Arlington Hts. PetSmart asks to open a kennel

The owners of PetSmart in Arlington Heights want to open a kennel inside their store for more than 100 cats and dogs.

PetSmart representative Andrew Whiteaker presented the plans at an informal planning meeting this week. No vote was taken. The kennel plan will go before the plan commission before going before the village board for final approval.

The current PetSmart store is at 49 W. Rand Road in the Annex of Arlington shopping center. The kennel would take up about 25 percent of the store's total 27,000 square feet, according to a village report.

The kennel would have 120 rooms to house dogs and cats overnight, although cats would take up only about 10 to 14 of those rooms, Whiteaker said.

There will be no outdoor play area for pets; instead there will be three internal play rooms, according to the report.

Commissioners liked the general idea Wednesday. However, Commissioner Michael Wolfe had some concerns about pets staying in the fully enclosed kennel when the average pet stay is three days.

"So during that time, they're not going to see the light of day?" Wolfe said. "I'm not an expert, but I don't know if that's healthy."

If approved, the kennel would have a "relief room" that will have grass and simulate the outdoors to cats and dogs, Whiteaker said.

"It's exactly like outside, and the dogs will visit usually before or after they exercise," he said.