Bayside Pet Resort expanding with fourth location, this one in Lakewood Ranch

The rapidly expanding area near the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch will soon include owner Robert and Lynne Huff’s fourth Bayside Pet Resort.

Groundbreaking on the 14,600-square-foot building at the northeast corner of State Road 70 and Lorraine Road took place last week, and construction is expected to take about a year.

When complete, it will be the fourth Bayside Pet Resort in the Manatee-Sarasota area, joining locations in University Park, Sarasota and Osprey.

“What I do is not a job, it’s my life,” Robert Huff said. “Our objective at Bayside Pet Resort is to provide five-star quality care for our canine and feline guests and be meaningfully involved in our community. Giving back, providing economic and development opportunities and helping our community thrive are an important part of our mission.

“We look forward to adding the Lakewood Ranch community to the Bayside family.”

The Lakewood Ranch location is expected to include 129 pet suites, several indoor and outdoor play areas as well as a swimming pool. Other services could include transportation to and from the new facility.

The Huffs opened their first Bayside Pet Resort & Spa in 2012 at 8154 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, then expanded a year later with the Bayside Pet Spa at 8405 Honore Ave. in University Park. The Osprey location at 718 S. Tamiami Trail opened in December 2015.

Giving back to the community is a big part of Bayside Pet Resort’s mission. It partners with the Humane Society of Manatee County and the Humane Society of Sarasota County, among others, and collects donations – beds, blankets, toys, leashes, collars, food, money – for local animal rescues.

For more information, visit baysidepetresort.com.

This story was originally published August 3, 2017 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Bayside Pet Resort expanding with fourth location, this one in Lakewood Ranch."