Twenty-five years is quite the milestone for any business, but when you consider just how much San Pedro has changed since 2001, the story of Pampered Paws becomes even more special. What started as a small pet grooming shop has grown alongside our island community, adapting to a San Pedro that is much larger today and to a growing population of pet owners who consider their dogs not simply pets, but very much part of the family.
Today, Pampered Paws celebrates its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter century of grooming, caring for, training and, most importantly, loving the dogs of Ambergris Caye.
Owner Kathy Marin remembers opening her little shop in 2001 as one of the pioneers of professional pet grooming in Belize. She still remembers the customers who walked through the door on that very first day, including Karen Waight Canul, who brought in her dogs for flea baths and, incredibly, remains a customer 25 years later. Kathy even kept the first $5 bill given to her by her friend Fiona Elliott for the first purchase at the new shop. Those little memories say a lot about a business that has become part of the San Pedro community.
“If my business was a human, I would have a 25-year-old kid,” Kathy joked as she reflected on the anniversary. “How quickly time passes when you are having fun.”
And there has certainly been plenty of growth during those years.
Pampered Paws Growing Along With San Pedro
When Pampered Paws opened, San Pedro was a very different place. Our population was much smaller, there were fewer businesses and services available, and the idea of doggie daycare, professional dog training and specialized pet care was certainly not as common as it is today.
But just as San Pedro grew, so did Pampered Paws. A couple of years after opening her grooming shop, Kathy expanded into dog walking and doggie daycare and boarding. By 2003, she had become a Certified Dog Trainer. Today, Pampered Paws offers an impressive range of services including grooming, behavior training, daycare, overnight boarding, power walks, shadowing experiences and other specialized services designed around the needs of dogs and their owners.
It is another great example of a local entrepreneur recognizing how our community was changing and allowing her business to evolve with it.
As more families moved to Ambergris Caye and our attitudes toward pets evolved, the demand for quality animal care increased as well. Our dogs have become spoiled members of the family, and yes, many of us are probably guilty of pampering them a little too much. Then again, that’s exactly where the name Pampered Paws fits perfectly. What started as an island service has also grown far beyond San Pedro. Kathy says customers now travel or reach out to her for dog training from Placencia, Cayo, Corozal, Belmopan, Belize City and Caye Caulker.
25 Years and Still Loving Going to Work
Perhaps the nicest part of Kathy’s anniversary message is that after 25 years, she says she still genuinely enjoys going to work every day. “I feel so lucky and grateful to do what I love,” she shared. “As they say, if you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life.”
She also credits the many staff members who have become part of the Pampered Paws family over the years, describing those relationships and memories as priceless. But above everything else, Kathy says it is her love for dogs that has kept her going.
“They have made me into a better person, and made me some of the best friends through my work with them,” she said. “Dogs are truly unconditional love.”
Twenty-five years of any business tells a story of perseverance, but 25 years in San Pedro tells an even bigger story. Businesses here have weathered hurricanes, economic ups and downs, the COVID pandemic and the incredible transformation of Ambergris Caye from a small island community into Belize’s busiest tourism destination.
Through it all, Pampered Paws has continued doing what it started doing back in 2001: taking care of San Pedro’s four-legged family members.
Kathy is thanking the entire San Pedro community for supporting her throughout the past quarter century and says she is looking forward to many more years ahead. To celebrate and give something back to those who have supported the business, Pampered Paws will also be holding a big customer giveaway this Saturday.
Congratulations to Kathy and the entire Pampered Paws team on 25 years in business! Here’s to many more years of wagging tails, wet noses, fresh haircuts and very, very pampered paws. (Visit Website Here)
