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 The Holidays are coming and many families travel. What do you do with your pets when you are gone? Being on vacation is fun; shouldn't it also be for your pet? Rather than dealing with the difficulty of taking your pet with you or leaving them at home, let your pet go on their own vacation by taking them to a boarding facility. Before you take your beloved pet to just any boarding facility it is important to look into it first, much like how we check destinations, accommodations, and available activities for our vacations.
Destinations Start by asking family and friends if they have used a facility in the area. If they have ask why they were happy with it. Was their pet happy after returning home, did the pet look healthy and well cared for. You can also ask your veterinarian if they have a recommendation. There are a number of boarding facilities available to choose from. Attempting to narrow down which facilities to choose from can be a long process. An easy way to quickly narrow down the list is to look for facilities that are certified by the International Boarding and Pet Care Association (IBPSA), www.ibpsa.com. Also, look into what kinds of accommodations and activities they provide for your pet. Accommodations When choosing a boarding facility make sure to first take a tour of the facility. Here are some important things to pay attention to while you are on tour:
Activities Find out what activities your pet will engage in while you are gone. For example, the facility should have scheduled walks or playtime and have a supervised exercise yard in a socializing environment. Some facilities also have indoor or outdoor pools. If there is a pool find out if it is heated. Separation Anxiety? If your pet suffers from separation anxiety they may not be a good candidate for boarding. A pet sitter may be a better alternative. In the event that a pet sitter cannot be found, you may still be able to help your pet cope. Pheromone products such as DAP (for dogs) and Feliway (for cats) can help ease anxiety. In severe cases, other medications may be necessary to calm your pet, talk to your veterinarian. Leaving a shirt or other piece of clothing that has your scent on it may also help separation anxiety. Talk with the employees at the facility about how they have handled that in the past. The most important thing to note when visiting different kennels is how the environment makes you feel. Trust your gut. If you feel comfortable there and get along well with the staff members, it's likely that your best pet will feel at ease there as well. No kennel will feel exactly like home to your pet, but if it can come close, you'll be able to go on your trip knowing your pet is safe and sound. The most important thing to note when visiting different kennels is how the environment makes you feel. Trust your gut. If you feel comfortable there and get along well with the staff members, it's likely that your best pet will feel at ease there as well. No kennel will feel exactly like home to your pet, but if it can come close, you'll be able to go on your trip knowing your pet is safe and sound.
17 Comments
2/20/2018 09:42:28 am
I really appreciated your suggestion to ask family and friends for recommendations of what boarding facility to take your pet to. This would be helpful in my opinion since it would be easier in my opinion to trust a recommendation from someone you know versus that of someone online. I'll start asking around since I'll need somewhere for my pet to stay while my wife and I travel out of town in a couple of weeks. 3/22/2018 02:09:55 pm
I bought a cat with my husband a few months ago, and we really want to go on a vacation. I am so glad that I found this article because I had no idea that you should do so much research before picking a boarding service. I like that you recommend finding out what activities your pet will be doing during the day because I want to make sure they get to move around and exercise! I will definitely keep these tips in mind while looking for a boarding service! I've been thinking about getting some dog boarding services for our pup while we go on vacation. I like that you talked about how if your pet suffers separation anxiety, you may want to give dog boarding another thought. I think getting a good dog boarding service would be really helpful for me, and help me be confident that our dog is fine while we're gone! 8/14/2018 03:21:56 am
It's so awesome that I stumbled upon your post because I will be on a vacation next week. I've been thinking on how and where I should be leaving my cute dog for a while. My mom is even on an out of town. I will now be looking for a boarding facility for my dog. 8/22/2018 08:49:24 pm
I really like a lot of the questions that the article is asking here about the boarding facilities. When you are choosing a boarding facility for your dog or cat then you need to check on things like the food that will be fed to your pet. After all, you may want to know if you can bring your own food, especially if your pet has allergies. 9/6/2018 12:04:46 pm
I agree that you should make sure the boarding facility provides plenty of exercise and activities for your pet. You want them to be able to get the full attention they need. I also like the idea of finding a facility that offers socializing in a supervised area, lie you said. 12/20/2018 12:45:35 pm
I agree that you want to make sure the pet boarding facility you choose will spend time doing activities with your pet. They should have scheduled walks and playtime, like you said. That's definitely a big priority for me when finding a place for my dog. 2/8/2019 10:46:18 am
I agree that you want to make sure the boarding facility you choose offers activities for your pet. They should have times scheduled for playtime and going on walks, like you said. This is especially crucial if you have a dog that is more active. I love what you suggested about finding out if a facility has scheduled playtime and walks. Pet boarding is a valuable service if you plan on leaving home for an extended period of time. If I were to travel any time soon, I would look for the best boarding facility to take care of my dog. 5/8/2019 11:28:44 am
I liked how you talked about asking the facility what kind of activities your dog will engage in during their stay. My husband and I have been thinking about having our dog in a boarding facility while we're on vacation. It would be really helpful to know what she'll be doing. 8/16/2019 03:07:54 pm
My husband and I are taking a vacation soon and we are leaving our dog behind, so we need to find a dog boarding facility. It makes a lot of sense that you say to tour potential facilities before choosing one. This way we can make sure it is clean, professional, and that the staff members treat all of the animals with the best care. 8/22/2019 09:55:32 am
I like how you said that when choosing a boarding facility make sure to first take a tour of the facility. My sister called me to let me know that she will need to travel overseas by the end of the year but she is worried about where to leave her dog. I will send her this article so she can think about a boarding facility. 9/5/2019 04:26:18 pm
Thank you for stating that when choosing a boarding facility, you should first take a tour of the facility. My family and I are going on vacation next week, and need to put our new dog in a boarding facility while we are away, but don't know which one to choose. I will definitely utilize all of your great tips and information when looking for a suitable boarding facility for my dog. 10/18/2019 03:04:24 pm
It's great that this article elaborates on the need to tour the facility before you decide to board your animal. My sister has been thinking about traveling around Europe for a month, and none of us can take her cat for her because we are all allergic. It's good to know that there are boarding facilities that would be able to watch her cat for her. 10/29/2019 10:53:08 am
I liked that you mentioned you need to find out what activities a dog boarding will provide to your dog before choosing them. My husband and I will be traveling for a month, and we are looking for advice about where to leave our dog. I will let him know about the importance of choosing a boarding facility that provides a fair amount of activities for our puppy. 12/16/2019 04:00:16 pm
It was really helpful when you said that you need to make sure if there's good lighting and ventilation. My husband and I are planning on going on vacation for the holidays next week and we need to find a place for our cat to stay. We'll make sure to keep this information in mind as we search for a boarding facility for our cat. 3/20/2020 01:28:40 pm
I am planning a month-long backpacking trip to Europe with my best friend from high school this summer. I won't be able to take my 12-year-old cat with me, so I need to find a pet boarding facility for her. It makes sense that you say I should look for a facility that is clean and requires current vaccinations for all pets. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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