The question that everyone asks when they go on vacation is “What do we do with the family pets?” A great solution is a boarding kennel. A boarding kennel is a place that will take care of your furry friends while you are away, but the trick is finding the right one for you. Listed below are five things you should ask before picking a boarding kennel.
1. Look for recommendations/interview
Before making your decision always talk to a couple of different kennels to make sure it’s the right place for you. Talk to friends and family and see if they have any recommendations and what their experience was like. Another thing to do is to interview the kennel, ask how long they have been in business, if they have any references, and if you can tour their facility, etc.
2. Determine kennel requirements
You will want to ask the kennel if they have any vaccine requirements and if so what and when do they have to be done by? Does the kennel require a copy of the vaccine history? Are you allowed to supply your food/treats and can you bring toys and blankets? These questions are important to ask to make sure you are prepared to take your pet to the kennel.
3. What is the dog’s schedule? Feeding instructions.
Another thing that you will want to find out is what will your pet’s schedule look like while in the kennel. You’ll want to find out things like how often do they go out and where are they walked? Do they allow the dogs in the kennel to interact with each other? If you’re allowed to bring your own food and treats, request that your pet gets fed their own food because if they switch up their food, it could cause stomach upset. The best thing to do is try to make the environment as usual as possible as to not create them too much stress.
4. Contact information
You will want to make sure that the kennel has all your contact information in case of an emergency. Always plan for the unexpected.
5. Leave special instructions
Last but not least you want to make sure the kennel is aware of any special instructions such as medications, dietary restrictions, etc. Keep the instructions simple so that the kennel staff can understand.
Written by Megan Storey, Client Care Specialist
