Author: Celeste McLaughlin

Vanquish Summer Smells & Stickiness With Scrub-A-Dub Bin Cleaning

When dumping your garbage into your trash bin, are you one of those people who open the lid quickly, flick the bag of trash into the bin, and let the lid slam shut as you turn away, hoping to avoid the waft of stink from years of trash bin neglect?

If so, Wesley Chapel resident Jennifer Trudel can help you. A simple phone call can remove the stink — as well as bugs, dried liquids, sticky substances and other left-over trash residue — out of your bins.

Scrub-A-Dub Bin Cleaning, started 18 months ago by Trudel, will come to your home and have your bins looking and smelling brand new. While a fresh trash bin may seem like an oxymoron to some, it actually makes perfect sense, Trudel says.

“With the summer and the heat and people having to keep their trash bins in their garage, bacteria love the warmth and they love moisture and that’s basically what you have in Florida,” she says. “The heat helps bacteria grow, and a lot of people will get maggots, viruses, mold and bacteria they can’t see even see.”

That may be why business has been booming for Trudel. One day last week, she was trying to figure out how she was going to get to all 40 homes on her schedule taken care of in one day. She is considering buying a second truck. And, she says, advertising in the Neighborhood News also has helped keep her busy.

“It’s been crazy,” she says.

How Does It Work?

Scrub-A-Dub Bin Cleaning comes to your home as often as you desire — from just four times per year to monthly — to make sure the trash and recycling bins you drag back into your garage are immaculately clean and fresh-smelling.

One of Jennifer’s first customers was Joshua Green, who lives in Seven Oaks.

“Our trash cans were always in the garage and smelling,” Green says. “It’s gross and no one wants to deal with it.”

He has been pleased with the results.

“They’re nice and clean and look brand new,” says Green, who has been a customer ever since.

Scrub-A-Dub customers leave their bins out on trash day, after the sanitation truck has picked up their trash and/or recycling. That’s when Jennifer comes by, opens the bin and uses a grabber to pull out any trash left behind, then loads the bins into her truck, and the “magic” begins.

The bins are raised above the truck and centered around a head that spins and blasts 200-degree water.

“Imagine a giant dishwasher for your bin,” she says.

For an initial cleaning, Jennifer will scrub using a biodegradable degreaser to clean the inside of the bin — she says that sometimes she even has to climb inside the bin — and then runs it through the truck’s process again.

She pressure-sprays the outside of the lid, wipes the handles and the inside and outside of the lid — anywhere your hands might touch. Then, she says the bin no longer has an odor, but she wants it to smell good, so she adds a deodorizer. Then, she wipes out any excess water.

“It’s overkill, but I do it because I’m a type-A person,” Jennifer laughs. “I want the bin to look beautiful, and every customer to be wowed.”

Jennifer says that some people might say, “It’s a garbage can. It’s supposed to be dirty,” and she says she can understand that, even though she disagrees.

“No one wants to deal with nasty garbage cans that smell, and maggots are a big problem with bins that aren’t cleaned regularly,” Jennifer says.

Environmentally Friendly, Too!

Jennifer says that all of the cleaning products she uses — including the degreaser, disinfectant and deodorizer — are biodegradable.

“Let’s say you use vinegar; that doesn’t kill bacteria,” she explains. “Bleach kills bacteria but it’s super toxic and bad for the lakes and ponds.”

With Scrub-A-Dub, all of the water for cleaning comes from a 525-gallon tank inside the truck, which is filled with fresh water. And, it’s heated to a temperature much higher than anything you would use to clean your home.

She says the dirty water that is rinsed out of the inside of your bins goes into the truck and is disposed of according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.

Easy & Affordable

To sign up, visit ScrubADubBins.com. You will pay an annual fee up front, based upon how often you want your bins cleaned, and whether you have one or two bins.

The prices for the year for one bin are $65 (for quarterly cleanings), $85 (for bi-monthly cleanings) and $135 (for monthly cleanings).

For two bins — don’t forget that recycling bin, which probably gets as much stickiness if not more due to nearly-but-not-quite-finished cans and cartons of soda, juice and milk — the prices are $110 (for quarterly cleanings), $135 (for bi-monthly cleanings) and $240 (for monthly cleanings).

And, you’re never locked into a contract with Scrub-a-Dub — cancel at anytime and Jennifer will pro-rate your refund. If you get a single cleaning for $30 and decide to sign up for the year, she will apply the $30 to whatever deal you choose.

Jennifer always sends a reminder text the day before, giving customers the opportunity to confirm their appointment or to let her know if they need to postpone their service due to going out of town, or for any other reason.

“People pay for all kind of things, like mowing the grass or pulling weeds,” Green says. “It’s just stuff we honestly don’t want to do, and I think it’s worth it.”

Not Just A Job

Trudel has lived in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area since 1996. While serving the community as a pharmacist in Tampa, she dreamed of one day owning her own business.

When she says the stress of her previous job pushed her to consider early retirement, she started researching what she could do next.

An acquaintance in another part of Florida raved about Jennifer’s sparkling clean trash bins on social media, and Jennifer recognized the opportunity to create an innovative business that would be totally new to the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa areas — and the perfect fit for her admitted neat-freak personality.

“This is not just a job for me,” says Jennifer proudly. “It’s my life.”

She says that while she always loved serving her community as a pharmacist, being a business owner is different.

“I moved to Cross Creek in 1996 and then to Seven Oaks in 2003. I feel connected to the area and I’ve seen it explode. Now, I feel more a part of the community.” Jennifer also has been a regular exhibitor at the annual Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel since it moved to AdventHealth (formerly Florida Hospital) Center Ice three years ago.

As a pharmacist, she says she used to sit in a room all day and, at the end of the day, she would leave the same four walls and experience the shock of being outside for the first time each day.

But now, she says she loves driving around Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, meeting people at their homes, and she especially loves driving the truck. “It’s so fun!” she says.

Jennifer’s husband Jeff now helps her with the business, while also working for a pharmaceutical company. Their grown children are now 27, 23, 20 and 19.

She says her best customers are those who spread the word about her service. That’s why she offers a free cleaning for every referral.

She says it is a unique business, and often the reaction she gets is “Wow, I didn’t even know this existed.” Considering they can sign up and pay for one cleaning before deciding to do more, she says her customers have nearly nothing to lose.

“It’s a personal service,” she says. “It’s not just some company that cleans your bins; it’s Jennifer from Scrub-A-Dub!”

To sign up for Scrub-A-Dub Bin Cleaning or for more information, visit ScrubADubBins.com. You can also call Scrub-A-Dub at its toll-free number, (844) 727-8229 (844-SCRUBBY).

Get Amazing Hair By Expert Stylists At New Identities Hair Studios

While its original location in Tampa Palms has been open for nearly 20 years, New Identities’ newest location in New Tampa is both building its clientele and its roster of professional stylists.

Owners Marc and Kelly Rockquemore now have three locations, including Tampa Palms, in the Shoppes at Amberly; a South Shore location in the Riverview/Apollo Beach area; and the newest location, which opened in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. about 18 months ago.

New Identities specializes in hair styling for men and women, including color and cuts, plus perms, relaxers, conditioning treatments and even extensions, and also offers facial waxing.

“At the end of the day, we want people to love their hair and feel like they got good value, too,” says Marc. “They look at their beautiful hair in the mirror and feel really good about the experience they had at our studio.”

While the name “New Identities” implies dramatic makeovers — and they certainly do quite a few of those — Marc says that many of the studios’ clients come in on a regular basis for color touch-ups and trims every few weeks, too.

“Our name makes you think we’re doing transformations on people, and we do a lot of projects and advanced color techniques,” says Marc. “But, we’re not just doing purple and blue, though.”

He explains that his stylists often do color correction and hair repair, especially fixing hair that’s been damaged. They also are experts at specialty colors and balayage, a technique of free-hand painting highlights onto the hair, creating a softer and more natural look.

“We have more than 12,000 followers on Instagram,” Marc says. “We post hundreds of photos on Instagram so people can see our work.”

Women make up the majority of the clients at New Identities, but Marc estimates that men are now about 25 percent of those who come in for services. He wants men to know they are more than welcome at any of the studios.

“We encourage guys to come in,” Marc says. “They get a complimentary scalp massage, a consultation, haircut, even a glass of wine if they want one. It’s a very different guest experience than what you would experience at a barbershop or discount hair cutter.”

Expertly Trained Stylists

Marc and Kelly believe in ongoing training for all of the stylists at their salon and make it a point to bring in trainers to ensure that all New Identities stylists are trained in the latest techniques.

“We put our money where our mouths are when it comes to continuing education,” says Marc. “We fly in educators from New York or Los Angeles or wherever to do classes for just our staff.”

He calls the on-site training “a huge benefit to our stylists,” who otherwise might only see these types of techniques at an annual hair show with thousands of people in the room or by watching videos on YouTube.

“That’s a completely different experience than having a trainer standing over you while you work on a mannequin,” Marc says. “The training benefits our guests, too, because it allows us to bring the latest trends and techniques to them.”

He says he often hires stylists right out of hair school. Then, they go through an extensive training program to be sure they’re ready to style and color up to New Identities’ standards.

“We have a six-month associate training program, which is one-on-one job shadowing with one of our top stylists, where they learn every aspect of what that stylist does,” explains Marc. “It’s a very hands-on, intense training program that takes their skill level up to the next level. We have full confidence in every stylist who comes out of the program.”

Of course, he adds, not every stylist who is hired has to go through the associate program. Depending upon their skill and experience when they are hired, they may only go through the program for a short time.”

Marc says New Identities is always interviewing for new talent.

“We put a different kind of spin on hiring,” says Marc. “A lot of businesses wait until they need to hire someone to do interviews, but we are always looking for the best people to fit our culture. When we meet them, we make room for them.”

He says New Identities is more stringent than most salons about who they allow into the business, looking for stylists who also have great character and personality, and are happy to be at work.

“We know it when we see it,” Marc says. “I get compliments all the time about how nice our staff is. That’s really important to us.”

Tampa Palms resident Lisa O’Neil is someone who appreciates the salon’s commitment to both customer service and excellent training.

Lisa has been a client at New Identities for more than 12 years. She started at the Tampa Palms location, but followed her stylist to the New Tampa location. Over the years, Lisa says she has seen three different stylists, and she watches how all of the stylists interact with each other — and with the customers. “They know what they’re doing,” Lisa says. “They keep up on training and all the new products.”

Lisa says she also loves the way she’s treated at New Identities, and appreciates the special touches, such as always being offered a drink and being referred to as a “guest,” instead of a customer. Lisa says she often gets unsolicited compliments about her hair from strangers, whether she’s traveling or just in the grocery store.

“I’m pretty picky,” she says. “There are so many salons in the area, but I’ve never considered going anywhere else.”

A Budget For Everyone

New Identities now employs more than 40 stylists between its three locations. The cost for services varies depending upon the “level” of the stylist.

Marc is always quick to clear up a misconception that a stylist at a lower level may be less competent than a stylist at a higher level.

“We have six levels of stylists, based on the (customer) demand for their time,” says Marc. “The misconception is that a lower level stylist is a less experienced or less talented stylist, but that’s not the case. For example, we have three stylists who just started in Tampa Palms who are veterans — they each have been doing hair for anywhere from eight to 15 years — but they are at a lower level because they just moved to the area and are building their clientele. Essentially, their services are ‘on sale.’”

Marc adds that all New Identities stylists are competitively priced for the area, but the stylists who are at the lower levels have more availabilities.

“We can accommodate people looking for beauty on a budget,” Marc says.

It’s also important to Marc and Kelly to be active in the community, so they participate in events that support worthy causes. On May 17, they participated in the annual “Fashion Funds The Cure” at Raymond James Stadium, where pediatric cancer patients are featured in a fashion show each year to raise money for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

In years past, New Identities also has been the official salon of both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders and the Tampa Bay Lightning girls. The studio has been seen on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” Fox’s “Ambush Makeover,” TLC’s “A Wedding Story,” the NFL Network’s “Making The Squad,” and MTV’s “True Life!”

All three New Identities Hair Studio locations are open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; 9 a.m.–8 p.m. on Friday; and 9 a.m.–6 p.m. on Saturday. They’re closed on Sunday.

For appointments at the New Tampa New Identities Hair Studio (19038 BBD Blvd.), call (813) 579-1575. For Tampa Palms (15307 Amberly Dr.), call (813) 979-0760. For the South Shore studio (10639 Big Bend Rd. in Riverview), call (813) 741-1177.

Hair Salon salon stylist

Check Out The Little Free Library At The New Tampa Family YMCA!

Getting books into the hands of those who want to read them has gotten a little easier for New Tampa residents, now that a Little Free Library has been installed and opened to the public outside the New Tampa Family YMCA.

Raequel Tomsich, who serves as vice president of communications & public relations for the GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs) New Tampa Junior Woman’s Club (NTJWC), explains that a Little Free Library is a no-cost book exchange for the community. She says it’s part of a global phenomenon, with more than 80,000 of these community exchanges registered in 91 countries around the world at LittleFreeLibraries.com.

Raequel says she fell in love with the idea of a Little Free Library when she saw one while on vacation in Bryson City, NC, last summer. When she returned home, her New Tampa Juniors club was discussing ways to support a statewide project of the GFWC called Book Heroes that aims to get books into the hands of 10,000 children each year.

The GFWC New Tampa Junior Woman’s Club is a local nonprofit group that is part of an international organization committed to community service. Its members volunteer in the local community, raise money to support the club’s efforts, and meet monthly to discuss business, complete a hands-on service project, and plan upcoming events.

Club members decided to install a Little Free Library in Tampa Palms to support the statewide reading initiative.

They researched plans and obtained a GFWC Focus on Literacy grant provided by the Procter & Gamble Company to help with expenses.

Little Free Libraries can look very different, but most are some variation of a wooden box. The New Tampa Juniors chose plans that resemble a house shape, with two shelves inside for books. It’s raised off the ground on a post.

It’s also a personal project for Raequel, who says her father used to do woodwork and taught her husband, Mike, who has now used those skills to build the library structure. Her kids helped to install it.

“I’m so proud of it,” she says.

Club members collected books for children and adults alike. They were thrilled when the New Tampa Family YMCA, located at 16221 Compton Dr. in Tampa Palms, agreed to allow the Juniors to install the library on its property.

The library works on the honor system and anyone can take a book or leave one.

“It’s our hope that people who borrow books also will contribute,” says Raequel. “It doesn’t matter if the same book makes it back, but it’s just great if you can take one and share one.”

Raequel says response has been great and that books are borrowed several times a day. She is a member of the YMCA and visits frequently and says she can tell the Little Free Library is being used by the number of books that are taken from it each time she visits. She also sees books being added to the library, and hears from the YMCA staff that their members tell them they like and appreciate the library.

“I don’t think we could have picked a better location,” says Raequel. “You don’t have to be a member to use it, but the Y has so many members. And now, with summer camps at the Y, more people who didn’t know it was there before will see it and start using it.”

The club is committed to ensuring that the library is maintained and restocked as necessary. Raequel says she and other club members add books to the library several times a week.

Because books are borrowed so frequently, they need to be replenished often. Books can be donated by leaving them in the library outside the YMCA. They can also be donated by contacting the club through its Facebook page at Facebook.com/GFWCNewTampaJuniors or find contact information at GFWCNewTampaJuniors.org.

“I love reading and the idea of getting books into the hands of kids,” says Raequel. “Especially in today’s world, with everyone usually on their electronics, it’s good to get people reading.”

Library new tampa family ymca

Touch Is Wesley Chapel’s Largest & Most Luxurious Nail Spa!

Having recently celebrated two years on S.R. 56, Touch Nail Spa now offers even more space to accommodate even more clients.

Located in the Cypress View Square shopping plaza on S.R. 56 (the same plaza as Capital Tacos), Touch Nail Spa offers a beautiful, luxurious setting to enjoy a pedicure, a manicure, or one of the salon’s many other services, including eyelash extensions, waxing, facials and massages.

Timmy Pham and his wife Tiffany opened the salon in March 2017. Business has been brisk, which led them to expand their space from 3,200 square feet to 4,800. The additional 1,600 square feet allowed them to add 17 additional pedicure chairs (for a total of 33) and nine additional stations for manicures (for a total of 30).

The new space opened last August. It’s a perfect area for private parties, and Timmy invites guests to reserve the space for groups from six to 20 people.

“You can pick any services you want,” he says, “and all services are 10-percent off for everyone in the party.”

Touch Nail Spa celebrated its two-year anniversary on March 24 by giving a free manicure or pedicure to the first 50 guests that day.

Timmy designed the salon himself, and it is beautiful, relaxing, upscale and clean.

In fact, Timmy describes it as “flawlessly clean,” with gleaming floors and spotless tabletops, a tidy restroom, and all surfaces and tools sanitized for each individual person.

While the salon is large, it maintains a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Timmy says he and the staff pay attention to every detail to ensure a nice ambiance is maintained. For example, they immediately greet each visitor as they walk through the door and the TVs are kept quiet. Touch Nail Spa offers a complimentary beverage with every service, such as water, soda or even wine, served in a chilled glass (limit one per adult customer with I.D.).

More Techs, More Services

While the décor reflects a more upscale experience, with its high ceilings, large windows, and beautiful surfaces and fixtures, don’t let that fool you. Touch Nail Spa’s prices are affordable.

Timmy says most customers come in for a manicure and/or pedicure, and the salon offers a menu of options to fit everyone’s individual taste.

Currently, there are 43 employees working at Touch Nail Spa, all of whom are State-licensed in cosmetology. They can help you figure out which services are the best fit for you.

Manicures may include a simple polish, gel polish, dipping powder or acrylic nails.

A variety of spa manicures and pedicures are offered, and even the “Simple Touch” pedicure (just $25) includes a callus treatment, pineapple sugar scrub, hot towel wrap and lotion massage, along with nail trimming and shaping, buffing and cuticle grooming.

For an even more spa-like experience, a variety of “Hot Touch” pedicures are offered ($45-$60). These include a hot stone massage for your legs and feet, plus additional treatments — such as specialized exfoliation for the bottom of the feet and a mask for legs and heels.

A couple of specific brands of pedicures have been recently added, by customer request. One is the Volcano Spa pedicure, which includes a bubbly, fizzing treatment added to the pedicure water. Another is the Nu Skin organic pedicure.

Timmy says that you’ll always be able to find the color you want at Touch Nail Spa. He carries 1,700 different colors, and every color available in a regular polish is available as a gel color, too. That means you have access to 3,400 bottles of color.

Manicures using dipping powder, which is a newer service, add a layer to your nails that is as strong as acrylic, but much healthier for your nails. Timmy says he offers the dipping powder in 2,000 colors.

The thousands of colors are one thing that really sets Touch Nail Spa apart.

“Everyone has dips, everyone has gel,” says Timmy. “We have more colors, and we have less waiting because we have more employees.”

So, while he offers a relaxing experience, you can get in and out quickly if you need to.

Joy is a Touch Nail Spa client who says she has been coming in since it opened. She still comes in once a month for a pedicure and dip for her nails.

“Their customer service is amazing,” she says. “The atmosphere is nice and it’s not too noisy. It has a nice ambiance and is very clean. For example, they have a disposable wrap for the pedicure chair, which decreases the risk of infections.”

Joy’s favorite nail technician, Mai, says all services at Touch Nail Spa are guaranteed for two weeks. If your nails don’t last two weeks, come back and they’ll fix it.

“But, you don’t need to come back because they do such a good job,” Joy says.

Specials & Perks

Treat yourself to a birthday manicure and pedicure! Timmy says if you come in on your birthday and purchase two services, you’ll receive 50-percent off the more expensive service. You must show ID that it is your actual birthdate; not valid any other day.

Touch Nail Spa also offers a new customer reward program. Upon arrival, sign in on one of the salon’s iPads, and sign up for your free membership. Rewards members receive 1 point for every dollar spent, and when you reach 500 points, you receive your choice of a free simple touch pedicure or $25 off any other pedicure service.

You also can now purchase e-gift cards for Touch Nail Spa online at the spa’s website, TouchNailAndSpa.com.

Originally from Vietnam, Timmy has been in the U.S. 23 years and has been doing nails almost 19 years. Tiffany and Timmy met when he spent a year in Chicago about 12 years ago and have now been married about six years.

Timmy previously owned a nail salon in Kentucky. He moved to Florida seven years ago and has worked at other salons in the area. He says he opened Touch Nail Spa because of his desire to serve customers at a higher level.

“It’s been a lot of hard work,” he says, to grow the business the way it has, “but the results of that hard work are showing.”

Touch Nail Spa currently is looking to hire a full-time receptionist. If you’re interested in applying, please call the salon at the number below.

Touch Nail Spa is located at 27233 S.R. 56 and is open Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sunday. Walk-ins and appointments are welcome. To make an appointment or ask about services, call (813) 973-4111.

nails spa

Pet Urgent Care Of Wesley Chapel Now Open In The Pet & Fit Center!

*The big, inflatable dalmatian on S.R. 56, less than a mile east of I-75, stands guard over the Pet & Fit Center plaza that is home to Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel.*

Earlier this month, St. Petersburg resident Diane Grey was driving home from north Florida with her dog, a 108-pound Rhodesian ridgeback named Morocco. She was getting close to Pasco County when she says Morocco began showing signs of illness. She got off the interstate and pulled into a gas station.

“I saw he was in distress, so I called my vet in St. Pete,” she says. Morocco was anxious because of all the travel and was suffering from heat exhaustion. Diane was told not to wait until she got home, but to seek help for Morocco immediately.

She searched the internet and found Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel, which had only recently opened one exit away.

“I was so worked up and emotional,” she says. “When I saw the Pet Urgent Care sign, it was the best thing I ever saw. They were really friendly and took care of Morocco immediately.”

It is the kind of important emergency services for your pet management had in mind when Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel opened on April 15, making it the first urgent care clinic for pets in the Wesley Chapel/New Tampa area.

Pet Urgent Care shares a building with Dr. Sree Reddy’s Seven Oaks Pet Hospital, which first opened in 2007, and moved to its current location on S.R. 56, just east of I-75, in the plaza called the Pet & Fit Center, in 2016.

Medical director Dr. Gina Ushi is one of three experienced pet emergency veterinarians you’ll find at Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel.

The Pet & Fit Center is now a place where pet owners can visit their veterinarian, stop by the nearby retail store for pet products, such as food, toys, treats, beds and much more. The retail store is Pet Depot, and it occupies 3,000 square feet next door to the pet hospitals.

Seven Oaks Pet Hospital treat dogs, cats and exotic pets. When the pet hospital closes, the urgent care center opens.

Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel is open seven days a week until 11 p.m. (see full hours at the end of this story).

Making Pet Urgent Care Closer & More Convenient

Gina Ushi, DVM, is the medical director for Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel. Prior to joining the pet hospital, Dr. Ushi worked at an emergency clinic in Tampa.

Dr. Ushi earned her DVM degree in 2009 from the University of Florida in Gainesville. She had previously earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from Xavier University in New Orleans, LA, in 2003.

“If people have an emergency with a pet in this area, we want them to know they don’t have to drive down to Tampa,” she says. “When I worked in Tampa, we would often get calls from Wesley Chapel where people would ask, ‘is there anything closer?’”

Now, she says, there finally is a closer option for pets with all kinds of urgent medical needs, such as bite wounds or lacerations, not eating or drinking, or toxin ingestion.

“We see pets with allergic reactions, ear and eye infections, vomiting and/or diarrhea,” Dr. Ushi explains, “or minor traumas, such as they jumped off the bed and now they’re limping.”

There are no scheduled appointments, so all patients are seen on a walk-in basis. Dr. Ushi says pet owners can call ahead so the staff is prepared for you when you get there, but even that isn’t necessary.

Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel is fully staffed with veterinarians who are all experienced in emergency medicine. Dr. Ushi is joined by Dr. Megan Niedens, who was Dr. Ushi’s classmate and also received her DVM degree from UF in 2009, and Dr. Michele Lentovich, who received her DVM degree from UF in 2005. Each of the three doctors has more than 10 years of experience in emergency medicine for animals.

Dr. Ushi says their experience is critical when it comes to being able to save the life of a pet, because a doctor experienced in caring for animals is not the same as one experienced in handling emergencies. “When you visit our urgent care, you will see a doctor who has been in emergency medicine for at least 10 years,” Dr. Ushi explains. “You can rest assured you’re seeing a highly trained, highly experienced doctor.”

Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel sees dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets. The doctors will sometimes see other exotic animals and birds, but that’s at the doctor’s discretion. Not every doctor is comfortable with every animal, so it will depend upon which doctor is available.

Dr. Ushi advises that anyone who has birds or small exotic animals should call before walking in to determine whether or not they can be seen at the urgent care facility. Most exotics can be scheduled at the regular hospital by appointment.

“We are a bridge between your family veterinarian and an overnight emergency facility,” explains Dr. Ushi. Sometimes, she says, a pet’s illness is so critical that they must be sent somewhere else for overnight care but, in most cases, they are able to be treated and sent home.

In fact, Dr. Ushi says, many of the cases they see are minor issues where a pet owner simply can’t get to their own vet during regular office hours.

Whether a pet is regularly seen at Seven Oaks Pet Hospital, or any other veterinarian, they are still welcome to come to Pet Urgent Care, if needed.

Diane and Morocco will forever be grateful. She says the doctors at Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel were able to stabilize Morocco so he could travel the rest of the way home.

“When you’re so stressed like that, it was a wonderful feeling that everyone had great customer service,” Diane says, “from the receptionist to the vet who treated him. The facility was clean and easy to navigate. They saved my dog’s life.”

She says that Morocco is doing much better now. She also took her paperwork from the visit to her vet back home and asked if the services that were recommended, such as blood work, were necessary, and if what she was charged was reasonable.

Her veterinarian confirmed that he agreed with the recommendations of Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel. “So, they have integrity, too,” says Diane.

Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel is located at 27027 S.R. 56 (look for the big, inflatable dalmatian). Pet Urgent Care of Wesley Chapel is currently offering a special of 10-percent off the regular exam fee for all new clients. It is open Monday-Friday, 6 p.m.–11 p.m., 2 p.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m.–11 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call (813) 279-6500 or visit UrgentPetCareOfWesleyChapel.com.

aftercare dog hospital