Pet boarding 101: What you need to know

Jun. 12—For pet owners leaving town on vacation without their animals, boarding is an option, but it requires advance preparations.

Reputable pet boarders require updated vaccinations, and making reservations is advance is advised. Boarders say their goal is to make the pets comfortable while separated from their owner.

Monica Jones, from Decatur, said it is easier to board Gus, her 4-year-old, 70-pound dog, than to bring him with her on trips. She said she boards him about three times a year for four to five days at a time at Osborne Animal Clinic's Lucky Dog Daycare in Decatur.

"That's his home away from home," Jones said. "They make them real comfortable."

She said she's been using Lucky Dog the past three years and leaves a blanket and Gus' favorite stuffed animal with him. She calls and checks in on Gus every day he is there and said she enjoys the photographs sent to owners.

Judy Morris, Lucky Dog Daycare manager, said when an owner boards their dog or cat at a veterinarian's office, care is already close by if the pet needs treatment.

"If they were to get sick, we have staff readily available to take care of the animal," Morris said. "A lot of times if the dog is older or sick and can't travel, they want to leave it at a place where they know it's well cared for by people that can handle anything that goes on."

Both Lucky Dog and Brammer Farms: The Shaggy Hound Pet Hotel and Daycare in Hartselle require cats and dogs they board to be vaccinated for rabies. Additionally, dogs must be vaccinated for parvovirus, distemper and Bordetella (kennel cough). Lucky Dog also requires a coronavirus vaccination for canines. Brammer Farms requires proof of flea and tick preventive, and a feline combo/distemper vaccination is also required for cats.

At Lucky Dog, pets are examined upon arrival to make sure they are free from parasites such as fleas, ticks and worms. They are examined again before they go home.

"We have an option where you can just board which means you just sleep over and you get walked three times a day," Lucky Dog's Morris said. "Or you can board and go to daycare during the day. If you go to daycare, you come out at 8:30 a.m., spend the day in the daycare, and then you go back to the clinic at 5:30 p.m.," Morris said.

Depending on the size of the pet, the clinic can board up to 45 dogs and cats at one time. People can bring their own food, or the clinic will provide it.

"We let you bring your own blanket, bed, toys, just to make the dog as comfortable as possible with the things they're familiar with," Morris said.

There is no minimum or maximum amount of time a pet can be boarded. The charge for dogs is $23 to $36 per day depending on their weight with an additional charge of $15 for the daycare. Boarding a cat is $20 per day.

Brammer Farms has similar prices. Canine boarding at the farm is $30 a day. Feline boarding is $20 a day with an additional $6 for both during peak days. There is a non-refundable deposit of $35.

Jones said she pays the additional amount at Lucky Dog for the daycare while Gus is boarding and that he seems to treat boarding as his vacation.

"He's ready to get out of the car. He doesn't even say bye," Jones said.

Tammye Brammer owns Brammer Farms, which can board between 35 and 40 dogs and five cats at one time. She said some people prefer boarding animals rather than having a pet sitter coming to their house.

"I've seen a lot of instances where they don't show up like they say they will, they change their mind mid-trip or dogs have gotten away from them because they aren't familiar with them, and the dog becomes lost while the people are out of town," Brammer said.

Brammer and her family live on-site and she said they have trained staff in areas such as pet CPR and are insured. "We can provide safety and security so they (owners) can feel safe and comfortable while they're traveling."

At the farm, the dogs routinely play outside, go in to rest and then go back outside, Brammer said. The staff is with the pets from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and then the dogs are let out again from 8-9 p.m.

"We always say your dog should have fun on vacation, too."

Cats are let out several times a day to have interaction and play with handlers.

Dog kennels at the farm have air conditioning and heat and include a cot. Brammer said they ask owners to only bring one toy but no bedding due to it potentially being a choking hazard. Cat accommodations include a litter box and a bed.

Brammer Farms ask owners to bring their pet's food. Photographs of the pets are sent to the owners throughout the duration of their stay. There is no minimum or maximum time a pet can be boarded.

The farm is already booked through August. Brammer said pet owners should always make reservations early, but especially if traveling during the summer and around holidays.

Morris also stressed advance reservations for pet boarding. "As soon as they book their hotel, their airline ticket, whatever they're buying, they should just make that a part of their booking."

—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.