Wintergreen Kennels

In 1956 Jean and Lewis Miller set out to find a pet dog for their growing young family. When they returned from the kennel, they had with them Lassie and Heather , two show-quality Collies. Jean jumped enthusiastically into the world of dogs. She founded the local 4-H Dog Club, and soon started breeding and selling Collies from the Wintergreen Hill Breeding Kennels, located on the 95 acre family farm. She expanded to other breeds as the decades passed, raising Old English Sheepdogs, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Keeshonden, Shetland Sheepdogs and Shih Tzus in turn. By the early 1970's so many owners of Wintergreen puppies were asking for boarding services that the Millers began to seriously research building a modern pet care center for cat and dog boarding. They traveled up and down the east coast, visiting numerous boarding facilities before designing and building Wintergreen Kennels in 1974. Lew made a career change, devoting himself full time to working with Jean in the pet boarding business. By emphasizing the needs and comfort of the pets, they created a model operation, which has been the inspiration for several other facilities in the Northeast. They became Charter Members of the ABKA ( American Boarding Kennels Association ) and actively participated in the regional and national meetings. The business was a family affair from the start. Two daughters worked in the kennel and grooming shop, and other family members assisted as needs arose. In 1981 the youngest daughter, Judith, took over the reins of the business. She and her husband Michael Conlin added to the facility over the ensuing years, more than doubling the boarding capacity. Working together, the Conlins built a state-of-the-art grooming shop and cattery. Improvements included converting to computers, covering all the exterior dog runs with weather resistant fiberglass, and installing more efficient fans and heating for seasonal comfort. The TLC Program , offering extra attention and exercise for both dogs and cats, was soon added. It wasn't long before a third generation of the family was involved, as Flannery Conlin Wiemer, pitched in to help as soon as she was able. A steady parade of family pets and a flock of sheep have added to the picture over the years. The 30th anniversary of Wintergreen Kennels was celebrated throughout 2004. By happy chance, 2004 was also the 30th wedding anniversary of the owners, Michael and Judith Miller Conlin, making the year a double celebration. We remain proud of our solid community reputation for quality pet care and continue to work toward improving our services for both cats and dogs.