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Q: What must I bring with me when checking in my pet?
A:
The most important item to bring is proof of your pet's current vaccinations
from your veterinarian. We do not accept check-off type health booklets.
For everyone's health and safety, if we cannot confirm that your pet is
current on all vaccinations, we will not allow your pet to enter our boarding
facilities.
You
should also bring an itinerary with phone numbers. We want to be able
to reach you should we have a question concerning the care of your pet.
A hotel phone number, cell phone or pager number is fine. We will be glad
to call a family member or friend, but our preference is to be able to
reach you directly. Some of that information is required on the check-in
card.
Please,
for the safety of your pet, bring your dog in on a leash and your cat
in a carrier.
Q: How long does it take to check my pet in to the hotel?
A:
If this is the first time your friend has stayed with us, please allow
at least 10 to 20 minutes for the check-in process. Remember that you
may not be the only person checking in when you arrive. Remembering to
bring your shot records will speed things up greatly.
Q: Can I bring my pet's personal bedding?
A:
We provide bedding but do encourage you to bring some from home. All canine
accommodations include either raised platforms, hammocks or toddler beds.
(NOTE: for your pet's safety, we will remove bedding items from their
accommodations if they destroy them.) Felines all receive beds or blankets
as well.
Q: Is someone there to take care of the
pets in the evenings or weekends and on holidays when you are not open?
A:
We care for our canine and feline guests 365 days of the year. We are
not on the premises 24 hours a day, but we do have a monitored security
system, fire system and cameras throughout the facility.
Q: Why can't we pick up our pets while you are there on Sundays and
holidays?
A:
Ellie's Pet Hotel is a family-owned and operated business. As much as
we enjoy our work, we also feel it is important to spend time together
as a family outside of work. We can do this only by setting limits on
what we are able to do for our clients, and that means not keeping regular
hours on Sundays and holidays. We would never deny you the privilege of
picking up your pets on our days "off" but we feel we must charge
extra for this service. Think of it as overtime pay.
Q: Some other facilities are open 9 to 5. Why aren't you?
A:
We realize that our hours may be inconvenient for some people and we will
try and accommodate special requests whenever we can-just ask!
Like
all businesses, boarding facilities must set hours of operation that allow
them to best serve their clients. But as your pets are being cared for
by a family who works seven days a week, we keep these hours to help us
balance our "real life" with the work we love. By not having
9 to 5 hours we can run errands, attend doctor and veterinarian appointments
or parent-teacher conferences, and meet other basic needs as it is convenient.
If we hired someone to be here in our absence, we would have to raise
the hotel rates. We know that your pet is happier being cared for each
day by the same people, not a staff of constantly changing strangers.
As
the paying client you are very important to us, but once your pet is checked
in, he becomes our priority. A large part of our work is done before and
after "office hours." When pet care demands are high, during
busy weekends and holidays it is not uncommon for us to be here 16 or
more hours each day. Our entire staff of caregivers is devoted to pet
care. This is our life, not just a job, and we love what we do. By setting
limits, we can continue doing business for you indefinitely.
Q: What can I do to make my companion animal
feel more at home during his stay with you?
A:
We recommend you bring an old shirt that you wore to sleep in or work
in the day before. That way your friend has a comfort item with your familiar
scent on it.
Pets visiting us for the first time may be nervous. Providing that piece
of "you" helps them adjust better.
Depending upon your pet's age and temperament, he will go through an adjustment
period anywhere from few hours to one or two days. Younger pets adjust
rapidly and enjoy the social interaction.
As you know, pets pick up on the moods of their people. If you are cheerful
and upbeat instead of tense and reluctant when you say goodbye to your
pet, he will adjust more quickly.
We often hear returning clients make comments like, "Fluffy was so
excited to get here today." Please relax and know that your pet will
soon adjust. We do all that we can to help guests relax and enjoy their
stay.
Q: Can I bring toys and treats for my pet?
A:
Yes, we encourage you to bring toys and treats for your pet you know what
they like and we enjoy treating them! Please use some discretion in selecting
toys that your pet will not chew into small pieces. Labeling your treat
bags is appreciated.
Q: Do I need to bring my pets own food?
A:
No, we provide everything necessary to care for your pets in the form
of a dry diet. You need to provide the food only if your dog or cat is
on a veterinarian-prescribed diet or you don't want your pet to change
brands during his stay.
Please
note that sometime stomach upset can occur from a change of diet. In rare
cases, your pet may exhibit symptoms of upset stomach (diarrhea). This
can be from excitement or the change in food or water; if he is not running
a fever or showing other signs of illness he should be himself within
48 hours. Sometimes withholding food for 24 hours will help. If your pet
shows any signs of illness, please call your veterinarian and us.
Q: Do I need to bring my pets own dishes?
A:
No, we provide clean, stainless steel food and water bowls or buckets
depending on your pet's size.
Q: My pet needs medication. Can you administer it for me?
A:
Yes, we will be happy to for no additional charge, if it is during normal
business hours.
Q: Is the kennel area heated and air-conditioned?
A:
Yes, we have heating systems for the winter and air conditioning for the
summer. Your friend will stay very comfortable no matter what the outside
temperature or weather is like.
Q: Are my pets placed with other pets during boarding or playtime?
A:
Every pet has his own room for sleeping, eating and relaxing, and our
canine guests will also be treated to time in the play yard by themselves,
but not with any other canine guests. We would love to be able to let
them play together, but to do that there must be someone with them at
all times, and we are not currently able to accommodate that request.
Dogs from the same family may play together, according to your requests.
Q: I have two or more dogs. Can they stay together?
A:
Yes, all of our canine accommodations are very spacious. We encourage
you to keep them together unless they fight over food or treats. If they
do fight over food we can arrange for them to be fed separately but still
housed together. Please consider your dog's size and activity level when
choosing a accommodations for them. Multiple pet discounts are given only
in the indoor-outdoor runs, indoor-outdoor suites and pampered pet rooms.
Q: If my dogs are not kenneled together can they still play together?
A:
Most definitely! We want them to be happy and will follow your directions
to achieve that.
Q: Can my two cats share a condo?
A:
Yes, if they are of average size and get along fine, we would encourage
you to choose to do so. We recommend that you choose to board your multiple
cats in the suites, as they are more roomy and fun! NOTE: Multiple cat
discounts are given only to those housed in the suites.
Q: Can my dog and cat stay together?
A:
No, we are sorry but we cannot accommodate that request at this time.
We know that dogs and cats can be best friends at home but they may act
differently in this environment and we don't feel comfortable taking any
risks with your pets.
Q: My dog may not go potty in his run. Will this be a problem?
A:
We would never expect them to. That is why we give them at least two exercise
times each day in the play areas.
Q: What if there is an emergency medical problem?
A:
We have an excellent veterinarian in very close proximity to our facility
that has in the past been wonderful in accommodating our needs. There
is also an emergency veterinary facility nearby that is open all night
and on holidays. We treat every guest as we would our own children and
will assure them the best attention available.
Q: What are your boarding rates?
A:
Dogs:
| Indoor
and outdoor: |
|
| $14.50
for one dog |
|
| $13.50
for each dog after that kept in the same accommodation per day. |
| Pampered
pet suites: |
|
| $19.50
for one dog |
|
$17.50
for each
dog after that kept in the same accommodation per day. |
Cats
| Luxury
suites: |
|
| $11.00
per day for the first cat |
|
$7.50
for each additional cat kept together in
the same suite. |
Q: How do I select a good pet hotel for my pets?
A:
Choose us and your problem is solved. (joking) Before boarding your pet,
we strongly encourage pet owners to take the time to visit all of the
facilities you areconsidering. Don't just visit the office area; ask to
see the actual kennel area where the pets are boarded. Are the kennels
and surrounding areas clean? Talk to the owners and staff of the kennel.
Do they appear to be knowledgeable and kind? Be sure to ask what time
would be best to visit, as each facility has different hours.
Most
commercial facilities are kept to high standards of cleanliness. What
you are really looking at are different types of facilities that offer
different kinds of accommodations, policies, rates and care. You can see
and read about them on the Internet, in brochures or photos, and you can
certainly get references from your friends and other pet care professionals.
Q: OK, so you recommend a visit. When can we tour Ellie's Pet Hotel?
A:
We guarantee that we will always be here from 9:00 to 10:00 am and 4:00
to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, so you can always stop by then.
Or, if you are driving by and we are open you are welcome to come in then.
If
that is not convenient, you may see where your pet is going to stay when
you bring them in for their vacation.
NOTE:
We ask you to tour our facility only once as the more visitors we have
and the more frequent the tours, the more stimulating and sometimes distressing
it can be for our pet guests. We want to keep your pet's vacation as relaxing
and stress-free as possible. Imagine how you would feel if every few minutes
your hotel brought strangers in to tour your hotel room? Not very relaxing
at all! Because our guests' welfare is our highest priority, we must limit
the tours.
We
will not give tours to anyone during holidays when we are completely booked,
unless their pets are staying with us during that time. We hope you can
respect our guests' needs.
Q: Why don't you accept credit or debit cards?
A:
The merchant (that's us) is charged a monthly fee to offer you that service
and they (the credit card company) also takes a percentage of what we
charge you. To offer this service we would have to raise our prices. Most
of our clients have said that they prefer to pay a lower daily rate than
to use a credit or debit card.
Q: How long have you been in business?
A:
Ellie's Pet Hotel has been in existence since the early 1990s. Prior to
April of 2004, it was known as West Forest Kennels and Grooming.
Q: How do I know my pet won't contract parasites or illness from another
pet?
A:
All guests are visually checked upon arrival for general health, external
parasites and skin and coat condition. Any existing condition that may
affect the health or welfare of the pet or our other guests will be addressed,
at the owner's expense, before the pet may enter the boarding areas. Also,
requiring that all guests have current vaccinations helps us to keep everyone
safe. Obviously ill pets are not accepted for boarding.
Q: What vaccinations do you require?
A:
All pets boarded at Ellie's Pet Hotel must be free of any contagious ailments.
For the protection of all our guests we require proof of current vaccinations
by a licensed veterinarian.
For
dogs: Rabies (required every 2 years), DHLP-P annual Distemper / Parvo
multi booster (required every year), & Bordetella Canine cough, (required
every year but we recommend every 6 months).
For
cats: Rabies, (required every 2 years) Distemper (FVRC-P) & Feline
Leukemia. (Required every year)
Please
note:
We have no way of knowing whether an incoming guest has been exposed to
an upper respiratory virus. An exposed animal may take from 5 to 7 days
to show any signs of illness. Pets can contract these viruses on walks,
in their own back yards if a neighbor's dog has it, or in the veterinarian's
office-- anywhere they may come in close contact or airborne contact with
other animals. Boarded pets are susceptible to virus such as bordetella,
pneumonitis, etc. Even though all of our guests are vaccinated for these,
vaccines are only effective against some strains of upper respiratoryviruses
and not 100 percent effective against any. These illnesses are usually
limited to mild, cold-like symptoms. If you have concerns about this,
please discuss them with our staff.
Q: My pet has a
long coat that I normally brush daily. How do you handle this?
A: If you feel that your pet needs maintenance grooming or a bath during
his stay, we will be happy to schedule a grooming appointment for him.
(Additional charges apply.)
Q: Does my pet need a bath before coming home?
A:
That depends on your pet. Some boarded pets do not stay as clean as they
do at home for several reasons. Dogs are very active in the kennel and
are exercised on gravel, which helps them stay cleaner. But unaltered
dogs often will mark the sides of their kennels and the urine may run
back onto their feet.
Cats are likely to sleep in their litter box. This contains their own
scent and they feel comfortable there. However, they may not clean themselves
sufficiently to satisfy most owners. We are happy to bathe or groom your
pet before you pick him up; it's up to you.
(additional charges will apply).
Q: Can I make a reservation for the hotel or a grooming appointment
via e-mail to you?
A: No, I am sorry. We spend most of our time caring
for, and playing with our guests and are rarely by the computer. And since
availability changes by the minute we need you to make all appointments
(or cancellations) by phone (435-723-1184) or in person.
Q: What must I bring with me when checking in my pet?
A:
The most important item to bring is proof of your pet's current vaccinations
from your veterinarian. We do not accept check-off type health booklets.
For everyone's health and safety, if we cannot confirm that your pet is
current on all vaccinations, we will not allow your pet to enter our boarding
facilities.
You
should also bring an itinerary with phone
Q: My dog may not go potty in his run. Will this be a problem?
| A: We would never expect them
to. That is why we give them at least two exercise times |
| each day in the |
play
areas. |
|
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Q: Canceling boarding reservations?
We
are often full and must turn away potential clients. Therefore it is our
policy that you must cancel your reservations at least 48 hours in advance
or you will be charged for maximum 3 day charge or for the time you had
reserved which ever is less.
During the holidays cancellations must be made at
least 72 hours in advance or you will be charged for the full length of
time you have reserved.
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