Hi everyone,
As "Pet-Friendly" Realtors, we always like to pass on relevant information to keep our furry friends safe and happy!
Reprinted from Denver Post article by Heather Grimshaw
Owners urged to check out facilities beforehand
By Heather Grimshaw
Special to The Denver
Post
Article Last Updated: 11/21/2007 08:44:38 PM MST
Pet owners are expected to spend nearly $2
billion at kennels this year, according to the
American Pet Products Manufacturers
Association.
The holidays are the industry's busiest
season.
With several options at hand, pet parents should
carefully check out boarding facilities before
entrusting them with their animals. "There are
some rogue facilities out there, and we don'
t support their care of animals," said Joe Lyman,
CEO of the American Boarding Kennel
Association, an industry trade group. "There are
a ton of dog and cat lovers in this industry, and
there are a couple of shady individuals who just
want to make a quick buck."
Kennel entrepreneurs dazzle potential
customers with descriptions of pet resorts that
show movies featuring animals, have plush beds
and offer pool time. Fees for basic kennel
services start at $25 and range into the hundreds
per night, but some fail to deliver on the
marketing hype.
Separating naughty from nice when assessing
Colorado
's 563 kennels requires some
digging. In addition to frills, Lyman suggests
asking about safety measures like:
Smoke detectors.
Monitored fire alarms.
Stopgaps for pet loss or theft.
A small pet-to-staff ratio also is important, said
Chris
tine Emming, a graphic designer who
boarded two pets earlier this month at a kennel
in Golden. Poppy, a two-year-old, 26-pound
French bulldog, went home with bloody sores on
her paws from excessive licking that Emming
said staff members never noticed.
The Denver
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Dogs go through an obstacle course at
the Digstown Doggie Day Care Lodge
and Spaw in Denver
. (Post / John
Prieto)
One of the kennel's selling points was a
web camera, which Emming used daily to check
on her dogs. She enjoyed seeing how they played
with others but rarely saw a staff member. "I
want someone to look at the dogs to make sure
they're doing well (and) thriving," she said.
Industry-wide, many kennels are unmanned at
night, which can leave pets vulnerable. In 2006,
more than 1,000 dogs, cats, birds and reptiles
died in fires at pet stores, veterinary clinics and
kennels in North America
, said Laurie Loveman,
an author and fire safety professional who
campaigns for improved kennel conditions.
In Colorado
, kennels are not required to have
fire alarms or sprinkler systems, but some are
investing in such equipment. "I know I'd feel
more comfortable if my pet were in a kennel that
sprinkled," said Sparky Shriver, an Arvada
fire
marshal.
When comparing facilities, national
organizations like the Humane Society of the
United States
and the boarding kennel
association publish consumer guides.
The majority of kennels cater to dogs, but there
are also exclusive facilities for cats and exotic
pets. An increasingly popular alternative is pet
sitters, who stay in homes or visit pets during the
day.
Heather
Kirby, a pet sitter since 2004, said some of her
best clients have cats that could not be touched
for days after boarding at kennels. Kirby, who
works at the Animal
Wellness
Center
in Denver
,
is comfortable with what some people call "fierce
cats."
"In the clinic I'm the one who holds the
vicious dogs and mean kitties," she said. "It'
s stressful having mom and dad leave as it is."
When pets are kept at home, "the only additional
stress is having me come into their environment."
National groups like the National Association of
Professional Pet Sitters train and certify pet
sitters, who can be bonded and insured. The
website lists 12 Denver
members, four of whom
are certified.
While fees vary, Kirby charges $15 for drop-ins
and about $40 for overnight stays that include
walks or playtime, plant watering and mail pickup.
She has stayed with birds, cats and 12 boa
constrictors, and relies on word-of-mouth
marketing. Because of high demand, she is home
an average of four nights per month, and said
The Denver
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clients refer to her as the phantom pet sitter
because "they can't tell we've been
there, but their pets are relaxed."
Joe Lyman with the boarding kennel
associationacknowledges that pet sitting is a
growing business. He questions how one person
can compete with the services offered by fancier
kennels.
"The days of concrete slabs with chain link
fences have almost run (their) course," he said.
"People are willing to pay to have their dogs
pampered."
In comparison to the plush nests provided by
some kennels, state veterinarians ensure that
basic boarding requirements are met — from
cage space to cleanliness.
A quick Internet search illustrates the disparity
between Colorado
kennels, from large
indoor/outdoor runs with special bedding and
rubber floor mats — a gentler surface for pets
with joint problems — to facilities that could be
mistaken for minimum-security prisons.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture
inspects kennels every 18 months and keeps files
on complaints and violations, said Kate
Anderson
, the department's pet-care
program administrator.
Anderson
takes her four pets with her when she
travels. She advises pet owners looking into a
kennel to "tour the facility, meet the staff, and
observe what they do before you need them."
An influx of entrepreneurs has revolutionized
the kennel industry. Flat screen televisions,
movie nights with special treats, nature walks
and pools are signs of Americans'
increasingly close relationship with their pets.
Kennel services offering nighttime tuck-ins with
bedtime stories sometimes cost an additional
fee. Some people chuckled when the tuck-in
service was introduced, but it is popular because
it mimics home environments where parents read
to kids.
Instead of bedtime stories, Camp Bow Wow
offers dogs fleece blankets, cots and classical
music. Accommodations plus all-day play and
campfire treats (frozen peanut butter with
cookies) are included in cabin fees at the chain,
which has 14 franchised Colorado
locations.
Although nature walks are not offered at Camp
Bow Wow, dogs get plenty of exercise with allday
play and can rest in a lounge with stuffed
pillows, said Janet Forgrieve, the company's
director of communications. "Trust me, they go
home very tired at night."
While some experts favor pet socialization in
kennels, others argue that exposure to disease
and aggression should sway owners toward home
care. "All pets do better with pet sitters," said
Aubrey Lavizzo, owner of the Center for Animal
Wellness. Although his facility has kennel space,
Lavizzo encourages clients to keep pets at home.
"It's much better for them," he said, "to be
in their natural environment."
Any thoughts and/or expiences with pet-sitters or kennels you have had?
