FirstBark
TL;DR - Will not be bringing my dog back. Would not recommend. I urge any pet owner who wants to board their dogs to remember the dog industry is completely unregulated, anyone can call themselves a trainer or boarding facility, so do your research and due diligence. I boarded m…Read full reviewClose full review
TL;DR - Will not be bringing my dog back. Would not recommend. I urge any pet owner who wants to board their dogs to remember the dog industry is completely unregulated, anyone can call themselves a trainer or boarding facility, so do your research and due diligence. I boarded my dog while we were in town visiting family, to take some stress off of my husband and I. Everything seemed to sound good when I spoke with them on the phone; they use runs instead of kennels, they said dogs who don't do well with other dogs get one-on-one time with staff, and they come highly recommended by folks of the community. I dropped off my dog, her food, and her Trazadone. I heard nothing from the facility the entirety of her stay. Which already started to bother me. But upon pickup is where I really started to lose my marbles. I walked in and said I'm here to pick up Georgia, and the response I got was "remind me which one that is?". NOT what you want to hear from the people who are supposed to be caring for your beloved pet. I told them which one she is, and they went to get her, but not before asking what leash she came in with as well. While they were back there getting georgia, another staff member said "I have not called a single dog that this week so I've definitely been calling your dog the wrong name." Again, NOT what I want to hear as her owner. They tried to play it off like "oh we give dogs nicknames", but she doesn't need a nickname, her name is Georgia! They finally bring her out, and she is covered in fur that is not hers; I try to give the benefit of the doubt that maybe she's just been playing with other dogs. But her body language appears as if she is stressed. Then she comes to me and immediately disengages with staff, which indicates to me that she IS stressed; Georgia is a very social dog, and typically loves all people. And presumably, did not have a good time there. And she STINKS, bad!! I asked how she did, and they said she did good. She didn't eat at first, so they mixed some wet food in with her food. They said she "didn't like the sound in the back" so they brought her into a classroom and let her "run around and tear stuff up". What is that supposed to mean?? If she was stressed why wasn't she given the trazadone that I sent with her?? Even if there was a question of if it was needed, they could have called me and asked! Is this classroom time the only time she was out of her kennel? Did she not do dog play groups? I explained before boarding that she does very well with other dogs. If she didnt do well and needed to be pulled from play group, I want to know that as her owner. Too little details for a week long stay. They did help me get her in the truck, they carried her food & put it in the bed while I loaded her up, but I had to ask for her trazadone back, which was just sitting at the counter in the front. When i get in my now stinky (from Georgia's new found stench, bless her heart) truck, I realize - they required no proof that she was my dog. There wasn't any pre-boarding paperwork for her when I dropped her off, no emergency contact if they can't contact me, no looking at my license to verify that it's me, nothing. During pickup, they had to ask me which dog was mine, which indicates to me that they did not recognize me. So why did they let me leave with a dog with no proof that she was mine, or that I had permission to take her? They didn't even seem to notice or care that I was picking her up early. Anybody could have walked in there, asked for Georgia, and drove off with my dog. And presumably any other dog there. This was supposed to be a way to minimize our stress while traveling & give Georgia a break from her grumpy doggo brothers & a fun week with other dogs & people. Now, I just feel like garbage for ever sending her away. Between this, and their speaking out against the local municipal shelter that serves the town they are in, myself and my family that are local, will NEVER be going to Leashes and Lashes again for any services.