A Touch of Love touts affordability

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• Historic Fort York David Spittal courtesy murmur.com
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When a limousine pulls up in front of a house, the last thing that may come to mind is it's there to pick up a dog.

This past September, A Touch of Love Inc. launched the latest component to its pet business - a super-stretch limo so pets can arrive at A Touch of Love Toronto Day Spaw in style.

"It's a happy thing," said company vice-president Carl Milson. "There's so much negativity in the world and there are a lot of people who've never had the opportunity to be in a stretch limo and now they can both be escorted."

Milson, along with president of the company, Shane Carr, purchased the limo, hired a driver and have a pet caregiver on board. It costs $25 for pickup and delivery, and the service is free for current clients.

Inside the limo, Milson said there's a serene atmosphere that includes nature sounds, aromatherapy as well as vitamin-enriched water and treats.

"Our goal is to give the ultimate experience for a pet and allow the pet owner to feel like they're giving their pet that unique, one-of-a-kind experience," he said.

East York resident Deborah Armstrong, who has never been in a limo before, recently tried the service and said both she and her dog Nikko enjoyed it tremendously.

A client of the spa for the past year, Nikko needs grooming once a month and being a large dog, he found the limo was more comfortable than the van they usually pick them up in, Armstrong said.

"He's 13 and has a lot of problems with mobility and the van is much higher, but he just loved jumping in the limo," she said. "He just stretched right out, it's just much more comfortable for him being a big and older dog."

Armstrong said she loves the personal touch offered, like the pick-up service, the massage and other treatments offered after the grooming. She said not only is it a complete experience for Nikko, the treatments also ease his joint pains.

"He was in heaven for about a week, he was just relaxed and comfortable," she said.

The A Touch of Love brand began 25 years ago as a small grooming business in Toronto. Co-owned by Milson and Carr, Milson said it all began with a love of animals and wanting to carve out their own niche in a competitive market.

"We were always looking to be leading edge and providing uniqueness," he said. "Being owners of pets, we wanted to provide a specific form of quality of service and pampering."

The business soon expanded to include a day care and spa, which included giving pets massage therapy, exfoliation and reiki. With a slogan of "Healing Your Pet's Body, Mind and Spirit," everything that's done within the business caters to that goal, Milson said.

"After the grooming process, (the massage and reiki) is about implementing the natural holistic approach of helping to promote the healing of tissues by improving circulation and removing the toxins," he said.

They also use an all-natural product line created by Milson and Carr that includes fragrances, aromatherapies, shampoos and conditioners, creams, fragrances, as well as spring water infused with vitamins and anti-oxidants.

"We came up with all these recipes," he said. "Working on pets and grooming we would buy different brand names and we weren't happy or satisfied...or getting the products we were looking for."

But their services don't end at the spa door. They also do overnight care where they take the animals home with them. Milson said this can make for a busy evening in.

Twelve years ago, they launched A Touch of Love Grooming Academy located in the Beach. Milson said the eight-month course teaches students how to become professional groomers and is designed to make them fully qualified to work in the industry.

With limos, massage, overnight care, at a glance, you would think A Touch of Love is only for those who have money to burn. But Milson said the unique aspect of A Touch of Love is the affordability to the average pet owner.

"We really want that all pets are able to have an opportunity," he said. "Instead of people saying, 'Oh, I wish I could take my dog there,' we've made it accessible to everyone."

For example, a small dog, full style and spa experience like massage and exfoliation, is $65. Day care is $25 a day and overnight care is $40. Milson said offering fair prices and giving their customers genuine treatment has been the key to their success.

"If you do things from your heart, people recognize that and that's how you become a successful business person," he said. "Don't take advantage of anything and just give the best quality you can and you are guaranteed to keep that customer for life."

Up next for the duo is partnering up with Toronto hotels that cater to having dogs and offering day care, spa and walking services within the hotel. Milson said many hotels have rules that say pets cannot be left unattended in the room so they've come up with some solutions.

"They can bring their pet down into the day spa where we'll be able to accommodate them with just as simple as day care or also some of our spa services," he said.

They're also gearing up to host a new reality show based on grooming called 'Can You Cut It'. Hosted by Milson and Carr, the show will follow aspiring groomers and stylists in a competition to see who can cut it the best.

For more information on A Touch of Love visit www.atouchoflove.ca