Employee Discounts: Camp Bow Wow

On the weekly drive to Camp Bow Wow, Spice Girl pokes her head out of the window and sniffs the air as the Ford Explorer gets closer to the day and overnight camp.

"She knows we're in the neighborhood," said Duke employee Joyce Arcus, who adopted the brindle shepherd mix from the Animal Protection Society of Durham.

Spice Girl has been visiting Camp Bow Wow on Bennett Memorial Road in Durham since October when an e-mail from Duke Human Resources announced a PERQS discount of 20 percent at the boarding facility.

Arcus usually selects a package of day camp visits – 20 for $340. With the PERQS discount, she pays $272.

"I've used some other PERQS discounts for the Broadway shows and movies, but this one for Spice Girl and me has been most beneficial," said Arcus, a registered nurse and patient resource manager for Duke University Health System.

On a recent Thursday, Spice Girl, who was named after the swirl of spices in Arcus' cabinet, jumped out of the Explorer and headed straight for Camp Bow Wow's front door.

With wagging tail and wiggling body, she greeted Camp Bow Wow director Jason Smith.

This is a weekly ritual. While Arcus works, the 50-pound hound plays. Arcus used to check the Web site's "Camper Cam" on work breaks to see if her 4-year-old bundle of energy was behaving. Not anymore.

"Spice," said Arcus as she bid farewell to her beloved pup, "I'll see you tonight."