Support is building for an Amherstburg man's dog kennel.
Aladdin Khalifa operates Elite K9K and has been running into several roadblocks while trying to expand his operation located on 50-acres on Concession 6 North.
An online petition started earlier this week has garnered more than 700 signatures after Khalifa was denied a bylaw amendment to allow for boarding on the property.
He says the support for he and his 24 dogs has been overwhelming.
"I don't know a lot of these people. I don't know them. I've even had a council member from somewhere in northern Ontario. He went through the same process. So we've had a lot of support from all over Ontario, even in the U.S. I'm surprised, to be honest with you, that we have such a big following and support."
Khalifa says, since his story began getting media attention, he's had a steady stream of people asking for a tour of the property.
"Anybody that would like to come out and have a tour and meet the dogs, they're more than welcome. We've been getting a lot of people from all around, Amherstburg, Essex, Windsor, even London, coming out here, having a tour, looking at the dogs. It's been a pretty busy few days."
Elite K9K in Amherstburg (Photo courtesy of Elite K9K via Facebook)
To address any concerns over noise, Khalifa brought in Michigan based company Memtech Acoustical to do a sound study.
He says the findings confirmed what he already knew.
"They had us bring out dogs so they could get sound levels at all different points and locations on the property. It's about 60.5 decibels which is equal to a conversation between two people. I did send this study to the town officials to make a point that they were misled."
Khalifa says drainage was an issue for some neighbours as well, but the Essex Region Conservation Authority and town officials have visited the property and agreed no bylaws were broken during any construction.
He says he plans to take the findings of the sound study and the online petition to council at a future meeting.
Khalifa has applied to the town to add a 7,300-square-foot indoor training facility to the property as well — that is yet to get approval.
Dogs at Elite K9K in Amherstburg (Photo courtesy of Elite K9K via Facebook)