What Is Dog Boarding?
During peak travel periods such as holidays and returning home, it may be necessary to take one’s pets along. However, for short-term travel, boarding is clearly the better option.
But finding a reliable boarding service isn’t easy. If you ask a friend to take care of your pet, you may worry about your pet being bullied if your friend also has a pet or not being cared for properly if your friend does not have a pet. If you look for a pet store, you may be influenced by many negative news stories and worry about accidents such as small cages or pets running away.
So, is there a worry-free and effortless way to board pets? Today, we will introduce the pet boarding services that pet-loving Australians use.
Dog Boarding in Australia
Australians consider pet boarding a specialised care service, rather than an additional service. Under the category of pet boarding services, there are also services such as off-site boarding, home care, daycare, and dog walking, and boarding is classified by age and pet type to ensure that the caretaker is experienced and attentive.
Moreover, the personal information of each service provider is publicly available on the intermediary website, and reviews from other pet owners can be read below the information to ensure that the service provider will take responsibility.
The entire process is not direct either. Generally, there are two types of selection models.
One model is similar to Airbnb, where the pet owner communicates online with the “host” after browsing through various conditions, and then meets them in person when they are satisfied with the basic conditions. They can even inspect the host’s ability to care for the pet on-site. Websites such as Madpaw and Pawshake offer this service.
The other model is like posting a job advertisement, where the pet owner publishes detailed guidelines such as time and then screens the service providers until a candidate is selected. Petcloud is an example of this model where the service provider’s information can only be seen by publishing an ad.
And for all pet boarding services in Australia, there is a complete pre-boarding process:
- Select a service provider and determine the time of stay.
- Introduce the pet to the service provider in a relaxed and neutral setting such as a park, and perform some quick checks (e.g. background, police check) to ensure confidence in the service provider.
- Ensure the service provider can handle the pet by requesting them to give some commands or have some initial interaction with the pet.
- Check the service provider’s house if the pet needs a backyard or safety fence, and some providers may offer additional facilities such as small swimming pools or cat climbers.
- Schedule a trial stay with the service provider for one or two nights to allow them to better acquaint themselves with the pet and establish a relationship.
- Bring bedding, blankets, and toys to help the pet settle in.
- Bring the pet’s food, and inform the service provider of any dietary habits, requirements, or allergies.
- Exhaust the pet’s energy before the stay, so they can settle faster on their blankets and adjust to a new environment on the critical first night when the owner leaves.
After the formal boarding, each service provider will also send pictures and texts to the pet owner every day upon request. This will truly help put the owner’s mind at ease and know that their pet is being well cared for and enjoying their stay.