About us

From Dreams to Reality

My name is Yanet Castillo, and I am the proud owner of Jauja Pet Grooming. My journey began in the Dominican Republic, where I graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo. In 2016, I made the bold decision to move to the United States alone to pursue my dreams.

In those early, challenging years, I took on any job I could find—from house cleaning to child and elder care. But everything changed the day I started working as a dog bather at a pet spa. From that very first day, I knew I had found my true calling. Being surrounded by dogs brought me a deep, pure happiness.

The Story of Jauja & Gordo

Back home, I had two dogs who were my absolute world: Jauja and Gordo. Jauja was a gift from a dear friend who told me:

“If you keep Jauja in your heart, you’ll never feel alone. Jauja is a happy place of love, trust, and prosperity.”

Though Jauja passed away before she could join me in the U.S., her beautiful meaning stayed locked in my heart. My loyal Shih Tzu, Gordo, did make the journey with me. He was my closest companion through every struggle and even served as my patient model as I perfected my grooming techniques.

After five years of relentless hard work, I finally achieved my dream of opening my own salon. Tragically, in 2024, my sweet Gordo passed away during a routine medical procedure. Losing him broke my heart, but his spirit continues to inspire me every single day. He taught me to approach this work with profound compassion and to treat every dog who walks through our doors exactly like my own.