Pet Sitters, and Fancy Kennels

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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?