Boarding Your Dog
People board their dogs for many different reasons including when the family travels, when the owner becomes ill, or during family emergencies. There are fortunately many professional boarding kennel operators who provide a much-needed service when these situations occur. Boarding kennels usually strive to give dogs happy and safe boarding experiences and to allow the owner to have peace and to feel confident when leaving their dog at the boarding kennel.
There are approximately 9,000 boarding kennels in the U.S. and Canada. Boarding kennels are sometimes associated with Veterinarians, or groomers. Kennels board other animals besides dogs such as cats, horses, birds, reptiles even exotic pets.
One association associated with kennels is the American Boarding Kennels Association, established in 1977. It was organized to establish and promote a high level of ethical conduct among the boarding industry. There are now 1,600 member kennels of the American Boarding Kennels Association (ABKA).
Dog owners can find local kennels by searching the Yellow Pages or by getting recommendations from their vet or their family and friends. They can also check with the Better Business Bureau for kennels listed with them.
Tips on evaluating a kennel:
1. Call first to see if they can accommodate your dog.
2. Visit the kennel. A personal visit will allow you to see first hand the atmosphere that your dog will be in. You can check to see if the areas are clean.
3. If you have a puppy or a dog with special needs make sure you ask if they are experienced with these situations.
4. Ask to see a copy of their policies. They should have a no visitors policy so that your dog is not subjected to strangers.
5. Check to see what security is in place (fencing, gates and dividers between runs).
6. Check for safety such as no chemicals left out, or sharp objects. There should be solid dividers in the sleeping quarters for all dogs. Firefighting equipment should be present.
7. Ask about proper supervision and to see if anyone will be on hand to check for signs of illness or distress in your dog.
8. Look for signs of accreditation or ask to see license and any certificates or plaques.
9. Sanitation and health care: check for adequate water and food, veterinary services, immunizations being required of all dogs boarded there, medication policies and procedures well documented, and parasite control for fleas, ticks, and other parasites.
10. You should see evidence of temperature control, protection from the elements, proper ventilation, proper lighting, adequate bedding, comfortable sleeping quarters, and a large exercise area that is well supervised.
Some kennels have individual exercise runs and other have time-sharing methods for scheduled exercising for dogs.
Business Stuff:
Ask about the personnel who work there, are they experienced, do they known how to handle dogs in all situations and are they neat and clean?
Are the kennel grounds and office neat and clean?
Rates: Are they reasonable and comparable to other local kennels? Are their additional charges? Are the kennel charges calculated?
Is there a contract? Does it state what your rights are and the kennel’s responsibilities?
What are the hours of operation? When are dogs fed and exercised?
Did you see an ABKA membership certificate?
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