Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Cabell.
Hi Tim, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Dina and I have lived in Raleigh, NC for over 30 years all told, but we found our love for working with animals while we operated our family bed and breakfast in Charlottesville, Virginia in the late 2010’s. Tim was the cook and Dina was our farm manager. We had a hobby farm there with horses, chickens, goats, alpaca and 5 dogs. One of those dogs was our Great Pyrenees named Beorn who worked tirelessly as our livestock guardian in those days. He is now our company’s namesake and welcomes all of the dogs onto the bus from his front seat every day!
Since returning to Raleigh we sensed a need in our community for dog owners to have easier access to the natural spaces that Raleigh is famous for. We talked to many dog owners on downtown sidewalks and various local dog parks about their needs. What we learned was that , due to busy work schedules, so many dog owners struggled to give their dogs enough time to enjoy natural areas, and get enough exercise and safe social time with other dogs here in Raleigh.
Dina came across this business concept that was gaining popularity in Alaska and some cities in Canada. Why not help these owners by running a dog bus that could pick up dogs at their homes and take them out on adventures in natural spaces together while their owners are busy with their working lives? It would be better for the dogs than short walks on city sidewalks, and better for the owners who would have one less thing to worry about. They could come home to happy, tired dogs who were well taken care of for the day and ready to relax with them at home.
So we filed the appropriate paperwork and gathered our insurance together, found a perfect sized shuttle bus and launched our service in June of this year.
Fortunately, we had a team already prepared to make it happen. Dina has over a decade of veterinary care experience, we had our customer service and small business experience from the bed and breakfast days. Also, we have other family members with experience in web design, social media, and marketing to get the ball rolling.
In the very early days of providing our daily dog field trips, we learned our clients top priority was how we handled the safety of their dogs while in our care. This has also been a top priority for us from the beginning. We planned for a fully climate controlled bus, harnesses and seat belts during rides, plenty of water and treats, and trips to a private dog park where our dogs would be the only guests. We also have stressed the requirement for up to date vaccinations and appropriate temperament for dog pack fun. All these things were considered to ensure our dogs have a safe and fun adventure with us.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We feel very fortunate that the process has been mostly very smooth. However, this business concept is new to us and to most of our clients. People are very excited to hear what we are doing, but we have to continue to build trust with everyone and reassure them that we handle their beloved family members as if they are our own and take every measure to ensure their safety. We believe we offer a superior solution to dog day care in many ways. Our clients will attest that their dogs have a great time with us and enjoy the standard of care and communication that we provide. We continue to strive to help all Raleigh dog owners know that they have us as an option when needed.
Most of all, we are very grateful and excited to be partnered with Farmer Mary at Winterpast Farm in Wake Forest, NC. Her beautiful private dog park offered the perfect solution: A large and stimulating fenced enclosure, part woodsy, part pasture, with plenty of balls and sticks to play with, lots of shady areas and even a splash pad and doggy pool for the pups who enjoy getting their paws wet. We visit Winterpast Farm with our bus several times per week.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Beorn’s Bark Bus?
Beorn’s Bark Bus is a dog bus, as you guessed by now, it is a small shuttle bus that drives around local Raleigh neighborhoods, picking up community dogs and taking them out on adventures around town, either private off leash dog parks or leashed hikes on dog friendly trails.
There are plenty of doggy daycare facilities and dog parks in Raleigh and surrounding areas, no question about that, but few can offer such a truly tailored and fun experience, catered specifically to the dogs on board as much as our dog bus.
Many features about our business offer a unique approach to dog care/dog walking, however the one core value that we take most pride in is our emphasis on safety. Dina’s background as a registered vet technician helped us be mindful and aware of the most important aspects of this job.
We have a strict leash walking only policy unless in a designated leash free space. This rule protects our passengers from unnecessary harm for example, on parking lots and near roads where drivers might be unpredictable, and there is no chance of any dog running off or getting left behind.
Other safety features of the dog bus experience include: weather safety, strict vaccination enforcement, temperament screening, size compatibility, age and fitness level of dogs are considered in trip planning, a balanced dog to staff ratio which enables close attention to all dogs on board, following leash laws and public park rules, and of course secure and safe dog friendly transportation.
Our clients trust us with their dogs because they know we’re taking this seriously! We offer active communication with all owners, sending them regular updates throughout the adventure including written text, pictures, and videos.
Beyond that, unique features Beorn’s Bark Bus offers includes: multi dog discounts, half day sessions (and full day of course), pick up and drop off while owners are away at work, private dog park play time, easy booking and online payments, and no cancellation fees, so our clients are never penalized if they have to cancel their booking for any reason.
At the end of the day it’s so rewarding to be a part of a business that really feels like it is improving the quality of life for the dogs in our care. When you’re walking with the pack on a trail or watching them play joyfully in a private dog park it’s so obvious they are having lots of fun, and we’re having fun doing it! Then when we bring them back to that cool climate controlled bus and watch even the most energetic dog slowly nod off to sleep after an exciting day of adventure, it really feels like we’re doing something good for these animals, which mean so much to us.
It’s similarly gratifying to help out owners, knowing they trust us to look after their beloved fur babies while they pursue career goals and studies. There is no reason busy people can’t have pets when services like our Bark Bus are an option, and we’re happy and proud to be helping owners like this.
Any big plans?
We’re looking forward to meeting new clients and bringing fulfillment to neighborhood dogs.
Other future goals include expansion and better organization of our existing services. For instance we’ve talked about special small dog outings as well as senior dog outings as these dogs might not feel as comfortable keeping up with the more energetic “Average” pack dog.
We’re also reaching out to local dog rescues with the aim of helping foster dogs get the same level of stimulation and possibly aiding in their adoption process with cute promotional dog content on our social media pages.
Further in the future we’re interested in opening our own private dog park in the south part of town to complement Winterpast Farm which is situated in Wake Forest in the northern side of Wake County.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beornsbarkbus.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beornsbarkbus
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14FqhByaymm/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@beornsbarkbus
