A familiar face has returned to Pal’s Inn Pet Resort, with Tracy Rothstein taking over as director of operations.

Rothstein actually opened Pal’s Inn back in 2007, serving in the same role. The business, located at 11669 N. Saguaro Blvd., offers everything from pet daycare and boarding to grooming and training. More information can be found at palisinnpetresort.com or by calling 480-837-0069.

“I started, actually, before the facility even opened, creating the policies and procedures,” Rothstein said.

Rothstein continued in that role for more than a decade before hitting the road to manage Petco stores in Massachusetts and Indiana for three years.

“Pal’s Inn was a big part [of what brought me back],” Rothstein continued. “This is home. It feels right here. I’m connected with the dogs, the cats and the people. I love the idea that I can help dogs become more social or get through the stress that can come with boarding.”

Rothstein said, put simply, he missed Pal’s Inn and the work he did there. He had remained in contact with the owners of Pal’s Inn and eventually reached out to let them know he was thinking of returning to the area. He said they jumped at the chance, got everything worked out and brought him back on board to help lead the facility.

“My main job is to make sure the employees here are taken care of, the animals are taken care of to the best of our ability and making sure the policies and procedures we have in place for safety are in line,” Rothstein said. “There’s that, as well as working with budgets on advertising, making sure the bills get paid and stuff like that.

“But I feel my main job, and the part I’m most passionate about, is connecting with the people and the animals.”

Separate of Pal’s Inn, Rothstein is also an ordained animal chaplain, offering counsel and prayer for humans and their pets in times of need, mourning, illness and the like.

Rothstein said he lives for the joy he sees in the animals he works with.

“I’m proud of the place and love to see, when people bring their dogs in, the dogs aren’t pulling them to get away, they’re dragging them to come in,” Rothstein said. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years; I just love to help.”

Rothstein’s mother worked in animal rescue, so he said his childhood was full of dogs and helping care for them.

“I learned early on that, when a dog was nervous or a snapper, I could kind of get their trust and begin to work with them on basic training,” Rothstein said. “Pretty soon, I was hooked. The rescue group started calling me and saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got this dog that needs help,’ and I’d go in and work with them.”

Rothstein worked as a restaurant manager for years as an adult and did dog training on the side. But when Pal’s Inn was in early development and his wife (girlfriend at the time) heard about it, she encouraged him to look into it.

“It combined the management part of my background with my love for working with animals, so it made sense,” he said. “Do I get tired and are there days where it feels like work? Yes. But it’s not like ‘regular work.’ I love it.

“Where else can you work where, when you’re having a rough day, you can go sit down, get all the love and kisses from the dogs, and get the [negative stuff] out of your system?”

Rothstein said he is delighted to be back at Pal’s Inn and is looking forward to continuing his work connecting with pets and owners.

“I’m back! I’m running the facility again, we’re excited and we want to make sure this is the best place you can find to bring your pet,” he said. “Give us a chance.”