POCATELLO — When you walk through the door at the Hawthorne Pet Den located at 4241 B Hawthorne Rd., you can’t help but notice a cork board filled with pictures of pooches who are regulars at the facility.

    Their names are attached to each posting and are backed with fluorescent colored paper of which pinking shears have been used to create a zigzag edge.

    “Our staff members go above and beyond to make sure the dogs’ needs are met and that they feel comfortable here,” says Peter Herdt, owner of the boarding, grooming and doggy daycare business. “All together, they have 20 years of combined experience working with dogs.”

    When the Charlotte wildfire broke out in the Mink Creek area on June 28, the pet den served as a refuge for 39 dogs effected by the fire that destroyed a total of 66 homes. Their owners were not charged a dime.

    “I had a handful of employees who put in a lot of extra hours,” Herdt recalls. “They told me they didn’t expect to be paid for the extra hours, but I planned on compensating them for their time anyway.”

    Hawthorne Pet Den customers tend to be those who work a lot, who go to school full-time, who are vacationing, who are expecting company during the holidays or who are visiting the Gate City to get some shopping time in.

    Herdt bought the facility, formerly known as the Pocatello Pet Lodge, in June of 2011. Six months later, dog groomers with Central Bark moved in.

    “We accept dogs of all breeds,” Herdt says. “We always ask the dog owners a series of questions when they come in so that we can get a feel for their dog’s personality and comfort level.”

    He went on to say: “Every dog is introduced to the group (of dogs), and we are careful to watch for signs of how well they get along with others.”

    The pet den houses 34 kennels in all at the roughly 4,000 square foot facility.

    The daycare service is kennel-free, unless the owner requests independent plays.

    “Even if the owner wants their dog to be kept separate from the rest, they still get the same treatment,” Herdt says. “For example, they get the same amount of outside time as the others.”

    In one of two areas at the facility that is fenced off by a 6-foot fence, an obstacle course is occasionally set up to help entertain the dogs.

    “We’ve had customers say their high energy dog is pooped out by the end of the day,” Herdt says. “We wear them out.”

    Inside, the dogs’ food and water bowls are changed frequently, and the blankets are washed daily.

    “We pride ourselves on cleanliness,” Herdt says. “Currently, we are working to get a camera system in place that is linked to the Internet so that people can check on their dogs while they're away from them.”

    Herdt is originally from Boston. He moved to the Gate City to attend school at Idaho State University in 1969.

    The man may not own a dog of his own at this point in time, but he says he gets all the loves he can when he stops in at the pet den.

    “I’ve owned several different dogs over the years,” Herdt says. “They are hard to lose. Now, I just come here to get my fill.”

    For more information dial (208) 242-3768. Interested persons can stop by at any time to take a tour of the facility.