Boarding Policies & Agreement

Healthy Current Patients, Up-to-Date On Preventive Care

All boarding pets must be current patients of Atlantic Veterinary Hospital, up-to-date on vaccines per AVH protocols, and in good general health. For their safety kittens must be at least 16 weeks of age and have completed their vaccination series.

Cats age 10 years of age or older, on daily medication, and/or with stable, well-controlled chronic illness (such as well-managed diabetes, early kidney disease, mild heart disease, etc.) may board with us, but must have a scheduled check-in consultation and physical exam with one of our doctors within 30 days prior to boarding. Please schedule any necessary check-in appointments and plan ahead for the time required. The fee for this consultation and exam may be charged or waived at our discretion.

Pets that are ill may qualify to be hospitalized under doctor care, but are not eligible for boarding.

Safety & Comfort of Your Pet

Not all pets adjust well to being away from home and family, and we may not be a good fit for some pets. For everyone's safety, to be eligible to board with us, cats may not show aggression towards our staff or other boarding pets. We reserve the right to deny boarding accommodations to any pet we feel may not do well while boarding with us, whether for health or behavioral concerns. If we determine your pet cannot board with us, we will make suggestions upon request of other boarding options that may be more suitable for your pet.

Occasionally, due to excessive nervousness while away from home, an appetite stimulant or mild tranquilizer may be necessary to improve a pet's comfort and/or safety. We will attempt environmental changes first, but if our doctors determine medication is necessary for the safety and comfort of your pet, it will be administered at an additional charge, and we will attempt to contact you to advise you of the situation.

For your pet's safety, no toys are allowed in the kennel, but toys may be provided for the kennel attendant to use during daily play time. If your pet chews or ingests the bedding or food bowls placed in his/her kennel, illness or injury may result. If your pet damages or destroys hospital property, replacement value for the damaged item(s) will be added to your invoice.

Holiday/Summer Peak Boarding & Extended Stay Reservation Deposits

A $50.00 deposit will be charged at the time reservations are made for boarding during peak periods (around major holidays and summer months) or for reservations of more than 7 days. This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferrable if boarding reservations are altered or cancelled without at least 7 days' prior written notice (email or letter) before the first day of the boarding reservation.

Boarding Guest Admission & Discharge

As a busy animal hospital, we try to control the flow of our work day to prioritize patients with medical appointments. Therefore, we schedule kennel staff time for the admission and discharge of boarding pets during the following times:

• Monday - Friday between 8:30 - 10:00am or 3:00 - 4:00pm
  • The clinic is closed everyday 12-1pm for the lunch hour.

However, to accommodate your personal schedule, pets may be admitted or released by our nursing staff with prior scheduled arrangements during a nurse appointment ($15.00 charge). Please let us know when you make your boarding reservation when you would like to pick-up your pet. Pets will not be released after business hours, on Sundays, or holidays.

If your travel schedule changes, please advise us so that we may adjust our patient care and staffing schedules. If your pet is not picked up within 5 days of the scheduled date you indicated on the Boarding Admission Form, Atlantic Veterinary Hospital will assume the pet has been abandoned and is hereby authorized to release the pete to Seattle Animal Control. You are still financially responsible for any charges associated with the boarding and care of the pet while it is in our care.