2. 1
TO: Dr. Jen Day Shaw, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
FROM: Kelly Logan, Director of Zoom Room Business Development
DATE: September 12, 2016
SUBJECT: University of Florida- Zoom Room
Executive Summary
31% percent of dog owners believe that their pet is fundamental to helping them cope during
difficult times (Staats, 2008). The challenge is that students do not always have the time needed
to take care of a pet. Zoom Room is a pet facility created to help pet owners with the numerous
daily tasks that come with owning a dog including:
Daily exercise
Socialization
Obedience training
Grooming
Veterinary Services
Room and Board
Our goal is to bring this amenity to your university's campus to alleviate the daily stress of pet
Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………....1
Outline of Problem…………………………..2
Zoom Room as your Solution……………….2
Benefits……………………………………...3
Estimated Costs……………………………..4
Call to Action………………………………..6
References...………………………………....7
3. 2
ownership for your student body. By opening a Zoom Room location on the University of
Florida campus, we will accomplish the following objectives:
Allow students to have a safe and friendly location to drop off their pets as they fulfill
obligations of school and on campus jobs
Provide a location on campus where students and animals can interact to improve mental
and emotional health
Increase quality of life for pets as they socialize within the doggy daycare
Zoom Room provides students with the chance to optimize their time spent with their dog by
offering a full range of dog care services.
Outline of Problem
18% of college students stated that the main reason for owning a pet is to help them cope during
difficult times (Staats, 2008). As both obesity and depression are a manifestation of
undergraduate illness, it has been proven that owning a pet can increase both emotional and
physical health (usatoday.com, 2013). Harvard Medical Journal (2005) also released an article
discussing how “people with dogs experience less cardiovascular reactivity during times of
stress.” In addition, pets can help with a variety of mental health problems, such as anxiety,
depression, and panic attacks.
Zoom Room as your Solution to Mental Health Issues
The Zoom Room team proposes instituting a doggy daycare on The University of Florida
campus. Dr. M.A. Crist, Clinical Assistant Professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary
Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2009), stated that "A doggy day care should provide exercise,
stimulation, socialization, and sometimes training to a dog that otherwise would be left at home
alone during the day." Zoom Room at the University of Florida will do just this. At our facility,
our goal is to have students drop their dogs off to socialize and exercise during the day, so
students have peace of mind.
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An additional benefit for students without pets is that they will be able to work with Zoom
Room’s volunteer program to exercise and interact with the dogs. Students are always searching
for work and volunteer opportunities on campus. Offering a Zoom Room collaboration will
allow them to accomplish this while receiving the benefits of reduced stress and improved
morale that comes with playing with animals.
Benefits
The University of Florida is dedicated to the success of their students. To ensure the positive
mental health to your campus Zoom Room will provide the following benefits:
Offer daily exercise, demanded attention, and necessary socialization for dogs
Increase time for students to focus on their studies and avoid the unwarranted
pressure of assuring for their pet’s well-being
Interact with dogs at Zoom Room to relieve stress
Provide student work study opportunities
Supply veterinary services on site in partnership with University of Florida College
of Veterinary Medicine
Zoom Room conducted a study surveying student’s opinions on pet care services and which
amenities they would value on their university’s campus. The results of the survey are shown in
Figure 1.
A typical day at Zoom Room:
Grooming and maintenance services
Socialization with other dogs and human interaction
Obedience training programs coordinated by trained professionals
Daily exercise
Assistance of veterinary services for basic medical needs
Temporary housing for dogs during periods of time for students who are out of town
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Figure1: Services Desired
Source: Zoom Room R&D (2016)
Estimated Cost for the University of Florida
We developed an estimated annual budget taking into consideration the main investments needed
to launch the facility. A breakdown of the costs the University of Florida would incur are shown
in Figure 2.
21%
17% 17%
13% 13%
8%
4% 4% 4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Service
Services Desired
Dog Washing
Obstacle Course
Water Stations
Clean Facilities
Swimming Area
Staff to Monitor
Bag Disposal Sites
Café Area
Toys
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Figure2: Estimated costs
Investment Cost
Payroll Full time employees
($12/hr; 45 hours per week): $25,920.00
Part time employees
($9/hr; 25 hours per week): $10,800.00
Rent and Utilities Estimated Rent: $795,000
Estimated Annual Utilities: $42,000
Working Capital Building supplies:
K9 Grass 31,395; 10,500 SF
Aluminum Fence $133; 5ft x 8ft
Chairs $39 per chair
Tables $59.99 per table
Cleaning materials $3,000
Business equipment:
Computer $1,299
Printer/fax $300
Phone $100
Storage/office supplies $5,000
Grooming equipment:
Professional cages $3,169.99
Tools $6,000
Bathing equipment $12,000
Pet First Aid $1,000
Daycare Supplies:
Toys $1,200
Bedding $1,500
Waste Supplies $2,000
Treats $750
Marketing $12,810
Source: Zoom Room Annual Report (2016)
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“According to RaisingSpot.com, the yearly cost of having a dog can range from $360 to $2,520
or more” (foxbusiness.com, 2012). The implementation of Zoom Room will save students a
substantial amount of money over straight retail costs. Zoom Room will partner with The
University of Florida to subsidize these costs.
Call to Action
As the University of Florida’s population continues to be diverse and increase by 10% each year,
the attention to address a variety of mental health issues can be met by facilitating the
relationship between students and their dog. A rapid implementation of a Zoom Room location
would capitalize on this time-sensitive market. We ask the University of Florida to bring a Zoom
Room facility to the campus by Spring 2018.
Zoom Room had a successful track record at other leading universities such as Harvard
University, Duke University, and the University of Alabama. You can find details about Zoom
Room by visiting our website https://www.zoomroomonline.com . Moving forward with the
implementation of Zoom Room, please contact us at 123-456-7890 to schedule a meeting in
January of 2017 to further discuss this opportunity.
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References
College Students Find Comfort In Their Pets During Hard Times. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10,
2016, from http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/petowner.htm
Doggy Day Care. (2009, August 28). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from
http://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/doggy-day-care
Martin, G. (2015, November 10). Pet Therapy: Students Increasingly Bringing "Emotional
Support" Animals to College. Retrieved November 9, 2016, from
http://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/just-in/2015-11-10/pet-therapy-students-
increasingly-bringing-emotional-support
Picard, Mariah J., (2015). "Study of the Effect of Dogs on College Students' Mood and Anxiety"
Honors College. Paper 233. http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/233
Publications, H. H. (2015, September). Having a dog can help your heart - literally – Harvard
Health. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-
healthy/having-a-dog-can-help-your-heart--literally
Staats, Sara, Heidi Wallace, and Tara Anderson. Reasons for Companion Animal Guardianship
(Pet Ownership) from Two Populations. Society & Animals, Vol 16, No. 3, 2008, 279-291
