pet boarding and daycare may june 2016
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VOL 6 • ED 3 MAY / JUNE 2016
SKILLS
CUSTOMERS
a n d d a y c a r e m a g a z i n e
Should Know
Do You Need More
Every Puppy
?
WW
W.P
ETBO
ARD
ING
AND
DAY
CAR
E.C
OM
Profile of Success
BAYSIDEPET RESORTS
COVER PHOTO BY FREDERICK CULPEPPER
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE4
STAFF PUBLISHER Barkleigh Productions, Inc.
EXECUTIVE EDITORRebecca Shipman
ART DIRECTORLaura Pennington
GRAPHIC DESIGNERJenn Barraclough
WEB DESIGNERSLance WilliamsLuke Dumberth
PRESIDENTTodd Shelly
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CONTACT General: (717) 691-3388 [email protected]: [email protected] (ext. 225)Advertising: [email protected] (ext. 224)
Copyright May 2016. Pet Boarding & Daycare is published bimonthly by Barkleigh Productions, Inc, 970 West Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. Postmaster: Send change of address to Pet Boarding & Daycare c/o Barkleigh Productions, Inc., 970 West Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Editorial offices: 970 West Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. (717) 691–3388 FAX (717) 691–3381 Email: [email protected]
FROM THE EDITOR
Any publication would probably say that their readers are their most important asset, and for Pet Boarding & Daycare, this couldn’t be more accurate.
This isn’t People Magazine where we only need to turn on TMZ to find out what’s trending and send those assignments out to our writers. This is the
boarding and daycare industry where popular topics include [safely] breaking up dog fights and marketing to local dog owners. In this niche industry, we rely on our readers for feedback, article ideas, and facility profile suggestions. While we have a wonderful team of writers, most of who are the top experts in the industry, we (and they) always appreciate reader suggestions.
I got a phone call the other week from a facility owner who, unfortunately, had a dog die while staying at his facility from GDV (Gastric Dilatation Volvulus), or bloat. While it was too late to prevent that unfortunate tragedy, he wanted to make others aware of this dangerous medical emergency. Did you read the March/April issue?
We take our readers' suggestions seriously because our goal as a publication is to educate our readers. As always, our articles are carefully chosen to aid you in running a more profitable, efficient, and safer facility. So if there is something that you think is missing or a particular topic you would like one of our writers to address, please feel free to contact us!
“There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
Rebecca ShipmanManaging Editor
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L ast year, pet boarding and daycare facilities faced an onslaught of challenges
from canine flu to historic flooding to organized online competition from uncertified pet sitters. Daycare went mobile as pet boarding trailers — some certified, some not — camped out in shopping mall parking lots, offering to take care of pets while owners hit the stores.
Pet care nightmare stories once again made the national news as the negligence of some pet care service providers maligned an entire industry that safely cares for millions of furry family members every day. Not widely covered, of course, were the positive stories of pet boarding facilities that
took in homeless pets and helped their fellow pet care service providers wiped out by weather catastrophes.
As an industry projected to add at least 10,000 jobs and experience at least 15 percent growth in employment over the next five years (see CareerBuilder study released June 4, 2015), pet care services are undeniably hot. Our already multi-billion dollar industry continues to grow with all paws pointing to it only getting bigger as pet parents worldwide continue to spend big bucks on precious family pets. But with virtually no standards, or regulatory thresholds, and the possibility to open a “pet care business” on a shoestring, our industry is now at a crossroads as we face the monumental, but necessary, task of self-regulation.
Are We Really Making Money?The big, showy statistics continue
to confirm we’re a multi-billion dollar industry, but when you’re on your hands and knees cleaning up after a pet, it may not feel so ritzy. Are any of us really making money in pet boarding and daycare?
From April 26 to May 27, 2015, the International Boarding and Pet Services Association (IBPSA), in conjunction with business consultant Crystal Canine, commissioned Researchscape to conduct an online financial survey of pet care service business owners. The industry as a whole is making billions, but what about businesses, individually?
Highlights of the survey of 193 pet care service businesses, and comprised
INDUSTRY NEWS
You've
The State of the Pet Boarding and Daycare Industry
GotBy Carmen Rustenbeck
14 Do You Need More Customers? 20 Pet Tech is Coming: New Opportunities for Daycare & Boarding
32 Boarding Rescue Dogs in Your Facility 36 Flooring for Dog Daycare Rooms – Pawsibly the Most Difficult Decision
44 Caring for Puppies & Kittens48 How to Keep Clients from Bugging Out
54 Product News54 Classifieds
CONTENTS
PROFILE OF SUCCESS: BAYSIDE PET RESORTS 46
MAY / JUNE 2016
Business
Facility
Animal Health
Industry News
26
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE8
Puppy classes have evolved a lot in recent years. A big part of puppy training classes
is focused on healthy socialization, and providing puppies with all kinds of real life experiences. Puppy class should help prepare young puppies for a lifetime of success. Pet owners seek and trust the advice they get from professionals in the pet care field whether they are veterinarians, groomers, daycare or boarding professionals. Whether your facility provides training services or not, you can still be a part of the conversation when it comes to raising puppies right. You might even decide to host special workshops occasionally to further guide new puppy owners.
Most new puppy owners understand that their puppy should learn some basic skills. Learning to go
potty outside and learning not to nip are the most common things puppy parents need to address with their young one immediately. Obedience skills are also a priority, but there are a whole set of other skills that can easily be overlooked with such busy training schedules. Preparing puppies for life means providing them with positive exposure to a wide range of experiences. There are a lot of things that puppies will likely encounter in life including going to the groomer’s, having their nails trimmed, riding in
the car, taking medicine, and even wearing cones and muzzles. If puppies have good experiences with these things now, they will be less likely to have a problem with them later on, making everyone’s job easier.
Cone of ShameCones and muzzles are not every
day items, but at some point just about every dog will have to wear a cone and possibly even a muzzle. After getting spayed and neutered, a cone is used to prevent dogs from
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
A big part of puppy training classes is focused on
healthy socialization, and providing puppies with all
kinds of real life experiences. Puppy class should help
prepare young puppies for a lifetime of success.
By Melissa Viera
EVERY PUPPY8
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Puppy classes have evolved a lot in recent years. A big part of puppy training classes
is focused on healthy socialization, and providing puppies with all kinds of real life experiences. Puppy class should help prepare young puppies for a lifetime of success. Pet owners seek and trust the advice they get from professionals in the pet care field whether they are veterinarians, groomers, daycare or boarding professionals. Whether your facility provides training services or not, you can still be a part of the conversation when it comes to raising puppies right. You might even decide to host special workshops occasionally to further guide new puppy owners.
Most new puppy owners understand that their puppy should learn some basic skills. Learning to go
potty outside and learning not to nip are the most common things puppy parents need to address with their young one immediately. Obedience skills are also a priority, but there are a whole set of other skills that can easily be overlooked with such busy training schedules. Preparing puppies for life means providing them with positive exposure to a wide range of experiences. There are a lot of things that puppies will likely encounter in life including going to the groomer’s, having their nails trimmed, riding in
the car, taking medicine, and even wearing cones and muzzles. If puppies have good experiences with these things now, they will be less likely to have a problem with them later on, making everyone’s job easier.
Cone of ShameCones and muzzles are not every
day items, but at some point just about every dog will have to wear a cone and possibly even a muzzle. After getting spayed and neutered, a cone is used to prevent dogs from
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
A big part of puppy training classes is focused on
healthy socialization, and providing puppies with all
kinds of real life experiences. Puppy class should help
prepare young puppies for a lifetime of success.
By Melissa Viera
EVERY PUPPY
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getting at their stitches. The cone has been affectionately labeled in the dog community as the “cone of shame.” Cones aren’t just used after surgery. Even a minor bug bite or skin allergy might require the use of a cone to prevent licking. Wearing a cone does not have to be an uncomfortable thing, and it certainly does not have to be shameful. If puppies learn that wearing a cone is a positive experience before there is ever a need for one, then it will be no big deal when it comes time to use one. After all, if they are just coming out of surgery, why give dogs something else new and unfamiliar to have to deal with?
An entire puppy class can be dedicated to playing “dress up,” and showing owners how to get their puppies comfortable with the various things they might have to wear. With the cone on the floor, puppies can learn to put their head in on their own to earn a reward. They can also practice
wearing the cone for brief periods which should be highly reinforcing for them. If your daycare staff is looking for a new activity to do with the dogs during daycare, they can do these same exercises. Any dog of any age can practice these exercises.
MuzzlesMuzzles are another item that dogs
might have to wear. Even the friendliest of dogs could potentially bite if they are injured or have to undergo a procedure that they are not comfortable with. For this reason, dogs can be muzzle trained and owners should be educated on how to safely use a muzzle. Muzzles might look intimidating to us, but that is just our human way of thinking. To a dog, a muzzle does not have to be a negative thing. A properly fitted basket muzzle prevents biting, but allows the dog to pant and even eat. To train dogs to wear the muzzle, a bit of food can be smeared on the inside of it to teach them to put
After getting spayed and neutered, a cone
is used to prevent dogs from getting at
their stitches. The cone has been affectionately
labeled in the dog community as the “cone of shame.”
OF
their nose in on their own. A dog that has to be muzzled at the groomer’s or the vet’s is already stressed. In an ideal world, they would recognize the muzzle and politely wear it without becoming even more anxious.
Along with introducing muzzles into training programs for dogs, it is equally important to openly talk about them with pet owners. If everyone is playing the “muzzle training game” they won’t be so scary, and it won’t be as offensive if a dog has to be muzzled for a procedure at the vet’s or groomer’s. Muzzle safety and education is an important part of being a responsible pet owner. Pet owners should understand why and how muzzles are used (never unsupervised and never for an extended period of time).
Car RidesAlong with wearing various items,
puppies should learn about other things they will encounter in life. A trip to the veterinarian can be a positive experience from start to finish with some training. Before walking in the front door of the vet’s office, or anywhere, puppies must take a ride in the car. If you ask your clients, you
might find that more of them have issues with the car than you would have thought. Again, any dog of any age can practice these exercises. Some dogs are very excited about riding in the car while others are anxious.
Practicing entering and exiting the vehicle politely along with having calm trips to various places will help. Every puppy and dog should learn to wait when their owner opens the door of the car until they are released, or given a cue to exit the car. This is important to talk about with clients because it will help prevent any accidents when clients take their dogs to your facility or anywhere.
Trips to the VetIn the waiting room of the vet’s
office, puppies should be trained how to be on their best behavior and owners can be educated about keeping their pets safe with shadow blocking techniques (keeping the pet between them and a wall at all times so other dogs can not surprisingly run up on them). Puppies should also practice resting calmly next to their owner while they wait their turn. Usually getting weighed is the first thing that happens
Wearing a Cone
Muzzle Safety and Education
Calmly Waiting with Owner
Entering and Exiting Vehicles
Being Held and Handled
Stepping Up onto a Platform
CHECKLIST
Travel & Appointments
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practicing these skills a few times a week can make a difference for puppies. If you work with puppies, these
are all things you can do, and encourage the
owners to practice.
during a visit, so puppies can be trained to step up onto a platform and wait there to practice for the scale. Other things to practice are; being held for blood draws by strangers, being gently restrained as they would be for shots, being handled all over, and even taking medication (your vet can demonstrate different ways of administering medication which can be practiced with treats). Similar skills, along with additional ones will be useful for grooming. Puppies can be stacked on a grooming table and experience different ways their groomer will hold and handle them along with different sounds of the grooming salon.
Even just five minutes practicing these skills a few times a week can make a difference for puppies. If you work with puppies, these are all things you can do, and encourage the owners to practice. Adult dogs will benefit from practicing these skills as well. During
daycare your staff can play training games with the dogs involving these skills that will not only be beneficial for the dogs, but also give the dogs mental exercise while they are at your facility. If you don’t provide training classes, a workshop held even just once or twice a year is a good way to educate owners, and gain new clients with a marketing opportunity that stands out.
Setting puppies up for a lifetime of success, and helping to condition dogs to real life experiences, is the purpose of training skills like these. There are many skills that can be incorporated into training, and based on who your clients are, you know what skills are most important for them. When you look at training as a part of life and not so much as something we do to dogs, you can see beyond obedience, and find a whole new world of areas we can improve on by looking at them from a training perspective. n
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O ne of the most challenging and important tasks for businesses is attracting
and retaining new clients. It doesn’t feel this way in this industry during peak times. During peak times like summer or super peak times like Christmas or the Fourth of July, you’re likely hoping someone will stop the phone ringing because you are completely out of space.
Running a pet care facility is primarily a people business (customers and employee dependent); then and only then, comes the pet part. The primary reason owners open a pet care business is to be surrounded by pets, but also to hopefully run a lucrative and successful endeavor. To be successful, a business’s revenue needs to be greater than its costs.
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PET BOARDING & DAYCARE16
The first way to increase revenue is to increase the number of new prospects. This means increasing your advertising as much as you need to generate the amount of clients required to run your business successfully.
Second is to increase your conversion ratio, which is simply the number of actual confirmed new clients, divided by the number of potential new client inquiries you received. In other words, it’s the number of new clients booking reservations divided by the number of new client phone calls. The bottom line is doing a better job converting phone inquiries into actual reservations.
This can be challenging because most businesses and industry software programs are not designed to encourage or even monitor success in this critical area. However, the conversion ratio continues to be one of the most powerful—but underappreciated opportunities—available to nearly every business I’ve helped in the last 27 years.
The third way to increase your revenue is to increase the average value of each customer. This can be achieved
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If you’ve been doing this a while, you may have initially only been one
of the few choices for pet care in your area. That certainly isn’t the case
today. Large chains are attempting to centralize the market.
numerous ways. One possibility is to increase the revenue from each transaction through price adjustments or upselling. Another option is to increase the average frequency each customer utilizes your services. Finally, you can cross-market your other services like lodging, daycare, training, or grooming. Overall, this method can be summarized as having each customer use more of your services.
Is All This Work Increasing the Amount of New Clients Necessary?
The following data says it is. If you’re tracking the average length
of stay, you’ve likely noticed that this is decreasing in your own business. You may not notice this unless you diligently track your pet nights and check outs. When you divide the two numbers, you’ll notice if there is a decrease in the length of stay. A slight decrease in a length of stay, multiplied by the number
of stays, is a big deal to this business. “But travel is up,” you say. Yes, money
being spent in the travel industry is up. However, a large factor that would account for the shortened stays in your business is that the average American does not fully use his or her vacation or paid time off (PTO) days. This can be because of recent poor economic outcomes; a decreased workforce, or that people are afraid that taking their days off will have a negative impact on their company or individual job.
Another reason for decreased pet nights is increased competition. If you’ve been doing this a while, you may have initially only been one of the few choices for pet care in your area. That certainly isn’t the case today. Large chains are attempting to centralize the market. One online pet sitting network reported that in one year, their company provided service for a million pet nights. That is taking a big bite of the
traditional pet care facility’s revenue. These factors show the importance
of having numerous profit centers like lodging, daycare, and training. Multiple profit centers can provide a business insulation during even temporary decreases in one area.
So What Should You Do to Grow Your Business?
Improving the way your staff members convert inquiries into reservations is the most cost-effective and logical way to improve your business’ bottom line.
You may ask why you shouldn’t just push people to online reservations. Because when handled properly, the interaction with a phone call will bring in far more revenue initially and long term than online reservations. Online reservations also can commoditize your business. So if you provide above-average care, the phone is a great way to differentiate yourselves from your competition. Also, pet parents, especially the particular ones that feel ‘nothing is too good for their baby,’ are highly emotional about their furry family member. They want to talk to someone before booking and, just like choosing a human daycare or doctor, they wouldn’t dream of just filling out a form.
Speaking to the pet parent also gives you the opportunity to upsell wonderful services that can double the average revenue per pet per night. Our clients bring in hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of dollars in one location in activities each year.
After you are rock solid on the phone, then it’s time to look at your advertising budget. A new customer can cost your business as little as $50
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when you burden your advertising budget properly with all appropriate. costs and as much as $200 if you’re not handling the phones properly or buying advertising effectively.
Especially during difficult economic circumstances like a downturn in your area, most business owners are tempted to reduce their advertising budget. However, successful business owners and managers realize this difficult time may represent an opportunity to attract new clients cheaply and profitably. This concept is similar to buying stocks at the bottom of a market. To do this, you need to know how much it costs to acquire a new client and where to spend your advertising money. Until you do, increasing advertising is likely throwing your hard-earned money out the window. But before foolishly spending on advertising; you need to know what a reasonable cost per lead is. Once you know that, you can decide if increasing your budget will be a good investment in your business.
The good news is that despite some doomsayers, there are more pets than ever. So if you’re answering the phone well and know how to buy appropriate advertising, it’s a great time to grow your business. Doing both of these strategies well will result in both an initial and a long-term increase for our clients, which means your business, too, could be sellable and worth millions more than it is today! n
Laura Laaman is president of Outstanding Pet Care. OPC helps some of the most successful pet care facilities thrive in highly competitive markets and GUARANTEES THEIR CLIENT’S SUCCESS! If you would like to receive a complementary phone evaluation, contact the OPC team at www. OutstandingPetCare.com or call 1-888-735-5667.
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE20
T echnology is coming to daycare and boarding. You probably already use
computers for tracking and billing customers and checking in pets. Social networking and newsletters are useful for building your community. Pet parents love watching their fur-babies via web cams during the day. But what new innovations are right around the corner?
How else can you leverage technology to generate new revenue streams and increase customer satisfaction? How can technology provide differentiated services and help you build a community with your customers?
Smart Toys These toys are really learning and
training games filled with sensors
and wireless technologies. Smart toys will have output technologies to communicate information to dogs. Humans are familiar with output technologies like a screen on a computer that communicates visual information or a speaker that communicates audio information. Smart toys will use similar output technologies to communicate
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information to dogs—speakers for playing sounds, lights for visual stimulation, vibration for touch feedback, treats or kibble for rewards, and even olfactory output to leverage a dog’s sense of smell. You can think of it as a language for a dog to learn and rewards to keep a dog motivated.
Smart toys will also have input technologies. Humans are familiar with input technologies like a mouse for selecting links or a keyboard for entering text. Since dogs can’t use a keyboard or a mouse for input, smart toys require dog-friendly input technologies. For example, a motion sensor can tell if a dog gets close to an object. An accelerometer can tell if a dog touches an object. A moisture sensor can tell if a dog pees on a pad. Dogs can learn to press a button or flip a switch. Microphones can detect a bark. You get the idea. The potential for sensors to pick up and understand “input” is only limited by the imagination of product developers, and you can be sure that hardware capabilities will continue to evolve just as computer capabilities have evolved in almost unimaginable ways over the last 10 to 20 years.
Emotional ConnectionsHumans have a basic desire to
feel connected to the ones we love. Technologies like phones and video calls work for connecting with other humans, but how do pet parents feel connected to their dogs? Video cameras enable pet parents to see their dogs remotely, but software and smart toys will allow these videos to focus on the best moments of cuteness. Some products even allow pet parents to remotely dispense a treat and watch as Fido gobbles up a cookie.
Information & TrackingThere are already several activity
trackers on the market that pet parents can add to a collar to keep tabs on Fido’s activity. This category of devices is just the beginning of a larger wave of innovation. Pet parents have real concerns about their dog’s health, and technology is helping to shine a light on this issue. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that 52.7% of US dogs are overweight (29.9M) or obese (13.9M). In addition to tracking activity, pet parents are also interested in tracking caloric intake
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and mental cognition and reducing separation anxiety. In a nutshell, pet parents want their dog to live a long, healthy, and happy life, just like any other member of the family. New technologies are providing information to achieve this goal.
Upside for Daycare & Boarding Owners
New technologies can help daycare and boarding owners generate new streams of revenue and increase customer satisfaction. Products that address the needs discussed above are tools to offer new services for your customers—providing valuable add-on options or increasing the value of all-inclusive pricing. The information that new technologies can generate can be used to create a deep customer connection and increase customer loyalty.
You should also expect new technologies and products to provide
you with new tools to address behavior issues. You know that dog who stirs things up with the pack or has separation anxiety? Playing a game can wear him out a little. We all know the saying... “A tired dog is a happy dog.”
Upside for the Pet ParentYour human customers want
their pets to be happy, healthy, and stimulated. Rather than have pet parents check in only to find their dog curled up in a ball, new technologies can proactively send pet parents cute videos when their dog is active and playing. They want to stay connected to their pet and feel that warm, fuzzy feeling when they receive a video or picture. And when they share these moments of cuteness on social media, there’s an opportunity to drive potential new customers back to your business.
In addition, Pet Tech products will make it possible to share new
information with pet parents about their dog’s happiness, learning progress, and health. And competitive parents will be able to compare their dog to their doggie friends or other dogs of a similar age or breed.
Upside for the DogPlaying with smart toys requires
dogs to use the frontal cortex part of their brain to think and solve problems. This activity exercises their brain, which can help reduce senility and increase concentration for in-person training sessions. As reported by GoodPetParent.com, a study by the Animal Behavior Clinic at the University of California Davis showed that the risk of canine cognitive dysfunction increases with age; 28% of dogs aged 11-12 years and 68% of dogs aged 15-16 years showed one or more signs of cognitive impairment.
The training and learning capability of smart toys is very exciting. Future smart toys will be able to teach service dog skills to virtually any dog. As technology products evolve, clever daycare and boarding facilities will embrace these new products to provide new services, improve the lives of dogs and pet parents, and increase customer loyalty. n
Erick Eidus is CEO of PupPod and is building a self-guided learning system for dogs. It keeps dogs entertained and allows pet parents to keep tabs on their dog. Dogs play with smart toys to earn rewards from a wirelessly connected treat/kibble dispenser. The game evolves based on the dog’s performance so dogs have to keep advancing to keep earning rewards. Pet parents receive videos and game stats on their smartphone to feel more connected with their dog. To offer PupPod in your daycare or boarding facility, visit puppod.com, email [email protected], or stop by the PupPod booth at PB&D Expo West.
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PROFILE OF SUCCESS
BAYSIDEPet ResortsBuilding Success: One Relationship at a Time
27PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
W hat I do is not a job, it’s my life,” says an enthusiastic
Robert Huff, the owner of Bayside Pet Resorts. Bob’s love affair with dogs began when he was just a boy. “When I was about nine years old, I had a beautiful, red Cocker Spaniel named Bucky,” recalls Bob. “He was my best friend. Our family had to move from our house into an apartment, and during that move, Bucky disappeared. I was devastated. Almost a year later, I was walking home from school and Bucky ran up to me. He found me! We were inseparable for many years after that. I’ll never forget Bucky’s perseverance and unconditional love.”
A lifelong entrepreneur, Mr. Huff spent most of his career working in the health care industry. But, when he sold that business, Bob knew what his next endeavor would be. Because of Bucky and the bond that he and Bob shared, his next business would be centered around pets - and Bob planned to surround himself with people who love pets as much as he does.
Bob decided to build a state-of-the-art, full-service luxury pet care resort that would provide a stress-free environment where the pets could enjoy plenty of attention and fun activities. In 2012, the first Bayside Pet Resort opened in Sarasota, Florida. The
by Kathy Hosler
Osprey facility photos by Frederick Culpepper
Photos provided by Bayside Pet Resort
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE28
22,000 sq. ft. facility is situated on three acres adjacent to the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport. It’s a beautiful facility with artwork on the walls, indoor and outdoor training areas, and a huge agility field with lots of fun play equipment.
They have 243 climate-controlled suites of varying sizes for their canine guests. The suites range from premium to petite to fit all budgets. The premium suites include flat screen TV’s, private patios, and On-Line Doggie webcams that allow the owners to view their pets at any time.
Besides overnight boarding, they also offer daycare, training, grooming, and guest activity packages. There are also luxury condos for cats - and a free-roaming activity room complete with a fish filled aquarium to keep their feline guests entertained.
In 2013, the Bayside Pet Spa opened in University Park, Florida. It is a luxury day spa with a Parisian decor. They provide day lodging and doggie daycare
in their indoor park. They also offer massage therapy, and deluxe grooming and spa packages. One of their grooms, the Dino Cat, recently went viral on the Bayside Pet Spa Facebook page. It had over 52,000 likes.
In December 2015, the newest Bayside Pet Resort opened in Osprey, Florida. This fabulous facility offers all of the services of the other locations and also features a spectacular water park with an in-ground salt water pool that has easy walk-in access at both ends.
Bayside’s website, www.baysidepetresort.com allows existing and potential clients to tour all three locations and see all of the services offered. Reservations can be made online or by calling each location’s reservations desk.
Since its inception, Bayside has experienced tremendous growth, partly because of its five star facilities and services - but also because of the special care that the staff gives to their
They have climate-controlled suites of varying
sizes for their canine guests. The suites range from premium to
petite to fit all budgets.
243
29PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
guests every day. “Our staff is critical to our success,” says Mr. Huff. “From the moment a client comes through the door, until they leave with their tail wagging - they are cared for by our dedicated and compassionate staff.”
“We have 54 staff members between our three locations,” says Angeline Pantazis, the administrative director of Bayside. “All of our key staff and supervisors are certified in pet CPR. And, everyone in our staff gets extensive training on things like canine and feline body language.”
“Every dog is temperament tested when they come in,” Angie continues. “We do a five point health check on each pet daily. All of our pet guests interact with the staff members multiple times a day. Our overnight guests can choose add-on activities such as business walks, gourmet treats, skinny dipping, bedtime stories and tuck-in service, massages, or they can even join the daycare doggies,” says Angie. “About eighty percent of
“From the moment a client comes through the door, until they leave with their tail wagging - they are cared for by our dedicated and
compassionate staff.”
— Robert Huff (Owner of Bayside Pet Resorts)
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE30
our boarding dogs choose additional services and activity programs.”
The daycare participants at each location are divided into groups by size and temperament, and they get to play in different indoor and outdoor areas of the facility. They can climb and play on the agility equipment, splash and swim at the water park, play ball, explore the great outdoors, and more. Every two hours the play groups are rotated to a new location to keep the dogs active and engaged.
Bayside often hosts birthday,
holiday, and special event parties. At their St. Patrick’s Day party there were 86 dogs in costumes and hats. They took individual photos of each pet and then put their photo in a magnetic frame for the owners.
The training department offers courses for everyone - from the novice pet owner to the competitive agility participant. They have an AKC certified agility program and the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. There are many training programs to choose from, even
a restaurant manners course. “It’s very popular with our clientele,” says Angie. “We have lots of outdoor restaurants in southwest Florida who welcome well-behaved dogs.”
“Something that differentiates us from other facilities is how we integrate ourselves into the community,” shares Bob. “We are right around the corner from Easter Seals. They have a wonderful rehabilitation and learning center for children and adults with all kinds of disabilities. Some of their more advanced ‘shining star’ students have joined our staff.”
“We also have a relationship with Bridges of America,” Bob continues. “It’s an organization that helps women re-enter the workforce after they have completed rehabilitation and are returning citizens to the community.”
“These women are drug free, hardworking, dedicated, reliable, and have a positive attitude,” adds Angie. “All they want is a second chance, and we try to help them achieve their goals.”
“The lives that we touch and change are amazing,” says Bob. “Because of the pets that we care for, we get to assist people who need that second chance. We have a great management team at Bayside. I am able to see these people develop and advance with our company.
The daycare participants at each location are divided into groups by size and
temperament, and they get to play in different indoor and outdoor areas of the facility.
31PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
We love to promote from within. Many of our staff members have developed their skills and continued their educations and have advanced within the company.”
“We work very closely with local shelters, rescue organizations, and the humane society - and we do a lot of benefits for them,” says Angie, and continues, “Our grooming staff takes great pride in doing free grooming of pets that are up for adoption. Most of the dogs are adopted quickly after they are groomed. We also give a gift package for adopted dogs that includes discounted or free grooming, daycare, boarding, or training to every pet that is adopted through the humane society. That has proved really helpful to the first-time pet owner.”
Bayside offers transportation services for their furry guests. They provide pickup and delivery from the pet’s homes to the resorts or to the spa. In addition, they are now working with local hospitals to provide a new and much needed pet transportation service.
“Some people don’t have anyone except their pets,” shares Bob. “If they become ill or get hurt, they have no one to care for their pet. They don’t want to get in an ambulance until they know that their beloved pets are taken care
of. We will provide support services for them, and give them peace of mind that their pets will be taken care of in a safe environment.”
The future looks pretty exciting for the Bayside Resort family. They plan to add three new resorts in the next five
years. “All in all, we are successful, not just because we have beautiful state-of-the-art facilities,” says Bob with a warm smile, “But also because we have developed wonderful, lasting relationships within the community and with the families of the pets we take care of.” n
“Our grooming staff takes great pride in doing free grooming of
pets that are up for adoption. Most of the dogs are adopted
quickly after they are groomed.”— Angeline Pantazis
Administrative Director of Bayside Pet Resorts
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PET BOARDING & DAYCARE32
D aycare and boarding facilities are in a unique position to help local
animal rescues. Helping out can be good for business because it creates new clients, positive relationships with the community, and generates word of mouth. However, rescue dogs come with their own set of circumstances and if not careful, can bring about some big problems. Asking and answering a few questions before committing to help will ensure your facility is ready for a variety of circumstances. Write down the answers in a document so they are easy to email when rescues inquire. Keep a liability contract available with the office documents as well. The
FACILITY
I N Y O U R F A C I L I T Y
B O A R D I N G
??????
By Kama Brown
Will your staff be caring for the dogs or will a rescue volunteer be coming to care for them?
contract should outline your health and safety requirements, the duration of the stay, the negotiated price, the policy if the dog is abandoned, and all liability for the injury, loss or death of the dog. Basically, all rescue dogs should, at a minimum, be under the same obligations and sign the same waiver as a client dog.
The following questions have been answered per my opinion and are intended to be examples and suggestions. Asking and answering these core questions as best suits your business will create the best possible outcome for serving the community, whilst maintaining safety and customer satisfaction.
I personally find it best to avoid the liability of having non-employees in the building and on the grounds. Volunteers may be distracting to the routine of the regular employees and may confuse customers. While it may seem less of a workload on the staff to have the rescue care for their own dogs, it usually isn’t. Volunteers need guidance and help navigating the kennel, which takes up the staff ’s time.
I also feel it isn’t safe to board dogs that staff members can’t easily handle,
33PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
which can accidently happen if only the rescue workers have cared for the dog. As a safety policy for the employees, I feel it’s better not to have 2-4 different people coming in and out each day. Though there has rarely ever been an issue, dealing with a sexual harassment claim or threat complaint between an employee and a volunteer is a rocky terrain to navigate.
Who will determine the safety of the dog’s temperament?
If you have a dog trainer on staff, give this job to them. Otherwise, ask for a written evaluation from a CPDT-KA (or equivalent), a veterinary technician specialized in behavior, or a veterinarian behaviorist. Knowing the issues a dog has before accepting them under the care of your staff is vital. Dogs who have
lived their lives without owners, or with abusive owners can require specialized training. Ask the evaluator for a training plan and assess the time and costs associated with having your employees execute the training. Once all safety concerns have been minimized to their lowest point, I’ve found that working with rescue dogs can be an amazing learning opportunity for staff members. Training rescue dogs brings a sense of added accomplishment to the job and creates employees with advanced dog handling skills.
Will you be charging a fee per night or donating the kennel space?
year except spring break and six weeks during the summer. For tax purposes, the rescue is charged a discounted rate and my business donates the cost to the rescue, which gives the business a tax write off. This only works with a 501c3 animal rescue and only works well when it’s a rescue you’ve worked with for a year or more.
For all other animal rescues, I offer the kennel space at a discounted rate with a contract specific to the dog for 6 weeks at a time. I’ve found that a contract without an end date creates problems. The contract can always be re-evaluated at the end of the 6 weeks if the dog has yet to be adopted.
I’ve dealt with this issue many ways. At the present moment, I keep one kennel spot open for a rescue dog to use at no cost to the rescue during all times of the
Will you collect payment ahead of time? Weekly? Monthly?
I collect payment at the end of the
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE34
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dog’s visit but I keep a credit card on file for veterinary emergencies and require a deposit of $100.00 per dog. I do not send a dog home for adoption or allow the dog to leave with a volunteer without full payment.
I accept appointments for pre-approved applicants to come visit with the dogs. This means that the visiting family has already filled out an application and has been approved for adoption by the rescue before visiting the dog. I don’t handle any of the paperwork or fees associated with the rescue. Keeping track of paperwork, even for a few days takes time and effort and can cause stress if lost or ruined. If the adopter insists on leaving paperwork with me, I offer
them an envelope and a stamp and politely insist they mail it.
and healthy as clients’ dogs, the idea of a shelter dog still scares many people. If the evaluations are done properly, the likelihood of any dog injuries happening will be very low. When in doubt, keep the rescue dogs separated. The goal should always be safety first; fun and socialization second. If unsure whether the dog is social or not, ask the rescue to introduce the dog to other dogs in a different location and send over a video so you can make a decision about putting the dog in daycare.
I donate the food because we get it at cost and donating it can also be written off for tax purposes. Before being kenneled, the dog is required to have had all vaccinations,
Will you allow potential adopters to come visit the dogs without a rescue volunteer?
If the dog is friendly and social with other dogs, yes. Rescue dogs are required to have the same health screenings and vaccinations prior to entry as all other visiting dogs to ensure the health and safety of the kennel grounds. In addition to the simple evaluation, all new clients’ dogs go through, a trainer and/or vet has also evaluated the visiting rescue dogs. If either of these steps were skipped, I would strictly keep them separated. It’s terrible for a client to hear that a dog without an owner has injured their dog and the story spreads quickly through the community.
Though the process we use ensures that visiting rescue dogs are just as safe
Will rescue dogs be allowed to interact with clients’ dogs in daycare?
Who will provide food and vetting for the dog?
35PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
flea treatments, and de-worming administered no less than 7 days prior to entering the building. If a staff member notices an issue when checking the dog in, I have them call me. I try to meet all rescue dogs personally but it’s a good idea for all staff members to know the signs of kennel cough, ticks, fleas, ringworm, mange, tapeworms, and ear infections. If the dog has any of these, I do not allow them to stay until the dog has been treated and finished the medication.
Skipping over policies because a dog is on death row at a shelter or another emergency is just simply not something a boarding and daycare kennel is set up for. Dogs can carry such a wide variety of transmittable infections and parasites, many of which can live on the surfaces or in the grass for years.
All dogs are evaluated on temperament regardless of breed. I do not allow puppies under the age of 4 months because we require completed vaccinations.
My personal belief is that adhering to strict policies regarding health and safety will create the best possible outcome. Doing things properly casts a positive light on all involved. Creating a reputation that your kennel and the participating rescues have highly adoptable dogs can spread, getting the dogs into their new homes more quickly. As an added bonus, almost all of our adopted dogs are now clients. The community knows that we are honest about temperament and critical about safety, which makes knowing we help rescue dogs a positive thing and not a scary one. n
Do you allow all breeds and ages of rescue dogs?
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE36
ROOMSFOR DOG DAYCAREFLOORING
Pawsibly the Most Difficult Decision By Jeff Adney
37PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
Whether building new, renovating an existing facility, or remodeling
your current building, choosing the right flooring for your indoor areas can be an overwhelming task. With so many products available, how do you decide?
Flooring CharacteristicsFirst, consider the key attributes
and the important role they play in indoor daycare areas.
Clean-Ability – Flooring that is easy to clean, coupled with slip resistance is one of the most requested attributes. Because daycare rooms are rapidly becoming the busiest and most used rooms, providing a safe area for both staff and canines is top priority. Most standard floors overcompensate for slipping by creating a textured surface. This, however, can create issues because the more textured floor, the more difficult they are to clean and maintain.
Soft and Durable – A floor surface
that is easy to stand and run on all day, while also providing fatigue relief, is another key component. A more pliable floor also gives the dogs traction and provides added safety as the floor gives a bit as weight is put on it. Unfortunately, the trade-off with most (but not all) floor options is that soft does not necessarily translate into long-term durability.
Seamless – Having a seamless option is always important to animal care facilities and especially for dog daycare rooms. Because these rooms are greatly utilized, the opportunity for “accidents” increases exponentially. Any floor surface that has “open” seams is never a good idea. Welded seams are an option but the seam integrity can be compromised if not properly installed and is affected by the stability of the surface below. Seams are also areas that allow for the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria. And when fluids penetrate, the seams can be a home to smells that
never seem to go away. Aesthetics – An aesthetically pleasing
floor improves employee morale and communicates to your customers that their dogs are enjoying a facility whose owners and employees are proud of where they work. Additionally, the nicer the floor, the more motivated employees are to maintain a clean and professional look.
Noise – Dog daycare rooms can be loud. Hard floor surfaces allow the sound waves to continue to bounce around the room and do nothing to help lower the decibels. Most soft floors will allow the noise to be absorbed, thereby lowering the amount of decibels. A quieter room benefits employees and clients and will help dogs stay calm and therefore become less aggravated.
Flooring ChoicesOnce you have considered the main
attributes, the next step is to match them to the various flooring options to determine the option that best meets your needs.
A floor surface that is easy to
stand and run on all day, while also providing fatigue relief, is another key component.
KEY FLOOR ATTRIBUTEKEY FLOOR ATTRIBUTESoft and
Durable
}
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE38
Rubber Matting
Rubber matting is a non-slip surface that when first installed, is very comfortable and does appear easy to clean and maintain. It also minimizes noise with sound deadening properties. Mats generally come in rolls 4’ wide and 25-50’ long, or in individual tile form. The material is either permanently glued to the floor using a polyurethane-based industrial adhesive, double-sided tape, or a bonding compound. A topical sealant can be used and installed on top of the mat to help create a water resistant surface, which then aids in helping keep floors clean and free from
bacteria build up. The downside is that all sealants are not created equal and most will degrade and need to be reapplied. If you do not stay on top of sealing the mat, it will eventually wear and need to be replaced.
Common complaints in regards to the rubber matting include dogs can dig into it and create divots, as well as the dogs’ pads get black from the matting. Seams usually are the weak link and once the seams separate, the quicker the floor deteriorates. Continual sealant build up can create a slicker surface on top and begin to make the rubber floor hard. Additionally, dogs’ nails can
scratch the sealant. Please check with your local
Department of Agriculture or other regulating authority. Certain states are now regulating the types of floors that can be used in dog daycare areas. If already installed, they may request that you remove rubber matting and replace with a non-porous surface. Although rubber matting is a high traction floor, the flooring can still result in injuries as the dogs can stop too quickly and tear ligaments and joints. Other common complaints include odor absorption and fading, both of which are accelerated by exposure to ultraviolet light.
Artificial Grass
Although artificial grass typically is installed outdoors, it can also be a great option for interior use. Following the manufacturer recommendations is absolutely critical to providing an effective long-term solution. All too often, when the artificial turf is installed inside, it gets an unjustified bad rap due to odor issues, cleaning, and other house-keeping and installation related issues. These complaints are not necessarily the cause of the grass, but more often due to an improper installation or the wrong “type” of artificial grass being used. When installed properly, not only does it look great and provide safe traction for the dogs, but it also can become a hygienic floor solution due to a built in anti-microbial agent provided by some manufacturers. When considering artificial grass for interior uses, it is critical to have a flushing system underneath and the grass elevated on a platform.
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Common complaints in regards to the rubber matting include dogs can dig into it and create divots, as well as the dogs’ pads get black from the matting. Seams usually are the weak link and once
the seams separate, the quicker the floor deteriorates.
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE40
“
Ken Karmie (K9 Grass Product and Brand Manager) outlines the following consideration for success with artificial grass in animal care facilities:
• Start with the right product• Have it installed properly• Understand maintenance protocol
and follow it• Have an effective HVAC system
that will facilitate adequate drying • Have at least one trench drain
with floor sloped properly and an appropriate drain cover to receive the liquid waste
• Have a completely sealed, non-porous floor surface underneath the turf, such as a 100% solids epoxy to seal
• The floor must have the appropriate pitch to the kennel drains, which is a minimal 2% - 3% slope or ¼” drop per foot.
• Seal the edge, curb, or adjoining walls where the grass abuts up to a minimal height of 36”
• Fasten down the edges of the grass properly
There are also additional steps that must be followed for proper results with an elevated floor with a flushing system.
It is also important to budget for the additional cost of sloping the floor when it comes to renovation of an existing building or remodeling, and budget for the proper HVAC. Seek out an animal care HVAC specialist to help you plan accordingly.
Seamless Anti-Fatigue Flooring Systems
Completely seamless anti-fatigue flooring systems are now available and are rapidly becoming the new trend in dog daycare flooring. Available in varying thicknesses, these floors are a combination of either epoxy, rubber matting, rubber pellets or vinyl flake, and flexible seamless topcoats. Benefits include stress reduction for the dog’s joints, legs, back, and muscles as well as those of their human caretakers. They also help to reduce sound decibels, and are decorative, functional, and cost-effective. Another bonus is that
texture can be adjusted on demand. The textured floor system provides a mild anti-skid element that won’t hurt pads or paws while still allowing for easy clean-ability. It is completely non-porous with little maintenance upkeep, and no waxing or continual sealing is required. As an added advantage, complete seamless floor to wall junctions can be achieved.
Like all flooring options, a good installation to applicable area is critical. HVAC still plays a critical role in pulling moisture and humidity out of the area. Because the floors are completely non-porous, the moisture does not soak or penetrate into the floor. When humidity gets too high, the condensation can then sit on the surface making for a wet, sweaty feel. Proper preparation is critical in that these surfaces bond directly to the substrate below. Testing and measuring moisture content and vapor transmission in concrete prior to installation is a must. This is not a do-it-yourself application;
Benefits include
stress reduction for
the dog’s joints, legs,
back, and muscles as
well as those of their
human caretakers.
They also help
to reduce sound
decibels, and are
decorative, functional,
and cost-effective.
SEAMLESS ANTI-FATIGUEFLOORING SYSTEMS
41PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
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working with the various products require a person trained with the proper skills.
Chris O’Brien, CEO of Prime Coat Coating Systems™, explains how their “Soft Paw” anti-fatigue system offers potential endless uses. “It not only solves the issues of having a floor surface that is easier and safer for the dogs to run on all day, but is also hygienic, seamless, and durable while providing the added bonus of sound reduction. This engineered floor is not only suitable for dog daycare areas, training rooms, and rehabilitation rooms, but also tough enough to be installed in large animal holding and treatment areas. Because the key
components require intimate knowledge of set times, spread, and coverage rates, they limit the installation to only trained licensed installers. With almost all floor products, application is key.”
Seamless anti-fatigue floor options can be installed in virtually all building options; new build, renovation, and remodel. Due to the seamless nature, they do not require the added expense of floor drains to be installed. However, drains can be incorporated easily if desired.
The flooring solution you ultimately choose will be decided by your use, ease of cleaning, aesthetics desired, and budget. There are many options available and deciding what type works best for you is not only a budget driven decision, but also a decision based on your wants, needs, and desires. A good installation is a constant for all types of floors. When it comes to flooring, there are no short cuts, unfortunately. Seek out industry experts to understand how the area is
truly to be used, how it is to be cleaned, and invest in the proper HVAC. n
Jeff Adney is Sales and General Manager for PermaTek Coatings – “Animal Care Flooring by the Animal Care Experts.” PermaTek Coatings is a national company that specializes in installing floor and wall coating solutions specifically for the animal care industry. PermaTek offers decorative and durable solutions that apply to virtually all areas of the facility, promoting a professional, attractive, and hygienic work space. Jeff has been involved in the Animal Care Industry for more than 16 years and continually works to develop new systems to meet market demands. Contact Jeff at [email protected] or 937-780-1075. www.permatekcoatings.com
Email: [email protected]: www.KennelDesignUSA.com
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Seamless anti-fatigue floor options can be installed in virtually all building
options; new build, renovation, and remodel. Due to the seamless nature,
they do not require the added expense of floor drains to be installed.
43PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
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PET BOARDING & DAYCARE44
T he puppy and kitten stage can be so much fun for a new pet owner. It can also be a
time when a pet parent is overwhelmed and may seek extra help and assurance from pet care professionals. Infusing your business with puppies and kittens helps keep your database fresh with young pets. You’ll be able to provide valuable information for pet parents, starting them off on the right foot with their new furry family member. Doing so can be the beginning of a lifelong relationship between the pet, his or her owner, and your facility.
Greeting the New Puppy or KittenRegardless of where pet parents
acquire their new furry babies, the young pets will usually come through our doors as guests within the first few months of life. Your facility hopefully
has policies on accepting puppies and kittens, including minimum age and vaccination requirements. When these little fluff balls first arrive, they couldn’t be cuter and are most likely greeted with lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahhs.’ If there’s another dog in the family, don’t forget to make a fuss over them too!
Health ConcernsYes, puppies and kittens are fun
to have in the facility but they do have special needs. Before admission, it’s important to ensure these young dogs and cats are healthy and properly vaccinated. It’s also recommended that you have separate protocols for puppies to limit their exposure to your general population. If possible, have a special puppy room and yard designated to limit their potential exposure until they can build up their immunities.
The maternal antibodies puppies and kittens receive from the colostrum (or first mother’s milk) don’t protect them for long. Through a series of vaccinations, the veterinarian hopes to trigger an immune response that will protect the youngster from disease after the immunity received from the mother wanes. Although there’s no perfect formula for the timing of these vaccinations, it’s imperative that pet parents follow their veterinarian’s recommendations to ensure maximum protection for puppies or kittens.
It’s also important for your facility to know if these young pets have been exposed to other dogs or cats, outside of its immediate family within the last several weeks. If a puppy or kitten was adopted at a shelter, for instance, there’s an increased chance they were exposed to disease. As much as we
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want to welcome these adorable little ones into our facilities, we always have to remember the importance of disease control. Since these puppies or kittens have not built up the proper immunities, they can be carriers of diseases.
It’s also good practice to ask if the puppy or kitten has had a wellness check by a veterinarian, including a check for internal and external parasites. If it hasn’t, this query might prompt new pet owners to do so at the first opportunity – a step that will get their new friends off to a good start.
Some examples of common internal parasites that are commonly found in puppies are roundworm, hookworm, whip-worm, and tapeworm. External parasites can be fleas, ticks, mites, and mange.
Feeding the Young PuppyPuppies will normally require 3-4
feedings a day and have just as many, or more, stools. Be sure to follow the owner or veterinarian’s recommendation for the puppy’s feedings, including both quantity and food selection. Changing a puppy’s diet can be disrupting. However, if you have any concern that the puppy is getting enough calories, especially in
a new and active environment, check in with the veterinarian. Weighing all furry guests during check in and throughout the stay is a good way to ensure proper weight. This is especially important with a growing puppy.
Crate training can assist in housebreaking since the puppy learns quickly where he or she sleeps and eats, as well as where they should do their business. To assist a puppy with this housebreaking lesson, the puppy needs to be placed in – or allowed access to – an exercise area after every feeding and naptime.
Socialization and ExerciseYoung puppies enjoy and benefit
from socialization. Most employees will want to spend time interacting with them; however, too much attention is not always good for the puppy. Play sessions are wonderful for socialization but you want to ensure puppies are closely supervised by your most experienced staff and always grouped with puppies of similar play styles. It’s equally important that the puppy has plenty of time to rest and learns to entertain himself or herself.
KittensKittens are relatively simple to care
for. They are nearly always litter box trained before you meet them. Their natural curiosity makes it easy for them to adapt to new environments. The same precautions that apply to puppies also apply to kittens when it comes to health and vaccinations. Kittens, too, require several feedings daily and normally do well when dry kibble is left for them to eat as needed. They love to be played with, but will also entertain themselves with the simplest of toys, such as a ping pong ball or a crumpled piece of paper.
Take the time to ramp up your puppy and kitten protocols. For more information on caring for puppies, kittens and all pets in your care, go to OPCLearningCenter.com for the industry’s most comprehensive training library. n
Outstanding Pet Care Learning Center is dedicated to protecting and growing the Pet Care Industry through World-Class Pet Care Training and Education.
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• Reduces potential injuries to your staff and guests
• Can increase health and happiness of the pets in your care
• Protects you, your staff, and your bottom line
For more about our courses, visit: www.OPCLearningCenter.com
By Dr. Lisa Aumiller
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE48
49PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
Spring has sprung and tis’ the season for parasites. Be prepared by having a parasite
program in place to ensure that the pets you care for won’t bring home any unwanted stowaways.
1) Have A Brief Check-In As Part Of Your Admittance Routine.
A brief exam is great to take note of things like hair loss, ear infections, nasal discharge, fleas and/or flea dirt, and more. Consider making it mandatory that all pets coming into the kennel have some sort of flea preventative administered and is up to date. This could be a simple question on the check-in form to ensure pets are protected. Minimally, have an over the counter flea and tick topical available for purchase in the event that a pet is spotted to have fleas. Require that any pet with fleas or ticks be treated before coming into your kennel.
2) Intestinal Parasites Can “Seed Your Soil.”
There is a wide array of intestinal parasites that can be easily picked up by your guests through the soil or from other untreated guests. Some of these include: Giardia, Coccidia, Hookworms, Tapeworms, Roundworms, and Whipworm. Some of these have zoonotic potential (people can get them). Pets that go to doggie daycare or board are at a higher risk of exposure. Eggs of parasites can be in the dirt, stones, the floor, or even on fomites (objects) where fecal material wasn’t thoroughly cleaned. Consider requiring pets that board to have a negative fecal every 6 months.
Having a good parasite preventative program in place not only helps keep pets healthy but is a smart business move. Educate your staff to explain to
clients how your program will help keep their pets safe. Clients will appreciate your concern! n
Do you have questions that you want the vet to answer? Send your questions to [email protected] Dr. Lisa Aumiller is a veterinarian that has been serving pets in NJ and PA for over 15 years. She is the founder and
CEO of HousePaws Mobile Veterinary Service, the largest mobile veterinary service in North America.
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L ast year, pet boarding and daycare facilities faced an onslaught of challenges
from canine flu to historic flooding to organized online competition from uncertified pet sitters. Daycare went mobile as pet boarding trailers — some certified, some not — camped out in shopping mall parking lots, offering to take care of pets while owners hit the stores.
Pet care nightmare stories once again made the national news as the negligence of some pet care service providers maligned an entire industry that safely cares for millions of furry family members every day. Not widely covered, of course, were the positive stories of pet boarding facilities that
took in homeless pets and helped their fellow pet care service providers wiped out by weather catastrophes.
As an industry projected to add at least 10,000 jobs and experience at least 15 percent growth in employment over the next five years (see CareerBuilder study released June 4, 2015), pet care services are undeniably hot. Our already multi-billion dollar industry continues to grow with all paws pointing to it only getting bigger as pet parents worldwide continue to spend big bucks on precious family pets. But with virtually no standards, or regulatory thresholds, and the possibility to open a “pet care business” on a shoestring, our industry is now at a crossroads as we face the monumental, but necessary, task of self-regulation.
Are We Really Making Money?The big, showy statistics continue
to confirm we’re a multi-billion dollar industry, but when you’re on your hands and knees cleaning up after a pet, it may not feel so ritzy. Are any of us really making money in pet boarding and daycare?
From April 26 to May 27, 2015, the International Boarding and Pet Services Association (IBPSA), in conjunction with business consultant Crystal Canine, commissioned Researchscape to conduct an online financial survey of pet care service business owners. The industry as a whole is making billions, but what about businesses, individually?
Highlights of the survey of 193 pet care service businesses, and comprised
INDUSTRY NEWS
You've
The State of the Pet Boarding and Daycare Industry
GotBy Carmen Rustenbeck
51PET BOARDING & DAYCARE
primarily of American businesses, include:• Pet-services owners may not be
millionaires, but they can generate a million dollars a year in sales; 22% bring in that much. On the other end of the spectrum, 14% reported that their business brought in less than $150,000 last year. The median annual revenue was $300,001-$500,000.
• In 2014, 63% of multiple-location businesses made more than $1,000,000. Those keeping with the seven-figure revenue include the businesses that have been open for 11-20 years, a total of 38%.
• The average owner compensation was $101,353 with a median of $72,000. Maximum compensation reported was $450,000.
Based on the survey, for the most part, there is money to be made in the industry but, looking at the data, it may take some time to get there. The survey also showed that 20% of business owners reported that they made less than $75,000, with 12% making less than $40,000, and 5% showing no income at all. If your business resides somewhere in these stats, where do you
go for help? How do you get to that statistical median annual revenue of $300,0001 - $500,000?
Is Bigger Really Better?When You’ve Got Mail made its
debut in 1998 it tackled – in a sweet rom-com kind of way – the perceived impending demise of the mom-and-pop bookstore as book mega-chains muscled in. Of course, since then, many of those mega-stores have become empty boxes as online book sales have soared. Not surprisingly, multi-location pet boarding
1,000,00022% $14%REPORTED
LESS THAN150,000$OWNERS
GENERATED OF PET-SERVICE
A YEAR IN SALES LAST YEAR IN SALES
63% 1,000,000$MADE MORE THANOF MULTI-LOCATION BUSINESSES
IN 2014
38%INCLUDE THOSE
OPEN FOR11— 20 YRS }
Are We REALLY Making Money?
The survey also showed that 20% of business owners reported that they
made less than $75,000, with 12% making less than $40,000, and 5%
showing no income at all. If your business resides somewhere in these
stats, where do you go for help?
PET BOARDING & DAYCARE52
and daycare facilities are increasing as pet care business grows. These facilities have already established reputations and expanding to additional locations, carrying the brand forward, is a natural progression. But what about the mom-and-pops? Is the smaller, single location a dying breed?
Based on a recent survey of IBPSA members, and our daily interactions with members, mom-and-pops are definitely alive and kicking. Our recent member survey indicated approximately 24 percent of our members have 21 or more employees, 33 percent have between 11-20 employees, and 42 percent have a staff of 10 or fewer. While online services and big franchises may grab the headlines, the small business owner is quietly succeeding. As long as service, care, and trust remain at the forefront, increasingly educated consumers and their “furbabies” will give their service to those pet care facilities consistently delivering quality performance no matter what the size of the business.
Quality, not size, is what will ultimately set apart any business and result in increased customer referrals. Pair that with getting educated on the financial
side of your business – understanding true cost of services, reducing insurance premiums by educating your staff, effectively branding and marketing your business – and, if you’re not already there, you’ll see that statistical median annual revenue soon. Online successes such as Rover.com should encourage us all to up our business game.
The “Amazoning” of Pet Care?Returning to our You’ve Got Mail
example, after Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, and Brinkley (the dog) share a sweet embrace and the camera pans to a cotton candy sky, what happens to the imaginary Fox Books? In reality, enter Amazon.com, the age of online book sales, and shuttered Borders bookstores. With the advent of online booking of uncertified pet sitters, is our industry now entering our own Amazoning era with marketing companies such as Rover.com?
The answer, to a great extent, is yes. But we should not fear this new era of marketing and advertising but, rather, find a way to access the wealth of reach it provides for the professional pet care facility. To paraphrase the “Four Actions Framework” offered by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne in their book Blue Ocean Strategy, we need to consider:
1) What should be eliminated?2) What should be reduced? 3) What should be raised? 4) What can be created?Perhaps what can be eliminated
is the way we have always done it. The industry is experiencing a change when we can integrate fresh ideas and set industry benchmarks. What could be reduced is the offering of services that outweigh the benefit/value to the customer, and/or the bottom line. Pet care is a business – a business with heart, to be sure – and we need to treat it like it’s a business. Let’s educate ourselves in the understanding of margins and break-even points and
REPORTED21 OR MORE
Is Bigger REALLY Better? IBPSA Stats show:
24%EMPLOYEES
33%REPORTEDBETWEEN 11-20EMPLOYEES
42%REPORTEDA STAFF OF10 OR FEWER
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apply smart financial thinking to pet care. What should be raised is a new standard of pet care, no matter what size you are or how you market to your customers. What is then created is limited only by your imagination. Know your customers, build trust, provide the best consistent service and care and they will choose you every time.
Self-Regulation and the Rise of the Certifiably Educated Pet Care Professional
Ever download a .99 cent book from Amazon? While some are undeniable page turners, more often than not, one page in and the reason it was a .99 cent downloadable book is clearly manifest. The reason “you get what you pay for” is an age-old adage is because it tends to hold true. But when you’re just out of pocket .99 cents, getting what you pay for is probably met with a shrug and a
delete, but when you’re talking about the life of a furry family member it’s not quite so simple.
As more people enter this industry with no training and minimal financial risk, the odds of more pet tragedies feels sadly inevitable, and, like it or not, it’s now our responsibility to not only educate ourselves, but educate pet parents as well, and get serious about self-regulation by participating in certification programs for staff and facility.
As more part-time, uncertified pet care providers offer their services, it is the responsibility of professional pet boarding and daycare facilities to raise the bar to not only help protect the lives of furry family members, but to get serious about the business-side of pet care. By making a commitment to the education of ourselves and pet parents, we can continue to grow and thrive and get something even better than a
sweet rom-com movie ending — an industry comprised of professionals knowledgeable in pet safety and in creating and maintaining successful businesses that will secure their financial future. n
Carmen Rustenbeck, Executive Director of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association (IBPSA), has been involved in non-profit work for over 20 years and active in the pet care industry since 2004. Carmen is committed to building a member-centered organization that promotes the best practices and strategies for helping our industry reach its full potential for the safety of pet clients and staff, and for the financial future of our members. For more information, visit www.ibpsa.com.
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