This page provides important information to assist you in planning for your pet's stay with us. Please read it in advance of your first reservations. It covers many topics and will answer questions you didn't even know you had.
If you have any further questions, please let us know!
We are always eager to help.
Reservations
Advance reservations are required for your pet's boarding stay. We recommend making your pet's reservation as soon as your plans are confirmed. During our busiest times of the year (holidays and summer), you should make your reservation multiple weeks in advance to ensure there is space available. If you request space at a time we are booked to capacity, we will inform you and add your pet to a wait list.
Reservations can be made by calling our lobby (please leave a message if we cannot answer - sometimes we have our hands full with guests!) or using our online form. If you submit a reservation request using our online form, we will send you a confirmation email or give you a call. If for you have not heard from us within 48 hours, please call us to confirm the reservation. If your reservation is for less than 48 hours from the time you request it, please call us directly to expedite the process.
If your plans change and your pet will not be coming to visit us, we usually only ask that you please give us as much notice as possible. Holidays may have a cancellation fee; in this case, you will be given relevant information when you make your pet's reservation.
A credit card is required to hold a reservation. This will be used as payment at the time of your pet's check out, and a detailed receipt will be immediately emailed to you, or hand-delivered to you along with your pet. If you are coming to our location to pick up your pet and would prefer to pay with another method, please let us know prior to your arrival.
We do not accept out-of-state personal checks.
Reservations can be made by calling our lobby (please leave a message if we cannot answer - sometimes we have our hands full with guests!) or using our online form. If you submit a reservation request using our online form, we will send you a confirmation email or give you a call. If for you have not heard from us within 48 hours, please call us to confirm the reservation. If your reservation is for less than 48 hours from the time you request it, please call us directly to expedite the process.
If your plans change and your pet will not be coming to visit us, we usually only ask that you please give us as much notice as possible. Holidays may have a cancellation fee; in this case, you will be given relevant information when you make your pet's reservation.
A credit card is required to hold a reservation. This will be used as payment at the time of your pet's check out, and a detailed receipt will be immediately emailed to you, or hand-delivered to you along with your pet. If you are coming to our location to pick up your pet and would prefer to pay with another method, please let us know prior to your arrival.
We do not accept out-of-state personal checks.
Vaccinations
For dogs, we require veterinary proof of:
Rabies
Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvo (DHPP)
Bordetella (canine cough)
Canine Influenza (CIV)
For cats, we require veterinary proof of:
Rabies
Feline Distemper
Feline Leukemia
Vaccinations must be given by a licensed veterinarian. For the safety of all our guests, vaccinations not administered by a veterinarian (such as by a breeder, pet owner, etc.) cannot be accepted.
Please have your veterinarian email your pet's up-to-date records to dogwoods325@gmail.com prior your pet's arrival at our facility. Records must be submitted prior to your pet's first day of boarding. No guests will be admitted without proper vaccines or paperwork in advance of their arrival. Please do not wait to bring records at the same time as you check in your pet. You may be turned away.
Both for the health of your pet and the health of our other guests, we cannot make exceptions for expired or missing vaccines.
If you wish to board a new puppy or kitten of less than 18 weeks of age, please call us directly to discuss the status of their vaccination program.
If you have a geriatric or medically-compromised pet and your vet has prescribed a vaccine routine that differs from our requirements, please call us directly to discuss.
Please Note: While most veterinarians are happy to provide your pet's proof of vaccines to us at your request, our staff often isn't permitted to request the same information directly from vets due to privacy policies. As a general rule, we ask pet owners to bear the responsibility of making sure vaccine records are up to date and provided to us prior to your pet's stay with us. Many of our repeat customers simply make sure to ask their vet to send us the new records each time their pet receives a checkup, so we're always up to date and ready for their pet to visit.
Rabies
Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvo (DHPP)
Bordetella (canine cough)
Canine Influenza (CIV)
For cats, we require veterinary proof of:
Rabies
Feline Distemper
Feline Leukemia
Vaccinations must be given by a licensed veterinarian. For the safety of all our guests, vaccinations not administered by a veterinarian (such as by a breeder, pet owner, etc.) cannot be accepted.
Please have your veterinarian email your pet's up-to-date records to dogwoods325@gmail.com prior your pet's arrival at our facility. Records must be submitted prior to your pet's first day of boarding. No guests will be admitted without proper vaccines or paperwork in advance of their arrival. Please do not wait to bring records at the same time as you check in your pet. You may be turned away.
Both for the health of your pet and the health of our other guests, we cannot make exceptions for expired or missing vaccines.
If you wish to board a new puppy or kitten of less than 18 weeks of age, please call us directly to discuss the status of their vaccination program.
If you have a geriatric or medically-compromised pet and your vet has prescribed a vaccine routine that differs from our requirements, please call us directly to discuss.
Please Note: While most veterinarians are happy to provide your pet's proof of vaccines to us at your request, our staff often isn't permitted to request the same information directly from vets due to privacy policies. As a general rule, we ask pet owners to bear the responsibility of making sure vaccine records are up to date and provided to us prior to your pet's stay with us. Many of our repeat customers simply make sure to ask their vet to send us the new records each time their pet receives a checkup, so we're always up to date and ready for their pet to visit.
Fleas, Ticks, & Other Unwelcome Beasties
All pets must be current on a flea and tick preventative at the time of check-in,
even if they are full-time indoor pets at home.
Preventative measures, routine veterinary checkups, and regular grooming cannot prevent everything. It only takes your dog or cat coming into contact with a single microscopic larvae, spore, or even just one flea to contract something nasty and that you may not have noticed yet. Due to our close supervision of guests, sometimes we see things that have gone unnoticed at home. (We know you don't follow your pet around and keep notes about it all day long like we do... at least, we assume you don't. If you do, consider applying for a position on our staff. You'll fit right in!)
If your pet is observed harboring unwelcome critters of any variety while visiting us, we will take appropriate action to address their situation promptly; this may include bathing, acquiring and administering topical or oral medications from a vet, providing samples or transporting your pet to the vet for symptom identification, or other measures. We will communicate with you in a timely fashion and add the related services and charges to your invoice. We must address infestation or infection issues swiftly and comprehensively for the health of all of our current and future guests and staff.
All pets must be current on a flea and tick preventative at the time of check-in,
even if they are full-time indoor pets at home. (Yes, we know we repeated that. It's important!)
Things To Bring
(& What To Leave At Home)
Bedding
We provide comfortable, clean, personality-appropriate bedding for each of our guests. You don't have to send anything!
However, you may bring a favored blanket for your pet if it can be easily washed in our standard-size agitator washing machine. Any bedding that does not meet this description will be stored during your pet's stay, while they enjoy relaxing with our comfy in-house alternatives.
Please do not bring anything uniquely valuable, irreplaceable, any difficult-to-clean items, or any items you know your pet may damage. Even the most predictable and well-behaved pet can unexpectedly damage a beloved item when they're away from their normal environment. Heirloom quilts and designer dog sofas should stay home, please.
If your pet has medical handicaps or other situations requiring special bedding, please discuss this with us when making your reservation.
We cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
Food
We recommend/request that you bring your pet's usual food from home; this provides dietary consistency and familiarity while boarding. We can accommodate foods that require refrigeration or frozen storage, such as raw food diets. Please package dry food in a resealable plastic container or plastic zipper bag with your pet's name on it.
Special diets are usually not an issue for us to handle, and in most cases can be administered at no additional charge. Please let us know if your pet has any known food sensitivities, even if it does not require anything special.
If you choose not to bring your pet's food, we will serve your dog or cat our house food at no additional charge.
Please do not bring your pet’s food or water bowls, as we use bowls specifically designed for our facility.
If your dog uses a slow-down bowl at home or requires elevated food bowls due to a medical condition, please let us know when making your reservation. In these rare cases, we may ask you to bring their mealtime items from home.
Again, we cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
Toys
We have quite an ever-changing variety of toys, lots of tennis balls, and multiple seasonally-available kiddie pools for our canine guests to use and enjoy while they are outside in our playground areas.
Cats have climbing and scratching posts, hidey castles, kitty toys, and sometimes an empty cardboard box or paper bag. They also have a large window with a very entertaining view of our garden and a range of wildlife to watch that like to fly, climb, and hop around searching for tasty treats. (The little thieves especially love our strawberries in the spring and summer. It's quite a show for feline guests.)
You may also bring a toy for your pet to enjoy while relaxing in their private accommodations. Please keep anything valuable or delicate at home. Tennis balls or any toys which could be swallowed or torn apart are not permitted, and will be stored away. Your pet's health and safety during their visit will always be our top priority.
Again, we cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
Treats
You may bring treats that your pet is accustomed to getting at home. Please do not bring any treats or foods that your pet has never had before, things that can be shredded and swallowed (such as Nylabones, pieced rawhide treats, etc), or things that are known to risk gastrointestinal upset.
To ensure the health and safety of guests while in our care, we will occasionally withhold certain treats sent from home based on our own assessment, even if your pet does great with them at home under your supervision.
Please let us know if your pet has any known food sensitivities when making your reservation.
We respectfully ask you refrain from 'spoiling' your pet with any new or unusual food items in the couple of days leading up to their visit. Giving a dog a 'special treat' before their stay usually means we'll get a 'special treat' from them not long after they arrive! We know every single thing you do for your pet is out of love, but trust us on this one. Spoil them with extra snuggles or tennis ball throws instead; and if you just can't resist giving them a fast food slider, please wait until the ride home after you pick them back up. Many thanks in advance!
Medications
Please, always send your pet's medications! We want to maintain their home health routines while they are visiting to ensure they have a comfortable stay. Medications that can be administered with your pet's normal breakfast and dinner will not incur any additional fees. Please try to avoid beginning a new medication routine during your pet's stay. Complex, time-consuming, or intensive medical instructions or procedures may incur additional charges. Let us know your pet's usual medication routine when you make your reservation.
Again, we cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
We provide comfortable, clean, personality-appropriate bedding for each of our guests. You don't have to send anything!
However, you may bring a favored blanket for your pet if it can be easily washed in our standard-size agitator washing machine. Any bedding that does not meet this description will be stored during your pet's stay, while they enjoy relaxing with our comfy in-house alternatives.
Please do not bring anything uniquely valuable, irreplaceable, any difficult-to-clean items, or any items you know your pet may damage. Even the most predictable and well-behaved pet can unexpectedly damage a beloved item when they're away from their normal environment. Heirloom quilts and designer dog sofas should stay home, please.
If your pet has medical handicaps or other situations requiring special bedding, please discuss this with us when making your reservation.
We cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
Food
We recommend/request that you bring your pet's usual food from home; this provides dietary consistency and familiarity while boarding. We can accommodate foods that require refrigeration or frozen storage, such as raw food diets. Please package dry food in a resealable plastic container or plastic zipper bag with your pet's name on it.
Special diets are usually not an issue for us to handle, and in most cases can be administered at no additional charge. Please let us know if your pet has any known food sensitivities, even if it does not require anything special.
If you choose not to bring your pet's food, we will serve your dog or cat our house food at no additional charge.
Please do not bring your pet’s food or water bowls, as we use bowls specifically designed for our facility.
If your dog uses a slow-down bowl at home or requires elevated food bowls due to a medical condition, please let us know when making your reservation. In these rare cases, we may ask you to bring their mealtime items from home.
Again, we cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
Toys
We have quite an ever-changing variety of toys, lots of tennis balls, and multiple seasonally-available kiddie pools for our canine guests to use and enjoy while they are outside in our playground areas.
Cats have climbing and scratching posts, hidey castles, kitty toys, and sometimes an empty cardboard box or paper bag. They also have a large window with a very entertaining view of our garden and a range of wildlife to watch that like to fly, climb, and hop around searching for tasty treats. (The little thieves especially love our strawberries in the spring and summer. It's quite a show for feline guests.)
You may also bring a toy for your pet to enjoy while relaxing in their private accommodations. Please keep anything valuable or delicate at home. Tennis balls or any toys which could be swallowed or torn apart are not permitted, and will be stored away. Your pet's health and safety during their visit will always be our top priority.
Again, we cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
Treats
You may bring treats that your pet is accustomed to getting at home. Please do not bring any treats or foods that your pet has never had before, things that can be shredded and swallowed (such as Nylabones, pieced rawhide treats, etc), or things that are known to risk gastrointestinal upset.
To ensure the health and safety of guests while in our care, we will occasionally withhold certain treats sent from home based on our own assessment, even if your pet does great with them at home under your supervision.
Please let us know if your pet has any known food sensitivities when making your reservation.
We respectfully ask you refrain from 'spoiling' your pet with any new or unusual food items in the couple of days leading up to their visit. Giving a dog a 'special treat' before their stay usually means we'll get a 'special treat' from them not long after they arrive! We know every single thing you do for your pet is out of love, but trust us on this one. Spoil them with extra snuggles or tennis ball throws instead; and if you just can't resist giving them a fast food slider, please wait until the ride home after you pick them back up. Many thanks in advance!
Medications
Please, always send your pet's medications! We want to maintain their home health routines while they are visiting to ensure they have a comfortable stay. Medications that can be administered with your pet's normal breakfast and dinner will not incur any additional fees. Please try to avoid beginning a new medication routine during your pet's stay. Complex, time-consuming, or intensive medical instructions or procedures may incur additional charges. Let us know your pet's usual medication routine when you make your reservation.
Again, we cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost items.
Out Of Hours Check Ins & Check Outs
~ For Emergencies Only ~
Under normal circumstances, if you are unable to pick up your pet within our office hours, you may simply contact us via phone or email to make arrangements for a friend or relative to pick up your pet for you, or to extend your pet's boarding arrangements for the night.
Out of hours pet entry or exit may be possible in emergency situations, depending on staff availability, for a nominal charge of $50 per pet if advance notice is given. Thank you for respecting our hours.
Out of hours pet entry or exit may be possible in emergency situations, depending on staff availability, for a nominal charge of $50 per pet if advance notice is given. Thank you for respecting our hours.
