Selecting the right care for your pet isn’t an easy decision. It shouldn’t be. After all, pets are indeed members of our families. We think your choice should begin with your four-legged family member. Answering these nine essential questions will help you find the best pet care for your pet.
Is the staff qualified to provide the best pet care for my pet?
Caring for pets requires a tremendous amount of patience, love and attention. It also requires knowledge and training. There should be no distractions. Staff members engaged in their mobile phones, for example, won’t be engaged in caring for your pet – a significant warning sign that your pet is not the priority. At Lucky & Lady®, caregivers are trained in canine and feline First Aid and CPR and personal mobile phones aren’t allowed. You can learn a lot by reading job descriptions at various facilities.
Will my pet ever be left alone?
If the answer is yes, you need to look for another pet care facility immediately. Pets should never be left alone. This is especially true when multiple pets are engaged in off-leash play. And it’s vital during overnight hours. The truth is, most traditional pet boarding facilities are not staffed overnight because it’s costly – a warning sign that profits are more important than pets. At Lucky & Lady®, pets are never left alone without human interaction and supervision. We are staffed 24/7/365 for both our canine guests in Beyond Boarding and those in our Cat Stay & Play program.
Is the facility safe for my pet?
Safety begins with design and involves procedures. First, look around. Are doors propped open? Are electrical outlets placed too low on walls posing a hazard? Is the facility too warm in summer or too cold in winter? Are pets contained with fencing or partitions from a big-box store? All of these conditions point to a poorly designed facility where employees are more likely to ignore policies and procedures. Lucky & Lady® is designed and built just for pets, from our cushioned flooring system in Enhanced Day Care to reduce the impact to a dog’s joints, muscles and skeletal system to pet suites endorsed by the Fear Free® coalition.
Am I able to take a tour?
Your ability to see the interior of a pet care facility is essential. If you’re told no, for any reason, it’s usually because there’s something they don’t want you to see. Either the facility is not clean or pets aren’t provided quality care. It’s true that an impromptu tour can upset the balance of the facility and create unnecessary stress for pets. There are ways operators can avoid this, including scheduled tour times or live video access. Being denied the ability to see a pet care facility should be seen as a big flashing red light. If you don’t feel assured your pet won’t either.
Have they asked for my pet’s health information?
All pet care facilities should ask for health information about all pets in their care. Failing to do this should be seen as a giant red flag. Unvaccinated pets pose a risk of introducing and spreading disease. Essential vaccines for dogs include rabies, distemper, parvovirus and adenovirus, but might also include Bordetella (canine cough) and canine influenza. Bottom line, if you’re not being asked for verifiable information on your pet’s immunizations, no one else is either. As an extra level of protection, Lucky & Lady® is equipped with a negative-pressure isolation room just in case a pet exhibits illness in our care.
Is the facility clean? Does it smell?
Your nose will help you determine if a facility is clean. Unpleasant smells or odors are strong indicators that a facility is not being properly cleaned. And extremely strong odors usually indicate the facility cannot be properly cleaned due to the construction materials used. Wood, unsealed concrete floors or brick walls, for example, are porous and trap germs and bacteria that cannot be removed. Over time these germs spread to all surfaces and permeate the HVAC system, which churns out more bad air. And dampness or high humidity almost always means a pressure washer is being used in an attempt to clean the facility, but which ultimately aerosolizes contaminants and makes matters worse. At Lucky & Lady® we take cleanliness to a whole new level. Our air quality is medical-grade, meaning the kind of air one finds in a hospital. In addition to removing pet hair, dust and dander, our enhanced air purification systems also remove germs, bacteria and viruses with layers of media, biological and ultraviolet air filtration. And we utilize the newest technology to clean and sanitize our amazing facility – you won’t find a water-driven pressure-washer here.
Will my pet thrive in this environment?
A quality pet care facility should be more than just a place to drop off your pet. If the operation looks like a giant exercise in picking up poop, you should reconsider. Know what you’re paying for. Dogs are inherently social. They require human interaction and they crave socialization with other dogs. And they thrive in environments centered on enrichment and learning. While quality care will cost more, both you and your pet will benefit over time, with good behaviors reinforced and bad behaviors reduced. Love and human interaction are Lucky & Lady® cornerstones. Pets in our care will receive lots of real-human time and structured play care, with periods of rest, group play and individual attention. This means your pet will greet you with the right amount of energy to love you back.
What if my pet has special needs?
If your pet is elderly, has mobility issues, is a little extra fussy or timid, or requires medications, it’s important that staff can accommodate your pet. Does the facility have a way to account for and administer medications? Can accommodations be made for arthritic pets, such as soft bedding? In short, some pets will require more monitoring and reporting to pet parents than some facilities can provide. Blind or deaf dogs will need to know that a human is close-by. At Lucky & Lady® live video feeds will connect parents with pets in Enhanced Day Care and in premium boarding. We’ll let you know how much fun your pet is having with advanced text messaging and digital updates.
So, will I feel good about leaving my pet?
If you’re uneasy or don’t feel assured your pet is in the very best environment, your pet will likely know and your pet’s stay won’t be as fun. Your pet should be as excited to go to a facility as the staff is in having him. Trust your gut. If the facility is clean and smells nice, and the staff is attentive and trustworthy you’ll know it.
Pets are important members of our families. We love them as we love humans. At Lucky & Lady® we’ll work to ensure your four-legged family members have the best time ever in the very best environment. We are the premiere pet resort in Atlanta GA and can’t wait to take care of your animals!
Would we do it any other way? NO B*RKING WAY! TM