Name: Laurie Raymond

Age: 61

Place of birth: Cleveland, Ohio

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Occupation: Owner of High Tails Dog and Cat Outfitters

How many pets do have? Four. Two dogs, Cha Cha and Chumley, and two cats.

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How often do you do you groom your pets? The cats we don’t bathe very often. The dogs we bathe about once a month or so.

What is the easiest type of pet to groom? A lady brought in an iguana the other day. Just put some water in the tub and slosh some water over it’s body and you’re done. My grandson also had a boa constrictor that he used to put in the tub and kind of let the water run over it. So, probably reptiles are the easiest as long as they tolerate the water.

What is the strangest pet you’ve ever groomed? A pot belly pig. I guess between that and the iguana it’s a toss up.

What is the biggest misconception people have about grooming their pets? I think people get Labradors thinking they are short-hair dogs and don’t require much grooming but they shed more than anybody on the planet.

How long have you lived in Garfield County and why? Five years. Just decided to do this business and it turned out to be a good deal.

First thing you’d buy after winning the lottery? I would give away everything except what I need. I don’t need a whole lot. So the rest I would give to animal charities. That would be a great fun thing.

What do you do in your spare time? Reading and walking.

Ever had a book, movie or news event change your life? Yeah, I think when I was in high school I read Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem and that still is a book that really changed my life.

Best piece of advice you’ve received? Never give up. I think Winston Churchill said that at one point. And I also got a card one time that said that and I’ve still got the card.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? As a child I wanted to be a hermit and live in the forest with a bunch of animals.

If you could invite any three people to dinner, who would they be, what would you serve and what would you talk about? Hannah Arendt, my mom and Aristotle. We would talk about politics, I don’t know if we would even notice what we were eating but I would probably prepare something easy like Stir-fry or something. One of those dishes you can enjoy and not worry too much about cooking.

Favorites

Movie: The secret of Roan Inish, 1994

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and toast

Athlete: none

Food: Almost any kind of curry.

Place in Garfield County: Rifle Falls, it’s beautiful up there.