogs and search and rescue specialists.

As sponsors of of the Project: Troop Dogs program, Canine Cabana has sent over 470 pounds of supplies such as blankets, dog beds, doggles (dog goggles), treats and toys to the 700 service pups stationed in the Middle East, as well as food and care packages to their handlers.

"We were looking for a way to give back to the community, and we are a big military based community in this area," Frazier said. "Project: Troop Dogs gave us a way to do something for dogs that the community could get behind, and it involved the military. I found it online, and it's been great because we get pictures of the dogs that we help from over there, and it's something I think our customers have enjoyed being involved with."

For the dogs that call the Canine Cabana facility their home away from home, the days are action packed with activity and other dogs.

"They play," Frazier says with a laugh when asked what the dogs typically do in a day. "We have a very well trained staff when it comes to understanding the dogs' behavior and figuring out what groups they belong in and making sure that the dogs are playing properly. Our constant supervision and behavioral assessment is what sets us apart."

It's been four years since they opened their doors at the one-acre facility on Carr Road in Riverview, and Canine Cabana's customer base continues to grow. Their biggest challenge has been to remember that what they do is a business first, no matter how much they care for the animals.

"We're still growing all the time, and we have to remember that this is a business," Frazier said. "We've done very well and we have to step back and remember that we weren't business people when we got into it, but in order to be here for a long time we have to act like business people."

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