The Pet Station Country Club puts pets’ comfort first

Contemporary services, high-efficient construction puts four-legged guests — and their owners — at ease.

Pet owners take to heart their role as caregiver, and they want what’s best for their furry friends. When pet care services are needed, the owners and staff at The Pet Station Country Club treat each four-legged guest who walks through their doors as their own.

“We really wanted to understand what makes pets most comfortable while trying to be mindful of how much energy we’re consuming,” said owner Rebecca Blackburn, who opened the facility in March 2017 with her husband Paul, brother Adam Barr and co-owner Scott Burnley.

The Blackburns and Burnley recognized the need for a variety of pet services in Louisville. The Pet Station Country Club offers customized training, grooming, daycare and boarding services catering to a wide variety of owners’ and pets’ interests and needs.

They seem to be on to something. Americans spent $69.5 billion last year — more than ever before — on their pets, according to American Pet Products Association.

Before beginning construction three years ago, the Blackburns, Barr and Burnley factored into their plans high-efficiency upgrades, installing all LED lighting and choosing a high-efficiency HVAC system with UV-lighting technology to treat airborne germs.

Their homework ahead of time is paying off. They run other successful businesses too, including The Pet Station Country Club and Boutique in Norton Commons, so they are able to compare their facilities and see benefits.

“Even though this building is about five to six times bigger than our other buildings and operates 24 hours a day, our energy bill is still significantly lower,” said Blackburn. “We know it (the savings) all has to do with the technology we used, the LED lighting and our HVAC system.”

Blackburn added they’ve yet to change an LED bulb in over a year.

They’re a customer of Louisville Gas and Electric Company, and their upgrades during construction qualified for $9,000 in commercial rebates from the utility, which helped recoup some of the expenses.

The owners first learned about the available rebates from the utility and its program partner, Franklin Energy, and then worked with their contractor, Bedford, to apply.

“It’s one of the easiest things we’ve done,” said Blackburn. “We were rewarded financially for it in a lump sum, but every month we’re rewarded for it because our bills are reasonable.”

The 15,000-square-foot facility sits on 6.4 acres at 4800 Murphy Lane.

It accommodates more than 90 private rooms, an open concept luxury lounge for dogs less than 30 pounds, indoor pool, grooming stations, and indoor training and play areas. Owners can even opt for a suite that includes the “PetChatz” system to remotely video chat and dispense treats from their phone.

“I think we’ve really built something special for animals that’s not offered in the region,” said Blackburn. “This, to me, is better than I ever imagined.”

Learn more about LG&E and KU’s Business Rebates Program.

Eligible rebate items and amounts have changed since this story published. Please visit lge-ku.com/bizrebates for the current rebate categories and amounts.