About Us… and Why We Care!

Sunshine Purrs and Wags is named and built in honor of my Mama, Verna Flanary. My Mama had a special gift with animals. She instinctively knew how to care for their needs and create loving bonds with them. I am blessed to have inherited her love for animals as well as grateful that I got to learn from all her animal adventures. I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian and Mama encouraged me to get the education she never was allowed the opportunity to get. After becoming a vet and building Flanary Veterinary Clinic in 1997, it was my Mama who was my first kennel assistant as well as my everything else. As my business began to grow, Mama used to say, “One day you are going to build a special pet kennel that will be a happy place for all pets to stay and play when their owners are out of town, and I am going to run it and have fun playing with pets all day.” Well life happened. While I stayed busy growing my veterinary business and farm, I also cared for my aging parents and there was no time for that dream to become a reality… Until now! My Mama always sang to her kids “You are my sunshine” and we were for sure! As Mama aged and developed dementia, I sang our song “You are my sunshine” to her as she definitely was mine. Hence, the name Sunshine Purrs and Wags is my way of making her part of this special place for pets. Although Mama is not here to run it, her love and spirit will be intertwined throughout the building as well as the name.

LaNita Flanary DVM