What you should look for when choosing overnight care for your pet.
Overnight pet care, or pet boarding, can be a gift when you are going on holiday, travelling for work or getting your home renovated. Unfortunately, lots of kennels and boarding facilities have gotten a bad reputation in the past for inadequate care. But as laws and restrictions have become tighter, this is thankfully becoming a thing of the past. Although, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t put the proper research and effort into finding the best home for your furry friend when you are away.
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To help you find the best care possible, we have put together a list of things to look for in overnight pet care facilities:
1. They let you look around
One of the most important signs of a good pet care facility is that they will give you a tour at a moment’s notice. Before sending your pooch into care, go to the boarding house and ask to look around. Ideally you will do this unannounced or at short notice. If the facility refuses to give you a tour or they only show you a small portion of the accommodation area, you should think about finding somewhere else.
2. Trained staff
It might sound like an easy job but taking care of multiple animals is no joke. Before committing to a pet care home ask for their credentials and/or experience. The people running the facility should have robust experience in taking care of animals. Searching for reviews and testimonials is one way to get an idea of the level of care but it can’t beat in person meetings and a tour of the grounds.
3. Good hygiene
Good hygiene is the sign of a good boarding house. When you visit the home look out for stale dog poo lying around. While there are naturally going to be messes, cleaning should happen on a consistent and regular basis. A big red flag is noticing a bad stench when you arrive at the premises. While dog kennels shouldn’t be expected to smell like roses, if they are adequately cleaned, the smell should be fine. You should also inquire as to what cleaning products they use and make sure they are safe for pets.
4. Vaccinations
Responsible pet care homes will only accept animals that are up to date on all their vaccinations. If their administrators do not ask about the vaccination status of your pooch and request the proper paperwork, you should look elsewhere.
5. Insurance
Every care home should have adequate and up to date insurance. Insurance will cover both you and the carer in case of an unexpected event. Ask the facilities’ owners or administrators for their insurance details before committing to send your pet there.
6. Updates
While they can sometimes be too busy, owners of small care homes are known to send regular updates of your furry friend. If they are willing to send you occasional pictures and videos of your little guy running around with his new friends, this is a great sign.
7. Love for animals
With the health and safety aspect taken care of, now you need to know that your dog is going to be happy during his stay. While a few days adjustment is normal for any pooch, pet homes with owners and trainers that genuinely love animals are going to make the experience far more enjoyable than those who don’t. When deciding which home to send your dog to, look for the ones with the most enthusiasm, passion and genuine love for animals. This way you can leave your pooch in peace and be reassured they are well looked after.
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