Choosing an London Boarding Kennel
Selecting an London Pet Boarding Kennel
At Pharmacia Animal Health, our veterinarians understand every responsible dog owner wants to find a well-run boarding kennel for their pet. We want you to feel confident our London boarding kennel is the best possible place to board your precious dogs and cats when you are away. How can you tell if our kennel is well-run? Here's a ten-point checklist for any dog boarding kennel you are considering.
- Do They Allow Inspection? – You should be able to tour the whole London Pet boarding facility with little advance notice. Any facility which refuses a tour is suspect. Many boarding kennels are very busy and have specific tour hours. Please be respectful of their visiting hours.
- Dogs Should Look Happy – While touring the London Pet kennel, most of the dogs should be up near or on the gates wagging their tails, barking and generally making a nuisance of themselves. One or two may hang back, but most should be up front.
- Doors – There should always be two doors between your animal and freedom. Facilities that have doors directly to the outside in the kennel area are accidents waiting to happen.
- ABKA Membership – ABKA stands for American Boarding Kennel Association, and is a good sign of the owner's commitment to professionalism. It isn't a guarantee, and lack of it does not mean the kennel isn't first-class, but it is reassuring to see the ABKA logo.
- Requires Vaccinations – Good London boarding kennels require proof of up-to-date vaccinations including kennel cough (bordetella). Never leave an animal in a kennel where vaccinations are not required. This is your only guarantee against some major contagious diseases.
- Smells Clean – Your nose knows. A boarding kennel filled with dogs will smell like dogs. Along with dogs, you may well smell disinfectant. There shouldn't be an overwhelming stench of urine or feces. Occasionally a dog comes in for boarding who isn't clean in their indoor pen, but these are rare. If more than a couple of dogs have urine and/or feces in their indoor areas, something is wrong.
- Outdoor Walks – Outdoor walks are important to the health of your dog. At our veterinary clinic, we take our guests for outdoor walks every day. Make sure your dog will get his daily dose of fresh air.
- Boarding Kennels and Disease – No matter how excellent the kennel, boarding is still a stressful experience for most dogs. Stress leaves animals susceptible to disease. Also, not all vaccinations are 100% effective. Even dogs who have been vaccinated against kennel cough and viral diarrhea can pick up a strain not covered by the vaccine. Even a carefully managed London Pet boarding facility will occasionally have an intestinal bug.
- Provide Information – If an emergency occurs, the kennel's obligation is to inform you of the situation (if possible), get the dog the necessary veterinary care while at their facility, and to practice thorough sanitation measures. Disease is rare at a good facility, but it can happen. Because of this, elderly dogs; puppies under six months of age; fearful, anxious dogs, and dogs with immune problems are best cared for in a home environment.
- Veterinarian availability – We check the health and happiness of our London dog boarding guests diligently! Our veterinarians are available any time there is a need in the kennel. It's a priority, so every guest is well cared for, happy and healthy.
Our pet boarding kennels are bright, spacious and comfortable. Come and visit, or give us a call to schedule a grand tour. You'll be reassured that our boarding kennel is the right place for your pet to stay.