The first dog Jennifer DeSalvo owned in her adult life was Brody, a Labrador retriever/greyhound mix she rescued when he was 8 weeks old.
When she traveled for her job in the pet food industry, she would board him, which got her thinking about the perfect pet paradise.
Her thoughts turned to action when she created Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort in Haysville and Natrona Heights, and then opened The Bark Barn in Sewickley Hills.
“Brody was my heart dog, and I thought about what I would want for my dog — whether for one day at a day care or boarding for multiple days,” said DeSalvo, who sold the Natrona Heights location in 2022 to her sister and brother-in-law, Marisa and Jason Booker. “Everything I do is modeled after what I would have wanted for Brody.”
Because of Brody, dogs and cats have day care and boarding experiences where the people taking care of them emulate how DeSalvo pampered her dog.
“Working for Jen is so easy,” said Bark Barn manager Beth Necastro. “She cares about her employees. She cares about the animals.”
Doggy day care is a growing industry, said DeSalvo, 40.
The United States Pet Market size is estimated at $84.77 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach 108.50 billion by 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence, a market research company. According to a story on Dogster.com, Future Market Insights Inc. reports the pet daycare market is worth an estimated $3.7 billion a year in the U.S.
In a 2023-2024 American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey, 66% of households in the United States own a pet. The rise of pet humanization, wherein pets are treated with increased care and hygiene, is proving to be a major driver for the market, according to Mordor Intelligence.
DeSalvo purchased her first location of Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort in 2014 in Haysville. She saw a vacant building on Ohio River Boulevard and found the owner. She opened a second location in Natrona Heights and then The Bark Barn in 2022.
The Bark Barn offers more individualized care and there is no group play. It is a more relaxing environment, which is great for geriatric dogs and those that prefer quieter surroundings, DeSalvo said. The Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort offers a play group atmosphere with 10,000 square feet for dogs to roam around.
She has seen her business grow even more after the 2020 pandemic because more people have gotten pets. After spending a lot of time with those pets working from home, when it came time to go back to the office, they didn’t want to leave their pets alone.
Both accept dogs and cats of all ages and require standard vaccinations. Pets are secure 24/7.
A day of doggy day care is $38 and for cats to stay one day in the multi-level kitty condos, it costs $25.
At The Bark Barn, boarding is $40 a day for dogs and $18 a day for cats. Dog day care is $26 per day. The Bark Barn property encompasses 20 acres. DeSalvo plans to add a grooming facility this year.
“When our clients walk through the door, there’s a certain expectation because to a lot of our clients, these are not their dogs,” DeSalvo said. “These are their children. It’s their family. And to a lot of busy families, we are their dog’s second home. Part of our job is to make sure that they are getting lots of love and lots of exercise, making other dog friends and having a safe and fun day.”
When DeSalvo told her father, Ken DeSalvo, that she wanted to open this business, he had some initial doubts.
“I told her you don’t want to do that, but she has a passion for animals and she has done well,” her dad said. “I see dogs get excited when their owners bring them because the dogs know they get to play. I have watched dogs practically drag their owners into the facility.”
That was evident when Laurie Pennetti of Reserve brought her German shorthaired pointers Twiggy and Moose to The Bark Barn.
“When I say the word kennel, I better mean this place,” Pennetti said. “They are amazing here. They know your dog and they know your dog’s habits and quirks. My dogs love coming here. Even if I don’t have things to do, I bring them here.”
DeSalvo said they’ve built relationships with both the animal and its owner.
“I am so blessed with my staff because they all work so well together and care about all of the animals,” DeSalvo said. “They are in tune with what is going on at all times. Some animals we’ve known since they were kittens and puppies.”
They created a kissing booth for Valentine’s Day photos, did an Easter photo shoot and Easter egg hunt with plastic eggs filled with treats. They serve Thanksgiving dinner for dogs.
”We are all extreme pet enthusiasts, and our goal is to give our clients peace of mind knowing their four-legged friends will be given the highest level of care,” DeSalvo said. “The staff really do care about each set of paws that enters our facility. It’s not only about building relationships with our four-legged clients, but also with our two-legged clients. There’s a trust bond that exists. The most rewarding thing is seeing how excited the dogs get just walking in the door, pulling their parents in, wagging their tails and barking out of pure excitement.”
DeSalvo lives on The Bark Barn property and that gives pet owners added comfort, she said. She is building a silo as a guest house and plans to refresh the barn from the 1800s — a two-level barn with entrances on two sides and both levels.
DeSalvo fell in love with the property, which was previously The Kennel at Red Mud Hollow Farm. She approached owners Jack and Mary Jo Faulkner to inquire if they were interested in selling.
“I want to carry on the Faulkners’ legacy, giving animals care whether they are spending a day or an extended time period,” said DeSalvo. “We are small enough to know your pet’s name; however, please forgive us if we forget yours … until you mention theirs.”
On the Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort website, DeSalvo has a comment from the late Brody, who crossed the rainbow bridge in July 2023.
“While she would work during the day, she had to leave me at home all day by myself. I was bored and filled my time by chewing up some of her favorite things. By the time she would get home from work, I was bursting with energy and ready to play, but she was always exhausted from a full day of work. She wanted a place where she could take me during the day to be played with, make other dog friends, and be completely pampered. She could not find the perfect place, so she built it.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter's Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
