> Out and About: Tyler and Roger Ball
Out and About: Tyler and Roger Ball
Their staff of professionally trained animal technicians provides constant supervision for all of their canine and feline guests. They do require that all of their guests be current with all annual vaccinations. Vaccinations for dogs must include the Bordetella vaccine to prevent Kennel Cough. Roger Ball is and has always lived in Windsor. His sons, Tyler and Spencer have too. Roger graduated from Watkinson High School before attending Kansas State University for Biology (BS) Pre-Veterinary. Tyler went to Loomis Chaffee, then to University of Vermont (UVM) majoring in Resource Ecology. Like his father, Spencer graduated from Watkinson, and joined the family business in 2014. Roger tried to get in vet school after numerous attempts in the '70s, but did not get in. Instead, he chose to do the closest he could get to veterinary work, starting his own kennel. Roger states there were only about nine veterinary schools at the time he tried to enter, and it was quite competitive as opposed to today. Tyler explains how he got onboard of the family business. "I guess I came on in 2004, simply had grown up, helped out during summers and things like that. More help was there and it was a good opportunity to join the business at that point. Knew the business and enjoy it!" What Roger and Tyler are passionate about are dogs. Roger rented space from the Thrall family at the base of Day Hill Rd. in 1976. When the expansion took place in 1985, Roger purchased land from the Thrall's on Addison Rd. in preparation of the change the previous year and opened the current location at that time. Over the past thirty-four years, the kennel has expanded five times. Roger says, "It's grown from twenty dogs to one hundred and fifty or so." He adds in, "Primarily we started out with boarding and grooming." In 2007, they started doggie daycare. Roger had been a member of the American Boarding Association for over twenty years until that organization dissolved. He and Tyler are members of the Chamber of Commerce. Roger mentions that they have helped whatever organization around town if they needed it such as the Windsor Lions Club, Kiwanis, various golf tournaments and youth sports. "I love the town," Tyler quickly answers when asked how he feels about Windsor. "Certainly good to grow up here, personally. Glad we still work here. I live in East Granby." Roger on the other hand still lives in Windsor. He notes, "Poquonock." Roger adds in, "We're both fond of Windsor. Roger admits, "I feel I owe a lot to the Thralls for supporting us, affording us the ability to buy this land." The Ball family has some favorite places they like to visit. Roger says he's fond of Northwest Park, while Tyler likes to go fishing on the Farmington River. They love to go hunting as a family. Three words that describe the Ball family: Dedicated. Quality. Family-oriented. |
