It is said that a dog is a man’s best friend. The most common pets humans domesticate are cats and dogs. The sole purpose of these furry companions is to bring joy and laughter to their owners’ lives. But what happens when pet owners need to travel for work or vacation?
It is this gap that businesses such as Pets Paradise in Karen are filling. It is a hotel for pets where animals can be left and taken care of for a fee.
At Pets Paradise, visitors are greeted by friendly dogs sleeping on the door or lying on office chairs ready to serve them. Peter, one of the caretakers, explained that the dogs in the office are those that require extra care due to old age or mobility issues.
“They are not capable of running or playing with the other dogs. They would easily get harmed in the process, so their owners also requested that we keep a close eye on them,” he said.
The dogs are released from their cubicles during the day to play in designated fenced fields. Each field can take up to 50 dogs but the caretakers are careful to pick which ones are placed in which field depending on their aggression levels.
The facility also offers a grooming package consisting of a spa bath, nail clipping, coat trimming, sanitary trim, brush-outs, and ear and eye cleansing. If necessary, they also provide a specialised flea bath to avoid spreading parasites to the others that they mingle with at playing fields.
Pets Paradise charges Sh600 for an adult cat and Sh1,000 for an adult dog per day. This includes shelter, water and food. Pet owners can specify which kind of food they prefer their pets to get.
Pets Paradise owners Rodney and Angela Kihenjo received their first boarding client in June 2016, after Angela quit her job to fully manage her pet grooming and boarding business.
Angela is a pet lover and first started grooming her neighbour’s pets before setting up the pet hotel. After serving a few clients, she began to learn the amount of care pets need, including having a qualified vet on speed dial.
“That is why it is important that my clients sign a General Release Liability contract before leaving their pet here,” she said.
“I must see the pet’s vaccination card and my staff have experience with handling dogs and cats. Many dog handlers in Kenya don’t have any formal training.”
All vaccinations must be up to date. If not, the resident vet will jab the animals for a fee.
Before a pet is admitted, owners are required to create a profile of it. Such vital information, including feeding instructions and medication, which help caretakers pay more attention to animals that have complications, allergies or chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
A dog is groomed at Pets Paradise.
Photo credit: Pool
Pet owners must reveal whether their animals are spayed or neutered for liability reasons. Owners are always warned that if a female pet is not spayed, it might go back home pregnant, because mating is possible as the animals mingle during playtime.
Owners must sign an agreement to accept this possibility. Pets Paradise also offers pet relocation services. Owners can request their pets to be picked up or dropped off at their homes for a fee, estimated through Uber or Bolt fares.
Every pet gets a bunker of its own, which helps introverted or aggressive pets. Handlers ensure that the pets are made as comfortable as possible to avoid incidents. However, it is rare for any problems to arise, because most of the dogs are trained and well-mannered.
“We get a few complaints about the noise but that only happens during the day when the dogs are playing,” Peter said.
Cats are kept in cosy cages with small beds, blankets and toys to keep them entertained. They are separated from the dogs to avoid any altercations. Indoor kennels built for a dog of any size are found in a large hall where the canines sleep at night.
Besides boarding, dog owners can take their pets for playdates, which help them develop good behaviour skills around other dogs and even humans.
According to PetMD, pet sitting is preferred to pet boarding. A pet sitter’s job is to take care of pets when their owners are away. This means caretakers allowing them into their own homes or going to owners’ houses to feed them or take them on walks.
In developed countries, pet boarding is the most popular form of care and is a cheaper solution for owners who need to leave their pets behind when they travel.
Pets cannot feed themselves or go out on walks alone or be trusted enough to be left alone at home, unless the owner does not mind coming back to torn sofas and a couple of smelly surprises on the floor.
According to Hillspet.com, dogs left alone for significant periods can develop anxiety and an inability to cope with being separated from their owners.
Cats, on the other hand, have a reputation for being solitary creatures. Vets say it’s okay to leave cats alone for up to 24 hours at a time. As long as they have a clean litter box, access to fresh water, and a full meal before the owner leaves, they should be fine for a day. Any longer than that, though, is pushing it.
Pet boarding facilities or ‘pet hotels’ are not a common option that pops up in the minds of pet owners, especially in Kenya.
