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- Interview with Yanic Klue, founder of atFrits, South Africa's oldest luxury dog hotel
Interview with Yanic Klue, founder of atFrits, South Africa's oldest luxury dog hotel
Because every dog deserves nothing less than the best.
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🐾 This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Yanic Klue, founder of atFrits Dog Hotel and Daycare Centre. Amid a backdrop of joyful barking, Klue shared her love for dogs, her community outreach and the need for rigorous welfare standards.
Founded in 2015, atFrits was the first to offer luxury dog accommodation in South Africa with amenities such as grooming, training and physiotherapy
Small and medium enterprises like atFrits employ 50-60% of South Africa's economy workforce and contribute ~34% to its GDP
Proliferation of dog hotels in South Africa has led some establishments to cut corners, potentially compromising animal welfare
🐾 The Interview
atFrits, South Africa's oldest luxury dog hotel and day care centre, has welcomed over 350,000 furry faces over the past decade. Based in Cape Town, atFrits was founded in December 2015 by the indomitable Yanic Klue.
Yanic and her beloved Frits
atFrits is named after Klue’s own beloved Irish terrier, Frits Smit, who sadly passed away in 2018. On Frits’ Instagram account (@bossdogfrits), he is described as “Owner of atFrits Dog Hotel and Daycare Centre.”
"A dog is a dog. It doesn't matter if you're a vagrant dog living on the street or someone's dog in a five-million-rand apartment,” Klue said. "A dog deserves nothing less (than the best).”
Klue’s love for canines means that atFrits is much more than a business. It’s an embodiment of her belief that every dog deserves the best. To prove this, the hotel offers an impressive range of upscale amenities, including grooming, training, Reiki and hydrotherapy.
Speaking to Klue is a real pleasure. It is impossible not to feel her dynamism, positive energy and obvious passion for animals.
Dog dormitory
atFrits has done a roaring trade since the beginning - occupancy rates are typically north of 90%. The hotel offers daycare, night-time care and overnight services, as well as a salon and spa, pet store, dog park and wellness centre.
Klue said no effort is spared to bring out the best in each dog. “How can we help the dog become the best version of itself?” she asked.
The facilities are glamorously decorated - think chandeliers, wallpaper and framed portraits (of dogs, of course) - and range from a dormitory to Deluxe Suites.
The crown jewel of the establishment is the Fritsidential Suite, which includes a TV to play the resident’s favourite shows or soothing music (at 550 South African rand per night, approx. US$29).
The Fritsidential Suite
Community Outreach
While Klue has built up a thriving commercial operation, atFrits has also become a vehicle for community outreach initiatives in Cape Town.
One of these is the Cape Town Pet Upliftment Project, which offers temporary shelter at atFrits for dogs belonging to homeless individuals. Funded personally by Klue, the programme ensures these dogs receive the same high-quality care as paying clients.
Another initiative focuses on helping local women from disadvantaged backgrounds to start a small textile business. This project provides local women with sewing machines and the training to produce simple items such as dog blankets and clothing.
“No one can ever take that skill away from them,” she said. “They can take away a house, but they cannot take away a skill.”
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South Africa’s thriving dog hotel sector
South Africa’s luxury dog hotel industry has seen significant growth in recent years, in line with the global trend. According to Grand View Research, the country’s luxury dog hotel market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4% from 2024 to reach US$90.6 million by 2030.
This is on a par with a predicted global CAGR of 8.59% between 2025 and 2030.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) such as atFrits are vital to South Africa's economic health. atFrits employs 38 staff members, supporting approximately 120 family members. According to the International Finance Corporation, SMEs employ 50-60% of South Africa's workforce and contribute around 34% to the country’s GDP.
atFrits’ doggie play area
Maintaining welfare standards
Despite the sector’s rosy growth outlook, Klue said she is concerned about the lack of regulation in South Africa’s booming dog hotel sector.
“Everyone thinks it's easy to run a dog hotel, but dogs are like kids—you can't just put them together without understanding their behaviour,” she said.
After atFrits was founded, Cape Town saw an explosion in dog hotels that attempted to follow the same model, Klue said. However, some of the new establishments cut corners, potentially compromising the dogs’ welfare. One example is the use of wood in the dogs’ rooms, which soaks up urine and can become a health hazard.
“What makes AtFrits good is that I know exactly what's going on. It's not a burger shop. You can't copy and paste it,” she said.
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As part of Klue’s commitment to dog welfare, atFrits uses 24/7 indoor CCTV monitoring, which is not typically offered by other dog hotels. This level of care reflects Klue’s firm belief that at the end of the day, the dog’s interests come first.
“We need to be passionate about what we're doing. Everything in life is not about money. If you do something, do it right.”
atFrits holds annual graduation ceremonies for its residents
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