Those of us who have pets generally look upon them as one of the family. So, when it comes to finding a kennel or cattery to put them in while you’re away, you want to make sure that you’re sending them somewhere that is going to treat them in the same way. After all, you wouldn’t send your children somewhere if you weren’t sure they were going to be well looked after, so why treat your pet any differently?
There are a number of things you can do before committing yourself that can help put your mind at rest and reassure you that you’re sending your pet somewhere safe and reputable.
Check licences
All boarding kennels and catteries need to be licensed, and to get their licence they need to demonstrate a number of things:
- that their facilities meet certain standards
- that the pens the animals will be kept in are a suitable size
- that the animals will be well fed and have adequate water and exercise
- that all animals staying have been vaccinated to minimise the chances of infection
- that they have proper procedures in place in case of an emergency
- that they have all necessary insurances and public liability cover
Such licences will normally be on display, but don’t be afraid to ask to see them if they’re not immediately apparent.
Check reviews
For many of us, checking reviews for hotels, restaurants, tradespeople and products before making any decisions has become almost second nature. And you should treat choosing your kennel or cattery no differently. In fact, if anything you should check any reviews even more closely.
Good reviews are, of course, what we want to see, because we want to know that people were happy with the kennel or cattery in question. However, while with many purchases we might often skate over a single bad review because, after all, these things do happen, when it comes to checking out the people who are going to be looking after your pet, they’re worth paying a bit of extra attention to. That odd bad review might be particularly insightful or highlight shortcomings that might not have been apparent or applicable to everyone boarding their pets there.
Make a visit
No matter how many licences, recommendations and positive reviews a kennels or cattery has, there’s no substitute for checking out the premises for yourself. That way you can see how the animals are housed, whether they have adequate space with plenty of space to run in, and if it all looks clean and well maintained. You know your pet better than anyone, so you should be able to get a reasonable idea of whether they’re likely to be comfortable and happy there.
You can also talk to the staff and ask them detailed questions about what will happen to your pet during their stay. Find out what sort of interaction they will have with the staff and the other guests. It will also give you the opportunity to advise them about any particular needs or quirks your pet has that it might be useful for them to know.
Do a trial run
Before dropping your pet off for a fortnight, it might be worth doing a trial run for a couple of nights. That way you can make an informed assessment as to whether they’re likely to be happy and safe for a longer period.
Green Lane Farm Boarding Kennels operates a fully licensed boarding kennels and cattery that are easily accessible from the Chessington and Kingston parts of Surrey. We are proud of the safe and friendly environment we have created for our guests and will always treat your pet with the same love and respect as we would our own pets. To find out more about why your pet will enjoy staying with us while you’re away, give our friendly team a call today.
