Co-owners Michele and Ben Burke love and know dogs, and this is the foundation of the dog daycare facility.

Bark Avenue is a family owned business that has been in operation since September of 2004. We have grown from having 10-15 dogs per day to an average of 40-50 dogs per day, with more than 90 dogs on days when we have special events such as our annual Halloween and Christmas parties.

Today's pet owners value their pets' health and happiness. The pet services industry is rapidly growing as more pet owners seek services to enhance their pets' quality of life. We combine our knowledge and love of dogs with our business and management experience to create a business that satisfies this need.

Michele and Ben Burke are a professional management team who have the skills and experience and work well together. We have 27 years of combined corporate experience in a fast-paced and constantly changing industry. Our business experience, as well as our love and knowledge of dogs, provide a strong foundation to make this daycare an extremely successful one.

We have strong communication and planning skills that enable us to resolve issues before they become large problems. We know the value of a positive business environment and its impact on staff and customers.

Michele attended business classes at the University of Delaware and worked full-time in the financial industry where she was employed for almost 17 years. Michele's position in Regulatory Management has given her a strong background in working with regulators and ensuring a company is compliant with rules and regulations. Prior to that, she was in a management position that enabled her to develop strong communication and organizational skills. Michele is an ABKA Certified Pet Care Technician and has completed Pet First Aid training administered by the American Red Cross.

Ben, a life-long dog-lover and owner, has a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the University of Delaware. He has extensive experience managing people and business. He has worked in the financial industry for 10 years. Most recently, Ben was the Director of an accounting department of 65 employees that serviced a large, fast-paced and well-known mutual fund client. Ben is an ABKA Certified Pet Care Technician.

The members of our staff are all dog lovers, most of whom have been working at Bark Avenue for over 7 years. We have several customers who work part-time and we have also employed many sons and daughters of our customers, so we are proud of the family atmosphere that has been an integral part of Bark Avenue since the beginning.