Groomers and Kennels: Safety First! We regularly get asked for a recommendation for both of these services and we always approach it from a “safety first” aspect. Lots can happen to your dog or cat in the care of someone else, even if it’s only for a few hours (insert horror story from a friend or personal experience). Remember, a bad haircut is forgivable, but a serious long-term health problem (or worse) caused by a groomer/kennel is NOT. Groomers: • Your dog/cat should be in-and-out in maximum 3 hours. If for some reason its going to take 6 hours, make it two separate appointments. • There should be minimum vaccine requirements for all pets attending there • There should not be any opportunity for fights between dogs • Temperature and ventilation control is a MUST, especially in the summer! (usatoday/story/news/nation-now/2014/09/05/dog-dead-grooming-ohio-gracie-petsmart/15114141/) • The groomer your dog is used to should be the one that works on her. Your dog has learned to cooperate with the groomer to some degree. Daycares/Kennels: • Spontaneous inspections should be allowed by the public on short notice….what’s to hide? • Inspect the kennel for dangers. Examples include sharp fencing, splintering wood, dirty or uncleanable floors, etc. • Outdoor areas should be clean, perfectly enclosed and easily monitored by staff • Ventilation should be excellent…more diseases than “Kennel Cough” can be spread from inadequate ventilation. • Make sure they understand your wishes explicitly in case of emergency. We have seen kennels that ignore emergency situations for fear of liability. Remember the old adage “you get what you pay for.” Maintaining a clean, safe and reputable facility is not cheap so don’t expect the lowest prices from the best places. Happy Fall!
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 19:12:38 +0000
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