Kaylynn Janulewicz, an in-home massage therapist, was on her way to a client appointment when she saw a large Pitbull-German Shepherd mix trotting down the road in 110° summer weather. He was alone, dirty, and seemed like he’d been wandering around for a while.
An animal lover herself, Kaylynn acted quickly. She stopped the car, safely got the lost pup into her backseat, and called her client to explain the situation. Next, she drove straight to the nearest vet clinic to scan for a chip and ensure the dehydrated pup got the medical care he needed.
That vet clinic happened to be 1st Pet Chandler.
From the moment Kaylynn arrived at 1st Pet, she and the lost dog were met with care and compassion.
“Everyone immediately greeted him, told him he was gorgeous, and asked me if they could give him a treat,” said Kaylynn. “I said ‘Sure! I don’t know him!’”
The 1st Pet team checked out the dog and estimated that he was about 6 months old. They were surprised to find that he was indeed chipped under the name Ringo, but when they called his owner, everyone was shocked to learn the poor dog had been abandoned intentionally.
“When 1st Pet contacted the owner and learned they didn’t want Ringo back, it really upset the vet. I could tell they were true animal lovers,” said Kaylynn. “Dr. Kachka suggested I take the sweet boy home, give him a bath, let him decompress, and give it time for us to decide whether to keep him. I think they could tell I was already falling in love.”
1st Pet made Kaylynn an appointment to bring him back in a few days once she had time to make a decision about adopting him herself or finding him another home.
“Everyone was so encouraging about my ability to handle a big dog,” said Kaylynn. “I had no idea what to do, but they knew exactly what to do, and that made me feel so much better.”
Obviously, she kept the dog, and Ringo was renamed “Belikin.”
“It was meant to be,” said Kaylynn.
Now, 9 years later, Kaylynn and Belikin are very happy together and regular clients at 1st Pet. Belikin is a large dog and gets hurt easily, but the 1st Pet team is always there to take care of him.
“We’re always at 1st Pet with Dr. Kachka and the team, he loves them,” said Kaylynn. “It’s so funny because he’ll be a little nervous, but the moment she walks in, he’s completely calm. I’m pretty sure Belikin and Dr. Kachka are best friends.”
Belikin and Kaylynn have had many great experiences at 1st Pet, but one that sticks out most is when Belikin contracted Valley Fever, a lung infection common to the Southwest caused by inhaling a type of toxic spores in soil.
Kaylynn noticed Belikin had developed a strange cyst, and on a whim, Dr. Kackha decided to test him for Valley Fever. It came back positive, and they were able to act quickly to treat the disease before it progressed. Within 9 months, Belikin was symptom-free.
“I’ve had other dogs who’ve contracted Valley Fever and they suffered with it for life,” said Kaylynn. “I’m so grateful to Dr. Kaskha for catching it early.”
Kaylynn has since relocated from Chandler to Prescott, and hasn’t had luck finding a vet she likes as much as Dr. Kachka, so she and Belikin make the trip down for his regular wellness visits.
“I really appreciate how animal-centered everyone is at 1st Pet,” Kaylynn said. “Every other clinic addresses the owner first, but here, they begin by greeting your pet first. You can tell they’re focused on the well-being of the animal.”
In the decade that Kaylynn has been a 1st Pet client, she’s also referred many friends.
“1st Pet has always done right by me and my pets, and every time I’ve sent someone there, they have had a great experience,” she says.
Kaylynn appreciates that the 1st Pet staff always follows up after an appointment to see how Belikin is doing – a sign they truly care about their clients.
“They always leave a heartfelt message,” she said. “They’re clear and efficient on test results, and they always empower me to make the best choice for me and my pets, without fail.”
