If you’re a pet owner who has ever experienced a personal crisis moment, whether financial or mental-health related, a Lawrence Park dog daycare could prove valuable.
The Crate Escape at 4214 Main St., in Lawrence Park, has created a crisis comfort program providing a safe haven for pets in need with all expenses paid from the business.
Kyrie Laubenthal, owner of The Crate Escape, created the program to take the burden off pet owners who have been put in a sudden emergency situation.
“I have always been a huge advocate for mental health and awareness” Laubenthal said. “I feel like the need for resources in Erie is overwhelming. I also have a passion for pets.”
The idea for the program began in 2023 when Laubenthal was asked by a shelter to help board a dog in need.
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“Last year I was approached by The ANNA Shelter to help take in a dog where the owner was facing a circumstance beyond their control,” Laubenthal said. “I’m at a point in my life where I can do this and it won’t do anything negative to me but rather help someone in the community.”
Laubenthal said, as far as she knows, her pet daycare crisis program is one-of-a-kind around Erie. Other businesses do take pets for boarding, but in a business sense. Laubenthal’s program runs as a nonprofit.
“I was told by Ruth (Thompson) at the ANNA Shelter that no one else does this because they are in the business to make money,” Laubenthal said. “If anything, it would be a loss for other businesses because they would need to pay employees to take care of the animals.”
So far The Crate Escape staff have helped several families in need, providing shelter and care for pets while owners are facing difficult situations.
Those situations can range anywhere from medical emergencies, imprisonment, homelessness and more.
“I just took in a cat yesterday where the owner is going to a rehab facility,” Laubenthal said. “She called me and was hesitant, and I said absolutely no questions asked.”
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If a pet is put in the crisis comfort program, they receive the same treatments as if they were enrolled in daycare.
“They would be treated like any of my other paying clients,” Laubenthal said. “I have foster kittens because I foster through a foster shelter (Companion Animal Coalition), and I pull them out for our daily enrichment activities. Obviously, cats cannot go outside, but dogs do go outside several times a day. They are treated the same as everyone else and not different because they aren’t able to financially help out. There’s no reason for their dog not to be.”
For the program, The Crate Escape can only take a maximum of two or three pets due to spacing with their for-profit business. The crisis program can take in pets for a maximum of 30 days unless reason for an extension is provided.
“I’m already here at the business taking care of the pets,” Laubenthal said. “So for me to add in an extra one, it’s not that big of a deal. It gives you peace of mind at night that I was the person to tell someone yes.”
If The Crate Escape is at maximum capacity, they will still work with people inquiring about this program to find the proper care for their pets.
“It would just depend on the variables of who I would recommend taking this on,” Laubenthal said. “There are people suited for different things like if a dog is going to be aggressive or a cat is going to be shy. I would have to find someone specific depending on the needs.”
The program is free to pet owners in the difficult situations. The expenses don’t impact Laubenthal as she still has her daycare and grooming business that helps her cover costs.
She does ask if the community is able to help in any way, including pet supply donations, it would be appreciated.
“I’ve done this for over a year now and I’m on my eighth family,” Laubenthal said. “I have never been the one to say, ‘oh, look at me, look who I’m helping.’ I then thought maybe I should post this publicly just to help with the expenses with supplies like cat food and dog food.”
“I’ve been paying it with my own funds which I don’t mind because I’m able to do so, but I figured I would ask the community for help. …if they want to donate cat food or dog food, or they want to donate money, I would make sure that it’s clear and transparent. I would have something in the lobby saying that this amount of money was donated and then I would be able to provide receipts to show where it went through or went to for what reason.”
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For information, call The Crate Escape at 814-651-6793 or visit crateescapeerie.com.
Contact Nicholas Sorensen at nsorensen@gannett.com.
