What pet owners should be asking when boarding their pets

Summer vacations may include pets or pet owners may want to have their companion cared for at a boarding facility or doggy day care that provides overnight stays More stories dogs removed from a Montgomery Co doggie daycare reunited with their owners Welcome to kitten season when animal shelters need all the help they can get Dogs and cats can also suffer from allergies but there are strategies to help our furry friends The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria has a guide for pet owners to help them make decisions about where their pets will be cared for in their absence Erin Shackelford the senior manager of communications and event marketing at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria described WTOP that regulations regarding licensing can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but that making sure a kennel or boarding facility is licensed is fundamental In Montgomery County Maryland the Office of Animal Services in recent times removed animals from what it revealed was an unlicensed dog boarding facility in Silver Spring Pet owners would also want to know what the attendant to pet ratio is at the boarding facility Shackelford declared The standard is one person to every animals to provide a high level of care Shackelford declared Shackelford stated a kennel or boarding operator s unwillingness to let you see exactly where and how animals are kept should be a red flag If the animal boarding facility will not allow you to see where the animal s being kept where the animal will sleep where the animal goes to the bathroom or where the animal will spend the greater part of their day she disclosed that should raise alarms Pet owners should also be considering the size of the actual space provided to each dog or cat Ventilation situation control do they have indoor outdoor access Shackelford added If your pet has never been in a confined space or isn t crate trained that should be something to think about Comparing the boarding facility with your animal s normal routine is essential she communicated WTOP Pet owners should also ask about crisis procedures such as what happens if there s a power outage or other site failure and what happens if and when an animal is sick or injured What s their crisis plan if something does happen to your pet Is there a veterinarian on staff or do they have a veterinarian that they work with Shackelford declared She pointed out that a provider should be able to offer answers to any inquiries made about the facility s safety measures Source