From an article I wrote about the perils of working with people in the dog business. These people treat dog care as dog service hobbyists. You know them as providers under dogvacay as well as rover and craigslist. They carry no insurance of their own. Have no emergency plan. No fire suppression or way to put out a large fire. Then 99% of the time operate their dog business out of their home. The home is not designed as a dog service business. This is a residence for humans. From a recent article on a dog sitter with Dogvacay:
Whitney D, a great dog
I can appreciate the free enterprise of Dogvacay and Rover out there with folks who have a dog. I have in fact opened my house up to a dog sitter to allow them to give my dogs exercise and now that we have our own dog boarding and dog daycare facility I can see the interest for a low expense option. Dogs are not inexpensive, while they do not speak English, they are darn expensive when it comes to food, medicine and care. I get it, I understand the desire to cut a few corners here and there and look at Dogvacay or Rover as an option. Heck, Craigslist looks like a viable option, after all, its only dog boarding we’re talking about here.
Dog Service Hobbyists
Real Kennels
My real issue I have with people boarding a dog without a license boils down to a couple of issues. Insurance and Liability. The insurance received from others in the form of the company. How reliable is that? Do the Dog Service Hobbyists own the policy, or is it provided to them by the 3rd party entity? I think we will see more issues arise from owners who claim their dogs came down with sickness while at House X or House Y, then what? How does Dogvacay or rover or another site handle issues that come up due to cleanliness or if an animal is bit during the stay? Is the owner of the other dogs really paying as much attention to the other dogs, if their own are there as well? When things go wrong does Dogvacay or the owner step in and pay the vet bill? How long does the owner have to wait for a response?
Dog Service Liability
The Liability issue is more interesting because these homeowners are operating a “business” out of their home without a license. Unregulated Dog Service Hobbyists have no inspections done by the city. They are not required to pass along sales tax or collect it. No fire suppression system other than the 10 year old fire extinguisher under the kitchen sink. What happens in the event of an emergency? Do they have a plan or is it “I’m taking my babies and screw the rest of them?” Would you stay in some of these houses, if you were a dog?
People who want a cheaper alternative will always find a way to justify the use of these types of dog hobbyist, but remember this, if your dog’s well being and care is not the Dog Service Hobbyists #1 priority, in their home with other strange dogs, how well will you sleep at night?
There is a difference between storing dogs at a residence for a few nights and the professional businesses who maintain city licenses, who are inspected by health officials, and who may also partner with veterinarians to provide your dog with the best possible care. Go to this link to see all about the best Dog Boarding Jacksonville FL has ever seen. There is a difference in this industry and we believe that dog owners deserve better.