Kennels and catteries

Before getting a pet you should consider how often you are away from home and who will look after your pet when you go away holiday. Kennels and catteries are a popular choice and many also offer to take small pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs as well.

Things to consider before choosing a kennel or cattery;

Go and have a look around the premises and ask yourself if it is clean and well organized? - Most kennels and catteries will be happy to show you around although you may get a more thorough tour if you visit in the afternoon as mornings are generally their busiest times. However a kennel or cattery should never refuse to show you around; if they do you have to ask yourself 'what are they hiding?'.

• Are the premises clean and organized?
   
• Is the boarding area clean and tidy?
  
  
• Is the accommodation adequately sized/ comfortable? – some kennels / cateries will provide your pet with a bed, toys, scratch post etc but it’s worth asking so that you can take along a few home comforts for your pet.
  

• Do the kennel / cattery insist that all pets are fully vaccinated? -This is very important and you should only use a premises that insists on vaccinations.
  
   
• Kennel cough is one of the main infectious diseases that your dog may come into contact with in kennels. It is an airborne disease which obviously spreads rapidly in kennels due to the large number of dogs in a small area.
  
  
• Are the staff fully qualified?
  
  
• How much hands on time / company do they get with the staff?
  
  
• Are the kennels/ cattery staffed 24 hours a day? –obviously at night supervision will be limited but ideally the answer should be yes.
  
  
• Are they insured should your pet injure itself?- if your pet falls ill while you are away you will need to pay for any treatment on your return however if your pet has had an accident its worth finding out if the kennels / cattery will pay the vet bill.

• What veterinary surgery do they use and what procedures are in place should a medical emergency occur?
  
  
• Do they offer a grooming service? it is likely that your pet, in particular your dog, may be a bit smelly following its stay at the kennels so it may need a bath before you take it home.
  
  
• Does all the accommodation have outside space? – most will have some kind of outdoor run attached to the pet's accommodation. If not then ensure that they are given access to an exercise area or that the dogs are walked regularly.
  
  
• Does the kennels / cattery have a radio or a TV on for the residents- Cats in particular are often soothed by a low volume radio as it can provide stimulation and comfort.
  
  
• How close are the dogs and cats to each other if the premises caters for both? – ideally they should be a fair distance away from each other in order keep noise and stress to a minimum.
  
  
• Dose the kennels / cattery cater for pets with special needs? – most are happy giving daily medications to pets however it is always worth checking first.
  
  
• Does the kennel / cattery provide food? – most kennels include the cost of food in the daily boarding rate however a change in diet can be upsetting for your pet so check what they are planning on feeding and if possible take your own pet's food with you.

Some kennels and catteries even offer a webcam service so that you can log in and check on your pet.

Most pets settle well into a kennel or cattery environment for a short period of time however they can be quite stressful and noisy environments especially for young and elderly pets, therefore if you are looking for accommodation that is more homely and relaxing for your pet it may be worth considering a pet sitter or a pet hotel as an alternative.

The daily rate for a stay at a kennels obviously varies enormously depending on the size of your dog and the standard of the accommodation and facilities on offer but on average expect to pay anything from £10 to £40 per day. For cats most catteries charge between £5 and £30 per day again depending on the standard of premises - as a general rule the old saying of 'you get what you pay for' is generally true.