Pam Behjatnia had never met Alice Liberson, owner of Dogma Catmantoo, but when she learned that Garbo, Carrie, and Bernie’s food and toy supplier was going out of business, “I called her, met with her, and two hours later, I was a business owner.” Garbo, Carrie, and Bernie are rescue dogs, and Behjatnia is halfway through the tale of Carrie’s sad medical history when she sees notes are being taken. “I don’t want to share their health problems with the public,” she says, as shocked as if someone asked to publish her own child’s medical records. Non-pet owners might find that a little weird, but Behjatnia’s instinct to protect her animals’ privacy as fiercely as if they were human suggests Dogma Catmantoo has passed into the right hands. On the record, she will say that “they’re happy to have jobs.” Their job descriptions weren’t completely nailed down yet–something to do with greeting customers and nudging tennis balls and rawhide bones into their hands.
Since the store closing had already been announced, Behjatnia took the opportunity to give it a makeover. “New floor, new ceiling. I should go into the ceiling business, so many people have commented on it”–a drop ceiling made of vinyl tiles, pressed to look like some kind of art deco ceramic, in black and gold interspersed with stained glass light boxes. The vinyl tiles are from a Wisconsin company, the light boxes from California.
The bread and butter of the business is the impeccably sourced dog and cat food–the fancy collars, beds, and toys just the fluff on a more serious mission. She says that all of the scrupulous U.S. sourcing for food and treats has made buying U.S.-made products when possible pretty much a habit.
Customers should note the phone number has changed. She wanted to keep the old number, but “I’m sick of fighting with Comcast about it.”
Dogma Catmantoo, 208 N. Fourth Ave., 368-9691. Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed Sun.
