Difference makers: Alsip Home & Nursery

Richard Christakes, CEO of Alsip Home & Nursery, believes all animals deserve a second chance.

When he adopted Gus, his shepherd/lab mix, the dog was aggressive toward children, and even lunged toward a 5-year-old neighbor. He was understandably worried. But over time, Christakes trained Gus, and now Christakes’ youngest son, who is 3, can safely climb on the dog like a jungle gym.

Watching Gus grow inspired Christakes to open the rescue-only pet adoption facility this year at his two garden centers, Alsip to the Rescue! Adoption Center.

“Puppy mills are inhumane, and I want to do everything I can do to support the practice of adopting rescue animals,” he says, “and being an ethical business owner means that everything should be done with the best integrity in mind and in heart.”

At one point, he sold both rescue pups and also bought bred dogs to sell, but it was always his intention to move to 100 percent rescue. Christakes partners with multiple humane societies and shelters in the area and organizations that rescue animals from hoarding and abuse situations. So far, more than 400 dogs and cats have been adopted in 2014, and Alsip can house up to 100 animals (including rescued rabbits) at a time between the two locations.

Alsip has an adoption center and a full-service veterinary clinic at both its St. John, Ind., store and the Frankfort, Ill., location, and veterinarians rent the newly remodeled space and provide all medical services on site.

There is also an “R&R room” where dogs and cats that have medical issues or aren’t ready for human contact are rehabilitated and given the TLC they need, and they also built outdoor spaces for the dogs to run and play and meet their potential new pet parents, says Sandy Richwalski, senior pet manager at Alsip.

“They need to learn to trust us, and then they can trust other people,” she says.

Christakes says the veterinary clinic and Alsip “work together in a way that’s mutually beneficial.”

“We have a symbiotic relationship. We treat and take care of all of the animals that we adopt in our store. We give each other clients,” he says. “They provide us a service that is needed for these animals at low to no cost, and we in turn are growing their client base.”

They also have a grooming business on site, Groomingdales, that’s on pace to top $400,000 in sales this year. Jennifer Whaley of Fetch Portraits provides professional photos of the pups for free so that people can browse the pictures on Alsip’s website.

An extensive pet center is right within Alsip as well, so people can get their beds, leashes, bowls, food and other supplies in one place.

Adoption fees for dogs range from $300 to $400 and cats are $100 to help pay for the cost of running the facilities as well as medical costs before the adoption, which includes spraying and neutering, and a microchip for dogs.

Alsip’s program has been featured in radio programs and newspapers, including The Chicago Tribune, and Christakes says the buzz and success of the program has been rewarding.

He recalled countless times people have hugged and thanked him for designing and running the facility.

“I’m not suggesting that everybody start a puppy rescue, but do something that connects with your community above and beyond your business,” he says. “If you have something great in mind to do, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got economic restraints, get creative, team up with people and build it brick by brick.”