Page 56 - BusinessWest April 27, 2026

Shannon
O’Connell
Facility Manager,
The Good Dog Spot: Age 32
for animals.
Shannon O’Connell has always had a heart
“My mom told me the first time I belly
laughed as a baby was when we picked up our
puppy; the mom dog started barking, and I
started belly laughing,” she recalled. “So I guess
I’ve always loved animals, even as a baby.”
O’Connell has been fortunate to turn that love
into a career at the Good Dog Spot in Chicopee,
which she joined in 2011 just out of high school.
There, she’s grown through nearly every role in
the organization to become facility manager.
“Shannon oversees daily operations across
daycare, boarding, and grooming, while also
handling scheduling, client relations, and the
health and safety standards that define
the business,” wrote Cory Staples, general
manager of the Good Dog Spot and one of
a whopping 10 individuals who nominated
O’Connell for 40 Under Forty. “She leads
with both competence and compassion.”
She also manages the company’s social
media presence, among other responsibilities.
But her favorite role is still daycare, she noted.
“I love interacting with the dogs and just
watching them interact with each other — the
different behaviors, the funny things they do, the
joy they have to be there socializing.”
But her journey into animal foster care has been
impressive as well. In 2012, a rescue organization
reached out to the Good Dog Spot, asking for help
boarding some 8-week-old puppies until they could
find homes.
“They were adorable. I said, ‘well, I can’t leave
them at work. I’ll take them home,’” O’Connell
recalled. “And that’s how my fostering happened. It
was a lot of fun, so I kept asking for more. I started
fostering kittens, and now we do a little bit of
everything — mostly dogs and cats. I found it to be
very rewarding.”
Indeed, she and her partner have opened their
home to close to 300 animals, many from the
Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption
Center — creating a calm, nurturing environment
where they can safely grow, heal, learn to trust,
and eventually find forever homes.
O’Connell has also fostered for Canine
Companions, which provides service dogs
to adults, children, and veterans
with disabilities; and facility dogs to
professionals working in healthcare,
criminal justice, and educational settings —
all at no cost to clients.
“I love seeing the growth of each foster
while we have them and watching them
go to their new home,” she said, “and seeing how
loved they are after starting out in the shelter.”
—Joseph Bednar
Congratulations
to Shannon
O’Connell on
being named
a 40 Under
Forty honoree!
Your compassion, leadership, and dedication
have made a meaningful difference in the lives
of animals across the Pioneer Valley.
We’re proud to celebrate your well-deserved
recognition and grateful for the impact you
make every day.
THE GOOD DOG SPOT
UMass Downtown Retail + Micro Event Space
LET’S WORK TOGETHER
Interior design is centered around the human experience. Fostering
connection between people and the spaces in which they thrive.
The Pioneer Valley’s most
trusted home away from
home for pets since 2007
Chicopee • Northampton • GoodDogSpot.net • 413.534.1333
Let us revolutionize your environment, creating spaces
that motivate and energize. Our interior design team
works closely with our clients to create spaces that are
both functional and engaging.
A34 2026
Business W est