Metropet Dog Center Inc. recently purchased the 5,000-square-foot building located at 2057 West Shore Road in Warwick to house its growing full-service pet center.

Owner and U.S. Air Force veteran Michael MacCannell partnered with Community Investment Corporation (CIC) and Washington Trust to fund the purchase using an SBA 504 Loan and a new incentive called the VetLoan Advantage Program.  

Under VetLoan Advantage, CIC provides closing credits to honorably discharged veterans like MacCannell, who borrowed under the SBA 504 Loan Program to purchase owner-occupied real estate with less money down than required with a conventional loan.

The VetLoan Advantage Program was created to help SBA meet its goal to increase the number of SBA 504 Loans made to veterans by 5 percent each year. For CIC, it is a way to say thank you in a meaningful way to those who served our country. Metropet Dog Center is the first CIC borrower to enjoy the benefits of this initiative.

Mike MacCannell’s military career spans 14 years with the Air Force, including five years active service and another nine years in the Air Force Reserves, where he currently holds the rank of captain. In 2003, he successfully combined his military experience and love of animals to open MetroPet together with his wife Azure.

Community Investment Corporation is a non-profit economic development lender contributing financial expertise and practical guidance to small business entrepreneurs in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The company’s mission is to support small businesses entrepreneurs who have powerful ideas and need more power to grow them.

For more information about Community Investment Corporation, visit www.ciclending.com.