Pamper Your Pooch – and Other Pet Care Perks

Dog walking, doggie day care or boarding and veterinarian services are among employee discounts

Four dogs stand on a play area of a doggie day care facility. a woman bends down to talk to one of them.
The whippet of Crystal Libby, Duke Law Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, interacts with a staff member at Camp Bow Wow North Durham. Photo by Travis Stanley

A few years ago, the owners of the North Durham franchise of Camp Bow Wow, the dog day care
and boarding facility, realized they needed to make a big change.

The facility’s 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. hours didn’t work well for many Duke University Health System employees, who needed to drop off their dogs for daycare before or after their shifts, which often started and ended at the same time, owner Mac Renfro said. And the dogs of Duke employees make up a significant number of campers.

Camp Bow Wow North Durham made an adjustment: It now opens at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 7:30 p.m. – specifically to accommodate employees who work shifts that start at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m.

“Duke University and its employees are vital to our community, and we’re pleased and grateful that we can provide a fun and safe place for their pups to play and stay while they’re at work or out of town,” Renfro said.

Crystal Libby says her whippet, Midas, can run off some of his puppy energy at Camp Bow Wow North Durham. Photo by Travis Stanley

Staff and faculty get 10% off day care and boarding fees when showing a valid Duke ID – which is what Crystal Libby did when she started bringing her whippet, Midas, to the facility. Midas is a year and a half old, and still “a puppy in spirit, but full-grown in body,” Libby said.

Libby, who is the Duke Law Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, said Camp Bow Wow provides an outlet for Midas to run off some of his puppy energy.

“He always comes home and he’s ready to chill, so we know he’s had a good, fun day and enjoyed himself,” Libby said.

The whole experience has been so positive that Libby’s 17-year-old daughter Emma started working at Camp Bow Wow.

“She just loves it, too,” Libby said.

Other discounts offered to Duke pet owners are deals at Eno Animal Hospital, including $40 off your pet’s first exam and one free dose of flea and tick prevention, and 10% on dog walking and pet sitting visits from Raleigh Pawz. Employees can also get pet health insurance through Spot Pet Insurance at special rates up to 20% off.

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