After years of experience working with animals, the 16-year-old Waterdown teen decided to start her own pet sitting and dog walking company, Spoiled Rotten.

With clients in the Burlington, Flamborough and Dundas areas, Luckanuck has had one busy summer. “I can only bike so many places,” said Luckanuck, who walks each of her four-legged friends in their own surroundings.

Recently, the teen has been approached about franchising the company and is currently looking for some extra help for when the school year resumes. “My friends think it’s really cool; they ask me to hire them,” she joked.

Luckanuck began working with animals at age 13 while volunteering at the Hamilton Burlington SPCA. She was put in charge of the Louisiana adoption program – dogs and cats that were left homeless after Hurricane Katrina were shipped to the centre and put up for adoption.

There, she learned to assess the personality types of more than 100 dogs that went through the adoption process.

With further experience at a dog grooming facility, an animal hospital, and a Burlington pet hotel, Luckanuck knows a thing or two about her four-legged friends.
With the help of her mom, a business consultant for new start-ups or existing businesses that need help in marketing and sales, Luckanuck made flyers, placed ads and even logoed the family car with the Spoiled Rotten emblem.

Luckanuck says she’s received some odd request from pet owners. “Once I had to cut up cow liver and heart and mix it in with dog food, but I’ve seen grosser things,” she said.

With an average of five clients a day and interest in her pet services on the rise, Luckanuck says she’s grateful she doesn’t have to work a typical part-time job. “I can’t work with people,” she explained. “But I can work with people in an animal way.”

For more information about Spoiled Rotten, visit www.spoiledrottenpetservices.ca.