Pet Boarding

Pet Boarding Basics

Pets are a part of the family and when you’re boarding your pet, the last thing you want to do is worry about their safety and well-being.  When you’re choosing a kennel, you need to have two main goals. One is to make sure that your animal has a safe and happy boarding experience and the second is o make sure that you will be able to have a good time while you’re away without worrying about your pet. 

Pet Boarding Kennel

Pet boarding kennels are designed to care for pets when their owners are not going to be around.  Most of the time people bring their pets to kennels when they’re going to be traveling.  Some kennels provide a variety of services such as boarding, grooming, training and healthcare.  Generally people board a dog or cat but some kennels accept other animals as well.

Where to Find Local Kennels

There are lots of different ways to find pet boarding kennels in your area.  For one, you can look through the phone book.  There are usually ads and if not, there are definitely numbers listed.  The best way to find a quality kennel, however, is to ask people you know.  Ask your friends for information on kennels that they have used in the past. 

Assessing Pet Boarding Facilities

Start by telephoning the pet boarding kennel.  The kennel that you want to use may be completely booked, particularly during popular travel times; so check for availability.  Next, if your pet has any special needs then you want to find out if they are able to accommodate those needs.  Keep in mind that some kennels do not take pets with special needs.  If you think you’ve found the right kennel then make an appointment to go and visit.  After all, you want to get an idea of the atmosphere before you send your pet there. 

When Visiting the Kennel

There are certain aspects of the pet boarding kennel that you want to pay close attention to when you’re visiting.  Is the general atmosphere good?  Make sure that they have routine cleaning procedures.  That may not seem important since they’re animals but you don’t want to take a chance of your pet getting some kind of sickness.  Also, see if they will let you see where the pets are being housed.  You can see if they seem like they’re well taken care of or if they seem sad or uncomfortable.  Observe the size of the housing and their outside areas.  Will your pet have enough room to run around and be happy?

Security is of utmost importance as well.  You want to make sure that your pet will not be able to get out.  Find out about the professionals that will be taking care of them and walking them.  Also, ask to see the fenced outside area.  Obviously, a yard with no fence is a huge red flag.  No matter how well trained your pet is, in an unfamiliar territory, they may try to escape.

Post Pet Boarding

While the kennel is boarding your pet, call regularly to find out how he or she is doing.  Not only will you be at ease but they will also be sure to pay close attention to your pet’s well-being.  Once you pick up your animal, ask how it went and if there were any problems.  Hopefully everything will have gone well and you can use the same pet boarding kennel in the future.