News

CAUTION REQUIRED!

At this time of year a lot of us are going on holiday.  Since not all dogs are suited to kennels many of us look for "home from home" holiday placements for their pets. However, this year some of our clients have reported the following; returning early to find their dog shut in a small room with several others, evidently not having had any exercise; their dog being walked by children of the "carer", who were so busy texting that the dog was being ignored, dragged along with no chance to relieve itself, stop and sniff, etc, and in one case, the dog was actually lost for several hours before being handed in to the Council!  Males walking a terrified pet on a short lead, shouting and neck-jerking it frequently in the ignorant belief that this is good control of a dog. We know there will always be some cases of people deciding to board animals because they think it is an easy option to boost their income and have no real affection or understanding of dogs.  We are sure the majority of dog carers are not in this category but since some clients have voiced their concern, we think it worth mentioning on this site. We advise simple precautions when interviewing any person to whom you are considering entrusting the welfare of your pet.  Ask to see their Public Liability insurance. Ask to see their licence to board dogs from the local Council Dog Warden.  This is a legal requirement and the lack of it would invalidate any pet insurance policy they may have taken out.  It also guarantees that their premises have been inspected for safety and suitability to care for other people's pets, and so have they.  Personally, we also have ourselves police checked -  this at least shows prospective clients that we have not been the subject of criminal proceedings!  Inspect the premises and ask how many dogs they have there at the same time. Genuine dog lovers offering the quality of care that clients have the right to expect will be ready and willing to answer all of these questions. Unfortunately, places get booked up very quickly, so booking your pet's happy holiday needs to be done as soon as you know your holiday dates! The only downside to pet boarding that we have discovered is having to say no to some of our favourite clients - and dogs - because their dates have already been taken! 

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