Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, your dog needs to be up to date with their intestinal worming, heartworm, flea and tick prevention prior to boarding.

Puppies: we are unable to admit puppies until they have had their full course of puppy vaccinations. The third vaccination is normally given around 16 weeks of age, and full protection after vaccination may take up to 2 weeks.

Seniors: we are able to admit older dogs but we apply an additional Seniors charge for each of the dates of stay. Please also be aware that there may be additional charges for any special requirements such as medication, incontinence, hand feeding, etc.

Please note that from Friday 27th January 2023 we will be unable to admit dogs over aged 13 years and over.

Our admission and collection hours are 8am – 11am and 3pm – 6pm Monday to Friday – we are closed for admissions and collections on weekends and on some public holidays.

Under exceptional circumstances admission and collection can be arranged outside our normal operating hours. This must be organised and confirmed by us in advance and will incur an out of hours drop off or pick up fee (please contact us for details).

No – all dogs must have a collar and ID tag showing their name and owner contact number.

If you do not bring a collar and ID tag to check-in then we will provide one for the duration of the booking, and a Collar & Tag charge will apply for each week or part thereof.

We have trampoline or plastic basket beds for all runs but you are welcome to bring your dog’s special bed, blanket or toy. Please ensure that all items are clearly labelled so that we can do our best to return them at the end of the stay.

We serve premium Black Hawk biscuits, but you are welcome to bring your dog’s preferred food. Please ensure that it is clearly labelled with name and portion size.

If any particular storage, preparation or feeding is required such as refrigeration, warming, hand feeding, etc. then a daily Special Requirements fee will be charged for each calendar day of the stay (please contact us for details).

Yes we can. All medications must be clearly labelled with the dog’s name, drug dose & frequency. Special requirements (for instance particular food storage or preparation needs, incontinence / not toilet-trained, or other services that would not normally be provided for other boarders) must be clearly explained and recorded on our Admission Form.

A Medication / Special Requirements fee will be charged for each calendar day of the stay (please contact us for details).

Yes! If your dog is being collected after 4pm we can arrange a warm hydrobath with Fido’s Everyday shampoo so that they are clean and fresh when you pick them up. We also offer a full range of grooming services (coat clips and specialised grooms) on certain days of the week. Please see our Grooming Page here for more info.

We pride ourselves in our facilities and would be happy to provide you with a tour by prior arrangement. To avoid disruption to our guests during peak hours, we prefer to arrange tours between 9am and 11am, or 4pm and 6pm.

When boarding for the first time, some dogs may take a little time to settle-in. When dropping them off it is important to remain happy, and to say goodbye and leave promptly rather than have a prolonged and emotional departure. Once you are out of sight the dogs usually take in the exciting new environment. Most of our guests thrive in the routine at the kennels, however you may like to have a short trial stay if your dog has never boarded before. You can keep up with your dog’s stay by following our Facebook page where we post daily pictures so that owners can see how they are getting on.

If your dog is boarding with us while you are holidaying in the area, you are welcome to take him out with you for the day. We allow collection and return during our normal operating hours, and a Day Release fee will apply for each instance.

Please do note that this can be unsettling for some dogs, such as first-time boarders or those that have separation anxiety.

We believe your dog needs lots of fresh air every day. Dogs are only closed in at night and are out in the fresh air for the rest of the day. They have access to their rooms throughout the day and will enjoy 2-3 supervised periods where they can play off-leash in the paddocks. Well-socialised dogs can play together in small groups while the more people-oriented dogs can enjoy a one-on-one game of fetch or tug-of-war with one of our team.

We will attempt to contact you or your nominated emergency contact to discuss the dog’s condition and subsequent action. If we cannot reach you, we will contact a local vet to check your dog for you. We can arrange transport to a local vet (Salamander Bay Vet, Noah’s Ark Nelson Bay or Shoal Bay Vet Clinic) for diagnosis and subsequent treatment. You will be responsible for all vet fees that are incurred for the treatment of your animal & a vet transport fee will be charged.

Our Peak seasons are the NSW school holidays, whilst Off-Peak seasons are all other times (NSW school terms). Our rates for Peak & Off-Peak pricing are listed on our Prices page.

Separate procedures apply for Christmas & Easter Peak Period bookings, but for all other Peak season bookings:

• Peak rates apply (rates charged with be those in effect on each of the dates of stay).
• A deposit of $100 per dog is required to secure a Peak season booking. If the deposit is not received within 7 days the booking will be cancelled without notification to you.
• If a Peak season booking is made within 7 days of arrival then the deposit must be paid immediately to secure the booking. You may call the office to use a card, or pay the deposit by bank transfer and send us a transfer receipt (the booking will not be confirmed until we have received the transfer, which may take an extra day).
• Cancellation or amendment of a Peak season booking for any reason will be subject to our Cancellation / Amendment policy and may incur an Admin Fee, partial or complete loss of deposit, and / or a cancellation fee.

Capacity at the Kennels is very limited, and we experience exceptionally high demand over the Christmas & Easter periods. This means that we cannot accommodate all requests for bookings and often have to disappoint people by turning them away. To offer the best possible service to as many guests as possible, there are some supplementary terms & conditions that apply to bookings over these periods.

These include:

• special rates for the Christmas & Easter Peak Periods;
• procedures around how we accept, confirm & take payment for bookings;
• amendment & cancellation terms (including refunds).

These conditions are necessary to allow us to properly plan for these peak periods, and to help as many guests as possible over the periods when demand is the highest.

During Off-Peak seasons we do not charge a cancellation fee but appreciate as much notice as possible as we often have customers who are waitlisted and will be keen to take any spots that are no longer required.

During Peak seasons (other than the Christmas & Easter Peak Periods when special conditions apply):

• If you cancel your booking for any reason and provide between 8 & 14 days notice then you will incur an Admin Fee.
• If you cancel your booking for any reason within 7 days of arrival then you will incur a fee of 50% of the total boarding charge.
• If you amend your booking dates for any reason within 7 days of arrival, an Admin Fee will be incurred. If the amendment reduces the period booked, the reduced portion will be considered a cancellation.
• If you decide to cut short your stay after arrival for any reason the reduced portion will be considered a cancellation.

These conditions apply because of the exceptionally high demand, and we will have turned customers away to reserve your spot. If you cancel or amend your booking at short notice then we may not be able to fill the vacant spot.