1 of 4
Amanda Wilbourne, the owner of the Nautical Dog, walks with her son Aidan and their dog Arrow in New Town.
2 of 4
Brad Cole and hisNewfoundland, Candyman, enjoy walking DoG Street.
3 of 4
St. Francis Pet Resort offers pet daycare as well as a spa that gives enhanced grooming and sensory experiences.
4 of 4
LaDean Gordon, owner of Purrocious Styles Feline Designs, bathes and grooms cats.
When Amanda Wilbourne arrives at work, there are often nose prints on her shop window. Wilbourne owns the Nautical Dog in New Town and those smudges are made during the morning walks of four-legged visitors who know that the store is a honey hole of treats. Master and pup frequently return later during business hours to sample the wares.
Indeed, companion animals feel lots of local love because the Historic Triangle is such a pet-friendly place. Part of that strong bond has its origin in who we are as a community— friendly neighbors with the means and motivation to shepherd our own herd, no matter how small. But part of it, too, is our sense of place, and the opportunities around us to foster an active, meaningful relationship with the animals we love.
Veterinarian Pamela Dumont owns Godspeed Animal Care and St. Francis Pet Resort & Rehabilitation Center. She said that the population of the Historic Triangle is generally well-educated, which means that residents not only have the wherewithal to keep companion animals, but also to seek out resources to keep them happy and healthy.
A growing nationwide awareness in the needs of domestic animals has been especially pronounced in the HistoricTriangle.
“In general, the dynamics of the family pet have changed in the last decade,” said Kelly O’Connor, hospital administrator for Godspeed. “There’s been increasing interest in the well-being of pets, and that includes their socialization.”
St. Francis Pet Resort is one example of boarding and daycare facilities that accommodate people who want to indulge their pets in luxurious experiences. Included there is pet daycare that offers ongoing stimulation, as well as a spa that gives enhanced grooming and sensory experiences.
O’Connor said that social media and online resources help make for more informed decisions outside of boarding and daycare, as with food choices. Increasing connectivity also offers numerous opportunities to find pet-friendly places and events, as well as unique or adventurous experiences that might not have been so readily accessible a short time ago.
Those are the types of people and animals that Wilbourne aims to serve at the Nautical Dog. Following the trend of better awareness of ingredients, Wilbourne puts a lot of effort into offering natural and holistic products.
“We’re in an age where people aren’t okay with just buying any food,” she said. “They want to know where it comes from.”
The treats she offers reflect the eagerness among patrons to pamper their animals. Among the favorites are doggie ice cream, a mix-and-match cookie bar and holiday-themed treats for special occasions, such as Halloween.
Many local establishments such as St. Francis and the Nautical Dog also cater to cats, as a sizable percentage of Williamsburg-area pet owners prefer feline friends.
That’s exactly the market that LaDean Gordon captures. Gordon owns and operates Purrocious Styles Feline Designs, a cat-only salon and boarding facility on Route 17 between Tabb and Grafton. Gordon, who is a Certified Feline Master Groomer, said that cats are popular in greater Williamsburg, especially among the region’s large retired population.
“For someone who is looking for independent companion they can cuddle with and a pet that can share their home, a cat is perfect. They don’t require as much attention and are often less demanding,” she said.
Gordon’s feline exclusivity maintains a mellow vibe without dogs barking in the background. But cats’ relative nonchalance doesn’t mean that their fans don’t get a wild hair from time to time. Some of Gordon’s human clients get a mani-pedi then bring in their cat for matching vinyl caps. Male clients sometimes deck out kitty’s claws in their favorite team colors.
This flair reflects an ethos that not only embraces pets as part of the local culture but celebrates the companion animals as part of personal and local identity.
Several years ago, Colonial Williamsburg launched a campaign to accentuate Duke of Gloucester Street’s longtime nickname, DoG Street. The museum adopted a mascot, a Briard named Liberty, that planners incorporated into programming. Heritage Humane Society also helped organized community dog walks along DoG Street to help raise money and awareness for the shelter.
Pets are part of other community keystones, too. The annual Williamsburg Christmas Parade often includes appearances by organized breed groups. Among those participants is the Colonial Newfoundland Club, an association of Newfoundland owners from Virginia to Maryland.
The Newfoundland is a large dog, bred long ago to pull fishing nets and haul cargo. Indeed, that’s how parade onlookers will find Newfoundlands as they march in the parade, sporting seasonal accessories and pulling holiday-themed carts rather than maritime gear.
Brad Cole is a Williamsburg resident and member of the Colonial Newfoundland Club who participated in the parade for a decade, both walking in the parade and taking photographs.
“The main reason I chose a Newfoundland is the temperament,”he said.
Although the dog presents a striking, burly appearance, with average adult males being greater than 130 pounds, Cole said that properly brought up and cared for, they are kind and gentle animals.
“As a matter of fact, temperament is one of the first things mentioned in the Newfoundland’s American Kennel Club Breed Standard.”
Aside from the chance to participate in community events in the Historic Triangle, there are ample opportunities nearby to afford family dogs the wide-open space they need to get proper exercise. Parks such as York River State Park in James City County and New Quarter Park in York County have miles of hiking trails. Waller Mill Park, in Williamsburg’s city limits, has an enclosed dog park where canines and owners alike can mingle or try their paws at agility gear.
O’Connor, of Godspeed, said that such focused attention on the family pet indicates that more people are embracing animals as an important part of their lives, and the HistoricTriangle is a place that allows that identity to flourish.
“People are including dogs in adventurous activities such as traveling and camping. They’re even including them in wedding photos,” she said. “Pets are really much more a part of the family now.”
Colonial Newfoundland Club • cncnewfs.com
Godspeed Animal Care and St. Francis Pet Resort & Rehabilitation Center • 757-253-0656 • godspeedanimalcare.com
Heritage Humane Society • 757-221-0150 • heritagehumanesociety.org
Purrocious Styles Feline Designs • 971-808-CATS (2287) • purrociousstyles.com