Release Number: 11-08 Contact: David Ramp (205) 290-7101 ext. 247 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/al
'Walk and Wags'
"Tails Wag For Disaster Loan Assistance"
BIRMINGHAM, AL - As you drive up to 631 Azalea Road in Mobile, Alabama, your eyes are immediately drawn to the pink and black sign where 'Walk and Wags' is proudly displayed in bold-faced letters. As the owner, Cindie Carter leads you out back, you see several dogs bounding gleefully through a play tunnel, others splashing in pools of water and still more chasing after tennis balls flying across the yard. It's not a sight one sees very often, so many dogs playing together at the doggie equivalent of an amusement park, but for Cindie this is her everyday life. Walks and Wags provides services geared towards dog lovers. Among these are doggie play/day care, boarding, walking and sitting services, pet taxis and even doggie parties. Today, Walks and Wags’ client list includes over 350 dogs. A staff of seven cares for about 100 dogs each week. Though business is booming these days, there was a time when Walks and Wags was victim of a disaster that left its future very much in doubt. Six years ago Cindie was living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. It left her city, home and business in ruins. Cindie and her husband Larry had no choice but to pack all the belongings they could into two cars and evacuate to Mobile. Little did they know at the time, but the move would be life-changing.
Shortly after settling in Mobile, Cindie attended a workshop offered by the Women's Business Center of Southern Alabama entitled 'SBA Disaster Loan Seminar'. She knew immediately that she needed to take advantage of the services and resources the WBC had to offer. Through her contact with the WBC, Cindie found out about the SBA disaster program and she secured a disaster loan for $12,000 for her business. The loan was critical in assisting Cindie with purchasing equipment for her business as well as allowing her to market and spread the word about Walks and Wags. Cindie credits the Women's Business Center with helping her apply for the loan and providing counseling that helped her focus on networking and getting the word out about her business. 'I can't put a measure on what a difference they made'.
In addition to her regular business Cindie fosters dogs from local shelters that have socialization problems and helps to find them homes, assists senior citizens with walking and exercising their dogs and helps re-home shelter dogs and dogs that belong to the elderly who can no longer take care of them. She also volunteers at ARF and the SPCA. Cindie will continue to research ways to offer more services to her canine clients and in doing so will continue to strive to 'enrich the lives of dogs and their companions, one dog at a time'.
# # #
Walks and Wags 631 Azalea Road Mobile, AL 36609-1503 Phone: (251) 643-1615
www.walksandwags.com |