Has anybody thought about "boarding" cats/dogs?

[fuzzybuddy]

I'm pushing 80, and could get hauled out of here in an ambulance any time, so I think owning pets is irresponsible. Let's face it, finding a home for a bunch of pets isn't always successful, but if they could go back to the shelter????
I'm thinking yes, and I'm thinking no way. Anybody into the "boarding" thing?

 

[Aunt Bea]

I suppose that it depends on your support network, if any.

I took care of my mother’s old cat when she was in and out of the hospital and eventually in assisted living.

I don’t have anyone that I could rely on to even water my plants so pets are not a good option for me.

 

[Twostep]

Have you considered fostering or helping out at a rescue?

 

[hollydolly]

My daughter owned and ran a big pet boarding hotel for many years... mainly dogs, but also a cattery and she took in the occasional bird, or parrot for owners...

 

[Teacher Terry]

Pets die daily in shelters for lack of space. At least they had a chance at life if you give one a home.

 

[hollydolly]

Pets die daily in shelters for lack of space. At least they had a chance at life if you give one a home.

No animal died in my daughters care.. each kennel was the size of a single room, with an outside area , and inside when the animals wanted to sleep or be in the shade... they were exercised in vast exercise area twice a day.... taken for walks, and swimming in the lagoon...

this was me exercising some dogs.... at the lagoon

 

[seadoug]

Have you considered fostering or helping out at a rescue?

This. If you foster a pet you are providing a home without the obligation of being a permanent owner.

 

[Teacher Terry]

No animal died in my daughters care.. each kennel was the size of a single room, with an outside area , and inside when the animals wanted to sleep or be in the shade... they were exercised in vast exercise area twice a day.... taken for walks, and swimming in the lagoon...

this was me exercising some dogs.... at the lagoon

I don’t think very many pets die in boarding facilities. Sorry but I said shelters which in the states are run by the government and animals are regularly killed for lack of space. I was just reminding people that it’s better to adopt and give pets a home for as long as you can.

 

[Axel Slingerland]

I used to have a breeding pair of Australian Blue Healers when I lived in Alabama. The pups sold for a lot of money at the time, but I just gave them away to families with kids. When I decided to hit the road again, I had no problem finding a new home for them.

 

[mike4lorie]

At our old house, I had built a one-acre dog run for the boys, we began taking in dogs when people went on vacation, or in the hospital. One Christmas we had six dogs here... Now that we don't have that house, sold and moved in, we mostly go to their homes to watch the dogs or cats... Miss having some dogs around here...

 

[NotCompSavvy]

I used to have a breeding pair of Australian Blue Healers when I lived in Alabama. The pups sold for a lot of money at the time, but I just gave them away to families with kids. When I decided to hit the road again, I had no problem finding a new home for them.

Working breeds as you know are tough , the Australian one's in particular .

A friend had an Australian cattle dog he had goats not sure if same as Blue healer .

I had Alapaha bulldogs which are not in any way working dogs and for a southern breed disdained the heat .

 

[Twostep]

I don’t think very many pets die in boarding facilities. Sorry but I said shelters which in the states are run by the government and animals are regularly killed for lack of space. I was just reminding people that it’s better to adopt and give pets a home for as long as you can.

Our city shelter works closely with Friends of the Shelter and does not kill.

 

[hollydolly]

At our old house, I had built a one-acre dog run for the boys, we began taking in dogs when people went on vacation, or in the hospital. One Christmas we had six dogs here... Now that we don't have that house, sold and moved in, we mostly go to their homes to watch the dogs or cats... Miss having some dogs around here...

my daughters' land above had 5 acres for the dogs to exercise on...

 

[Pepper]

My son will care for cats if necessary. They love him. But, as shelter cats, I was assured that if ever I could not care for them, the shelter would welcome them back to a foster situation.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

No! Caring for other people’s dogs wouldn’t work for us. We own 2 very spoiled dogs and our youngest boy isn’t very pet friendly. I’d be best off caring for a dog or two in their own house. That I could do and probably would if a friend or relative asked me.
Note: my sister in law would take our dogs if anything happened to us.

 

[Rossana]

We used boarding facilities for my dogs in the past. Not often, only when we needed to. They were great however, our dogs hated to be separated from us.
Our cats would suffer immensely if we had to place them.
We don't have many places that offer this service for cats. They all tend to dogs'care.
Our vet offers boarding facilities to his clients only. It is very nice but we do not see them staying in a cage for several days. They need freedom and lots of attention.
So far, we have managed to always be with them. If something happens to us, our daughter will take them both. They are rescue cats and as mentioned above in posts, the rescue group would take them back if a problem would occur, but we do not see this ever being the case for ours.
We were very aware of the responsibilities that it entails when we decided to adopt them at our advanced age.

 

[Twostep]

We used boarding facilities for my dogs in the past. Not often, only when we needed to. They were great however, our dogs hated to be separated from us.
Our cats would suffer immensely if we had to place them.
We don't have many places that offer this service for cats. They all tend to dogs'care.
Our vet offers boarding facilities to his clients only. It is very nice but we do not see them staying in a cage for several days. They need freedom and lots of attention.
So far, we have managed to always be with them. If something happens to us, our daughter will take them both. They are rescue cats and as mentioned above in posts, the rescue group would take them back if a problem would occur, but we do not see this ever being the case for ours.
We were very aware of the responsibilities that it entails when we decided to adopt them at our advanced age.

We always hire live in cat sitters.

 

[mike4lorie]

We sent our pups to a boarding place, and when we got back, they had kennel cough and were told they would be kept together... They did NOT spend the time together..We said never again, and then we started watching dogs here...One Christmas, we had 6 dogs, and our two... and the owners all said they never saw their dogs so tired and happy...

We still do it now and then, but nothing like we did a few years ago...They all told their pups they were going to the spa... and were all happy to come here, We called it Lennie & Carl's playhouse... I even put a 1 acre yard in for them to run, and enjoy... those were the days...

 

[Teacher Terry]

I'm pushing 80, and could get hauled out of here in an ambulance any time, so I think owning pets is irresponsible. Let's face it, finding a home for a bunch of pets isn't always successful, but if they could go back to the shelter????
I'm thinking yes, and I'm thinking no way. Anybody into the "boarding" thing?

Most shelters or rescue groups will take a pet back if something happens. I just took a 8 year old dog that’s going to cost me between 2-2.6k for a dental and I spent 250 a week ago for vaccines and physical for her.

She could have went back to the rescue if I hadn’t taken her but I doubt they have the funds for her care. She has a root of one of her teeth exposed so it’s causing pain and without the dental she would need to be euthanized.

 

[MarkD]

No animal died in my daughters care.. each kennel was the size of a single room, with an outside area , and inside when the animals wanted to sleep or be in the shade... they were exercised in vast exercise area twice a day.... taken for walks, and swimming in the lagoon...

this was me exercising some dogs.... at the lagoon

Wow is this in Spain? Wish there was such a facility near me.

There is a place called the Barkmont Hotel but it is just in an old warehouse with concrete floors with no access to outdoors though one can arrange for walks. Believe it or not my tough girl loves it here. She likes hanging out with bigger dogs sometimes. Mine is the black and white Border Collie-ish McNab dog.

But most of the time she just lays around. They have cameras so we can spy on them.

 

[officerripley]

It's a problem if you're a dog lover like I am. After we had our last dog PTS last November, I thought and thought about it and decided that should be our last dog and Huzz kept saying he'd go by whatever I decided. But then he changed his mind and insisted on getting another dog. And she's a sweet little thing and I love her almost as much as he does but she's so active she's just wearing us out. (This is what I was afraid of.)

We got her from a rescue group, so if something happens to Huzz before it does me, I'd probably see if the rescue group would take her back because I'd try to move out of here and into the tiniest little senior's apartment I could. It makes me sad thinking about having to do that--which is why I didn't want to get another dog, sigh--but there's no way I could have a dog on my own, I don't even drive anymore.

 

[JustBonee]

I’ve had dogs my entire life, and just lost my 15 yr. old Bichon at Christmas time.
At my age, 81, it would not be practical to get another pet. ...I don’t have the stamina or dedication to properly be a dog mom again. Wouldn’t be fair to an animal.

I miss the routine, but trying to adjust.

Never used a dog kennel or had to board any animals. Family always stepped in to help whenever we were gone on vacations.

 

[hollydolly]

Wow is this in Spain? Wish there was such a facility near me.

There is a place called the Barkmont Hotel but it is just in an old warehouse with concrete floors with no access to outdoors though one can arrange for walks. Believe it or not my tough girl loves it here. She likes hanging out with bigger dogs sometimes. Mine is the black and white Border Collie-ish McNab dog

yes this was her business in Southern Spain...Malaga region.... space to board 46 dogs with only 2 or 3 in each large kennel depending on the size of the dogs...

the dogs were let out for exercise with other dogs, depending on their temperament..some had to be just allowed t alone or taken for a walk..others played happily together..

also for the dogs who were too old or frail to swim in the lagoon.. dd had a pool where they could swim to ease their arthritic bones..

 

[officerripley]

The more I think about this, I saw someone on the nextdoor app the other day say, "Nobody's got any business having a cat or dog unless you've got a person (which almost always means a family member or friend) who will give the dog a home if something happens to you." At first, I thought that was kind of cold-hearted but the more I think about it, she's right. Of course, what's sad is if you never had kids or got nieces or nephews and if you're old enough that your friends are all dead or in nursing homes, you've got nobody who could take your pet, and at a time in your life when you could really use the companionship. But nobody said old age was for sissies.

 

[MarkD]

The more I think about this, I saw someone on the nextdoor app the other day say, "Nobody's got any business having a cat or dog unless you've got a person (which almost always means a family member or friend) who will give the dog a home if something happens to you." At first, I thought that was kind of cold-hearted but the more I think about it, she's right. Of course, what's sad is if you never had kids or got nieces or nephews and if you're old enough that your friends are all dead or in nursing homes, you've got nobody who could take your pet, and at a time in your life when you could really use the companionship. But nobody said old age was for sissies.

Around here older people with dogs who walk them at our local, big dog park make arrangements with each other to take each others pets. I haven't done that yet but I'm friends with a few who have done that, one of whom I think would enjoy taking Ember if I should pass before them. She has a border collie now so she understands the challenges and she loves Ember. It's mutual.

I just wrote about taking the dog we put my wife's aunt and uncle up to getting in their old age on my diary page, if you're interested. I hope you can find someone to do the same for you. They say having a dog puts some number of extra years onto your life. Even if not true we know it adds tremendously to our satisfaction as other satisfactions fall away.

Gardening for nature, walks with my dogs and the books I’m reading.