Leaving your cat or dog behind while you go on holiday can be a distressing idea for many pet owners. However, you can make the situation less distressing by booking your pet into a cattery or boarding kennel that you can trust to look after your pet. Not all catteries and kennels are the same, so you’ll want to make the right decision for your pet. Here are some tips for choosing the right cattery or kennels for your pet.
Find a Licensed Option
The cattery or kennels that you choose should be licensed. Kennels must be licensed by the local council and must pass an inspection relating to the size of the pens, hygiene, feeding and care. Go beyond this though – these are only minimum standards and aren’t necessarily the best indicator of a great boarding kennel.
Get Personal Recommendations
Do you know other pet owners? Ask them which cattery or kennels they use. This can help you to narrow down your choices a bit more. You may also want to ask your vet for their recommendations for local options.
Arrange a Personal Visit
Once you have been able to narrow down your choices, it’s time to visit them in person to see whether they tick all of the right boxes. A good cattery or kennels will have no problem with this and will be happy to show you around. An in-person visit will also give you the chance to look around the cattery or kennels and see the facilities.
Things to Look Out For When Selecting a Cattery or Kennels
Location: Preferably, your chosen cattery or boarding kennel should be close by so that your pet won’t be too distressed by a long journey before they get there.
Outdoor versus indoor: A cattery which only has an indoor run offers less freedom and less ventilation. The shared air space also means that there is more scope for bacteria and viruses to spread. Having an outdoor run is the preferred option.
Sleeping areas: Ideally, both catteries and boarding kennels will have separate sleeping and exercise areas for each pet. They should not allow cats or dogs to come into direct contact with other boarders. The main exception to this is for cats and dogs from the same household, who may be required to share accommodation. Each pen should be of a good size, warm, dry and secure. There should also be good ventilation in place to minimise the potential for illnesses.
Vaccinations: You should be asked for proof that your pet is fully up-to-date with his or her vaccinations. If this isn’t the case, there is a bigger chance that your pet will become ill during their stay. Cats should be vaccinated against flu and feline infectious enteritis, while dogs should be protected against distemper, parovirus, hepatitis and leptospirosis. You may also want to vaccinate your dog against kennel cough.
Conduct a Trial Run
Once you have picked a cattery or kennel that you feel will be a good fit for your pet, it can be a good idea to do a trial run over a weekend to check how he or she adjusts to the surroundings before you go away for real.