Has your pet been to their kennel lately? The pet boarding industry is pretty busy, and has been growing every year as more and more people seek professional secondary care for their animal companions when they are away or unavailable. When is it best to board your pet? In this article from Valley Pet Hotel, your Rialto, CA pet kennel, also serving Bloomington, CA, we list a few times to consider taking your pet to the hotel.
Board Your Pet When You Travel
First and foremost, we have travel, which is by far the most popular reason for people to board their pets. It’s certainly not uncommon for people to bring their animal companions with them when they go out of town. In fact, according to Pet Travel Advisor, over half of those with pets plan to travel with their pets. About two million pets fly on commercial flights annually.
However, that doesn’t mean traveling with your pet is always the right call. It’s one thing to take Fido with you if you’re going a few hours away from home to visit family or friends, but anything longer that could prove to be quite taxing for your furry friend. Flying can be extremely stressful for pets, and even road trips can be quite difficult for them.
Whether it’s a vacation, a business trip, a family reunion, a romantic getaway, your beloved pet will be safe and sound in a kennel.
Major Life Events
Getting your first new car may be a major milestone, but it isn’t the type of event that would necessitate bringing Fido to a hotel. However, there are definitely quite a few big events where you may want to consider boarding.
Here’s a partial list:
- Weddings: Weddings are, for many people, the most important day of their lives. Months of planning and preparation go into every tiny detail. No matter how meticulously you plan, there will be lots of balls to juggle with preparations, especially right as the big day approaches. This is one time when boarding may just be a safer bet. Guests are one reason. With all sorts of relatives and freidns appearing on the scene, you may very well find yourself with a packed house. Even if people aren’t staying with you, it’s likely that out-of-towners will stop over. And while guests should never pose a direct risk to pets, there is almost no end to the amount of mishaps that occur. Your aunt could leave the door open; your toddler nephew could drop a toy that is a choking hazard; your grandfather could leave his heart medication out in a spot that your dog could get to it. There’s also just the overall commotion and noise of guests. That can be overwhelming for even the friendliest pets!
- Births: Are you expecting a new addition to the family? This is another one of life’s biggest moments, and one that is very hard to plan precisely. Women can go into labor unexpectedly, complications and delays can extend hospital time, and there are also often family members coming in to stay. Making sure your pet is safe and sound is one less thing on your plate on a very, very hectic day.
- Graduations: Graduations are a huge milestone, and while they aren’t as chaotic as births or weddings, they are definitely a big deal. Many people celebrate them with big backyard parties or barbeques. This type of event leaves a lot of room for accidents when it comes to pets. Balloons, cars, strangers, food, trash, party favors … plus the stress of all those guests. It’s not a bad idea to play it safe and put your furry friend in a hotel for a day or so.
- Funerals: Funerals are another time when many people find themselves with a house full of guests. It’s still common practice for the family of the bereaved to host gatherings after a service. No matter how friendly your pet is, they’re just going to be safer out of the way if you have a lot of people coming over.
Medical Procedures
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all recommendation. If you’re having a quick outpatient procedure, you may appreciate having your furry pal to snuggle up with as you recuperate. However, for anything more involved than that, you may want to consider boarding your pets. Of course, this also depends on your household situation and the size of your pet. If you live alone with just your German Shepherd, you may want to board Fido for a few days as you recover and get over that initial hump of healing. If you have a full house and a Pomeranian, and there are others to help take care of Fido, then you may be all set.
Renovations
Does your house need a glow-up? Renovations can completely transform a space, but they also create a lot of chaos … which can make for a dangerous environment for pets. Power tools, fresh paint, screws and nails, holes in walls or even floors … these things can all pose severe threats to a curious pet. On top of that, you may have workmen coming in and out, which means a lot of doors opening and closing. That’s another reason we would suggest getting your furry pal safely out of the way.
Of course, this also depends on your home setup. If you’re doing something slowly, over the course of several months, you may be fine to just block that area off so your pet can’t get to it. However, for something fast and intense, such as new flooring or window replacements, it’s not a bad idea to err on the side of caution and get your furry pal out of the way by bringing them into our Rialto, CA pet kennel.
Moving To A New Place
Moving can be very stressful for our animal companions. They don’t know what is going on and can get quite distressed simply by seeing their home’s trappings and belongings disappear into boxes. Then there is the move itself. Pets often take some time to adapt to a new home. This is a very dangerous time because if your animal friend were to slip out, they could easily be lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Moving day itself is also another day to board pets. It’s just best not to have Fido and Fluffy underfoot as movers are taking things in and out of the house. That can also be dangerous, especially if they were to trip someone or run out an open door.
It’s probably best to put your pet in a dog or cat boarding kennel on moving day. If you’re going long distance, boarding on the day your things are picked up and again on the day they are delivered. If you are moving soon, let this be a reminder to also update your pet’s microchip and ID tags!
Make An Appointment At Our Rialto, CA Boarding Facility
Do you need to schedule boarding for your furry friend? Please feel free to reach out to us at Valley Pet Hotel, your Rialto, CA pet kennel, also serving Bloomington, CA, anytime. We are dedicated to providing great care to all of our wards!
