Green Acres Is Pet Friendly!

What is Pet Friendly | Dog Boarding | Cat Boarding | Playtime | Boarding Requirements | Boarding Rates | Boarding Contract | Boarding Questions | Request A Reservation

What should people look for when choosing a boarding facility?

There are many things people should look for when evaluating a boarding facility.

1. Start looking well in advance of when you will need to use a facility, as good ones can fill-up quickly, especially during peak times such as school vacation, summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some years we will be booked for Christmas in September.

2. To locate a facility, ask your veterinarian and other pet guardians for recommendations. You can also check the yellow pages or use the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA) Pet Services Locator at www.abka.com.

3. Call facilities to inquire about their services, but don’t make a decision until you actually visit a facility to see what it’s really like. If possible, bring your pet with you when you visit so you can see how the staff responds to your pet. During the visit, make note of the following:

• Is the staff courteous and friendly to both you and your pet?

• Do they seem to truly enjoy your pet?

• Is the facility clean?

• Are the staff ABKA Certified Pet Care Technicians?

• Is the kennel a member of the ABKA?

• Does the facility have the proper licenses? Anyone boarding pets for a fee must have a Maine kennel license.

• Does the facility have a formal disinfection protocol?

• What are the vaccination requirements? Will they accept titers?

• How are dogs evaluated for playtime? What is the staff to dog ratio for playtimes? We recommend no more than 5 dogs per staff member.

• What are the facilities feeding procedures? Can you bring your own food?

• What are procedures and policies for dealing with pets requiring medications?

• What does the facility do if your pet requires veterinary care?

• Does someone live on-site? If not, who checks the pets at night? What do they do in case of an emergency?

• Does the facility have a protocol for dealing with parasites like fleas?

• Can you bring your pets toys and bed?

• Does the facility require a boarding contract to protect you and the facility from any misunderstandings

• Lastly, ask if it is a “Pet Friendly” facility