There are numerous articles and blogs out there stating the pros and cons of a boarding facility vs a pet sitter so I am not going to bore you with repeating that content, instead I will give you my professional veterinarian opinion and discuss some key facts that you may not be aware of…
Sure, there are pros and cons to a boarding facility vs a pet sitter, but I personally am more comfortable with a pet sitter and I will explain why.
A boarding facility may be more convenient especially if you have a short notice trip coming up, but you should be aware of a few cons of a boarding facility.
When your dog or cat will be boarded with numerous other pets, your pet may be exposed to diseases and/or parasites. Even if your dog is vaccinated for kennel cough, there are several other contagious upper respiratory diseases your dog will be at risk of contracting.
If the boarding facility allows for multiple dogs to play in a fenced yard together, there is a chance of dog fights in which I see commonly at my emergency hospital. These dog fight wounds can cost anywhere from $200/$300 to a few thousand dollars depending on the severity. And worse yet, some wounds are unfortunately fatal.
Let’s face it, a pet boarding facility- no matter how fancy and expensive- is LOUD. There are some dogs that are sensitive to loud noises and that loud atmosphere is brutal to a dog that has anxiety issues.
Now on to cats…. I do not believe any cat is comfortable at a boarding facility especially if the cat can hear, see or smell a dog. It is very stressful for a cat and may cause the cat to stop eating and even stop using the litterbox. Unfortunately, I also see these cats come to my emergency hospital once the owner returns to find their cat ill.
Lastly, the smell at multiple boarding facilities that I have toured was awful. The inside of the kennels smelled of old urine-dog poop-sprinkled with a chemical cleaner. My nostrils were burning. Now imagine your dog having to stay in that fragrant environment for days; dogs have a super keen sense of smell so if my nostrils were burning, I would believe a dog’s nostrils would be 100% overwhelmed. You will notice that smell on your dog once you get home. Therefore, most boarding facilities offer baths/grooming prior to you coming to pick up your pet, this is not a perk, it is to hide that horrendous odor.
If you happen to find that “unicorn” boarding facility that is odor free, has an infectious disease protocol, properly trained professional personnel, closely monitored individual dog playtimes, and has separate soundproof cat boarding, then please let me know!
I have never taken my dogs to a boarding facility nor will I ever. I am lucky enough to find a trustworthy pet-sitter in each town that I have lived. A service that I have used and have had good luck with is Rover.com. With a pet sitter on Rover.com, you can choose for someone to stay at your house, visit your pet a couple times a day for potty breaks and playtime, or someone to just take your dog for a walk.
If you are unable to find someone near you on Rover.com, I recommend calling the local veterinary clinics in your area and asking them if they know of a pet-sitter. It is not uncommon for veterinary clinics to have an employee that also pet-sits on the side.
Do your homework and research the boarding facility or pet sitter you choose to use.