Dog Boarding in North Carolina
I want to start off by stating I am NOT a boarding facility and do not plan on being one anytime soon. I also want to share the NC Department of Agriculture’s website so you may check details or if you are interested in becoming a boarding facility, this is a good place to start. You can look up license statuses for companies around you using this search tool.
In North Carolina, dog boarding facilities require a license from the Director of the Animal Welfare Section, as mandated by the North Carolina Animal Welfare Act. These facilities must adhere to specific operating standards, including maintaining detailed records, ensuring proper animal care, and complying with facility and operating standards.
It is important to know that if you are planning to board your pets, even for a short amount of time, in NC there are laws that prohibit illegal dog boarding. They have guidelines that protect your animal such as how structurally sound their facility is, that it has proper sanitation practices, and most importantly animal welfare (how they treat your animals).
Did You Know? Most people allowing boarding on Rover and “professional” pet sitting companies do not have a proper license to be conducting such business? When finding the right boarding business for your pet, do these tasks:
Ask for documentation for their facility, including license to board, any memberships with professional organizations, and review their staff’s certifications.
Take a tour of the facility. Look for cleanliness of the living and play areas, ask how often pets are let out to potty, how much attention the receive, when they are fed. Ask about the routines they follow, does the staff have procedures to follow? Do they have an action plan in case an emergency happens?
Ask about requirements when staying at the facility. What vaccinations do they require, do they have to have parasite and tick prevention, what do they do to insure these policies are followed?
It is important to know who you are trusting your pet with, to ensure they will treat your pet how you would want them treated. If you have a bad feeling about a facility, it is important to always trust your gut.
