Nancy Hassel
Founder
Long Island Pet Professionals

Long Islanders are great networkers. On any given day there are networking events that help unite business people, entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce and many other groups that are industry-specific.

Nancy Hassel of Southampton felt there was a need for a networking group exclusively for pet professionals and wanted to join them together. A pet lover with a strong background in public relations, Nancy launched Long Island Pet Professionals (LIPP) on Facebook last year—the first and only group of it’s kind based on LI. Members include veterinarians, animal lawyers, groomers, wildlife rescuers, trainers and even financial advisors.

According to Nancy, there are an estimated 500,000 dogs on Long Island. Add to the mix cats, horses, reptiles, birds, small animals, fish, and animals in rescue waiting to be adopted and it’s easy to see how the pet industry is an important part of our economic structure.

In a relatively short time, LIPP membership has grown to include more than 40 local professionals that meet monthly to network and share ideas. “We have speakers, programs and dinner meetings,” Nancy says. Some people feel like they’re competitors, but they’re not really. “I want to continue to bring in more members and unite them to work together. They need to learn how to promote themselves.”

LIPP meetings cover topics such as Media Training, How to Promote Your Pet Business, Twitter Tweetorials and social networking, which Nancy said was a very popular presentation. “We’ve had something for everyone in the industry,” she says proudly. She also sends out a weekly e-mail listing all pet events happening on Long Island.

Nancy is already recognizing the benefits of her concept and hard work. “I can see people are starting to talk to each other more.“ and adds “Younger veterinarians are more open to [networking],” Nancy believes that her members will increase their business from referrals and contacts they’ve made at meetings and says that she would like to have a big, one-day Island-wide pet business seminar sponsored by her group.

Nancy is also keenly aware of the animal non profit community and helps their cause by recognizing a different group on the LIPP home page every month. She is also a Founding Member of the Dog Federation of New York, an online group of more than 500 people in NY State that safeguard and promote reasonable and humane animal control laws.

Nancy also teaches a Responsible Dog Ownership Program offered through the Towns of Islip and Huntington. The free classes are for humans only, with an emphasis on teaching dog owners how to properly care for and train their puppies and dogs. “My classes help to educate and deter dogs from being brought to the shelter,” Nancy says. “We promote adoption and responsible breeding.” Her goal is to make the Responsible Dog Ownership Program available to all dog owners in every Long Island township.

More than 500 people have attended the program since it was started last year, which also teaches pet owners about New York State dog laws.

“Nassau County is not very dog-friendly,” Nancy says, and adds, “Suffolk is just the opposite and is very dog-friendly. [County Executive] Steve Levy changed their laws after [Hurricane] Katrina and made it so you can bring your pet to a shelter in case of a disaster.”

Nancy also has high praise for Levy because of his Healthy Pets Program that provides discounted services for pets whose owners are struggling to afford care for their animals including those who are unemployed, the elderly and military veterans. There are more than 20 veterinarians, animal hospitals and pet care centers involved in the Healthy Pets Program.

LIPP is still a new networking group, and it’s Nancy’s mission to ensure that it becomes an invaluable resource for all of its members to build their businesses while at the same protecting our animals.

For more information call Nancy at 631-283-1610 or email Nancy@LongIslandPetProfessionals.com or go to www.LongIslandPetProfessionals.com

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