Leaving Home? Let us care for your pet!
Desert Dove Veterinary Inc. is pleased to offer kennel/boarding services for cats, dogs, rabbits and birds. Since boarding is not our primary business (we’re a full service veterinary hospital), we generally board less than 15 animals at a time, and are pleased to accept animals requiring daily medication.
Reservations are required, and should be made at least 30 days in advance for holiday weekends (that’s when we are busiest!). Pets must be dropped off and picked up during Office Hours:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM and Sat: 8:00 AM to Noon
WHAT WILL IT COST TO BOARD MY PET?*
Pet Per Night
Dog (0-26 lbs) $13.50 Cat $10.50
Dog (27-56 lbs) $15.50 Rabbit $10.50
Dog (57-99 lbs) $17.00 Birds Varies by Breed
Dog (over 100 lbs) $20.00
* Prices subject to change without notice
We also charge $3.00 per day if we administer daily medications during a pet’s stay, and $7.50 per day if we give daily injections or fluid therapy. While we do not offer grooming services, you can request that we bathe your pet or cut their nails during the stay.
You will be asked to pay half of the boarding fees when you drop off your pet, and half when you pick up your pet. For holiday boarding, half of the boarding fees must be paid when the reservation is made. This deposit will be refunded if you later cancel the reservation with 72 hours notice.
WHAT WILL MY PET DO ALL DAY?
CATS and RABBITS
Cats and rabbits are boarded in kennels in an indoor, air-conditioned room. The standard boarding kennel is 28 inches deep, 26 inches high, and 44 inches wide, and contains water, a kitty-litter box, and a towel or mat that is cleaned and replaced twice a day. Owners may bring beds, toys, and other items to be placed in the kennels with their pets. Pets are fed once or twice a day (depending on the owner’s instructions).
DOGS
Dogs are rotated between indoor kennels where they sleep overnight (and are kept during the heat of the day), and outdoor dog runs. The indoor kennels are air-conditioned in summer, and heated in winter.
• The size of indoor kennels ranges from those used for dogs under 7 lbs (28 inches deep, 24 inches high, 24 inches wide) to those used for dogs over 57 lbs (28 inches deep, 34 inches high, 72 inches wide). Kennels contain a water bowl and a towel or mat that is cleaned and replaced twice a day. Owners may bring beds, toys, and other items to be placed in the indoor kennels with their dogs.
• The average outdoor dog run is 5 feet deep, 6 feet high, and 5 feet wide, and contains water, a mat that is cleaned and replaced twice a day, and link fence on three sides (brick on the fourth wall).
Dogs are fed once or twice a day (depending on owner instructions), and are not allowed contact with other dogs during their stay.
The schedule for the rotation between the indoor kennels and the outdoor dog runs varies according to the time of year, the weather, and instructions you leave us as follows:
Summer Schedule for Dog Boarding
TIME ACTIVITY
5:00 AM to 8:00 AM Dogs are fed, individually exercised in a yard, and moved from indoor kennels to outdoor dog runs.
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Dogs remain in outdoor dog runs unless rainy or hot weather prohibits it.
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM Dogs are fed, and moved to indoor, air- conditioned kennels for the night.
Winter Schedule for Dog Boarding
TIME ACTIVITY
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM Dogs are fed, individually exercised in a yard, and moved from indoor kennels to outdoor dog runs.
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Dogs remain in outdoor dog runs unless rainy or cold weather prohibits it.
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Dogs are fed, and moved to indoor, heated kennels for the night.
WHAT WILL I NEED TO BRING ALONG?
To arrange boarding, just call our office (520-887-6363) and make a reservation. Be sure to have the exact dates you wish to have your pet boarded handy when you call us. On the day you drop off your pet, plan to bring the following:
• Payment for half the boarding fees.
• Enough food for your pet’s stay. We require that you provide the food because pets tend to stop eating or get diarrhea when their food is changed. This can be avoided if we feed your pet the same food he’s used to eating at home.
• Medications to be given during the pet’s stay.
• A leash and collar for your dog.
• Any items (beds, blankets, toys) you wish placed in your pet’s kennel.
VACCINE REQUIREMENTS
Before we can board your cat or dog*, we need to ensure your pet has received the needed vaccines from a licensed veterinarian, and that the vaccines are current for the duration of your pet’s stay with us. This means you must provide us (or have your veterinarian FAX or mail us) paperwork showing the names and serial numbers of vaccines administered to your pet, and the dates on which they were given.
Since Desert Dove Veterinary Inc. is also a veterinary clinic, we can administer the vaccines needed to board a pet, but recommend that they be given at least a week ahead of time to ensure your pet’s health is properly protected. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept home-administered vaccines for boarded animals since we cannot verify that the vaccines were properly refrigerated during shipment and storage, and that the vaccines were properly administered.
DOGS
Vaccine Protects against…
Rabies (1 year or 3 year) Rabies
DA2PPCvK or DA2PP Distemper, Parvo, Para-influenza, Hepatitis, & Corona
Bordetella - Intranasal (6 month)
or
Bordetella - Injectable (1 yearr if initial injection was boostered after 3 weeks) Kennel Cough
CATS
Vaccine Protects against…
Rabies (1 yr or 3 yr) Rabies
FVRCPC Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia, & Chlamydia
FeLV Feline Leukemia
Bordetella Kennel Cough
* There are no vaccine requirements for Rabbits or birds. Full cage assembly is required for birds