Fieldstone Animal Inn, Millersville, MD

When something’s “for the dogs,” it’s usually a bad thing. Well not so at Fieldstone Animal Inn. They pamper pooches, cats and small mammals, creating a safe, comfortable place for pets to stay, play and train.

Since purchasing the business 18 years ago, Anna and Charles Radle have transformed the small kennel into one of the area’s largest full-service pet care facilities.  Fieldstone can now lodge 100 animals in addition to offering day care, grooming and training services.

The Radles make sure the pets entrusted to their care have the time of their lives. Days at Fieldstone include exercise, play time, photo ops and even bedtime stories. Not to mention birthday and holiday parties and the Pet Prom in June.

After deciding to purchase the business, the Radles took advantage of free business counseling through SCORE to craft business and marketing plans for their new venture. Using SBA loan guarantees they were able to expand and modernize their facilities; growing the business from two to four buildings, now featuring remodeled kennels, a separate lodging room for cats, office space and a staff break room. They recently fenced in a 30,000 square foot field to create a dog park and added a 40’ x 50’ turfed structure to provide a play area shielded from the elements for year-round enjoyment.

In appreciation for the trust and support the community has given the Radles, they are eager to return the favor, regularly donating goods and services to charity auctions, hosting pet supply drives for the local SPCA and teaching Safe Animal Handling to scout troops and local students. To date, they have raised three service dogs for Canine Companions for Independence to assist people with special needs.