Supporting Furry Family Members and Local Businesses During the Holidays

The holiday shopping season officially kicked off late Thursday, and consumers have been tearing into all the big sales offered by both big chains and smaller local businesses with a vengeance.

But in the rush to acquire all the latest gadgets, toys, and fashions in time for the holidays, you might forget four-legged family members deserve some yuletide attention as well. 

Hug A Pup Pet Grooming has been active on Park Boulevard for about 32 years; 14 years ago current owner Denise Alito took it over and has since made a name for her establishment as a friendly, trustworthy place to get your dog or cat washed and cut with care and expertise.

“We mainly do grooming here, in addition to offering pet supplies,” she said. “We try and make sure that the animals are groomed correctly...if they have skin problems, we give them medicated shampoos where it’s needed. Also, all the girls we employ have to be knowledgeable about all aspects of grooming, skin issues, and they have to be able to talk to the customers and be able to work well with the animals.”

Of course, much like many other businesses, the pace tends to pick up around the holiday time, Alito said.

“Any holiday...Easter, Mother’s Day, Christmas...there’s never a dull moment,” she said. “A lot of people bring in their pets before Christmas so they look nice for the holiday season, and we’re very happy to be able to serve their needs.”

Alito has also been active in animal rescue and adoption since taking over the business.

“We started out with just neighborhood kittens...people would bring in strays, and over the years we’ve found homes for a lot of kittens,” she said. “We’ll get them shots, spayed, neutered, and everything else. The girls that here do a lot...I couldn’t do it without them. They help keep them clean, and they even drive them to the vet’s office for me. They do a lot of work.”