Dubai: With summer holidays upon us, the relocation office at the Dubai Kennels & Cattery (DKC) is abuzz with activity. As staffers go about their jobs, an attentive sun conure parrot looks on from behind a cage. The meeting room has become a burrow of sorts, housing as it does three rabbits in two cages and a hutch in air-conditioned comfort.
At the main room on the other side where general enquiries and boarding facilities are addressed, the receptionist answers the phone with one hand while carrying an endearing Pekingese dog in the other.
On the counter is a small aquarium in which a dwarf gourami fish swims around.
"The fish came with a Fell Terrier housed in a kennel outside," Todd Carson, Managing Partner of DKC, said, adding that the centre is running to capacity with 86 dogs and an equal number of cats, besides other species.
"We have a waiting list of over 130 families," he said.
Clearly, it is peak season at DKC and so is the case with other pet boarding facilities across the UAE. While the emirates empty out with people going on vacation during the summer, these centres are at their busiest best, catering to pets that are left behind - or in some cases require relocation.
Julie Jackson of the Animal Care Centre in Sharjah said: "Our kennels are completely full during summer compared to the off-season periods. Everyone tends to take a summer break, so all of a sudden there are many cats and dogs looking for somewhere to spend their vacation." The centre also has a steady flow of rabbits, hamsters, budgies, parrots and tortoises.
"We currently have 50 dogs and 50 cats," said Dr Hardika Al Muhairi who owns Al Zubair Animal Care Centre in Sharjah, which earlier operated as the Ajman Pet Resort in Ajman.
Boarding charges
With boarding charges for dogs ranging from Dh50 to Dh100 and around Dh40 for cats and other species, it is a big boost for business at these centres during summer.
"It's usually a 50 per cent jump," said Dr Hardika, adding that the centre's grooming and veterinary facilities get augmented during this period as pet owners often make requests for these services while their pets are being housed.
The summer rush, however, is not without its pressures.
"The real challenge is making sure each pet is cared for the way it should be," said Carson.
He said 20 of his 30 staff take care of the animals as they go about their check-lists to keep track of the health of the pets, their feeds, cleaning, grooming, entertaining and other requirements.
The caretakers get owners to give them detailed information about food, medications, behavioural patterns and other data relating to their pets. All of this is put on an information sheet that is put up at the enclosures of the pets. Owners are also encouraged to leave behind the pets' favourite toys and chews.
But, as Jackson said, entertaining so many pets at the same time can be quite a task. "The dogs do not want to stay outside in our play areas for very long. We therefore give them outside exercise in short time limits but more frequently," she said.
"For example, we start their outdoor exercise at 6am and each dog will come out for 15-minute spells three times during the morning. This enables them to come out often, but not for too long so they don't get hot. Our outdoor runs are shaded areas which also helps them keep cool," she explained.
Cool comfort
At most centres, the dogs and cats stay in double-room kennels which comprise an air-conditioned indoor enclosure and a normal outdoor one are separated by a flap door so that they can go in and out as they please.
But some owners see this as restricted flexibility. "I prefer to leave my dog with a pet sitter when I am away as they have the freedom to move around," said a Mirdif resident. "Moreover, there is not always monitoring at a boarding facility at night."
There are some owners who have pet sitters make visits to their own homes to check on the pets and take care of their feeds, cleaning, grooming or veterinary needs. But Carson said, "We don't believe home-sitting services are the best way to care for pets."
"Although pet sitters do a good job, in truth the pets are still unmonitored or alone for at least 22 hours of the day, whereas in a good boarding facility they are constantly monitored."
Dr Hardika too said monitoring can be taken for granted at a boarding facility. For her, there are other issues that merit greater attention. "We have to be careful about people who dump pets," she said.
"This has been happening frequently in recent years. With recession, it has become a chronic problem," she observed.
She said centres also have to deal with extended stays of pets during summer as owners often extend their leave and do not pick them up on the stipulated dates.
Call them wag resorts, hotels or the usual boarding facilities, all of them serve the same purpose. "It's just that a resort or hotel sounds more chic," said Dr Hardika Al Muhairi.
Many centres look at themselves in the hospitality context. Enjoying the luxury of double rooms, these pets stay in the comfort of an air-conditioned enclosure with an outdoor area. They also get to socialise with other dogs from across the enclosures or when they go out to play. These resorts usually come with spas, a euphemism for grooming facilities. From brushing and bathing to trims and styling, pet grooming today is a specialised service that covers everything from body massages to treatments like aromatherapy, hydro-massage, facials, fur colouring, pet pedicure, teeth brushing and workouts.
Sitting homes
Dubai Kennels & Cattery, Dubai: Boarding, day-care, relocation, grooming, food and retail (04-285 1646)
Al Zubair Animal Care, Sharjah: Boarding, grooming, relocation, veterinary services (06-743 5988)
Animal Care Centre, Sharjah: Boarding, grooming, veterinary services (06-534 1280)
Homely Petz:
- Day and night sitting, vacation care, grooming, training
- (www.homelypetz.com)
- 130 families are on waiting list at the dkc for pet boarding services
Boarding rate per day
- Dogs: Dh50-Dh80
- Cats: Dh40
- Rabbits, lizards, birds, tortoises and all other species: Dh40
