NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Today, Children’s Hospital New Orleans has announced a partnership with MaryMac’s Doggie Retreat, the city’s first black-owned canine day care, to ensure employees’ treasured pets are well taken care of when they return to work following the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.
The partnership is an example of how the community is taking care of each other at all levels in the face of so much recent hardship.
“Children’s Hospital has worked diligently to provide basic necessities for our team members in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, including housing, access to showers, gasoline, laundry, childcare and more—all essential to their ability to return to work,” said Jonathan Brouk, Chief Operating Officer at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Courtney and the team at MaryMac’s Doggie Retreat to also provide complimentary pet care for our team members in need.”
The deal represents a win for the Hospital, employees, patients, local business, and the pets all at the same time.
“Hurricane Ida had devastating effects on the entire community, and that includes our pets too. It’s understandable that dog owners might be anxious leaving behind their babies when they go back to work,” said Courtney McWilliams of MaryMac’s Doggie Retreat. “I am committed to making sure that their pets’ needs are met, so they can be at ease while at work taking care of our city’s children.”
The partnership also shows the Children’s Hospital’s commitment to supporting local business owners. Courtney McWilliams of MaryMac’s Doggie Retreat embodies the spirit of the New Orleans’ strength—building her business from zero to 700 new clients during a pandemic. Many of her clients were first responders or essential employees during the pandemic. MaryMac’s Doggie Retreat has grown tremendously over the last year, despite all the odds, and recently started selling shampoo and conditioner as well as offering a Fall course that offers enrichment training a new trick every month.