About Us
Fun. Play. Bark’s Mission:
To provide an enriching, safe, and comfortable environment for dogs
and their owners to feel welcomed, valued, and respected.
Fun. Play. Bark’s Core Values:
- Strive to be better than we were yesterday.
- The sum of our employees is greater than all our parts.
- Every dog we meet is in some way our superior.
Elena created her business, The Animal Experts, LLC in 2013 where she provided a customized dog boarding service based on the concept of kennel-free boarding at her home in Bozrah, Connecticut. In 2014, she expanded her service to offer dog daycare. Building upon her success, Elena and her husband, Marcus, added more services at a second location which is known as Fun. Play. Bark in Groton, Connecticut.
Elena earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut as well as a Master of Arts in Education. Her varied interests, education, and experiences led her to create Mona’s House – A Place for Homeless Pets, a dog rescue organization specializing in hard-to-adopt, senior, and medically-challenging dogs. Marcus is a U.S. Navy veteran who is also a licensed real estate agent and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
You will typically see Marcus in the mornings while he greets you at the front desk or shuttling dogs to and from the play yards. Elena is most often on campus in the afternoons and evenings along with her trusty side-kick rescue dog, Fig. On rare occasions, you may get a glimpse of the entire family together as their daughter, Susie, loves to visit with all the staff and dogs.
Why Choose Us
Holistic Care
We offer, boarding, daycare, training, grooming, behavioral evaluations, puppy socials, field rentals, and special events.
Balanced Care
Every dog gets a well-balanced mix of playtime, rest periods, and when necessary, time to eat and digest. Some dogs play well in energetic groups with other dogs, while some prefer to interact with just a few of their quieter friends. Our staff will even spend one-on-one time with those dogs who don’t socialize with other dogs.
Collective Experience
Our team members have a collective total of over 100 years of experience in animal care industries. Our staff members have worked with a wide variety of animals. They have experience as: veterinary & surgical techs, vet practice management, dog training, dog and cat grooming, dog behavior analysis and modification, caretakers of birds, farm animals, horses, marine mammals, penguins, hoofstock, and big cats. We can safely say our staff knows “a thing or two” about how to keep your dog well-cared for.
The staff is so nice and accommodating, my dog gets nervous in big groups and they were very understanding of his needs and helped make him feel safe and at home while he is there. They are very good at what they do! My dog absolutely loves it!
– Amelia P.
Happy Dogs, Happy Owners
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Each month we send out a Fun. Play. Bark newsletter that includes information about training, new programs, pictures and fun opportunities.