Boarding Kennels half day Sundays?
Discussion
This may seem a daft question but is this the norm with boarding kennels & catteries?
Reason I ask, I just booked our dog in for a week (end of March) and said we'd be back early afternoon on the Sunday. She then told me they close at Mid-day so would have to collect him Monday.
As most of you can probably imagine, the first thing we want to do after a week away is come home and see the dog. I could understand if it was late in the evening but is mid afternoon on a Sunday to much to ask, it is after all like a "pet hotel"? Ohh, and no doubt we'll have to pay another 15quid privilege for another days boarding.
Is this the norm people?
Reason I ask, I just booked our dog in for a week (end of March) and said we'd be back early afternoon on the Sunday. She then told me they close at Mid-day so would have to collect him Monday.
As most of you can probably imagine, the first thing we want to do after a week away is come home and see the dog. I could understand if it was late in the evening but is mid afternoon on a Sunday to much to ask, it is after all like a "pet hotel"? Ohh, and no doubt we'll have to pay another 15quid privilege for another days boarding.
Is this the norm people?
No. This is not normal. I go to work before they open on Monday and get home after they close, so if this were the case, I wouldn't be able to pick up the dog until Friday. So If I went away 2 weekends in a row, I'd drop him off Friday afternoon, and not see my dog until 2 weeks later.
(although the wife could go and pick him up on Tuesday.
Our local place is open 9 til 5, but will stay on if you are running late, and phone them.
(although the wife could go and pick him up on Tuesday.
Our local place is open 9 til 5, but will stay on if you are running late, and phone them.
New POD said:
No. This is not normal. I go to work before they open on Monday and get home after they close, so if this were the case, I wouldn't be able to pick up the dog until Friday. So If I went away 2 weekends in a row, I'd drop him off Friday afternoon, and not see my dog until 2 weeks later.
(although the wife could go and pick him up on Tuesday.
Our local place is open 9 til 5, but will stay on if you are running late, and phone them.
It seems to be entirely normal around here ... drop-off/pick-up on mornings only at weekends, with an extra charge if you want to do either 'out of hours'.(although the wife could go and pick him up on Tuesday.
Our local place is open 9 til 5, but will stay on if you are running late, and phone them.
bigandclever said:
It seems to be entirely normal around here ... drop-off/pick-up on mornings only at weekends, with an extra charge if you want to do either 'out of hours'.
So if you go away for a weekend, and have to go to work on Monday, what time will they stay open til on Monday ? Sounds to me that they are running the business to suit themselves and not to serve the customers.
The planning permission sounds like a red herring. If that were the case, then they'd 'deliver' the dog back to the owners.
I've only got experience of 3 catteries and 2 kennels and all were living nearby so hours were/are very flexible.
New POD said:
bigandclever said:
It seems to be entirely normal around here ... drop-off/pick-up on mornings only at weekends, with an extra charge if you want to do either 'out of hours'.
So if you go away for a weekend, and have to go to work on Monday, what time will they stay open til on Monday ? Sounds to me that they are running the business to suit themselves and not to serve the customers.
The planning permission sounds like a red herring. If that were the case, then they'd 'deliver' the dog back to the owners.
I've only got experience of 3 catteries and 2 kennels and all were living nearby so hours were/are very flexible.
You don't have to believe me, but check the opening hours of the top few catteries for Reading, returned by Google.
http://www.hemjoy.co.uk/contact_us.php (Sun 10am to 1pm only)
http://www.palacecattery.co.uk/rules.html (Sat/Sun 10 to 11:30 only) ... to address your 'delivery' idea, we use this place and that's exactly what they do. For an extra tenner.
http://www.petslodge.com/ (not open Sunday)
They're all like that round here.
Thanks for the comments, it seems like a bit of a mixed bag. A house sitter is not really an option I'm afraid, our dog is an 84kg Bullmastiff so requires a bit more attention. If he was a smaller breed, I have loads of family/friends that could take care of him though.
I think I'll give them a call and see if they can open "out of hours" on that Sunday afternoon. Does seem daft though, especially as its a family business and their house is actually next door to the kennels!! Will be a bit p1$$ed if there is an extra fee for doing it though..
I think I'll give them a call and see if they can open "out of hours" on that Sunday afternoon. Does seem daft though, especially as its a family business and their house is actually next door to the kennels!! Will be a bit p1$$ed if there is an extra fee for doing it though..
They seem to have very rigid policies on this in my experience. I guess the problem is people will take the piss if you are too slack. "Oh we should be back by 6pm.." sort of thing.
One kennel we use is open 10am - 4pm on Sundays but it has a vet and groomers on site - another is only open 9-10am and 5pm-6pm but it's run by the owners who live onsite and presumably want a weekend ..
One kennel we use is open 10am - 4pm on Sundays but it has a vet and groomers on site - another is only open 9-10am and 5pm-6pm but it's run by the owners who live onsite and presumably want a weekend ..
This sounds like the kennels we used. You're strictly not allowed to pick up the dogs on a Sunday afternoon once they've closed for the day, despite the house being right next to the kennels. We're not going to use them again anyway, one of the dogs was fine but the other was completely stressed out and shut down when we went to pick them up. It's not worth putting either of them through that.
Daggerpie said:
Thanks for the comments, it seems like a bit of a mixed bag. A house sitter is not really an option I'm afraid, our dog is an 84kg Bullmastiff so requires a bit more attention. If he was a smaller breed, I have loads of family/friends that could take care of him though.
I think I'll give them a call and see if they can open "out of hours" on that Sunday afternoon. Does seem daft though, especially as its a family business and their house is actually next door to the kennels!! Will be a bit p1$$ed if there is an extra fee for doing it though..
We had a house sitter with a Great Dane, Alsatian and a beauceron all at the same time, large dogs are no harder to deal with if the person is a competent house/pet sitter.I think I'll give them a call and see if they can open "out of hours" on that Sunday afternoon. Does seem daft though, especially as its a family business and their house is actually next door to the kennels!! Will be a bit p1$$ed if there is an extra fee for doing it though..
Daggerpie said:
A house sitter is not really an option I'm afraid, our dog is an 84kg Bullmastiff so requires a bit more attention. If he was a smaller breed, I have loads of family/friends that could take care of him though.
Not sure what you mean by that, we have three dogs, the smallest is 50kg. And three cats. House sitter was still used.She walked the dogs (separately though!) and fed them.
Much depends on the kennels, the ones we use are great and we can tell that the dogs are more than happy going there, they get a lot of space and a lot of attention, they get a decent amount of exercise and good food. You can tell by the way they are happy to go there. They once had to go somewhere else and the difference in them was marked, even though it was only one night.
The kennels we use also will come and get them and deliver them back whenever you want, although we usually take them in ourselves. If anyone is in or around North Derbyshire I can fully recommend them. Click Here I'm not advertising them, I'm just a customer, I'm recommending them.
The kennels we use also will come and get them and deliver them back whenever you want, although we usually take them in ourselves. If anyone is in or around North Derbyshire I can fully recommend them. Click Here I'm not advertising them, I'm just a customer, I'm recommending them.
What I meant by housesitter maybe not being suitable is the fact he's such a large (and very strong) dog, they may not be able to hold him as he tends to get excited just as he's going out for a walk. At least at the kennels it's all fenced off and they can let him go out & play safely.
I suppose someone could collect him on the Sunday morning, but again, there is still loads to take into consideration even with that!
Bit of a crap pic, but this is him & the wife in our local park yesterday to give you an idea of his size. (he's the one on the left!). If he was a smaller dog, like many have said..I think I'd either get friend, family or house-sitter to take care whilst we're away.
I suppose someone could collect him on the Sunday morning, but again, there is still loads to take into consideration even with that!
Bit of a crap pic, but this is him & the wife in our local park yesterday to give you an idea of his size. (he's the one on the left!). If he was a smaller dog, like many have said..I think I'd either get friend, family or house-sitter to take care whilst we're away.
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