Have questions?  

We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions here on this page for your convenience.  

If you have a question that we have not addressed below, please feel free to contact us.  We will be more than happy to assist you and answer any and all questions you might have.

  
1. Do you accept walk-ins or do I need an appointment to board my pet or get my pet groomed?
2. Why should I choose Part of the Family Kennels to care for my pet?
3. Why should I use a boarding kennel instead of a pet sitter?
4. What kind of experience do you have? 
5. What if my pet gets sick?
6. What if my pet has special needs?
7. Can I bring toys, food and bedding?
8. Can you administer my pet's medication?
9. Do you have indoor and outdoor runs?
10. Are your indoor runs air conditioned and heated?
11. Does my pet get to go outside and play?
12. Do you have a veterinarian on call?
13. What shots does my pet need?
14. I have a new puppy and need to go out of town, at what age can I board my pet? 
15. Can multiple pets stay together?
16. Do you allow a friend or family member to visit my pet while its being boarded?
17. Can I visit your boarding facilities before deciding whether to board my pet there?
18. Do you offer dog grooming services?
19. What hours are your boarding kennels open for arrivals and departures?
20. Do you provide day care?
21. What are your rates?
   

 
1 Do you accept walk-ins or do I need an appointment to board my pet or get my pet groomed?

You must have an appointment or reservation for any service we provide. We need time to verify that the pets vaccinations are current and we need get additional information regarding you and your pets.

Please try to give us at least a one week notice for boarding or grooming and during holiday periods you may need to book your reservation 2-4 weeks in advance.

We will try to fit you in on short notice if you have an emergency but always call us first, don't just show up with your pet hoping to get in.

For the health and safety of all our pet guests, we cannot allow any pets into the building until we have verified they are current with their vaccinations and in good health.


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2 Why should I choose Part of the Family Kennels to care for my pet?

Because you want the best possible care for your pet and what better way than to let them become part of our family for their stay, long or short. Pet lovers have been trusting Part of the Family kennels for over 30 years because they know their pet will be treated like one of our own and we have a stellar reputation for exceeding the expectations of our customers and our four-legged guests.

You are welcome to stop by and visit before you make an appointment and we will be happy to show you around and talk to you about the needs of your pet. Our promise to you is to provide a sanitary, loving environment for your pet while in our care and to assure that all of our employees are genuine pet lovers who know how to properly care for all our guests.

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3 Why should I use a boarding kennel instead of a pet sitter?

Just like kennels, some pet sitters are good and some aren't. Can you be sure they will actually show up when they are supposed to? Will they do what you ask? Are they trained to identify problems? What if something happens when the sitter isn't there? At Part of the Family, all the employees are trained to identify problems. Also, your pet is supervised all day before bedding down for the night, out of harms' way. We feel the safest environment is a clean kennel with experienced employees who love pets.  And at Part of the Family, the owners live on site.

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4 What kind of experience do you have? 

The owners have been raising dogs for over 30 years and also breed AKC champion show dogs, (we've lost count of how many ribbons the dogs have won over the years)! Debbie is also past President of the Greater Williamsburg Kennel Club and still maintains club offices and memberships both regionally and nationally.

In addition, Debbie has been a groomer for over 15 years and prior to that was in the medical field. As a result, she has a broad based knowledge of any health issues that might arise.

We are members of the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA) and we are fully licensed by the state of Florida and Hillsborough County.

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5 What if my pet gets sick?

We watch all the pets throughout the day. If there are any problems that we cannot handle the first thing we will do is contact you to discuss it. If we are unable to reach you and the pet needs medical attention we will take it to the vet. We take care of your pet as if it were our own and since we live on site we frequently stop in and check on everyone.

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6 What if my pet has special needs?

Our experienced staff is very knowledgeable and we welcome pets with any special needs. We frequently board pets that have restricted or special diets, pets that need medication, older pets that need extra TLC and even handicapped pets with walkers. If your pet is a finicky eater we will sit with them during mealtime and even feed them by hand if necessary. For the really tough cases, we will head to the kitchen and cook them some chicken or liver (and they just love that)!

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7 Can I bring toys, food and bedding?

Absolutely! Many pet owners like to bring something that the pet is familiar with, a blanket, a favorite toy, etc. We ask that you put your pet's name on anything that you bring. We strongly recommend that you bring your pet's food. Whenever a pets food is changed it should be done gradually mixing in the old with the new over several days. An abrupt change in diet can cause diarrhea and even make your pet sick.

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8 Can you administer my pet's medication?

Yes, we do this regularly. All medications are carefully labeled and given at the appropriate time. Unlike many kennels, we do not charge extra to administer any medications.

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9 Do you have indoor and outdoor runs?

Yes we do. They are cleaned and sanitized every day and the pets bedding is washed daily if any "accidents" occur. Our outdoor runs are also covered to provide shade.

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10 Are your indoor runs air conditioned and heated?

Yes, our kennel building has heat and air conditioning and is attached to a large generator so in the event power goes out our heat, AC and lighting all continue to function.

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11 Does my pet get to go outside and play?

Yes, all the dogs get to go outside a minimum of twice a day, every day, even when we are closed.

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12 Do you have a veterinarian on call?

We have a vet nearby whom we work with regularly and who also takes care our own dogs when needed. We will try to use your vet if it's practical, but since we wouldn't take your pet to a vet unless it was an emergency, we would likely take your pet to the closest emergency care available. Our vet will even come to our location if necessary.

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13 What shots does my pet need?

For dogs, the vaccinations required include the Distemper/Parvo combo and Rabies. The Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine is recommended but not required. Cats need to be vaccinated for Rabies, Feline Leukemia and FVRCP. We cannot board a pet without these vaccinations unless your vet writes us a letter stating your pet does not need them. It is recommended that all these shots be given at least 2 weeks before boarding.

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14 I have a new puppy and need to go out of town, at what age can I board my pet? 

Your pet should be at least 4 months old and have had all their shots including rabies. 

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15 Can multiple pets stay together?

Of course, most prefer that.

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16 Do you allow a friend or family member to visit my pet while its being boarded?

Yes, visits can be made at any time during regular business hours.

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17 Can I visit your boarding facilities before deciding whether to board my pet there?

Sure, just give us a call to make sure we are available and we would be pleased to give you a tour and explain what goes on.

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18 Do you offer dog grooming services?

We offer full service, all-breed grooming and have a very experienced grooming staff. We never administer any drugs and we are gentle with all of our grooming procedures.

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19

What hours are your boarding kennels open for arrivals and departures?

Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm.
Saturday 7:30am - 11:00am.

We prefer you check in or pick up by 3:00 weekdays and by 10:00 Saturday.

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20

Do you provide day care?

Yes, there are those who find it very convenient to drop off their pet on the way to work and pick up on the way home. Sometimes folks just need their pet out of the way for a day or a night (painting, remodeling, guests, etc).

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21

What are your rates?

Rates for boarding are determined by the size and weight of your dog. Rates for grooming are determined by the size, condition, length of hair and the time that will be needed to give you the look you are seeking. We are happy to discuss our services anytime so please give us a call for prices, 813-986-4646. 

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