Gillshire Kennels
Rural cooperatives have a long tradition of sharing stories about businesses and people in the communities they serve. In keeping with that tradition, we are delighted to share this story about Gillshire Kennels – a long-time business in the Elmhurst service area.
We were recently treated to a tour of Gillshire Kennels by owner Liz Thompson. We can’t think of a better way to spend an hour on a warm, sunny afternoon than walking through beautifully manicured and maintained grounds, listening to water splashing in a large pond, seeing the smiling faces and tails of dogs, and listening and talking with someone who clearly loves animals and considers their comfort and wellbeing in every choice of kennel and environmental design.
We 1st learned about Gillshire Kennels last year when researching Elmhurst’s history for our 100-year anniversary. We found an article in an old Ruralite magazine about Ethel and Less Engler who owned the Engler Kennels and boarded dogs and cats for vacationing owners. Ethel Engler grew up in North Dakota on a 6,000-acre wheat farm and came to Tacoma during World War II. She came to Tacoma because jobs for young women around the wheat country were scarce during that time. She and her husband raised prize-winning Springer Spaniels. Liz Thompson purchased the kennels from the Englers in 1981.
Liz graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a biology degree and began looking for work that would combine her biology education with her people skills. At that time, Engler Kennels was up for sale. Liz looked at several kennels but decided this was the one she wanted to purchase. Inexplicably given her own path as a young woman, Mrs. Engler did not want to sell the kennels to a young, single woman. Fortunately, the couple from whom Liz purchased her 1st Old English Sheepdog was looking for their next investment. They were willing to invest in her vision for these kennels and her ability to successfully operate and expand the business.
Speaking of Old English Sheepdogs…this was Liz’s choice for her 1st pet. Liz’s father was in the Army for 28 years and due to travel related to his assignments, the children (Liz, her sister, and 2 brothers), were unable to own pets. But Liz loved animals and when the family settled in Washington near the end of her father’s career, she purchased her 1st Old English Sheepdog. For many years, she raised and showed this dog breed until she could no longer manage the extensive grooming requirements. Pictures of Liz and her dogs in show rings line the office walls of Gillshire Kennels. She still shows Old English Sheepdogs for other owners.
Those 1st few years as a business owner, Liz worked around the clock building up the clientele and expanding the kennels. She was able to pay her investors back in 15 years. The 1st 5 years of the business, she operated by herself. Since then, she hired a team of employees who help her care for the animals and grounds. Over the years, she has progressively built out and modernized the kennels to accommodate more pets more comfortably. She and her team care for dogs, cats, birds, and even exotic pets. She developed standards of care that consider the physical and emotional needs of each pet.
Liz’s team also includes a husband who has always understood her business and the commitment caring for animals on this scale requires, and a brother – both of whom built out pet accommodations as Liz envisioned them. Every woman should be so fortunate to have husbands and brothers who are willing and able to build the spaces they design for the creatures in their care. After nearly 45 years, Liz remains happily married and cannot imagine doing anything else with her life.
In addition to raising Sheepdogs, Liz has raised and shown Shih Tzus and Dalmatians is qualified as a sweepstakes judge, and has judged sweepstakes shows for puppies. She has 3 Dalmatians currently – Julie (2 years), Lindsay (12.5 years), and Elliott (5 years). Lindsey was shown in the Westminster Dog Show and placed in the top 20 dogs – she finished just short of the level to be on TV. The Westminster Dog Show started in 1877 and is hosted by the Westminster Kennel Club. The club champions education, support of breed education, canine health, breed rescue, canine companionship, and dog sports. Its annual shows are popular TV broadcasts.
Gillshire Kennels are spacious and provide freshly laundered blankets, clean water, and food customized to the animals’ dietary needs. Kennels are adapted for the size, temperament, and needs of the animals. The animals can comfortably stay separated for safety yet can be placed next to each other for socialization. They are exercised. Some of them are kept in air conditioning circumstances to mimic their home conditions. Others are in kennels they cannot dig themselves out of, still others are in darker and quieter areas if they suffer from anxiety.
Liz specializes in caring for geriatric and disabled animals or those with special needs. She will give the required medications, which other kennels may not do. We met a beautiful dog whose eyes had been removed due to severe glaucoma. He reached his face to us, feeling the air and listening for voices as his tail wagged his entire body. His vulnerability combined with his happy greeting, the anticipation of kindness, and disregard of any thought of a disability left a lasting impression on our minds.
Liz understands animals and the unique needs each of them may have. For example, “squished-faced” dogs (Pugs, Boston Terriers, or Bulldogs) need their food served in flat dishes like pie plates, so their food doesn’t get into their noses and compromise their breathing while eating. She has had owners of these breeds call her to ask why their dog is refusing to eat. She explains the discomfort the dog is experiencing with a traditional bowl. In this and other ways, Liz educates owners about how to provide healthier lives for their pets. She said often physical problems (digestive or skin issues) can be attributed to diet, and she will work with people on food options and make recommendations. Liz advocates for pets because “people can take care of themselves; animals need someone to speak up for them”.
Liz has added larger accommodations for cats with their separate food dishes and litter boxes. Each cat gets playtime with scratching posts and toys. The kennels have industrial-level washers and dryers. The outdoor kennels are covered and screened for year-round use, set in easy walkways lined with flowers, trees, and an outdoor fountain. Those of us with “alternative pets”, such as chickens, ducks or fish might appreciate that Liz loves these animals too but refuses to keep them any longer (she lost several to predators) until her husband has time to build an aviary.
Liz says she can tell time is passing by the generations of families who bring their pets to her kennels. Children and grandchildren of her original customers bring their pets to stay with her when they leave on vacation. Liz is astonished at the people who book reservations with her kennels online without ever talking with her or visiting the kennels. When she asks, they will say, “I didn’t need to visit, I read your reviews online.” It is difficult to get high ratings online, it is not easy to give them, and people are often more motivated to comment when frustrated with a business’ service. Gillshire Kennels has high ratings – a testament to the service they provide to pets in our community.
We want to thank Liz for her time and for sharing stories of her life and kennels with us. We were tempted to apply for the part-time position she has available as a kennel worker. For now, we’ll keep our tour as a pleasant memory, share what we learned and saw with all of you, and keep Gillshire Kennels in our Rolodex in case we are ever called to an extended vacation!
(Bonus question…how many of our readers know what a rolodex is?)