Questions you might regret not asking before you book your pet in for Summer boarding (Part 1)

*Make sure you are asking the concerned person .

In Dubai you can find many really good kennels but you still need to pick one to use and here are few question we recommend you to ask your potential service provider so you and your pet have a good experience:

Q1: Are you licensed?

There should be no other answers, a straight big YES.  (Licenses should be visible to customers at the facility).

Q2: What is the capacity of the kennel AND how many staff do you have to look after the pets? (We usually get asked the first part only)

These 2 questions go together and here is why.. Which is better: if the capacity is 90 and there are 6 staff or if its 50 pets and 2 staff looking after them? Internationally, the standard is 1 staff for every 10-15 pet .. do the math!

Q3: Can I visit the whole facility (including “staff Only” areas)? (The very common question we get but every customer understands it in a different way)

A flat quick NO is never a good sign (and rare to hear) but very helpful to make a decision. Obviously avoid that place!

If the answer is yes, it is a good sign but here is what you might want to consider:

a. “Yes, any time” :

Might be a high level of transparency which is a positive sign (regardless whether you will like what you are going to see upon the visit or not) OR a place with no policy/ procedures that might let any complete stranger walk in which is a red flag.

b. “Yes, by appointment”, this is the tricky answer because it might be a hidden twisted NO or a sincere professional yes:

there might be things they do not want you to see which is a red flag OR they might be busy and/or super organized which is a good thing so what to do?

The golden rule is do not judge before you see, share your concerns with the facility manager and ask to get proper clarifications. 

Q4: What is your cleaning protocol/ what disinfectant do you use?

The important point is to know whether they have a protocol in place or not – (Yes, it’s common sense to have one but do not be surprised some places don’t). The disinfectant should be effective and safe for pets.

Q5: What is the company policy (payment, cancellation, emergencies, communication)?

Ideally, you should have an immediate access to the full policy “when you ask”.. you might not like it and decide not to proceed with the booking but isn’t a better service than being surprised with the answer “company policy” when an unpleasant incident happens. For example, to know that there is no refund in advance or to be surprised should you decide to cancel your booking?

to be continued…

Dr. Tuleen Jundi

Pet Station Group