About Us

About Us

Play and Stay Dog Lounge offers high quality, affordable, special services and socialization for all dogs in our care. We are dedicated to working with the community to provide a better environment for all dogs and their owners.

Our Story

We are proud to say that we have a dedicated, trustworthy, and reliable team of pet care professionals. Our staff not only provides pet care services for a living, but also regularly volunteers their personal time to help with local animal rescue and rehabilitation. And with decades of combined experience, you can have the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing that your pet will be safe and in the hands of caring experts.

Our Team

Linda, Owner

Opened Play and Stay Dog Lounge on November 14, 2014

Certified in Pet First Aid/CPR, Safer Off Leash Play, and Knowing Dogs 101 and Knowing Dogs 201.

Wanted to open a dog daycare for 20 years prior to seeing her dream come true.

Community minded
Business background as a YMCA Executive for 15 years
Loves animals of all kinds
Volunteered at Hoo Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation for many years prior to opening Play and Stay
Understands how important our dogs are to us and will always make improvements or additions to make the dog(s) time at Play and Stay one they truly enjoy.

Amber, Co-Manager

Amber has been with our small business since we opened in 2014.

Certified in Pet First Aid/CPR, The Healthy Salon: Sanitation and Disease Prevention, Canine Massage, Knowing Dogs 101 and Knowing Dogs 201, as well as Intro to Dog Training.

Attended IVCC where she was certified in the medical field.

Exceptional customer service
Thorough knowledge of dog behavior and body language
Grew up with all kinds of animals – dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, ferrets, frogs, chinchillas, and even a snake (just to name a few).
Committed to dog training and socialization
Completed an apprenticeship with a local veterinary clinic.
Owns a Lab mix named Zeus, a Shepherd mix named Merci, Poodle mix named Creed, and a cat named Cloud, who after growing up at Play and Stay, now thinks he is a dog.

Sami, Co-Manager

Sami joined the team in the Summer of 2022.

I have 3 fur monsters myself. My pack includes Sabrina, a mix of everything, Halo, a Great Pyrenees/Lab mix, and Denali, a Husky/German Shepard mix. In addition to my pups, I also have 2 cats named Jupiter and Saturn. They are also little monsters that aren't fans of people or pups and will charge them. They I have always loved dogs and wanted to work with them. I have previously worked at a dog groomers for 2 years and did a 12-week long internship at a training facility. One of my dogs, Halo, is people and dog reactive. Through consistent training, she is learning how to coexist with my other dogs and be comfortable around new people. Having so much diversity with my pups and the dogs that I have worked with, I have a lot of experiences with different dog types and personalities!

Skye, Supervisor

My name is Skye and I joined the team at the beginning of 2023. My babies are a goofy lab/great Pyrenees mix named Halo, a crazy mix named Sabrina, and a stubborn husky/shepherd mix named Denali. If that looks familiar, Sami happens to be my sister, so we share fur babies. I've always loved animals since I was young. This is my first time professionally working with animals, and it inspired me to work towards dog training. I've seen many dogs with behavioral issues, even owned some, and now I want to be able to help my fellow doggie parents. Play and Stay is a great place to be able to study how dogs behave while also getting to play with them.

Jenny, Customer Service Rep.

My name is Jenny and I have made learning about and rescuing animals my priority ever since my first conscious thought as a child. Over the years I have done everything from fostering to transport, working in a veterinary office, and volunteering for local shelters, rescues and even a small zoo. I have been with Play and Stay since 2018.

I have a large fur family at home including some furry tarantulas that I find fascinating. My dog pack includes a hound mix named Moonshine, a Border Collie named Willow, a sweet old gal named Dixie, and a Lab mix named Peridot. I have a dream job that I've sought out my whole life, where I get to serve, care for, teach, love, and play with other people's dogs for a living. In my opinion, it doesn't get better than that.

Candice, Daycare Attendant

Candice joined our team in the winter of 2022 and is certified in Pet First Aid/CPR. A lifetime animal lover with many years of caring for her personal pack of dogs. Currently, she owns a Bulldog named Bruiser and a lab mix named Sam as well as a few kitties. While she loves all dogs especially the hound mix of Jenny's pictured above, labs have a special place in her heart. She enjoys meeting all the new pups and loving them as if they are her own. She has experience handling different personalities and temperaments making her a great handler in our daycare groups.

Mercedeez, Daycare Attendant

(Bio to come)

Mercedeez joined our team in winter of 2023.

Shelley, Daycare Attendant

My name is Shelley and I have been an animal lover my entire life, especially dogs and horses.

I attended IVCC and Blackhawk College in Kewanee, IL, where I earned degrees in Equestrian Science and Horse Science Technology.

Growing up, I had several pets, including dogs, hamsters, turtles, and fish. Currently, I have a boxer/lab mix named Sammy and

a bearded dragon named Nacho.

I joined the team in March, 2024 and I look forward to expanding my training, knowledge, and experience with dogs at Play and Stay Dog Lounge.