How Do I Choose a Boarding Facility?
You want the best possible environment that is tailored to your pet’s needs. You want pet care professionals overseeing your family member’s vacation. The task of choosing who to entrust the care of your pet to can be overwhelming… but it doesn’t have to be!
It’s easy to pull up the various websites of boarding facilities in your area. Read through every page and make note of what they say they do. Write down any claims that they make such as education, number of enclosures and/or play yards and so on. Do they offer the services that your pet enjoys? Are they active members of industry associations? Look for the items that are important to you!
Take a tour of the facility. THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT STEP YOU CAN TAKE! Stop by during their business hours and ask for a tour. If the facility will not give you a tour, only gives tours during certain days and/or hours, or if they require you to schedule your tour, then this a huge red flag! A reputable facility is willing to show you their entire operation anytime during normal business hours. Make sure to give yourself (and the facility) at least 30 minutes for the tour and sometimes longer depending upon your questions. Be respectful and don’t expect a tour 10 minutes before they close!
On your tour, refer back to the items you made note of from their website. Is the facility as represented? Make sure and ask plenty of questions during this time (feeding, bedding, medications, playtimes, schedules, etc). Another very important aspect is to ensure you get a tour of the ENTIRE facility! If a facility will not show you their entire operation for whatever reason, move onto the next facility on your list. The best time to tour? First thing in the morning just as they open. Why? All facilities will have a certain amount of cleaning to do every morning and you want to see the facility at its worst. Do not accept any number of excuses such as “we’re cleaning that kennel so you can’t go in for insurance purposes.” Make sure to read over any contracts you are asked to sign. There can be “hidden disclosures,” such as you have no recourse for services advertised or promised but not provided (yet paid for). You owe it to yourself and your pet to know as much as you can about who will be taking care of your loved one!
There are so many items to look for and inquire about on a tour, more than is feasible to cover in this short article, so come by and tour our facility during normal business hours! We ask that you give us at least 30 minutes for your tour although we can give quicker ones, if needed. We ask that you show up no later than a half hour before we close. We will proudly show you our entire facility and give you as much education in the process! We can help in showing you how to make an informed and educated decision!