Checks necessary before opting for pet boarding

Going on a vacation is relaxing and stressful at the same time if you are a pet owner. The main concern at this time is finding a place for your furry companion to stay.

It’s important that the pets are dropped off at a place where they are comfortable and given enough care when you are away. That’s where the pet boarding concept comes into place.

Sarah Elizabeth and Sunu Philip started ‘Stay at Zania’s’ a couple of years ago and now they have a bigger space with a boarding facility on Bannerghatta Road.

“Our earlier space used to be on a rooftop of the apartment but due to more demand, we found a 10,000 sq feet place. We can easily accommodate 25 to 30 dogs at a time. With our new space, we also board cats and other pets like rabbits and hamsters,” explains Sarah.

Unlike some of the other pet boarding places, ‘Stay at Zania’s’ don’t have a standard food for the pets living there. Sarah says, “We understand that each dog is brought up differently at home and we want to respect that. We make or provide whatever the dog is used to having at home. Unless the dog is on a special diet, for medical reasons, we ask the parents to provide the necessary items.”

It’s usually during summer vacations and festival time that boarding houses are full. Boarders request pet parents to make a prior reservation in order to avoid the last-minute rush.

Online community called ‘Waggle’ is another place for families to find a home for their pets when on a holiday. The community lets genuine dog lovers host other dogs.

Shubha Iyer, customer service executive of ‘Waggle’ explains, “It’s sort of like couchsurfing and Airbnb service – you register yourself as a host and we do the necessary background check. And if you are looking for a place for your dog, you can choose from the registered members to board your pet.”

Instead of leaving them in kennels, here, you can find families to take care of your pets. The rates for this depends on how much the families are charging; on an average, it’s usually between Rs 400 to Rs 600 per day per dog.

There is also another pet boarding that takes a completely different approach. It’s not a boarding home for any pets – Devisri Sarkar, owner and canine behaviourist, takes in dogs who need help in her 5-bhk home.

Her motive of running ‘The Urban Dawg’ boarding is to study each dog’s behaviour and how they can cope with the society.

She ensures that she takes in only the dogs she knows will get along well with other inmates at that time.

“It could be disabled, deaf or blind dogs or those that are stressed around other humans and dogs. During the time they are with me, I try to understand how they act and help them interact with other dogs. Since I take in only a certain number of dogs, they find their own corners in the house to relax,” explains Devisri.

In her “co-parenting model” she teaches the dogs to behave during their time away from home and helps the parents understand their dogs better when they return.

She adds, “Commands don’ t help; understanding the dog’s body language is necessary.”

What pet boarding entails
Pet parents have to do their initial research about the place before they leave their animals behind.
Boarders will be in touch with you via phone through videos and photographs of your pets.
Most boarders also have a doctor available, in case there is an emergency.

Don’t abandon
There are pet parents who make the necessary payments and leave the dog behind at the boarding. It then becomes the responsibility of the boarders to find them a new home. “We have two dogs like that at ‘Stay at Zania’s’. Since we couldn’t find a home for her, she stays with us now,” says Sarah.

Acquaint them with the place
It’s important that pet parents make enough time to find a boarding for their pets in advance rather than rushing through it at the last minute. “It’s important to take them to the place beforehand and introduce them to the environment before you leave them there. When it is a last-minute plan, the dog often feels like it is being taken to and dropped off at a new environment. This causes them to get stressed. This will only impact them adversely in the long run,” advises Devisri.