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A UK boarding home for dogs has been given a distinctly Jersey makeover by its owner.
Sam Orchard Jones, who runs Spilmah Home Boarding and Doggy Day Care in Bedfordshire, left the island with her father in 1978 when she was seven.
However, Jersey is still close to her heart, and she tries to visit the island three times a year.
Initially, she had converted a building on her and her husband's property into a bungalow for their dogs, saying that they didn’t want them living in kennels, being family pets.
Pictured: Sam and some of her beloved dogs.
But when more and more friends began requesting for them to look after their dogs when they went on holiday, Sam had an idea – she got a licence, and turned it into a boarding home and day care centre for dogs.
Having run this dog care service for twelve years now, she explained that she wanted to bring a piece of Jersey to the design of the dogs’ new rooms:
“A friend of mine is an architect, and he designed the beach huts – and we came up with the crazy idea to name all the huts after Jersey.”
Pictured: Some of the dogs enjoying the sights of Sam's Jersey bungalow.
“We’re going to paint a map of Jersey on the floor. Most of it has been done during lockdown – we’re still finishing it off.”
The painting will also include putting up the respective Parish coats of arms, with the room structured to be like walking around the island.
There will also be fake windows installed looking out to whichever beach the room is supposed to represent, and an appearance from Mad Mary’s on the Bouley Bay room.
Pictured: Spilmah's Jersey themed rooms.
For the names painted on the huts, Sam said that her Dad took on spellchecking duties, making sure she didn’t get any of the trickier Jersey names wrong.
“I’ve got an online booking system, and when people book in online – the template e-mail says ‘Bonne Nuit has been reserved’ – I have to say, you’re not in France!”
Despite the makeover, the doggy residents themselves are yet to be converted into full Jersey beans, with Sam saying that, as long-time visitors, they still preferred to “mill around the bungalow” than sleep in the rooms.
Pictured: The specially catered afternoon tea that the dogs have.
Talking about the dogs’ experience of the miniature Jersey, she said: “it’s like a hotel – they use the room as a base, run around the island, and eat loads of delicious food.”
Along with a doggy mini bar, personalised doggy treats and luxury surroundings, these canines truly are living the Jersey high life.
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