Offering pet care and community service since 2009
 
Nina Race, co-owner of Spa Paw & Tail in New Berlin, introduced us to her business and business philosophy during our meeting on Sept. 24.
 
Opened in 2009, Spa Paw & Tail offers a full array of grooming and spa services (including facials and nail trims), play time and boarding. While it caters mostly to dogs, they will take care of your cat as well.
 
It was back in the '80s that Nina conceived of a place "where people can bring their dogs and play."
 
"People told me I was crazy," she says. She stuck with her idea, doing research and visiting other facilities. She and her husband opened Spa Paw & Tail in August 2009. It was an immediate success, and has seen double-digit growth each year. Ninety percent of their clientele live in the city. "New Berlin has been really supportive," Nina says.
 
They recently purchased their building, which will allow them to expand from 9,300 to 21,000 square feet. Nina says they hope to add workshops and other presentations to an enhanced operations.
 
Devoted to our community, they organized a Strut Your Mutt walk at Malone Park last October. The event raised $2,800 for the police department's K-9 unit. One hundred people participated during that event; Nina hopes to double the attendance this year.
 
Nina is particularly proud of their emphasis on hiring military veterans, the unemployed and those with disabilities. "I think it's therapeutic to work with pets," she says.
 
With winter approaching, Nina advises pet owners to take care of the paws. Simple treatments like warm water and honey alleviate the effects of the cold weather. "The main thing is taking care of their feet," she says.
------------------------------------------------------------
Also during this meeting, club president Scott Klaas presented a check for $2,000 to Natalie Baertschy, Music Chair of the School District of New Berlin. We raised these funds during our KIDS From Wisconsin concert on Aug. 22. Natalie says they will be used for instruments in the elementary general music classrooms.
 
"This truly is a gift that benefits many," Natalie says. "We look forward to our continued partnership with the New Berlin Rotary Club."