DENVER — The holiday season is quickly approaching, and pet boarding facilities across the Denver metro are going to be at capacity. Denver7 talked to one of those facilities, as well as a Denver veterinarian, on how to keep your dogs safe and healthy at their home away from home.
Brianna Diblasi is the general manager at City Bark Denver, a pet boarding and daycare facility. She has worked with animals for more than 12 years and said the first step in preparing your animals for boarding is to make sure they have their vaccinations.
“A lot of safety protocols in place,” said Diblasi. “Making sure that we've got all of our kiddos with our vaccines, also making sure parents know what vaccines are required.”
Sarah Berman, an associate veterinarian at Denver’s VCA Aspenwood Animal Hospital, agrees that vaccine requirements are the most important thing a boarding facility can do to keep animals healthy.
“Really making sure that the boarding facilities have all the vaccine requirements is going to be a big one,” said Berman. “Then looking at their cleanliness… What happens if your pet gets hurt? What are those protocols? What are they going to do?”
Having those questions ready for a potential pet resort can be a helpful way to see if that facility is a quality one. If you aren’t sure about the facility, make sure you ask to take a look around before bringing your pet there.
“Come give us a visit. We'll give you a tour,” said Diblasi. “We'll walk you through, show you everywhere your pet's going to be, and give you a day in the life.”
A lot of animals suffer from anxiety, and being separated from their family for long periods of time only makes that worse. Some dogs are also reactive to other dogs, and they shouldn’t interact with each other. If you have one of those dogs, make sure the facility you bring them to is qualified for that situation.
“Not all dogs like other dogs. That's completely fine,” said Diblasi. “We do a procedure where they just individually do play time with our staff members. We have toys, we have activities that they can take part in.”
If your dog is prone to anxiety, Diblasi recommends bringing in up to five of their toys to make them feel more at home. She also recommends talking to your vet if your animal is more anxious than most.
“Whether it be supplementation, calming treats or, in some cases, we have to move towards pharmaceuticals,” said Berman. “One way to think about it is they can't rationalize what's in their head. They don't know that you're coming back.”
Berman also emphasized the importance of making sure your pet is healthy before bringing them to a boarding facility.
“If you notice any cough, see your veterinarian,” said Berman. “If you're noticing any lethargy, your pet's a little tired, something's just off, you want to see your veterinarian before exposing your pet to other pets and vice versa.”
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