Construction starts on Lakewood Ranch pet resort

Robert and Lynne Huff may be the owners of Bayside Pet Resort, but they let a Husky named Jedi take the spotlight Friday afternoon as they celebrated the groundbreaking for their fourth location.

The couple, along with architect Ron Sivitz, contractor Jeff Charlotte and Manatee County District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh grabbed ceremonial pooper scoopers, with Jedi sitting at their sides, and tossed dirt to signify construction of the future 14,600-square-foot facility, located along State Road 70, just west of Post Boulevard.

“It’s a rapidly expanding area,” Robert Huff said of why he picked the location. “I feel the timing is right because it’s going to take us about a year to complete construction.”

Huff said Bayside’s Lakewood Ranch location likely will have expanded services, particularly regarding pet transportation to and from the facility to accommodate Lakewood Ranch’s high population of families or out-of-area visitors to Premier who have no place to keep their dogs for the day. The company also plans to get involved in the community through charity work.

When complete, the resort will be 14,600 square feet and have an outdoor swimming pool for dogs, astroturf and several indoor and outdoor play yards.