FAQs

Can I come for a tour? Should I bring my dog?
What vaccinations are required to board?
My pet has special needs. Can you accommodate his disability or medical condition?
Can my pet catch a disease by being in your facility?
Is someone there 24 hours a day?
How far in advance do I need to make reservations?
What extra services can I sign my pet up for?
Do I save money if I have more than one pet? Should I board my pets together?
Do you offer discounts if my pet stays for a long time?
Do you take aggressive animals?
What is your reservation deposit/cancellation policy?
What do you feed? Can I bring my pet’s own food?
Can I bring my pet’s medication?
Can I bring my pet’s bedding or toys?
What should I expect during the check-in process?
If I say “yes” to playgroup, who will my dog be playing with?
What if my dog doesn’t play well with others?
What if my pet needs medical attention during his stay?
When can I pick up my pet? When am I charged for an additional day?
Will my dog smell bad after a stay in your facility?
Why is my pet so thirsty when he/she gets home?

Can I come for a tour? Should I bring my dog?

Absolutely, we want you to be familiar with our facility and feel good about leaving your dog here! We will be available to give you a personal tour of our facility during any of our open hours. Please understand that our busiest times are the first and last hours we are open and weekends/holidays.

You may bring your dog with you for the tour, but we will require you to present current vaccinations for your dog to enter our facility. Please know that most of the dogs here will bark at us when we bring an unfamiliar face through the kennel. They are even more excited when they see a dog or children walk past their enclosure. Please gauge whether you think your dog will be happy with all the attention or scared by what they may perceive as everyone barking at them. Since we are designed to care for dogs that are social and dogs that need individual yard time outside, we do not need to do an interview/assessment with your dog. We rely on the owner’s word that their dog is not aggressive with humans and can be handled by our staff.

What vaccinations are required to board?

For the health and safety of our guests, we require all pets to have up-to-date vaccinations on file at their veterinarian.

Dogs
Required: DHLP/P (Distemper/Parvo), Rabies, Bordetella
Recommended: Fecal, Canine Flu, Leptospirosis, Heartworm Protection, Flea protection

Cats
Required: FVRCP (Feline Distemper), Rabies
Recommended: Fecal, Feline Leukemia, Heartworm Protection, Flea protection

It is your responsibility to ensure that your pet’s vaccinations are up-to-date prior to boarding. We will not accept vaccinations given by owners or breeders. We expect pets to have a positive interactive relationship with their licensed veterinarians. We will deny admission to any pet without current vaccinations.

My pet has special needs. Can you accommodate his disability or medical condition?

It depends on his health issues. Our kennel is designed to be a great place for dogs that enjoy attention from both people and other dogs. We pride ourselves on providing enough outside exercise to keep boarding dogs stimulated. There are certain illnesses that don't mix well in a social environment such as dogs with communicable diseases or parasites. Dogs that are on “leash walk only” restrictions truly would do better in an environment with a smaller enclosure and leash walks instead of our off-leash play yards. Often the exuberance of these dogs can cause them more harm than good. We are unable to board a pet that requires an injection due to diabetes or any other condition.

There are lots of other health issues such as arthritis, site impairment, deafness, mild heart problems, etc. which we are usually able to accommodate. If you have any questions or concerns about how your pet would fair, please come in for a tour. We would be glad to discuss if our environment is a good fit for your “special needs” loved one.

Can my pet catch a disease by being in your facility?

Yes, your pet can be exposed to disease whenever it comes into contact with other animals. We do our best to minimize that risk, however risk cannot be eliminated. We require advance vaccination to ensure a healthy population of boarded guests. Our veterinarian-approved sanitation procedures provide a clean and healthy environment for your pet during its stay.

Is someone there 24 hours a day?

Not really. One of our owners lives on the premises, but no one is in the actual facility during our lunch break or overnight. We do have a temperature safety alert system that will alert the house if any of the boarding areas becomes too hot or too cold. Of course, the dogs themselves will also alert the house next door if anything significant happens as well.

How far in advance do I need to make reservations?

For Thanksgiving and Christmas we frequently fill up four months in advance. For other holidays, including spring break, it is a good idea to reserve your dates at least two months ahead of time. Summer weekends fill up about a month in advance and often weekends during the rest of the year fill up two weeks ahead as well. That said, you can almost always get in at the last minute in February! Traditionally the double dog enclosures fill up the first, followed by the large dog enclosures, and lastly the small dog area.

What extra services can I sign my pet up for?

For an additional charge, we have a few extra activities available. We offer an additional 15 minute group playtime if your pet wants even more time to run and play outdoors. If your dog would prefer one-on-one attention, we have two options for you to choose from. We have a 10-minute “solo outside” designed for but not limited to dogs who like to play ball or run around with a person outdoors. The other option is an “indoor cuddle” where an employee will spend that time spoiling your pet rotten on our cuddle room couch. Lastly we offer a night potty which is a 5-minute outside time between 8:30 – 9:00 pm, so your dog has a chance to go potty later in the evening.

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Do I save money if I have more than one pet? Should I board my pets together?

We do allow multiple pets to board together because we believe that many could be unhappy separated from their brother or sister. However, please carefully consider if your pets will truly enjoy spending all their time together in a smaller environment where they can’t take a “break” from each other. Obviously we would separate any pets that are fighting but remember they are not immediately supervised 24 hours a day. This can be also be a problem over holidays and other times when we have no available runs.

If your dogs are boarded together in the same enclosure, you will get 20% off the rate of the second and, if applicable, third dog. If your pets are boarded separately you will pay the full rate for both enclosures. Many owners choose to board their pets separately because they are not completely sure they will do well together for such extended times. To them, it just isn’t worth risking their pets’ well being to save a few dollars a day. We do not offer a discount to cats who board together because we open up and combine two regular enclosures to make one deluxe enclosure for them to share.

Do you offer discounts if my pet stays for a long time?

We do have some length-of-stay discounts. We offer a half-price bath to dogs who stay 6 paid days and a free bath to dogs who stay 10 paid days. If your dog is here for 15 paid days we will give him a free extra group play each day.

We do not offer any discounts off of the daily boarding rate. We find that the longer a pet stays here, the more attention and love they need, not less. We regularly have pets stay here happily for 15 -30 days and they really grow on us; sometimes it’s hard for us to let them go home! To be honest, we feel 30 days is about the longest stay here we would recommend. If your pet needs to stay longer than a month, and you feel your pet would do well, please call us and we will discuss it on an individual basis.

Do you take aggressive animals?

We are an indoor facility and our employees will need to physically handle your pet multiple times throughout the day. We need to be able to get your dog or cat out of its enclosure and back in it again. If you think your pet might be aggressive or one that cannot be easily handled by our male and female employees, please call us so we can discuss it.

What is your reservation deposit/cancellation policy?

At this time, we do not require a deposit in order to make your reservation. We have been very lucky to have clients that understand that having a reservation means we are holding a space open for your pet for that period of time. We keep a waiting list for all holidays and almost 50% of the weekends of the year, so as soon as you know you don’t need your spot, or your dates have changed, please let us know. This allows us to offer that spot to someone else. Remember, someday that person may be you!

What do you feed? Can I bring my pet’s own food?

Our house food is premium Bil-Jac Select dry dog food. This specific blend of Bil-Jac has been chosen for its high palatability, digestibility, smell and texture making it the perfect match for dogs in a boarding situation. Most dogs just love it!

Pets can be feed once or twice a day, whichever you prefer. We will ask you for the amount of food you would like us to feed per meal. Per state regulations, we must empty your pet’s previous meal before giving the next. (Basically, if your pet didn’t eat his breakfast, we cannot just put new food on top of the old food. We must throw away the old so each meal stays separate and fresh.) If your pet is a grazer, we have found it wise to feed them once a day rather than twice a day. We will leave the food down throughout the day, allowing them a full 24 hours to eat. A fresh meal would then be given the next day. During your pet’s stay we keep records of how much of each meal is eaten in order to track eating patterns and possible problems that could arise.

You are welcome to provide your pet’s regular food at no extra charge. It is a fact that most pets do better with a consistent diet without sudden changes. If you do bring your own food, please make sure to bring enough for their entire stay, even a little extra in case your return is delayed. We do not require any specific packaging as we will label and put your pet’s food in their own bin upon arrival. We would appreciate it if you can avoid bringing excessive amounts of food for your pet’s short weekend stay as we only have limited space for storage.

We have a refrigerator/freezer to accommodate frozen, raw or specially-cooked meals. You will need to provide us with all necessary food and precise instructions. Please let us know how long you feel is safe for the supplied diet to sit in the bowl at room temperature before we need to dispose of it to protect your pet from harmful bacteria.

If you would like to bring treats for your pet, we have two designated “treat times” when we hand out treats per your instructions. Please note, due to the prevalence of allergies and sensitive systems, we do not supply treats to any pet unless they have brought them from home.

Can I bring my pet’s medication?

YES! Please make sure that the dosage and frequency of each medication has been clearly communicated. We do not charge extra for this service as long as the meds can be administered during our normal business hours. While your dog may react well to you pushing medications down its throat, that is not our preferred method. Most dogs are not as comfortable with us invading their space as they are with you. We have “meatballs” (thawed Bil-Jac Frozen beef-based dog food) that we can hide meds in, or canned “EZ Cheese.” If your pet is allergic or would prefer another medication delivery option, just bring it along.

Can I bring my pet’s bedding or toys?

Absolutely, we encourage you to bring any item that will make your pet's stay more comfortable. Every enclosure has a cot and elevated food and water bowls. Please keep in mind the size of your pet’s enclosure as you are planning what belongings to bring. Sometimes overly large beds or crates and/or excessive toys can actually make your pet feel crowded.

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What should I expect during the check-in process?

Please have your dog on leash when entering the kennel. It’s best for you to stay positive (let’s go to doggie camp!) about the new experience your dog is about to have as opposed to giving the impression that something terrible is happening (you have to go to doggie jail). In most cases we will ask you to say goodbye to your dog so they can go outside to check out the yards and relieve themselves if necessary. We find that it is easier for you to fill out the paperwork without trying to hold a dog on a leash or in your arms. You can always say goodbye to your pet again before leaving if you wish.

We have a contract that you will fill out for each boarding visit with information specific to that stay. Any special instructions, medications or health concerns should be clearly communicated to our receptionist during the check-in. We need an emergency number where you can be reached during your pet’s stay. If you are traveling where you cannot be reached, please give us a number of someone you trust with emergency medical decisions for your pet.

The check-in process takes about 5 minutes for existing customers and a little longer for new customers. Please take a business card--our office hours are on the back. You are welcome to call and check on your pet while you are away.

If I say “yes” to playgroup, who will my dog be playing with?

They will be matched, to the best of our ability, with other boarding and daycare dogs whose parents have selected playgroup, and whose play style best matches your dog’s style.

Where your dog is staying in our facility will be the first determining factor of who he will play with. We have a large dog building, a small dog building and a building for dogs with medical issues or special needs. We let out each area separately for play times. The playgroups are next determined by how the dogs like to play. We have three group play yards available where the rowdiest dogs go into one yard, the average temperament into another and the least active into a third. For the large dogs we cap the playgroup size at seven in each yard in order to make sure the group has plenty of room for safe play. The small dog playgroups can be up to 10 dogs per yard due to their size.

What if my dog doesn’t play well with others?

Most dogs are very social animals. However, not all dogs get along with other dogs or should be in a group play environment due to medical conditions or owner comfort levels. If your dog does not get along with other dogs in a group situation, they will be assigned to an individual play yard. They will still be off leash in a decent sized play area and have the same thirty minutes outside as the other dogs. Please inform our staff on admission if your dog has any behavior problems that we should be aware of.

What if my pet needs medical attention during his stay?

If your pet gets sick or injured during their stay here, we will do everything we can to bring them comfort and get them the medical care they need. Except in extreme emergencies, we will attempt to contact you or your emergency contact before seeking medical attention. It is very important to have an accurate emergency contact on your boarding contract. If we cannot reach you and we feel your pet needs to be treated, we will seek treatment. We will always attempt to go to your vet first to get medical attention from the doctor that knows your pet best. This is especially important if your pet has a medical history that is related to the current medical situation. If your vet cannot see us and it is during regular business hours we will take your pet to West Cary Animal Hospital. On weekends or after hours, we use the VSH emergency clinic on Tryon road in Cary.

If the injury is life threatening, we will seek medical help immediately through your vet, our vet, or the emergency clinic, and contact you as soon as possible. If we cannot reach you, the boarding contract states that you have given us the right to do whatever we deem necessary for the health and well-being of your pet(s), and agree to pay for any and all expenses relating to same. This means if your pet has a life-threatening illness, we will do whatever we would do for our own pet to keep him or her alive until you return. If you do not wish for us to take these drastic measures, please let us know, so we can keep that request on file.

When can I pick up my pet? When am I charged for an additional day?

Check-out time is 11:30am seven days a week. Pets picked up when we re-open in the afternoon will be charged another day’s boarding. If you cannot pick up your dog on your departure day before our closing at 7pm, please notify us as soon as possible so we can verify availability for extending your pets stay.

If your dog is being bathed prior to departure, you may pick up your dog any time that is convenient for you during our regular hours. If you want your dog bathed the morning of his departure day, you will need to pick him up between 11:00 and 11:30 (to avoid an additional day’s boarding charge) or in the afternoon session. If you wish to pick up before 11am we will be happy to bathe your dog the evening before to make that possible. An expected time frame for your dog’s departure will need to be scheduled at check-in in order to schedule a bath.

Will my dog smell bad after a stay in your facility?

That depends. There are many reasons why a pet may or may not smell upon departure. While the kennel is kept very clean, the close quarters of your dog with other boarding dogs can amplify your dog’s natural odor. If your pet is in a playgroup, he may come inside after a fun play session covered in his friend’s drool. If you think your dog is the type to really get down & dirty with his friends, have frequent “accidents” inside, or you just want a clean, fluffy pup, please schedule an exit bath before departure.

Why is my pet so thirsty when he/she gets home?

It’s natural for pets to become thirsty from the excitement of seeing their family and the trip home. While in our care, pets have access to fresh water at all times, which is continuously checked and refreshed throughout the day. Once you get home, do not allow them to drink more than one full bowl of water within an hour. Drinking too much water too fast can cause vomiting or worse. The desire to drink excessively is temporary and usually subsides within 30 minutes or as soon as the pet settles into their normal routine.

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