It’s not always easy to visit a tourist town and take full advantage of it, but so is having to bypass the crowds in the heat. Therefore, doing this in the company of your favorite dog can seriously complicate matters, especially when a man’s best friend is not necessarily welcome, or even prohibited, in some shops, restaurants, museums, houses of worship … annoying to visitors and also a nightmare for the animal, which is often What is under stress or the fear of the crowd, the fear of being run over, which must remain tied up throughout the day. On this simple observation, I imagined Laetitia Lacote Patch Guard, an on-demand and on-time dog daycare, as close to the influx of visitors as possible and run by people with animal care training.
Launched over a year ago in Haut-Rhin, this service was also tested during the 2021 Christmas market period in Strasbourg. Almost three months ago in Place Hans-Jean-Arp, a place too far from the passage of tourists, in a prefabricated room that was a bit cramped, however, the experience was well received, but could have been more successful. This time around, multi-award-winning PatchGuard, winner of the French 2022 Pet-Friendly Cup in the Tourism category, is getting closer to visitors. Near the pier of Baturama, a kind of Alsatian-style river boat, in the middle of the pedestrian flows, in the heart of the supercentre, at 4 rue de la Douan.
Good for animal and tourism
The building is preparing to open its doors from July 11 until December 31, the end of the next Christmas market. Like Laetitia Lacote, who is an Acaced graduate (Certificate of Pet Knowledge) and has 40 years of experience with dogs, two highly qualified people have been recruited and the place is right for this activity. “They will be pampered, carved, promises Leticia Lacotte. The room is large, about 100 square meters and in the shade, very cool. The dogs will be able to run and enjoy the activities we give them, such as prospecting mats. We can also walk them on the banks nearby.” »
A room the small structure can afford thanks to the proper rent the city wants. Because the entrepreneur’s proposal “responds to a real tourism and commercial need, and is fully consistent with concerns about animal welfare,” noted last December Joel Stephen, the deputy mayor in charge of commerce and tourism.
In concrete terms, visitors can book online or go directly to the building on rue de la Douane. The price, which starts at 10 euros per hour, decreases according to the time required when ordering. The only requirements are to have a recent dog vaccination record, after obtaining civil liability insurance, and to authorize Patchguard personnel to take the dog out to go for a walk with the animal.