|
Don't fret about your pets while you're away - indulge them. Nick Galvin looks at the options.
When their owners are out of town, poodles Molly and Pippin and Siamese cat Prossie are used to having the run of their own luxury holiday suite. With a single bed, doona, wall prints, wallpaper, ceiling fan and, naturally, their own TV, the pampered pets couldn't be happier - which in turn suits their owners, Barry and Leonie Newton, just fine.
"All I can tell you is that my dogs come home happy and fatter than when I left them," says Leonie, from Bellevue Hill, Sydney. "I believe they are happier in one of these suites because they can live as they do at home."
The five-star doggie retreat at Sydney boarding kennels Hanrob (www.hanrob.com .au) costs the Newtons up to $160 a night for their three pets. Its managing director, Andrew Biggs, says there are plenty of pet owners willing to pay for the luxury treatment.
"Ninety per cent of the time, the luxury suites are full," he says, adding that his Heathcote-based facility is planning to build another eight of the top-range suites to cope with demand.
Not all the pets at Hanrob get to watch TV, but even animals in the standard accommodation get heated concrete floors, large runs and plenty of exercise, for which owners are happy to pay between $23 and $28 a night for medium-sized dogs.
A similar level of luxury awaits "guests" at Mornington Lodge, on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula (www .morningtonlodge.com.au).
Smaller dogs can stay at Fluffy House (beds, flannelette sheets and doonas, bedside tables, flowers, TV and covered patio and garden) for $27.50 a night, while medium-sized pooches can choose the Executive Suites for $30 a night. Prices are cheaper for less opulent accommodation.
Owner Belinda Goyarts says she "hates boarding kennels with a passion", which is why she set out to make her establishment a "pet resort. Our clients arrive on the front seat of their owner's Jaguar," she says. The owners do not want to leave them in a concrete run."
She must be doing something right - Goyarts says she is full year-round and can pick and choose her "guests".
When it comes to holiday care for Fido, it appears, you get what you pay for. What many owners are paying for is peace of mind, which means choosing the right type of accommodation is the best way to give you and your pooch a relaxing break.
One popular choice is to draft in a relative or friendly neighbour to do the job for nothing, either in their own home or by visiting yours. The only payment generally expected is a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates and possibly the expectation you will return the favour when your dog-sitters take their own holiday.
For the rest of us, however, without family or neighbours to rely on, there are several possibilities.
A quick flick through The Yellow Pages reveals dozens of boarding kennels.
These tend to fall into two categories - those that are city-based and others, such as Hanrob, in more rural locations.
City boarding kennels are often part of a veterinary surgery or hospital and the fees are generally higher than their rural counterparts, reflecting higher rents. For instance, Randwick Veterinary Hospital (02 9398 1222) in inner-city Sydney charges up to $26 a night for medium-sized dogs.
Meadowmist Boarding Kennels and Cattery (www.meadowmist.com), at Marsden Park in Sydney's north-west, charges $19 daily for medium dogs.
Meanwhile, at Homestead Kennels (www.homesteadkennels.com.au) at Wonga Park in Melbourne's east, you'll pay $22.50 a day for a medium-sized dog.
Of course, if you happen to live on the other side of the city, you have to factor in the additional time and expense of getting your dog to the kennel you have chosen, unless the kennel offers a pet taxi service.
The RSPCA's advice when choosing a kennel is to visit the establishment first, check that it seems clean and well-run, and ask for references. Many kennels offer other services such as special exercise sessions or baths.
Ask whether these are included in the price.
If the idea of a boarding kennel does not appeal, you could consider one of the services that allows the dog to stay with a family in their own home. One of the best-known operators is Don't Fret Pet (www.dontfretpet.com.au), which has about 400 carers in NSW and Queensland and is negotiating to set up in Victoria. "We arrange for a dog to go have a holiday in someone else's home," says its founder, Jenny Palmer. It's a great alternative for people concerned about leaving their pet in a cage or home alone." Fees are between $28 and $35 a night and owners must supply food.
There are also individual dog-boarding operators, such as Tracey Kennelly, whose small business Totally Tracey (www.totallytracey.com.au) operates around Sydney's northern beaches. Kennelly takes only one or two dogs at a time and they go "everywhere" with her.
"I let them into my house and they get to eat things like chicken and rice," says Kennelly, who charges $38.50 a day.
The final option is to leave the pooch at home and use a professional dog-sitting service to call daily to give him food and water and a walk, if required.
Lonely Pets Club (www.lonelypetsclub.com.au) provides this service right across Melbourne, and will even water plants and bring in the rubbish bins if requested. A full service costs $20 daily and $15 for the eighth and subsequent days, while for plant-watering only they charge $15 a visit.
For an extensive listing of different holiday options for your dog across NSW and Victoria, check out Pets Playground at www.petsplayground.com.au
|