Pet waste removal company picks up competitor

A Manatee County family hopes a recent acquisition will make their business number one for removing number two in St. Petersburg.

Parrish-based DoodyCalls on the Suncoast recently acquired Clearwater-based pet waste removal company ByByPoo as part of ongoing efforts to expand its customer base and educational offerings throughout Tampa Bay. Kara Kelsey, co-owner of DoodyCalls, said it was a “six-figure” deal.

Her mother, Marla Moran, said the family has cashed in on what pets leave behind for over 25 years. ByByPoo’s Pinellas County customers will now receive an expanded range of services, including yard deodorizing.

“We love St. Petersburg, and it has a very large dog population,” Moran said. “It is on the bay and the Gulf, which means pet waste management is really important. Part of our mission is to keep the Suncoast beautiful, and the way we contribute to that is trying to get the nutrients out of the water from dog waste.”

Kara Kelsey (left), with her mother, Marla Moran.

DoodyCalls goes beyond merely poop-scooping. The company works closely with community stakeholders to create individualized removal plans according to needs, preferences and budgets.

DoodyCalls also creates personally designed dog waste stations and bags. “The more you provide people with the products they need to do the right thing, the more they do the right thing,” Moran said.

Kelsey noted that she and her mother developed a “beautiful” relationship with ByByPoo’s former owner, who shared a common goal of keeping area waterways clean. She said the acquisition established a substantial residential customer base in the area, and the family now hopes to expand its local commercial footprint.

Moran said DoodyCalls is still in “growth mode. If anybody wants to move forward with something different, we would love to talk to them.”

Education is a company priority. Moran said pet owners who fail to properly remove waste in a neighborhood with a sizable dog population could contaminate shellfish within a 20-mile radius.

“The more condensed we become, the more we have the rain and runoff going into the sewers and feeding out into our waterways,” she added. “We’ve all dealt with the algae blooms – it (pet waste) is a significant contributor. It is also responsible for some of the more nasty problems we have, like the flesh-eating virus and E. coli bacteria.”

DoodyCalls uses a natural cleaning solution with deodorizing enzymes that remove pet odors from yards. Kelsey said it also sanitizes the area and kills harmful organisms found in waste.

St. Petersburg has received national acclaim for its preponderance of dog-friendly parks and venues. The city’s density also continues to increase.

Moran noted that those aspects can attract rats. She said dog waste is “full of protein, so rodents love it.”

DoodyCalls also creates custom pet waste stations and bags.

Kelsey stressed the company’s community focus. She recently attended the FLUFF Animal Rescue’s grand opening in Pinellas Park and said fostering animals is “near and dear” to the family’s heart.

“One of the best parts of being a small, family-owned business is that we get to choose where we give back,” Kelsey added. “And that’s what we choose to do, right there. We give back in a couple of different areas, too, but that’s definitely our favorite.

“We had a little bit of relationship with FLUFF before the acquisition, but we solidified a partnership with them as we knew we were going to acquire ByByPoo.”

Moran said the company works closely with condominium and homeowner’s associations to clean common areas and install pet waste stations. She also provides educational materials and highlights the importance of proper removal at community events.

DoodyCalls takes collected waste to local landfills. Moran said those are the only places “prepared to keep it from getting in waterways.”

She noted that pet safety is also a company priority. Technicians notify customers before they arrive and send a picture of secured gates when they leave.

“We love what we do,” Kelsey said. “We love dogs. We love the area, and we’re excited to be part of the St. Pete community. We know you guys are a bunch of dog lovers.”