Each and every day people around the world face the question of what to do with their beloved pets when travel, illness, or family emergencies arises and prevents normal care. Some pet owners attempt to solve this problem by taking their pets with them, only to discover that hotel restrictions, travel-induced pet illness, and 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. But these people don't have the training to know what to do in case of an emergency. Pets entrusted to such part-time custodians frequently escape or become seriously ill because of lack of reliable, frequent, and knowledgeable supervision.

Happy, healthy and safe and sound! Fortunately, the majority of pet owners who find themselves in need of substitute pet care utilize the services of professional boarding kennels. Experienced boarding kennels provide safe and dependable care for over 30,000,000 pets annually with full-time, knowledgeable staff who work with your pet to provide it with the very best care possible.

As a pet owner, you should make a point to find a qualified boarding kennel that treats their boarders ethically, and because doing so can be frustrating, the American Boarding Kennels Association (ABKA) has gathered this information to help you evaluate your local kennels and decide which one will work best for you and your pet.