This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
MURRAY - Where miniature golf, college courses and a grand buffet didn't pan out, owners are hoping a pet hospital will.
No longer the 49th Street Galleria, Utah Fun Dome, Salt Lake Valley College or Salt Lake Pavilion, the twin-towered glass building off Interstate 15 near 4900 South in Murray is now the Utah Pet Center.
"It'll do well," said Richard Anderson, who is overseeing the project. "People want to take care of their animals."
The all-inclusive pet center, with veterinary specialists and groomers, has been in the works for the past two years, Anderson said. He and other project managers toured large pet facilities around the nation and decided Utahns needed their own option - and the managers wouldn't mind tapping the $40 billion a year pet industry themselves.
"We really do hope that this Utah Pet Center is something that takes off," said Sherry Van Bibber, a member of Murray's Planning Commission.
She added that each business incarnation at the 25-year-old building has been a plus to the city, "but, yeah, the community would love to have something permanent."
In his 10 years as Murray's mayor, Dan Snarr has seen the building's various businesses change - from the 49th Street Galleria to the current Utah Pet Center.
"Some of them last a couple months, some of them last a year or two - most of the time it's under remodeling," said Snarr, who added that he hopes this business will stick.
Lawrence Kates, who owns the building, is funding the construction.
Anderson expects the pet center to open by mid- to late April. The facility will include grooming, boarding, general veterinary care and specialty services such as rehabilitation, orthopedics, neurology and oncology. The Utah Pet Center also will offer MRI, CT scans and ultrasounds.
"We're trying to go beyond the cutting edge for our pet facility," Anderson said.
The imaging services can be done in Utah, "but you've got to take them into human hospitals," said Eric Belnap, veterinarian and owner of the Redwood Veterinary Hospital in Taylorsville and a similar facility in Sugar House.
One of the closest sites for such specialized care is at the veterinary school in Fort Collins at Colorado State University.
And Anderson said the demand for such intensive pet care exists here.
"Animals are becoming family members these days," he said. "People love their animals, they're just like kids."
Anderson recently "adopted" his husky, Shasta, who wanders around the finished office portion of the building with Mama Jo, a German shepherd owned by Anderson's brother.
Anderson wants to create an atmosphere in which pets and people are comfortable. There will be separate waiting areas for dogs, cats and exotic pets, along with a cafeteria where people can eat while their pets are seen.
He also wants to emphasize preventive care. Groomers will be trained to detect any serious conditions in pets, since they often see the animals more frequently than vets.
In the end, Anderson hopes the center becomes a premier facility for high-quality pet care.
"If we can make that available, we can do some amazing things here," he said.