Porterville pets now have a downtown salon of their own in Brittany Fazzone’s new shop, Fazzone’s Pet Boutique.

Fazzone, 19, one of Porterville’s youngest entrepreneurs, opened her shop Monday at 93 N. Main St., Suite C.

“I originally wanted to open my own kennel but in order to finance it, I must do this first for a few years,” Fazzone said.

Although the salon is not her ultimate goal, it is a career choice that is perfect for her, she said.

On Monday, it was obvious as she groomed and pampered a few dogs that she loved what she was doing.

Her full-service pet grooming includes shampoo, air dry, groom and style, nails clipped, anal glands expressed and ears cleaned. Hand drying and dematting are priced separately.

“I also walk the dogs during their visit — no one else does,” Fazzone said. “I open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., so people can drop off their pets on the way to work and pick them up when they get off work.”

Though the pets are not fed while in her care, Fazzone bakes her own pet treats to offer her canine customers. Fazzone said she takes great pride in offering a very clean environment for her customers’ pets.

“She’s great,” said Unika Gonzalez of Porterville while she picked up her small terrier mix, Gizmo. “We’ve only had him about four weeks, so this was his first time getting groomed.”

It did not take long for Fazzone to calm the small dog and promptly finish his grooming.

The service was fast, professional and reasonably-priced, Gonzalez said.

Others offers similar praise as they stopped by to collect their animals at the boutique.

“She’s done a lot on her own, putting the time and effort into it,” said Jose Garcia, a friend who was instrumental in putting together the kennels for the animals and preparing the shop for opening day. “For being someone her age, this is a big responsibility and she’s handling it well.”

Donnette Silva Carter, president and chief executive officer of the Porterville Chamber of Commerce, said she too was impressed by Fazzone’s age.

“She is one of the first graduates from our first-ever entrepreneur program who already has her business up and running,” Silva Carter said. “She really does have a way with animals. She’s completed the program and has done a lot of the things to set the stage to open her business.”

The entrepreneur program, offered in partnership by Porterville College, the city chamber and the city, did wonders for her, said her father, Mark Fazzone, publisher of The Recorder.

“It has worked wonders for her confidence,” Mark Fazzone said. “She went into this knowing what questions to ask and it really helped her to get the right start. I’m very proud of her and for pursuing this as aggressive as she has. She has such a gift for it. I’m impressed.”

Being kind to animals is not new — Brittany Fazzone has been grooming animals since childhood.

“She started with dolls when she was little,” her father said. “By the time she was 8 or 9 years old, she had moved to sisters and friends — doing their hair and nails — and eventually shifting to family pets. She treats them like little people. She always talks to them.”

Bringing home stray animals, and placing them in loving homes, was also a passion Brittany had as a child — and something that stayed with her through adulthood.

“We have a running joke in the family. Every time we see a stray animal we say ‘Keep Brittany away,’” Mark Fazzone said. “I bet she has placed a dozen animals in the last year and a half. She’s brought home some pretty sad-looking creatures and always managed to fix them up and find them a home.”

-- Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.