Unleashed

Unleashed occupies a facility on Milton Jones Road in Daphne dedicated entirely to dog care, offering daycare, boarding, grooming, and training under one roof. Ryan and Hillary Sansone founded the business, with Hillary serving as its primary vision behind the operation, opening its doors in September 2015 after years of working toward a facility of her own.

Hillary’s path toward Unleashed started in 2008, when she adopted a dog named Hoss, who later became something of a mascot for the business. Her household had always kept a wide mix of animals, from poultry and aquatic pets to livestock, and she built professional experience for the venture through jobs at pet stores, veterinarian offices, and other doggie daycares before opening her own. That hands-on background shaped a facility built around the idea that dogs need more than a cage or a backyard while their owners are away, aiming instead for what the business describes as safe, enjoyable, and engaging play throughout the day.

Daycare at Unleashed centers on an open-play environment, with staff trained to read dog body language and manage group dynamics so playtime stays safe for dogs of different sizes and temperaments. Before joining general daycare groups, new dogs go through a personalized evaluation, a screening step meant to catch potential conflicts before they happen rather than after an incident on the floor.

Boarding options range from home-style accommodations to a penthouse suite tier, giving owners flexibility in how much space and comfort they want to book for an overnight or extended stay, and dogs are welcome to bring familiar bedding from home to ease the transition. That tiered approach lets Unleashed serve both budget-conscious pet owners and those willing to pay more for extra room and amenities during their dog’s stay.

Grooming services round out the facility’s offering, with baths and nail trims available by appointment, either as standalone visits or bundled with a daycare or boarding stay. The facility uses products selected with sensitive skin and allergies in mind, an important detail for owners of dogs prone to skin irritation from harsher commercial shampoos used at some larger chain groomers.

Training services give Unleashed a fourth pillar beyond daycare, boarding, and grooming, positioning the facility as a place dog owners can turn to for behavioral work in addition to routine care. The facility manages bookings through the Gingr app, requiring an invitation code for new clients, and rewards existing customers with complimentary daycare days for every new client they refer, with no cap on how many days a member can earn. That referral structure reflects the kind of grassroots growth many local pet businesses lean on more than paid advertising, rewarding existing clients with free daycare time rather than offering discounts that only benefit new customers.

Hillary’s own background, working across pet stores, veterinary offices, and other daycare facilities before opening Unleashed, gave her a working knowledge of what different kinds of pet care businesses get right and wrong, insight she has said shaped decisions about everything from the facility’s evaluation process for new dogs to the products used at bath time, all built around lessons learned before Unleashed ever opened its own doors in Daphne.

The Sansones currently keep a household that includes a Labrador Retriever, a German Shepherd, and three Belgian Malinois, along with a cat named Tom Sawyer who has become part of the facility’s own animal family. For Daphne dog owners looking for a single facility that can handle daily play, overnight boarding, grooming, and training without bouncing between multiple businesses, Unleashed offers that combination on Milton Jones Road, built around a couple whose entire history has revolved around animals.