Innovation

Samantha explained the backstory behind the purpose of starting Belle's Boarding and Bath. It all started from the Labelle Foundation, which is the parent non-profit company whose mission is to save the most vulnerable animals in the shelter system. Belle’s Boarding and Bath gained a strong and loyal customer base by emphasizing values like animal wellness and offering eco-friendly services and practices. They invest in quality care. By reducing their costs, they can focus on the animals and offer more services. 

Samantha said that Labelle originally wanted to segue into an animal healthcare company as their next step, providing service and healthcare to pets in need. However, when looking to pursue this route, they realized bandwidth and hiring qualified veterinarians were limitations. This led Labelle's to come up with a boarding and bathing company for pets, where they felt they could give care to animals within their financial means. This led to the birth of Belle's Boarding and Bath.

Inspiration

The motivation behind Belle's Boarding and Bath stemmed from Labelle Foundation's desire to continue sustainably supporting vulnerable animals. While their initial goal was to expand into animal healthcare, Samantha explained that they quickly realized that the resources and expertise required, particularly in hiring qualified veterinarians, made this route impractical. To stay true to their mission of caring for animals, they pivoted to creating a boarding and bathing business, where they could still provide essential care while operating within their financial means. This shift allowed them to continue their work in a new but aligned capacity. Samantha explained that it was important for them to invest in quality care. She said, "We are in the middle market when it comes to services." It was important for them to enter this middle market as their vision was to create high-quality services for an affordable price.

Overall impact

Belle’s Boarding and Bath gained a strong and loyal customer base by emphasizing values like animal wellness and offering eco-friendly services and practices. They invest in quality care. By reducing their costs they can focus on the animals and offer more things for them. Belle’s partnerships with local shelters and other pet-friendly businesses have helped to raise awareness and inspire care for these animals to find homes and be treated well. This leads to more adoptions and a large, supportive network that benefits the company and the animals. 

Belle’s Boarding and Bath has decreased its environmental footprint by focusing on eco-friendly practices. They use non-toxic shampoos, conditioners, and cleaning practices. They also focus on water-saving technologies. They purchase things of more cost but more value to the environment like biodegradable bags and minimize trash and waste as much as possible. These actions resulted in an increase in customer retention as well as countless positive reviews from customers. Furthermore, compared to past years, there is a significant cost reduction. On top of this, there is an increase in adoptions from partner businesses.

Business benefit

Belle’s Boarding and Bath's focus on animal care and eco-friendly practices gives the business a unique edge, helping it build a loyal customer base that appreciates its values. By prioritizing sustainable practices, like using less water and choosing responsible products, Belle’s supports the environment and saves on costs, making it more efficient and allowing it to reinvest in what it does best. This focus on values doesn’t just attract customers; it also draws employees who truly care about animals and the environment. This means Belle’s can keep a happy and committed team, creating a more consistent experience that clients can trust. Belle’s also partners with local shelters and eco-friendly suppliers, which helps it connect with the community and gain referrals, expanding its network in meaningful ways. Overall, Belle’s dedication to caring for animals and the planet helps it stand out from competitors, setting the business up for long-term success as more people look to support responsible, caring businesses.

Social and environmental benefit

Belle's Boarding and Bath takes a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to sustainability, weaving eco-friendly practices into every aspect of its operations to reduce environmental impact. They use a commercial laundry service with reusable laundry bags and non-toxic cleaners. Samantha explained, “There are only two brands that make actual disinfectants for urine and disease that are also non-toxic. So, we completely switched to those.” To further enhance their eco-conscious efforts, the facility adopted an eco-certified commercial laundry service since “at-home laundry machines are not made to clean the amount of stuff that we need... It’s so much water versus sending out to a commercial factory.”

Water conservation is another top priority for Belle’s. They installed water-saving osmosis systems and upgraded all plumbing to low-drip faucets, replacing outdated fixtures. “We switched everything to more water-friendly systems,” Samantha noted, highlighting the substantial water usage required for grooming. They also eliminated single-use plastics by providing reusable water bottles and fresh tap water for staff and dogs. In addition, Belle’s partnered with Kocho, a Japanese brand, to use biodegradable pee pads made from tree sap. “Their products are made with tree sap instead of plastic, resembling what’s in a diaper,” the team shared, underlining their commitment to sustainable innovation.

Through these efforts, Belle’s Boarding and Bath exemplifies how pet care facilities can operate with a strong focus on sustainability while maintaining high standards for animal care and environmental responsibility.

In addition to their sustainability efforts, Belle’s supports The Labelle Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and advocating for vulnerable shelter animals. The foundation provides medical care, training, and foster homes, giving these animals a second chance and reducing the strain on overcrowded shelters. Belle’s also prioritizes educating pet owners and promoting preventative care. As Samantha explained, "We are really into preventative care. Vet care is very reactionary, not preventative... especially because animals can't speak." By teaching pet owners how to prevent illness and better care for their pets, Belle’s fosters a healthier, more informed pet community. Together, their sustainability practices, advocacy for animal welfare, and educational initiatives create a meaningful and lasting impact on society and the well-being of animals everywhere.

Interview

Samantha Peraino, CEO