Changes are happening at Dogsense Boutique, from the location to the creation of a new Facebook page but the biggest change is who’s running things. Kelowna resident Shannon Cloutier has taken over management from partner Jackie Kilburn, who has been at the helm since the pet food and supply store opened.
Cloutier, a career veterinary technician says, “Jackie and I have been friends for twenty-some years now. I have been a part of the Dogsense team [behind the scenes] the whole time. I come back and forth between Nakusp and Kelowna. We are still working together, still offering the same services and the same philosophy.”
Cloutier’s skillset comes from working with pets for twenty-five years in the veterinary field. Between clinic work and then five years teaching a vet hospital assistant course, she says she has learned a lot about nutrition and food as medicine. “I am excited to offer that knowledge and pass it along to the customers, specifically to treat certain health conditions in pets.”
Two dogs named Onyx and Kanga and a “Humane Society cat named Winston” round out the animal component of Cloutier’s family. The dogs joined the family via Mexican rescue efforts; Onyx came from Cancun and Kanga from Los Cabos.
Kilburn has turned her focus to offering boarding, obedience training and providing Dog Control services for the Regional District of Central Kootenay.