Dog lovers already have a reason to have Meaford on the map – it’s the home of Beautiful Joe, the mangy, mistreated mutt who found fame and a place in the hearts of millions with the publication of Marshall Saunders’s book more than a century ago.

Now, Meaford has become the central Canadian hub of Invisible Fence, the international company that provides protection for pets with an electronic invisible boundary around your property and a programmed computer collar.

Ray and Linda Sugars have been involved with the company since 1994, and in 2001 they made it their full time business with their move to Meaford’s Irish Mountain. As the dealer for Grey, Bruce and Simcoe Counties, they quickly established a growing business, increasing sales recently by 400 percent.

At last night’s Chamber of Commerce After Five, they shared some happy news with Meaford businesspeople. Their success not only won them a top sales award with the company, but they’ve been named the head dealer for Central Canada – covering the bulk of the countries dog population.

A big bark of congratulations to Ray and Linda!

Meaford Chamber of Commerce President, Shirley Keaveney, introduces Linda Sugars (left) and Ray Sugars (right).