Is your pet going to be boarded soon? If so, pat yourself on the back: this is by far the best and safest way to ensure that your beloved animal companion is safe and sound while you are away or occupied. Boarding pets is not only the safest option: it’s also quite easy. You will of course need to make some preparations before bringing your animal friend to their home away from home. Make sure to pack the right things! Read on for some suggestions on that from a local Deer Park, TX pet kennel.
Bedding
Kennels do vary a bit on what you can and can’t bring as far as bedding. Some places prefer to use their own. This is generally so they can ensure that everything has been properly cleaned and disinfected. This helps reduce the risk of parasites, germs, and disease being spread.
If you can bring your pet’s bed, it’s still a good idea to wash the bedding and/or covering beforehand. If the kennel supplies bedding, you may be able to bring a comfort item, such as a pillow or blanket.
If you have an exotic or pocket pet, this may entail getting fresh substrate or cage liners instead of an actual bed.
Identification
Proper identification isn’t only important when boarding: it’s really just basic pet care. Microchips are tiny, but they can become crucial, and may even save your pet’s life one day. ID tags are also crucial, and are the easiest way for someone to identify your pet.
Kennels typically have some security features that prevent pets from escaping. However, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. While the chances of a serious mishap, such as a fire or flood, coming through while you are away is small, there is always the possibility.
This is one area where it’s just better to be safe, rather than sorry! Make sure that the contact information on your pet’s chip, tags, or collar is correct. (Tip: Try the AAHA Pet Microchip Lookup here.)
Medical History
Kennels may vary a bit as far as what will be required here. They may not necessarily need a record of every exam or vaccination your pet has ever had. However, if your pet has any chronic illness, or has had health problems in the past, this is definitely going to be something they should be aware of. You would also need to make sure the kennel has any necessary information on things like allergies, prior health issues, and so on.
You may not need to provide physical copies: the computer has taken many types of record keeping online. Just make sure that you are providing the pertinent information.
This also includes vaccination records. Any decent kennel is going to require this information. In fact, you should run—not walk—from any place that doesn’t. However, you will want to check and make sure that nothing is going to come due around the time your pet will be boarded. You don’t want to find out the day before your trip that your furry pal’s rabies vaccination is expiring while you are away!
Supplements
Just like people, pets often benefit from taking specific vitamins or supplements. These are not one-size-fits-all. A kitty with vision problems may need something completely different than a dog with arthritis would. This is one thing we would recommend packing a bit extra of, just in case you are delayed. It’s also a good idea to divide your pet’s vitamins or supplements into daily servings. You could put them in ziplock bags, with your pet’s name and the dates to give them.
Food and Treats
There are a few things to keep in mind when packing food. If you are bringing kibble or dry food for your pet, you will want to divide that up. Putting each meal into a plastic bag with dates and labeling them, just as we recommended doing with vitamins or supplements, is a good idea. The same rules apply to treats. If you are bringing cans, you can do something similar with labels.
Always pack a few extra days’ worth of food, just in case you end up being delayed. If you are planning to change your pet’s food, make that adjustment well in advance of boarding.
Information Sheet
You may need to fill out some initial paperwork for your pet, which may include some basic information. Every pet is a bit different, which is why they’re so much fun! The key thing is to provide pertinent information. The kennel probably doesn’t need to know that Fido lets the cat steal his bed or that he has a huge crush on the poodle across the street. You also don’t need to tell them about how cute he looked the year you dressed him up as an avocado for Halloween. What they do need to know about are things that could affect his care or schedule. Some examples would be phobias, allergies, triggers, and play habits. You would also need to let them know if your pet has a tendency towards resource guarding, or any other issues with aggression or anxiety.
Grooming Preferences
Many kennels also have grooming facilities. This makes for great one-stop-shopping! If you are requesting that your pet be groomed, be very clear about your preferences. If you need to bring a special shampoo or conditioner, be sure to include that as well.
Comfort Items
Pet kennels have really come through a renaissance in recent years, and have evolved quite a bit from the bare kennels of past decades. Your furry friend may enjoy things like our water park or playground, and can get pampered with food, massages, and other extras, just like a person at a spa would. However, at the end of the day, pets are very much homebodies, and would always prefer to be home with their beloved humans.
That’s why it’s a good idea to provide some sort of comfort item. This will remind your animal friend of home. Something that has your scent can also soothe them and keep them from feeling upset.
Be sure to ask your Deer Park, TX pet boarding kennel what is and is not allowed. This may vary a bit from place to place.
Contact Information
The kennel will also need to get a few numbers from you. Your veterinarian’s name and number are one typical requirement. Include updated information for your emergency backup. This should be someone you trust to make key decisions about your pet’s health or care if you can’t be reached.
And, speaking of reaching you, provide all and any numbers or contact information that may help them reach you if needed. If you are going to be visiting numerous places, offer that information with an itinerary, so they can tell when you will be where.
One final tip? Make sure that everything you bring is labeled with your pet’s name and yours. Aside from that, just relax and enjoy your trip.
Fees and Policies
This isn’t so much something to pack as something to take or save. Make sure that you are clear on things like upgrade fees and policies.
Make An Appointment At Your Deer Park, TX Kennel
Do you need to schedule boarding at our Deer Park, TX pet kennel? Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We treat all of our furry charges like royalty, and are always dedicated to offering great care!
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