Overland Park business offers a comfortable environment for dogs and cats

Penelope, a 13-year-old three-legged Maltese, and Audrey, a 1 1/2 -year-old French bulldog, are two lucky pets. The two cuddly canines get to go to work with their owner, John Cavalcanti. Their home away from home is Two Dogs and A Cat Pet Resort and Veterinary Services in Overland Park.

Cavalcanti, with partners Les Belfrey, Kathee Kramm and Joe Mead, opened the business last year in a 15,500-square-foot building at 7801 W. 119th St.

Both Cavalcanti and Belfrey are veterinarians. The partners hope to capture the burgeoning marketplace for all things dog — from day care and boarding to grooming and on-site veterinary care.

Q: Explain your concept?

Cavalcanti said the idea behind Two Dogs and A Cat was to be an all-inclusive facility where dogs and cats “have an enjoyable experience.”

Said Cavalcanti: “When we were designing this place, the things I wanted to show is cleanliness, being odorless and transparency on everything we do. To me, those are the things that a client is looking for to feel comfortable leaving their pets with us and knowing that they will be well taken care of.”

The spacious facility has 81 kennels or “suites.”

“All the doors are (tempered) glass, so there are no bars,” he said. “We have windows so people can see what’s going on and we have cameras so they can download an app and see how their dog or cat is doing.”

Dogs and cats have separate kennel areas in the complex; the cats’ glass “condos” face an outside window.

“We purposely did this for enrichment and to get the cats distracted,” Cavalcanti said. “Cats can get bored and it provides stimulation. We also allow cats to roam the room on a rotating basis.”

Two Dogs and A Cat has a large indoor and outdoor play area. About 3,000 square feet is dedicated to retail space.

Q: What’s your background in the animal industry?

Cavalcanti has had a lifelong passion for dogs. A native of Brazil, Cavalcanti is one of seven veterinarians in his family including his wife, father and brother.

Cavalcanti’s mother is originally from the Kansas City area, so after vet school he decided to leave South America.

“I was an American citizen but I had never lived here and I wanted to experience American life,” Cavalcanti said.

He earned his master’s degree in business from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. His career path includes working for the Banfield Pet Hospital chain and the Guide Dogs for the Blind based in San Rafael, Calif.

“I was director of in-kennel services, which gave me a pretty good insight on disease control and dogs who are kenneled for a long time,” he said.

When his wife was recruited back to the Kansas City area for a job, Cavalcanti explored other opportunities.

“I wanted to launch this type of business,” he said. “I felt there was a need in the market and a window of opportunity. … I don’t think there is anywhere that has what we have to offer.”

Cavalcanti decided Johnson County was the perfect location.

Q: What differentiates Two Dogs and A Cat?

“Pets are out most of the day if they pass our temperament assessment,” Cavalcanti said. Dogs are divided into two groups based upon their temperament and size. The dogs are either in the indoor or outdoor play yards and rotate regularly. They are in their kennels only for feeding and sleep.

Staff works with the owner to choose the size of kennel based on the dog’s size and the client’s wishes. Each kennel has a blanket and music is piped in.

“We usually leave on classical music, because there are plenty of studies that show classical is soothing to them,” Cavalcanti.

Kennels are washed daily. The outdoor play yard is washed and sanitized daily with water captured in a special tank.

Two Dogs and A Cat uses all-inclusive pricing with no additional charges for food, medication delivery and day care. For example, dog boarding prices range from $45 a day to $55. For cats, the cost is $22 a day for boarding.

Twenty-four of the kennels are designated as VIP; each is themed and has a special sound system.

Two Dogs and A Cat aims for a stress-free environment in its grooming spa.

“Going with the club concept, we have four VUUM dryers that deliver oxygen and aroma therapy and are very soothing for pets,” he said.

Just shy of a year old, Two Dogs and A Cat has added a new component to its bevy of services — a veterinary hospital staffed by a full-time vet.

“It’s part of being able to provide these services for our clients while staying with us and providing a one-stop experience,” Cavalcanti said.

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Overland Park business offers a comfortable environment for dogs and cats."