CHICOPEE/NORTHAMPTON – Elizabeth Staples is the owner of The Good Dog Spot, a full service pet care facility located in both Chicopee and Northampton. Staples has recently taken her professional education to the next level by becoming a Certified Professional Animal Care Operator (CPACO). With the certification, Staples has demonstrated her comprehensive pet care knowledge and passion for pet safety.

The process to become certified consisted of an application, letters of recommendation, readings, seminars, studying and a scheduled exam. According to a press release, Staples had to “meet minimum education requirements, have a minimum of five years of experience with at least one year in an operator position, maintain membership in a pet-related association or organization, engage in ongoing community service and provide letters of reference from veterinarians and other pet care industry professionals.”

The exam itself was 175 questions long and covered topics of animal care health, sanitation, nutrition, dog fight and bite protocol, dog body language, dog training, vaccination protocol and more.

“When I decided to take the test, I kind of did it from the perspective that this is one way to show that we really take our work seriously,” said Staples. “We really kind of wanted to get across that this is a serious thing and you’re taking care of people’s four-legged children and we wanted to show that it is something more than just playing with dogs all day.”

Staples said that members of her staff will become certified next.

“Our plan is to have our management team get certified next and then offer it as an incentive bonus, so eventually we would like to see all of our employees certified,” she said.

There are several benefits to being certified, according to Staples.

“I think it really goes to support our vision of being the most trusted home away from home for pets. We really do place an emphasis on continuing education and on always keeping the pet safe and secure and I think this just goes to show it,” she said. “It shows an added commitment to the community, to our clients and also to the staff.”

With very few government regulations in this industry, Staples said she was happy to become certified and know that The Good Dog Spot is a leader in safety and experience.

“It was a great feeling to know that we’re doing a good job, I know what I’m doing, we’re training our staff properly and that all the policies and procedures that we’ve put in place haven’t just been for nothing. It felt good to think that we’re doing things really well internally,” she said.

The Good Dog Spot offers dog daycare, dog and cat grooming, dog and cat boarding, a “Bark Bus” for animal transportation and a self-wash dog wash only in Northampton.

“We like to think that we provide convenience and peace of mind for pet parents when they can’t be with their owners or when they need care that they can’t provide,” said Staples.

Those interested in learning more about The Good Dog Spot are encouraged to visit their website at https://gooddogspot.net/. For more information about The Professional Animal Care Certification and independent certification, visit www.paccert.org.