Boarding Kennels
This is a place where dogs are housed temporarily for a fee, an alternative to using a pet sitter. Although many people worry about the stress placed on the animal by being put in an unfamiliar and most likely crowded environment, the majority of boarding kennels work to reduce stress. Many kennels offer one-on-one "play times" in order to get the animal out of the kennel environment. Familiar objects, such as blankets and toys from home, are also permitted at many kennels. Similarly, many kennels nowadays also offer grooming and training services in addition to boarding, with the idea being that the kennel can be the owner's "one-stop shop" for all three services. In the United States the term boarding kennel is also used to refer to boarding catteries and licensing agencies do not always differentiate between commercial boarding kennels for dogs and other animal or cat boarding kennels. It is estimated that in 2008 people in the US will spend $3.29 billion on boarding and grooming services. In 2007 actual market surveys showed that $3.0 billion was spent on these services. Annual kennel boarding expenses for dog owners was $225, and for cat owners was $149 according to a 2007-2008 survey.
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