New Hingham Business a One-Stop Dog Care Facility

From floor to ceiling and from day care to veterinarian services, Hingham native Wes Drew is focusing on making his new business Hingham Dog Care the "end all, be all of dog care facilities."

It can be difficult for dog owners to satisfy all their pet's needs in one place outside of major cities, and so last week Drew and his team launched Hingham Dog Care in an 11,500-square-foot location on Beal Street.

The business opened Oct. 1 and in the days since Drew has been focused on drafting a floor plan that will include space for pet supplies, grooming, day care, boarding and a wellness center where a part-time veterinarian will be available for basic care like shots and check-ups and for emergencies.

Hingham Dog Care took over the space previously occupied by A Fox & Hounds Pet Care. Drew put up a new fence around the front of the building, providing 5,000 square feet of play area in addition to the 6,500 square feet inside. 

By the end of this week, Drew said he will have his floor plans submitted to the building department and hopes to have most of the facility finalized within a few weeks. He will also seek a zoning variance to allow full veterinarian services, likely  by sometime next year. Canine physical therapy is also coming soon.

Laura Bach, one of only a few groomers licensed by the state and a longtime pet care worker, is already working at Hingham Dog Care, and will expand her space as construction there continues. Bach is also a certified grooming teacher and a qualified canine trainer.

Hingham Dog Care has day care services ranging from half a day to a monthly membership plan, and also overnight and drop-off and pick-up services. The staff maintains a maximum ratio of 10 dogs to one person.

Drew grew up in Hingham and graduated from Hingham High School. He went on to earn an entrepreneurial bachelor's degree and an MBA from Suffolk University. While consulting with a marine engineering company in Florida, he volunteered with a dog rescue operation and decided to start Hingham Dog Care when he returned north.

For Drew, the dog care company is both a business and a passion. He is constructing the inside of the facility with an eye on safety and cleanliness, moving electrical outlets out of reach, cleaning the HVAC system, installing new doors for smooth dog play transitions and building walls that have aluminum or plastic at the bottom to avoid chewing and liquid saturation.

"There's no reason the South Shore can't have a great one-stop shopping dog care facility," Drew said.

Visit http://hinghamdogcare.com for more information.