Co-founder of nationally acclaimed Woofie's opens her own location in Delray Beach

DELRAY BEACH — Amy Addington is co-owner of the premium mobile pet services franchise Woofie's.

So what better location for the franchise than Addington's new hometown of Delray Beach?

Addington opened Woofie's of Delray on April 22. A "yappy hour," or a happy hour in the form of nail trims, coat brush-outs and on-the-go baths for dogs, marked the grand opening that evening at Delray's Throw Social.

“I initially founded Woofie’s in Ashburn, Virginia, with my then-neighbor Leslie Barron, in 2004, to fill the void for premium pet care services in our area, and have been focused on strategy and growth since," Addington said. "I wanted to bring that same level of commitment to providing the best care and community focus to Delray Beach’s incredible, pet-loving community."

What services are offered by Woofie's of Delray Beach?

The mobile pet services franchise serves local residents, businesses, resorts, apartment complexes, senior-care facilities, rescue groups and shelters. Its services include mobile pet-spa grooming, luxury baths, in-home or overnight pet sitting, dog walking and house sitting.

She will have some tough competition in the area with many local franchises already entrenched with loyal pet owners in southern Palm Beach County. Pupper's Pit Stop, Pawmper Fluffy Salon, Pinky's At Home and Dash-it Dogs are among those that have established names.

But, Addington said, what sets Woofie's apart from other mobile pet services is its 24/7 vet telehealth partnership with Pet Vet Connection, a platform that grants pet care clients unlimited access to licensed veterinarians, via video or chat.

"It just gives that extra peace of mind for our clients," Addington said, recalling one Woofie's franchise owner in Orlando who recently discovered gashes on a dog, mid-groom, and was able to video-chat with a vet almost instantly. The service is free for the first 30 days, and costs $9.99 per month afterward.

"It's just that other way to go above and beyond for the clients to have that access to a vet, because we're not vets," Addington said.

The franchise also pairs with local companies for regular events and contributes to local rescues and shelters.

Why did Woofie's choose Delray Beach?

After making the seaside town her new home base, Addington wanted the versatility of services and dedication to clients that Woofie's has built its brand upon for her own dogs, Pablo, Carlos and Bogey.

"I saw that there was a real need for it," she said. "Being in Delray, it is such a pet-friendly location. I think there's so much opportunity."

But, for Addington, it's also a labor of love. As president of the brand, she often works with franchise owners throughout the country to help with their business ownership.

"Yes, I know Woofie's inside and out," Addington said. "But going through the process again, and doing everything that our new franchise owners are going through, it's allowed me to really look through every process that we have."

Ultimately, she believes the new lens she has through Delray Beach's Woofie's will allow the franchise to grow stronger. She hopes to maybe try new services within Delray, to determine whether they could be rolled out nationwide.

In Delray Beach, Addington is joined by Liz Gibbs, a previous zookeeper at Six Flags Great Adventure Wild Safari with a specialization in animal training and education, who will manage all day-to-day operations. Gibbs has three cats — Charlie, Willow and Pepper — a pitbull mix named Molly and a bearded dragon, Apollo, of her own.

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How does a mobile pet grooming service work?

The business is entirely mobile. Its Delray Beach location currently has about 10 pet sitters, a part-time groomer, a pet stylist and a full-time pet tech. Addington and Gibbs, Delray's general manager, are also pet-tech certified, and will be offering pet-tech certification to the Delray community moving forward.

The van will make its way to you for any service, but, before doing so, a consult is required.

"I think that is something that really differentiates us," Addington said. "It's very important for us to go out, meet the customer, meet their pets, really go through their routine in detail, especially if they have any medical needs."

Then it's a matter of matching the right sitter with the right client.

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What animals does Woofie's cater to?

While Woofie's mainly serves clients with cats and dogs, those with other, or exotic, animals are welcome to request services, as well. So far in Delray Beach, clients have inquired about their reptiles, birds, hamsters and guinea pigs, Gibbs said.

"From snowbirds and businesses, to year-round residents, with Woofie’s state-of-the-art technology and trusted mobile pet services from qualified, caring animal lovers, your pet is not just a number," Gibbs said. "They’re family."

How to book a service with Woofie's of Delray Beach

To request a service, clients can download the Woofie's application, fill out an online form or call the Woofie's Delray location at 561-861-1059.

Because a consult is required before any pet sitting job, Addington suggests scheduling a consult at any point in time, to already be in the system when an appointment is needed.

Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pet services chain Woofie's opens location in Delray Beach