JANESVILLE — The Janesville Plan Commission on Monday unanimously approved a conditional use permit for Zoomies Dog Academy to open a dog daycare at 2315 W. Court St.
A former fitness center on W. Court Street is proposed to be converted into Zoomies Dog Academy, a doggie daycare.
City Planner Mackenzie Wilcox said the request was submitted by Kurt Halleen Properties LLC on behalf of prospective tenant Zoomies Dog Academy. The property, zoned for general commercial use, requires a conditional use permit for a dog daycare.
The 1.2-acre site sits along West Court Street, a commercial corridor with retail, service and some residential uses. Wilcox said the applicant plans to renovate the existing 6,284-square-foot building and add a 5,800-square-foot outdoor dog run enclosed by a six-foot vinyl privacy fence.
“The privacy fence will eliminate the visual distractions for dogs to bark at when in the dog run as a measure of noise management,” Wilcox said.
A site plan was approved Sept. 26. Modifications included removing three parking stalls to create an entrance to the outdoor run and installing additional fencing to divide play areas and enclose the lobby and grooming spaces.
The business plans to operate from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a maximum of 45 dogs, up to 30 of them outside at a time. All staff will complete online dog behavior courses and hold Red Cross pet CPR certification before working with animals, Wilcox said.
Wilcox added that the business owner reached out to neighbors ahead of the hearing, sending letters to property owners within 400 feet of the site. Two responses, from True Value and Daniel’s Foods, supported the proposal. No objections were received.
Following Wilcox’s presentation, Zoomies Dog Academy owner Bridget Deltgin thanked the commission for reviewing her proposal and described her plans to operate a structured, enrichment-based daycare.
“It has been a dream of mine to open a dog daycare where there is structure for the dogs to play safely,” Deltgin said, adding that “Zoomies is different from other dog daycares because we offer enrichment services; things like frozen treats with peanut butter inside and scent games that keep dogs’ minds busy and help maintain a calm environment.”
Deltgin said she has three years of experience as an assistant manager at another dog daycare and confirmed that all staff will be PAC Pro certified, as well as trained in pet CPR and first aid.
Addressing concerns about barking, Deltgin said dogs will never be left unattended outside, and staff will be trained to keep groups calm.
“If there is a dog that needs a minute to calm down, we’ll offer that dog an enrichment activity,” she said. “The building is made of thick concrete blocks, so not much noise should leave the building, but I’m willing to install sound panels if needed.”
Deltgin said all dogs must complete a three-day evaluation period before being admitted to daycare and will be required to be on a leash from the car into the building.
Property owner Kurt Halleen also spoke in support of the proposal, saying Deltgin has been “an absolute dream” to work with.
“I know she’s going to maintain the property extremely well,” Halleen said. “We’ve had a vacant building there for a year, and this use will provide some added security and take care of the property.”
Commissioners praised Deltgin’s presentation and the effort she made to contact neighboring businesses.
“I just want to thank you for heeding the staff’s advice and reaching out to the neighboring properties — that was really great that you did that,” Commissioner Sabrina Bowerman said.
Commission Chairperson Kathy Voskuil said that this decision rests with the plan commission, with no further city council action needed.
Zoomies Dog Academy plans to open in late November or early December, according to its website, .
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