Every day people face the question of what to do with their pets when travel, illness, or family emergencies disrupt normal care. Others feel that it is important to provide positive social environments for their dogs while they are at work or away for the day. Some pet owners take their pets with them when they travel, only to discover that hotel restrictions, travel-induced pet illness, or runaway pets can turn their trip into a disaster. Other pet owners turn over the care of their animals to well-meaning but untrained neighbors or friends while they are at work or on vacation. Again, the results are often unsatisfactory. Pets entrusted to such part-time custodians frequently escape or become seriously ill due to a lack of reliable, frequent and knowledgeable supervision.

Fortunately, the majority of pet owners who find themselves in need of pet care utilize the services of professional pet care facilities. Millions of pet owners recognize that full-time, knowledgeable and experienced pet care facility operators provide the most dependable, secure and safe pet care available. In addition to traditional boarding services, pet owners now have more options than ever since dog daycares provide monitored and controlled environments in which groups of friendly dogs from multiple families can interact and play throughout the day in enclosed buildings or yards.

Because competent, ethical pet care facilities are an important part of your pet care program and because the selection of a facility can be a confusing and disconcerting process for pet owners, ABKA, the trade association for pet care professionals since 1977, has published this booklet to assist you in evaluating, selecting and working with your local pet care facility.

Our goals are twofold:

• To give your pet a happy and safe boarding or daycare experience, and

• To enable you to enjoy your time away from home content that your pet is receiving the best care possible.

Begin reviewing the How to Select a Pet Care Facility booklet.