"I'm an equal opportunity fur lover," owner Dilys Burke said at the Somerville News contributors meeting on Nov. 7.

For years, Burke volunteered with rescue animals and dogs in shelters. Last February, she opened her shop in Union Square.

"It was always a dream of mine to work with animals and have a business like I now have, so I decided to take the plunge," Burke said.

Before becoming a small business owner, Burke worked as a medical writer with the Genzyme Corporation in Cambridge. In her spare time, she worked at the Union Square Veterinary Clinic as a vet tech assistant.

"I saw an equal number of cat and dog lovers that really took good care of their animals, brought them to the vet regularly and seemed very devoted to them," Burke said.

Dogma (and Catma, Too)'s Union Square location, near the Nunziato and Perry dog parks, makes the shop a great neighborhood business, Burke said. But the traffic bogged by construction has thwarted customers outside the neighborhood from reaching it.

"I've been having trouble expanding it out due to the construction," Burke said.. "Somerville Ave. is still pretty torn up."

Burke said the combination of services and ambiance separate Dogma (and Catma, Too) from other pet stores in town.

"It's a one stop shopping place," Burke said. The shop offers doggy day care, do-it-yourself bathing, professional grooming and Zen dog training led by Gordon Fontaine.

The store's retail section offers the basics pet necessities, such as toys, leashes and collars, but also a selection of holistic foods, opposed to unsavory commercial foods. Burke said she tries to know her products, so she can better advise customers.

"I really make it my business to know," Burke said. "I've called these manufacturers to make sure they're living up to their promise."

The store's focus is not only pets, Burke said, but the owners as well.

"I don't just love pets," Burke said. "I also appreciate the owners that love their pets."

Burke owns two cats and two dogs, one of which is a greyhound. Burke said she supported Question 3, banning dog racing in Massachusetts, which received more than 60 percent "yes" votes in Somerville, according to unofficial election results.

"There are still too many greyhounds dying at the hands of this industry," Burke said. "When you adopt them, you realize what they've been through. Too many aren't adopted."

Burke recommended adopting a pet because a large amount of animals need homes and owning a pet can attribute to health benefits.

"Having a dog or cat in your life can lead to lower blood pressure and stress relief," Burke said. "Petting an animal, petting a dog or a cat, lowers the heart rate."

Although Dogma (and Catma, Too) isn't based on a certain religion, no one said the customers wouldn't worship their pets.

"The people who use my services are going to be dogmatic about dogs and catmatic about cats," Burke said.