Indianapolis animal care business doubles size with expansion

A K-9 officer for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and his wife have completed a $2.1 million expansion of their southeast-side kennel and animal-care business, doubling the size of the facilities at the 15-year-old business.

Kevin and Ann Stickford, owners of Five Points Kennels Inc., announced Wednesday that the 12,000-square-foot expansion of the kennel at 3729 Five Points Road, will allow them to add eight to twelve employees to company's existing 20-person staff over the next several months.

Thanks to the upgrade, their kennel can now house 150 dogs and 60 cats overnight, 50 dogs in daycare and 25 dogs in grooming services. The renovation also added a lobby and prep kitchen.

Ann Stickford said she and her husband are “lifelong animal lovers” who volunteer with local rescue groups.

They financed the expansion with a loan from Star Financial Bank through the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 program. The Stickfords also used an SBA 504 loan to get the business started in 2003.

The Indiana Statewide Certified Development Corp. works with local Indiana lenders to issue SBA 504 loans to help owners of expanding or startup small businesses buy real estate, buildings and equipment. The Stickfords were able to obtain the financing with a down payment of about 10 percent.

“We are grateful that our business has grown to the point we had a long waiting list for boarding, daycare and grooming," Ann Stickford said in written remarks. "The SBA 504 loan has provided us with the monies for our expansion without our having to output a significant amount of money."