by Kelsey Warren-Bryant
Picture it. You’re driving down the highway with the sound of your pup’s
heavy panting in the backseat. You hear the clacking of her toenails as she shifts in her crate and then emits a long whine. You sigh. It has been several hours since you stopped to let her stretch her legs. You know you’ll need to stop soon.
Of course, the average rest stop will not allow your dog to relieve herself on the property, so all you can do is pull over to the side of the highway and walk her on a leash. Cars will be zooming by at 70-plus miles per hour while you wrap the leash around your hand, praying that your dog doesn’t see a squirrel or get too curious while on the side of the road. It’s stressful, and you can tell by the way she ducks her head when the cars fly by that it’s stressful for her too. Frankly, you’re not looking forward to it.
Most of us can relate to or at least imagine that scenario. Traveling with your dog can be a challenge, which is something executives at the popular Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores know all too well. So in 2019, they decided to change the game. An idea from a local Love’s manager turned into the company’s very first dog park, a fenced area outside the gas station meant specifically for dogs to take a break in a safe and comfortable place. Before long, one dog park sparked many.
Fulfilling a Need for Travelers
Gary Price, vice president of Love’s, has a lot to say about this unprecedented addition to the travel stops. Here are our questions and his replies.
Question: “Tell me a bit about Love’s as a company. How did the company get started?”
Answer: “Love’s is a family-owned and family-operated network of travel stops with more than 630 locations in 42 states, and it’s an Oklahoma company, based in Oklahoma City. The late Tom Love and his wife, Judy, started the company in 1964 — under the original name of Musket Corporation — with a single location in Watonga.”
Question: “Now, about your dog parks. What inspired the idea of building dog parks at Love’s Travel Stops, and when did this idea come to fruition?”
Answer: “The idea came from the general manager at one of our travel stops who was receiving numerous requests from RV customers for a dog park. He built one on his own, and the executive team saw what a success it was. We quickly determined that many of our core customers — professional drivers, RVers, and casual customers — travel with dogs. With no national network of dog parks, Love’s saw a need and felt we could fill it.”
Question: “Let’s say I’m traveling with my canine companion, and I stop at one of Love’s dog parks. What should I expect when I get there?”
Answer: “You’ll find a clean fenced area, with many locations separated for large and small dogs. There will be water for your pets, along with plenty of grass so they can run and exercise. At many of our locations, there are turf and gravel areas, so your dog can use the park rain or shine. There are well-maintained waste stations stocked with bags to make cleanup easy. And you can expect seating options for you to rest while you watch your dog socialize and play.”
Question: “How many Love’s dog parks have been built thus far, and how long has that taken?”
Answer: “We have the largest interstate network of dog parks in the country, with more than 370 locations, and we continue to add 25 or more every year as we build
new locations and remodel older sites. We opened our first dog park in 2019, so we have built this network in just four years. Customers can find out which Love’s locations have dog parks by visiting https:// www.loves.com or downloading the Love’s Connect app.”
Question: “Would you say the addition of these parks has been a success so far?”
Answer: “Our dog parks have been wildly successful and are one of the reasons our loyal customers keep coming back to Love’s. Offering a space for dogs has turned into a competitive advantage for us.”
Question: “Why is this concept of expanding the number of dog parks important to Love’s as a company?“
Answer: “Love’s wants to meet guests’ needs while they are on their journeys. It can be challenging when traveling with dogs to find safe spots on the interstates where they can rest and get some exercise. This initiative helps us solve that problem for our customers and gives them another reason to stop at Love’s for all their traveling needs. The road is hard, but Love’s is easy!”
Partnering with Bella SPCA
Love’s proves to be a champion for pets through this unique addition to its rest stops, but providing safe spaces to roam isn’t the only thing Love’s does for pets. Since 2018, Love’s has partnered with the Bella SPCA Rescue Center in Guthrie to host an annual low-cost vaccination event for local families. The event also normally includes activities, giveaways, and prizes. The event was held in May this year, but it will likely be scheduled again in spring 2024.
So if you plan to travel with your canine companions anytime soon, download the Love’s app to find locations of dog parks or simply keep an eye out for that yellow sign and check to see if a dog park is onsite. Then walk the dogs in, shut the gate, and plop yourself on the bench while they take their time exploring the fenced area. Between this sweet perk and Love’s contributions toward low-cost vaccinations, dog owners have a lot to love about Love’s.
