Twin Cities suburb puts leash on doggy day cares after complaints

Scores of Minnesotans have joined the pet-sitting app Rover in recent years, turning their homes into makeshift doggy day cares to collect extra cash.

Now, Shakopee is attempting to regulate at-home boarding businesses in response to a rash of gripes about canines barking at all hours of the day.

The southern suburb joins other cities that have sought to minimize disruptions stemming from this 21st century side hustle, illustrating an increasingly common dilemma: how to support residents turning to the internet to earn additional income while respecting neighbors seeking peace and quiet.

The City Council intended to strike that balance when it approved a slate of rules Oct. 21 governing dog boarding and day care businesses in residential areas. Under the new guidelines, people who temporarily care for canines for profit must obtain a permit, comply with city inspections and limit their charges to a maximum of four dogs.

Council Member Jesse Lara acknowledged that plenty of people care for dogs without issue.

“It’s not fair for the bad players to ruin it for the good players,” he added.

Shakopee city officials hope to manage common complaints with clear rules. A dog that continuously barks for three minutes will earn a sitter a violation, and owners must drop off and pick up their pets at their temporary lodgings between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Planning and Development Director Michael Kerski said around 1,000 Shakopee residents offer animal care on the popular platform Rover, where users can board their dogs for rates ranging from $25 to $60 a night.

Suburbs close to Shakopee — from Bloomington to Eden Prairie to Savage — have instituted rules to give structure to the largely informal world of dog sitting and walking. The challenge? Balancing quality-of-life concerns with residents’ right to do business.

“We understand that this is a good home business, so we’re not going to abolish it completely,” Council Member Jay Whiting said. “We just want to keep it under control so it’s not too many dogs and potential for complaints.”

The Shakopee Police Department received enough canine-related complaints over the last six months to fill 43 pages.

Dogs that howl deep into the night. Dogs that dart into other people’s yards. Dogs that run around neighborhoods without collars. It’s unclear how many of these problems involve rambunctious boarded dogs versus misbehaving pets.

Lisa Janssen, the owner of MN Furbaby Pet Care, told elected officials at an August meeting that she had to pause her boarding operation after learning earlier this year that her business wasn’t “compliant.” It’s unclear what prompted that action against Janssen, who didn’t respond to an interview request.

Council Member Lara said the city has since allowed her to resume business.

Janssen has boarded a maximum of 15 dogs (including the four she owns), but more often cares for around six at a time, she said at the meeting. Facing elected officials, she took issue with the city’s decision to scrutinize her business while thousands of providers on Rover and other apps at the time evaded regulation.

“This is already happening, and it’s not being enforced fully, effectively, fairly,” she said.

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health already regulates kennels, requiring providers to obtain a license, undergo inspections and keep facilities safe and clean.

“My concern is the dogs, too,” Whiting said.

People who violate the guidelines will face an escalating series of penalties — from fines to license suspensions to potential police involvement.

Rover said in a statement that the company is reviewing the Shakopee policy:

“We are always working to support those who choose to offer loving, in-home pet care through Rover, as well as the many happy and satisfied pet parents who use our platform in Shakopee to find the right care option for their pets’ unique needs.”

But some residents contend the rules don’t go far enough.

He wondered how many violations a provider must tally before the city intervenes.

“People are just doing what they want these days,” he said, “and we need some way to curb it.”

Lara, the council member, said he’s aware that balancing the wishes of entrepreneurial residents, fed-up neighbors and a procedurally minded city is a formidable task. But elected officials, he noted, can always change the rules.