Choosing a Boarding Facility

For many people, making a decision of where to board their pet is very difficult because we all have had friends and family who had negative experiences with kennels.  It is very important that you get as much information about different facilities in your area.  Call these facilities and set up a time that you can go and physically walk through the facility so you can make an informed decision as to whether the facility is right for you and your four-legged friend.  If you plan to board your pet, you have the right and obligation to be sure that the facility you choose will provide your pet with the type of care and accommodations that you feel they need.  If you call a facility that refuses to allow you to see where the animal is going to stay, continue looking for other facilities.  Tours of boarding facilities should be set up by appointment so that they can give you their undivided attention.  Ask to see where the pet actually stays, where the animal will be taken to relieve itself, where the pet would be groomed or bathed if requested, etc. 

Ask yourself this question when considering a kennel for boarding: “If my pet sleeps in my bed or in my bedroom, would I take a sleeping bag into the facility that I have just toured and sleep with my pet?”  If the answer is no, keep looking!!

Ask yourself this question when considering a veterinary hospital for boarding: “Would I take my child to a hospital pediatric ward for day care?”  If the answer is no, keep looking!!

Following is a list of questions you should ask or observations you should make when touring a facility:

Upon entering the property and office area (observations):
            ·        When you arrive at the facility, what is your FIRST impression of what you see?

·        When you enter the facilities office, is a pleasant staff person there to greet you?  Does it feel warm and inviting?

·        Are there any unpleasant odors or is it clean?

·        What is the noise level in the office? (Barking dogs, etc.)

·        Is it a comfortable temperature in the office?

Questions to ask:
            ·        Ask if there is 24-hour staffing in the building with the dogs or cats?

·        Is there a fire alarm system and is it a monitored system or just smoke and fire detectors?

·        What medical records to you require?

·        How many pets can you board at any given time?

·        If all of your regular pens are full and I call for a booking, do you take the booking and put the pet somewhere (varikennel, wire cage) or decline the booking and place my name on a waiting list?

·        What type of food do you feed or can I bring my own?

·        Can I bring special meals to be fed to my pet while boarded?

·        May I bring bedding and toys for my pet?

·        May I bring treats, carrots, rawhide bones, or meat bones for my pet?

·        If medications are required such as heartworm, flea preventative products or a prescription drug or supplement, is there an additional fee to administer these medicines?

·        What would you do if my pet became ill or was injured during its stay?

·        Do you have a veterinarian that provides services to your facility 24/7 for emergencies?

·        Will you contact me if an emergency arises?

·        Do you ask for emergency contact numbers?

·        Where will my pet have to relieve itself while boarded? (concrete run, in its pen, or outside in a yard)  Are there solid partitions in the pens between each dog?

·        How do you clean up after my pet relieves itself?

·        Is the area where my pet has to relieve itself protected from inclement weather?

·        How often is fresh water offered to my pet?

·        Do you feed pets once a day or two times per day?  Do I need to bring my bowls from home?

·        Can I request a walk or a play outside?

·        Do you require pets to be spayed or neutered?

·        Do you offer veterinary services or grooming services?

·        Will my pet get to play with other pets?

·        What do you do when you have a dog that is aggressive towards people or other animals or a dog that is afraid to be left alone?

When you are taken to the housing area for the pets (observations):
            ·        When you enter the animal housing area, are there any unpleasant odors?

·        What is the noise level? Are the dogs barking or quiet?

·        Do the animals being boarded at the time of your tour seem content or are they barking and jumping at the gates?

·        What are the floor surfaces? Concrete, linoleum, rubber, wood, etc.

·        Are there drains in the floor?   Are the floors wet?  Do any of the dogs looks wet?

·        Do you notice any urine or feces in the pens?

·        Is it a comfortable temperature in the facility? Air-conditioned, heated, fans, etc.

·        Are there any signs of toys, blankets, or bedding brought by clients in the pens?

·        Is the area well lit?

·        Are there food and water bowls in each pen?  Is there water in the water bowl?

·        Do the pens look to be in good shape or are they damaged?

·        Does the person taking you through on the tour seem knowledgeable and are they informative?  Do you feel they are proud of the facility?

This seems like many questions to ask, but if you are concerned about the health and well being or your companion animal, it is important that you get these questions answered to your satisfaction. Some people will base their decision for boarding on price, but by far most people are more concerned about quality service and facilities.  Most of all, pet owners want peace of mind to know that when they leave their pet, it will be well cared for and they will return from vacation to take home a happy animal.

After touring the facility, the ultimate question to ask yourself is “if my pet sleeps in my bed or in my bedroom, would I take a sleeping bag into the facility that I have just toured and sleep with my pet?”  If the answer is no, keep looking!!

There are also some veterinarian’s that board pets at their office.   There are some questions that you need to ask prior to boarding your pet at a veterinarian’s hospital.

• Are animals boarding at the veterinary hospital for non-medical reasons housed in the same building as animals that are hospitalized for medical reasons?
• Is there a separate building with separate heat and air so that boarded animals are not exposed to sick or diseased animals?
• Where do the pets relieve themselves, indoors or outdoors?
• Is there 24-hour supervision of these animals?
• Follow all other observations and questions above that are listed for regular boarding kennels.

Ask yourself this question when considering a veterinary hospital for boarding “Would I take my child to a hospital pediatric ward for day care?”  If the answer is no, keep looking!!