Whether your animal friend is a loyal dog, or perhaps a finicky cat that requires special care, it can be difficult locating a good place for them to stay when you head out for vacation. If you don’t have the luxury of acquaintances or relatives who can visit your pet at home every day, you will have to find a suitable pet boarding facility.

Deciding which boarding facility to go with is not a snap decision. You should not make this call based solely on what is closest to home. Perhaps you have some friends who know of a place that is good. In any event, we’ll go over some things you need to look for. Remember, your pet will be in an unfamiliar environment and attention to their needs will be crucial.

Don’t board your pet anywhere until you have personally visited and observed the conditions there. Some boarding facilities are filthy, poorly run, and represent a health hazard for your pet. Take some time to check out the cleanliness and general appearance of the operation.

When checking out a facility, ask if they require current vaccinations. They should. If they don’t, keep shopping until you find one that does.

Some veterinarians offer a pet boarding facility as part of their practice. One thing may come as a surprise to you, however. A veterinary hospital might be a less than ideal choice for boarding your pet, unless they have a dedicated staff and facility just for performing this service.

Consider this from your pet’s perspective. If you were a cat or dog, how would you feel hanging out in a human hospital for a few days? Hospitals are what they are. They are places for sick and recovering pets. Your pet is probably will not have much fun staying in a veterinary hospital while you are away, nor are they likely to get the care and exercise they need.

Veterinary clinics in general are not set up to do a good job of boarding pets. Their staff is dedicated primarily to attending sick animals, and they are often highly stressed and overworked. Your healthy pet boarding in such a facility is more likely to just be left sitting in a small cage for extended periods.

As you go about evaluating animal boarding facilities, take a look at the routine they follow when allowing the pets outdoors to exercise and run around. The pets should be supervised by a human at all times. Look at the quality and construction of the fencing to make sure it is secure and doesn’t have obvious holes or other damage that a pet could take advantage of and escape.

If you are thinking of boarding a cat at a place that also keeps dogs, make sure these two are kept apart. Each one stresses the other, and it is not a good environment for either. Make sure to find out how often any pet you leave will be fed, exercised, and attended to. There should be a routine or schedule of these activities.

Before you leave your animal at any pet boarding facility, observe how the people working there handle the pets. Do they seem to love the animals, and show compassion and patience? This isn’t the easiest job, and not everyone is suited for it. Take your gut feeling into account here – will they be good to your pet?

Deciding on a place to leave your pets is an important decision. Keep all these things in mind when you make your choice.

Helping your pets stay healthy and contented is part of being a kind and responsible pet owner. Stay on top of the latest healthy pet news and products.

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