For most of us, our Pets are cherished family members, so why not take the time to make sure they are safe and comfortable while you are away on travel. An ideal facility should look clean, have minimal pet odor, proper ventilation, forced heat and ac, secure enclosures with fence covered outside runs, secure gates and doors, properly trained professional and friendly staff, and someone in charge that is accessible, accountable, and responsible. Bottom Line: Choose a facility where you feel comfortable and where you trust your pet will be well cared for, with personal and loving attention, in a clean, safe, and fun environment.

• Start with www.petcareservices.org (Pet Care Services Association) for a list of pet care facilities in your region. At present, this is the most credible source of established standards of care for pet lodging facilities.

  (Hint: If your facility of choice is not a member of PCSA, be extra cautious.)

• Ask your Veterinarian, Friends, or Family for their recommendations and personal experiences with local facilities.

  (Hint: For pet care services, word of mouth is the best referral)

• Call the local Animal Control Office for any history or records of complaints on a particular facility.

  (Hint: keep an open mind as not every complaint may be justified or even true, but if there is an excessive number of complaints on record, please be cautious.)

• Take time to tour any facility you are considering, always unannounced, but during business hours.

  (Hint: Every facility will have a different idea of what clean is, what “proper” care or supervision means, staff qualifications, etc. Do remember though, pet care is a very busy and challenging responsibility, and some days may be better than others to tour. Give any facility some reasonable benefit of the doubt, or even come back another day for a second opinion tour.)

• During the facility tour are you taken to ALL areas of the facility or just the “Tour Area?” How do the pets look? Are they happy, clean and comfortable, or scared and cowering? Do they have clean water and bedding?

• Does the facility look clean? What are the pet enclosures like? Are they suitable for your pets? Are there connected outdoor runs for dogs to go outside for fresh air and exercise?

• How does the facility smell? This is what your Pet will be breathing.

  (Hint: Obviously any facility that caters to pets may have some odor at any given time, but what seems reasonable to you? Is there an odor of perpetuating filth or just a recent mess by one of the pets?)

• Is the facility heated and air-conditioned? Are there fans for fresh air movement? Will you be comfortable leaving your pet here when the weather outside is extremely hot or cold?

• Are pets monitored and separated by size or temperament, age, or health concerns?

  (Hint: if the pets next to yours are bigger, scary, and threatening or aggressive to your pet, would you be comfortable with that?)

• What is their cleaning procedure? Is your pet’s area thoroughly sanitized at least once a day? What chemicals are used to clean? What measures are taken to ensure no contact of chemicals with your pet?

• Is bedding provided or will your pet be laying on concrete all night, cold, scared, and uncomfortable?

• What are their Vaccination Requirements? At a minimum, Rabies, Distemper, and Bordetella for Dogs; Rabies and Distemper for Cats should be required. Pets without proper vaccinations should be turned away. A good facility will also request some form of flea or tick prevention prior to boarding, otherwise your pet may come home with parasites, or bring them into the Kennel environment.

• If the Staff doesn’t know what “Kennel Cough” or “Canine Bloat” is, ...go somewhere else! Canine Bloat is a life threatening condition sometimes more frequent during boarding experiences, often triggered by exercising pets too soon after feeding,or by pets that eat and drink too fast. Ask your Vet for more info, but your pet is at risk if the pet care facility doesn’t know what to look for or how to react.

• Ask lots of questions of the staff during your tour of the facility, especially, “How soon do you exercise pets after feeding and why do you think that matters?”

• How often are your pets taken outside to run or exercise? Is this included in your Lodging Rate? If not, why? Would you leave your pet in a cage for a week at home without exercise?

• Can you call and check on your pet while you are away?

• Is the Staff friendly and helpful?

  (Hint: These are the people that will be caring for your pets. If you don’t get the “warm fuzzies” after talking with them, how different will your pets be treated while you’re away?)