Portland Oregonian

Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
 

March 30, 2004

LIVING SMART PETS

BOARDING YOUR PETS? THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Author: DEBORAH WOOD - Special to The Oregonian
Edition: SUNRISE
Section: LIVING
Page: D04
Estimated printed pages: 2
 

Article Text:
Chong Jones used to travel a lot on business. The worst part of his trip was boarding his dog. "Sometimes I'd come home on Saturday night, and the boarding kennel would  be closed until Monday. I had to work Monday, so I couldn't get her until that evening. It would be three days before I could see my dog," he says. "I always thought someone should open a really nice kennel by the airport." Jones and his business partner, Geoff Wittreich, decided to do just that.  The Airport Pet Hotel, which opened this month within a five-minute drive of Portland International Airport, provides the convenience that Jones dreamed of during his traveling days.

The facility's regular hours are 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., but staff is on hand 24 hours a day, so travelers can make arrangements in advance to pick up or leave a dog at any hour. Jones and Wittreich offer an additional amenity -- park-and-ride services to the airport for the pet owners. Boarding runs $19-$24 a night.

When it comes to boarding your pets, dog-loving entrepreneurs are thinking outside the box (or at least outside the traditional kennel). Do you want your dog trained while you're gone? Or groomed? Would you like him to have his own room, complete with bed and TV? Oregon and Southwest Washington boarding kennels provide all that, and more.

Finding a kennel: Don't travel thousands of miles away without personally checking out the facility first.

* Is the facility clean, and does it smell good?

* Do the animals seem happy?

* Do you see a rapport between the animals and staff?

* Does the staff seem capable of handing an emergency?

* Does your animal have special dietary or medical needs? If so, can the kennel handle them?

* Do you see the kennel providing the services it promises?

Pet sitting -- an alternative for the canine or feline homebody: Sometimes your pet is happiest at home. The burgeoning pet sitting industry has those animals in mind. Pet sitters will care for your dogs, cats and other creatures at your house. They'll also turn lights on and off, get the mail and generally make the house seem lived-in while you're gone. A few will even spend the night. "I work with people whose pets are part of the family. They want someone to dote on the animals just as much as they do," says Kati Marshall, who operates Simply Whiskers Petsitting.

Finding a pet sitter: Sometimes the best referrals are word of mouth: your veterinarian, your dog trainer, your pet's groomer, a co-worker who has had a good experience. You can also find referrals at the Oregon Pet Sitters Association Web site, www.oregonpetsitters.com. Type in most Portland-area Zip codes and you'll find several referrals to members of the association.

The interview: A get-acquainted interview is the time to find out how comfortable you and your animals are with the arrangement. The Oregon Pet Sitters Association has interview tips on its Web site. 

Plan now. Whether you plan to use a kennel or a pet sitter, make plans now for your summer vacation. Popular kennels and sitters are booked weeks ahead of time, and many already are booked for the July 4 and even Christmas.

More info: Airport Pet Hotel, 503-255-1388, airportpethotel.com; Oregon Pet Sitters Association, www.oregonpetsitters.com.

Deborah Wood: TaoBowwow@aol.com

Caption:
Photo by OLIVIA NISBET/The Oregonian
Copyright (c) 2004 Oregonian Publishing Co.
Record Number:
 0403300107