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Kennels who are participating will display the blue Voluntary Facilities Accreditation (VFA) ribbon. Participation in the VFA Program means that the kennel has met ABKA standards in the following areas.
1. Grounds
2. Office and Reception Areas
3. Record Keeping
4. Business Practices
5. Personnel
6. Work Areas
7. Kennel Area
8. Animal Care Procedures
9. Environmental Control
10. Sanitation
11. Trash and Sewage Disposal
12. Pest Control
13. Fire Safety
14. Boarding Animals Other Than Cats and Dogs
15. Grooming Room
16. Kennel Vehicles
17. Community Playtime
Some veterinarians also include boarding kennel services, which is good for animals who have health issues requiring supervision and intervention. If your vet also boards animals, you may decide to leave your dog there, since you (presumably) already know and trust the people who will be caring for him. But don’t assume that any vet’s boarding situation will automatically be a good thing: thoroughly check out any kennel, regardless of who runs it.
After you have ruled out kennels that don’t carry the VFA ribbon, you may decide to also rule out really high-end places based purely on price. If your dog doesn’t need a television to be happy, go ahead; be a cheapskate! The point is, some places really are over-the-top and are more about satisfying the unrealistic expectations of wealthy pet-owners. Kennels should be clean, have plenty of private space for exercise and sleep, and should keep your dog healthy, properly fed and well-exercised. There should be enough personnel to provide individual attention, and kennel policies should focus on preventing communicable disease or injury. If your dog is male and un-neutered or female and in heat, kennels should provide special arrangements for exercising the animals alone: these services will probably cost more.
Some (usually in-town) kennels are housed completely indoors due to zoning prohibitions. Unless you feel strongly that your dog should spend some time each day outside, don’t be afraid to consider inside kennels: they can be as clean, spacious and well-run as ones with outdoor space. Any kennel should provide private space, access to a play yard and a place for elimination. Some kennels don’t provide separate space for potty needs, with the idea that dogs will “go” in their individual spaces. Many dogs are offended by the idea of eliminating in their living spaces! And plenty of owners would rather their dogs didn’t get into the habit of urinating or defecating indoors, too. You may decide to rule out kennels that don’t provide separate space for toileting needs, but if it’s no big deal (maybe your dog usually stays outside in a dog run, for instance), ask the kennel how often the space is cleaned. Kennels should be cleaned daily, and more often if your dog has stress-related reactions such as diarrhea or vomiting.
Good kennels schedule appropriate exercise periods so your dog will have plenty of opportunity to run and play, working off a little stress and even socializing with other dogs. Find out what the daily schedule is – what times are dogs fed, pens cleaned, water dishes checked and refilled? When are dogs walked and/ or exercised? How often do staff members check on dogs during the day and evening? Kennels should have staff members on the job around the clock, and those staff members should be knowledgeable about symptoms that indicate an animal is ill.
If you have more than one dog, you may ask the kennel if they can be roommates; dogs who live together can keep each other company and find comfort in being together. If this is a priority for you, make sure and find a kennel where your dogs can stay in the same pen.
Summary
Kennels should have ABKA registration and a VFA ribbon
Kennels should be clean, spacious, secure and attentive to your animal's health. Kennels should provide exercise time, and schedules should show times for cleaning pens. Staff should be knowledgeable about dogs and their health. Kennels should have private space, communal play space and toileting arrangements.
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