Allow a zoning permit for Rex's Boarding House.

Dear members of the Zoning Board

I support approval by the Zoning Board of the special use permit proposed for Rex’s Boarding House dog kennel.

According to the City’s Revenue office, Evanston has 1,859 dogs who are registered for pet licenses in 2018. We have 0 kennels in Evanston (unless you consider Pet Smart's Pet Hotel a kennel). This means that Evanston residents are taking their dogs to our neighboring towns for kennel care.

We do have a few locations, including Rex’s Place, that offer limited open space boarding in a home-like environment. While this is a good solution for many dogs, there are also a lot of dogs who do better in a typical kennel environment with nighttime crates.

Rex’s Boarding House will offer Evanston residents the opportunity to board their dogs in a safe environment run by trained dog care staff. Rex’s Place owner, Kathy Lichtenstein, will oversee Rex’s Boarding House. Kathy started Rex’s Place a decade ago when dog daycare options were limited in Evanston. She and her staff have cared for hundreds of dogs and Rex’s Boarding House allows for more dogs to thrive in a loving environment while their people are away.

I am urging the Zoning Board to approve the proposed zoning permit and allow Rex’s Boarding House to become a permanent part of Evanston.

Thank you,