Millions of people around the world wrestle with the question of where to place their pets when a natural disaster, sudden illness or an emergency trip means that they will be away for a while. The owners often try to take their pets along with them in their travels only to discover that animals may not be welcome at the hotel, or allowed on the plane. Often neighbors or friends are asked to care for a pet, but being good-intentioned does not equal being knowledgeable about the pets. And once again, this choice can lead to trouble. Whenever pets are delegated to these part-time caretakers, they are prone to running away or becoming terribly sick as the result of a lack in steadfast, constant and thorough management.

Pets need better supervision to be safe; they also need play and attention. The professional boarding kennel offers a number of pet care options that owners can utilize when they are in need of pet care. More than 30,000,000 pet owners every year entrust their pets to an experienced boarding kennel because of their dependable and safe pet care services.

Finding good, safe, secure kennels for the safekeeping of their precious pets can be a difficult, time-consuming and frustrating experience for conscientious pet owners; to aid in this vital aspect of pet ownership, the American Boarding Kennels Association (ABKA) has compiled information to aid pet owners in finding, judging, choosing and developing a relationship with their local professional kennels.