Make your pet feel at home for Christmas

Holiday travel means spending time with loved ones, creating memories, and making a lot of arrangements. Anyone who has traveled for the Holidays knows how chaotic it can be. Taking care of your pets while you are out of town can add to that stress. A few key measures can make boarding your pet easier and worry-free.

First, a fun fact: according to the American Boarding Kennels Association (ABKA), over 30 million pets are boarded each year in over 9,000 kennels throughout the United States and Canada. That’s a lot of options. How do you sift through it all to find the right place?

 

The best way to start is to ask for references from friends and your veterinarian. Once you have a place or two in mind, give them a call and arrange a quick visit. When you are there, you can get a feel for the overall appearance of the facility as well as important features like:

 

  • Sanitation—how clean does the facility appear?
  • Security—how safe will your pet be?
  • Staffing—who will be taking care of your pet and how much attention will she get?
  • Expertise—if you have an exotic pet, do they have experience with that species?
  • Services—what exactly do they provide for each animal in terms of space, warmth, food, exercise?
  • Requirements—what vaccinations and other arrangements do they require?
  • Healthcare—do they have access to veterinary care, if necessary?
  • Communication—are they up front with you regarding policies, billing, and other arrangements?

 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You need to feel comfortable with the facility housing your pet. You don’t want to spend your trip worrying about your pet’s welfare, and you certainly don’t want to come home to a sick or distraught loved one. Ask your friends about their experiences. 

 

We offer veterinary supervised boarding for small dogs (under 15 pounds), cats, and exotic animals at Quail Ridge Animal Hospital. Find our pricing and more details on our boarding page.

 

One option to consider is boarding your dog, cat, or exotic animal with your vet. This option is appealing because you know the facility, they know you and your pet, and veterinary care is available right on site. They also know what services are important for a healthy stay. We’d say that’s killing two birds with one stone, but that would seem morbid in this case.