WASHINGTON — If you’re going home for the holidays and you can’t take your pet along, you may need to hire a kennel. Here are a few tips for making a good choice.
“Make sure the kennel is very open to letting you come in and look around. You want to get a feel for the staff — are they friendly?” said Jamie Lettis, public relations director at Checkbook.org. “Does it smell fresh? Does it seem like the animals are happy and being well cared for?”
Other suggestions from Washington Consumer’s Checkbook include:
- Making sure pet owners are required to provide vaccination records;
- Examining indoor/outdoor access for adequate shelter and protection from the elements;
- Checking for sturdy perimeter fencing and solid barriers between pet areas;
- Making sure you’re clear on dropoff and pickup policies: Some kennels don’t charge for days you pick up your pet in the morning, but on Sundays are only open in the evening;
- Watching out for hidden costs that can add up: Some kennels charge extra to administer pills and injections or to give extra exercise sessions;
- Comparing prices.
“For a medium-sized dog for one week, our undercover price shoppers found that you could be paying anywhere from $147 to $455 in the Washington area,” Lettis said. “We found some of our best kennels, the ones that pet owners really love, don’t charge more. You don’t have to pay more to get really good care for your pet.”
For people who would prefer petsitters come to their homes, the cost of in-home care is about $60 to $70 a day for a single pet, Lettis said.
Through a special arrangement with the nonprofit Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, WTOP.com readers can examine Checkbook’s kennel rankings free of charge for a limited time.
