“He just came towards me ... he flipped backward and let me pet him,” Bui said. “For some reason, it just clicked, and I was like, ‘This is the one.’”

Bui said soon after adopting Benji, she transformed from just a pet owner into a pet parent as Benji became a priority in her life.

When she opened Wishbone Pet Care eight years ago, Bui said she wanted to give other pet parents a safe place to drop their dog off for doggie day care, boarding and grooming. She said she does not want people to feel guilty about dropping their dog off for the day or for overnight boarding.

“I want to be able to provide my customers with what I know about my dog,” Bui said. “I'm very passionate because any customer that walks in, even though I don't know who they are...I feel like I have one connection with them already. We are both pet parents.”

Wishbone Pet Care offers all-inclusive boarding, featuring built-in play time, walks and socialization. Wishbone Pet Care also provides grooming services and dental care.

The business also sells a variety of products, including dog and cat food, treats and toys. Bui said she researches all the products she sells in her store, and nearly all of the products are from family-owned companies.

A little less than three months ago, Wishbone Pet Care moved to a bigger space in the same Missouri City strip center, where they have the capacity to keep 50-70 dogs at a time, depending on if some are a part of the same family.

Bui said Wishbone is careful to not get too big or board too many dogs at once because it is a priority that they know each dog’s name and temperament.