Whether it’s your first time boarding an animal, or your tenth time, there are a few items you are required to bring along with you when dropping of your pets. The following is a list of items you should considering dropping off with your pets the next time you need to enlist the services of a professional pet boarding facility.
Some items are mandatory, while other items on the list below are helpful suggestions that will help your pet enjoy their time away from home!
- Vaccination Documentation
To be able to kennel your cat or dog at Puppy Love (and all other kennels), he or she must be vaccinated. These are standard rules amongst professional facilities. The reason why it’s so important to have your pets vaccinated before taking them to the kennel is for the health and safety of everyone involved. While you’re away, your animals will be in close contact with many other animals, and if all of the animals are vaccinated, their chances of getting sick are a lot less likely.
If you’re dropping off your animal for the first time at a kennel, bring your most current vaccination documentation with you. Make sure your pet is up to date on his booster shots too, or it’s a no-go.
To learn more about general vaccinations kennels require, read our blog post: Why It’s Important to Vaccinate Your Pets
- Collar & Leash Combo
You likely carry these items with you wherever you go with your dog anyway, but it’s worth a reminder just the same that these items need to be dropped off with your pet. Ensuring you have a properly fitted collar and a leash that’s suitable for your pet is the first step to a safe and enjoyable outing. They are vital for our pet care coordinators when it comes to walk time, and they can also be useful during pick up and drop off time.
Please ensure your pet has both a collar and a leash when you arrive to drop them off. For more information on leashes and collars, including the many types that are available out there these days, refer to our blog post: Your Guide to Leashes & Collars
- Special Food
If your cat or dog has allergies or special dietary concerns, for instance they are on a raw-food only diet, or are gluten-free, you’ll need send him or her to the kennel with enough special food to last while you are away. Same goes for any special treats, although the kennel usually has their own selection on hand. Always let kennel operators know about dietary restrictions.
Even if they aren’t on a special diet, a lot of pets do better during boarding when they are kept on their regular diet from home. Make sure the food is packed in a re-sealable, labelled container.
Keep in mind that animals tend to eat more while they are on vacation because they are burning a lot of energy during play time, so pack a bit extra food just in case. This extra amount will also come in handy if for any reason you can’t make it to the kennel in time to pick up your pets and they require an extra day’s stay.
Speaking of food, what about something to serve it in? Some animals are fussy about their water dish or food bowl, so if packing him or her their own special dish will aid in their experience with boarding, by all means, please leave us that too. We only ask that you label the dish. (We are not responsible for lost or damaged items).
Some kennels charge a small fee per day for having to administer such special diet requests. At Puppy Love, our fee per day is $2.75 per day.
- Medications or Supplements
This item on our list of seven items to bring to the kennel is relatively obvious as well, but it’s easy to forget such a thing amongst all the many other preparations that take place when planning a vacation. Along with enough of the medication or supplements to last the duration of your pets’ stay, please also write out dosing instructions that include method of delivery (mixed into food, or not) as well as frequency and amount given.
Again, some kennels charge a small fee per day for having to administer special medications. At Puppy Love, our fee per day is up to $3.00 per day.
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Toys
Most kennels allow you to bring a small toy or bone with your pet to help them feel at ease while in their new surroundings. Our advice is to label it with your initials if possible, or otherwise don’t bring items you wish to get back in perfect condition. We cannot guarantee the items won’t fall into the grip of another animal during playtime!
- Bedding
While any kennel worth leaving your pet at has more than adequate bedding and sleeping quarters for their furry guests, we know there are some animals that just aren’t themselves without a good night’s sleep in their own sheets. That’s why at Puppy Love we allow dog and cat owners to leave a bed or bedding with their pets during drop off. This is certainly not a necessity, however. If you do go this route, we ask that the item is machine washable. We have laundry services on site so we can respond quickly in the event of an ‘accident.’
If bringing along Fido’s bedding sounds like overkill to you, but you have a feeling your pet may still be skittish at drop off time, a lot of pet owners leave a T-shirt or blanket behind, the scent of which helps the animals feel close to their owners in their absence.
- Grooming Tools
If your cat or dog requires brushing and is fussy about what tools are used, check to see if the kennel you’re looking into will let you leave a brush behind. At Puppy Love, we offer pet grooming services along with pet boarding services and have all the tools required to make sure your pets are spic and span when you come to pick them up! (Special rates apply)
If you are heading out of town and live near the Victoria region of British Columbia, Puppy Love would love to provide you with more information on providing the best experience for your car or dog while you’re away.
Give us a call at 1-250-652-2301 any time of the week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or send us an e-mail at info@puppylove.ca to get started. Better yet, simply drop by with your dog or cat and we’ll happily give you a tour. We love visitors!