A few years ago Pet Camp suffered a one star Yelp review because we wouldn’t let a first time client board his dog with us without proof of vaccines. This potential client was irate in our lobby and blasted us on Yelp probably before he started his car to pull away. The counselors who stood their ground and did the right thing were both shaken by the experience and upset that by doing the right thing they had lost one client and potentially many more by “earning” us that bad review. Frankly, while I too was furious at this non-client, I could not have been more proud of the way the counselors involved behaved and was thrilled that they understood the Pet Camp values health and safety over just bringing in more money. Since the outbreak of Canine Influenza (canine flu, dog flu, or CIV depending on who is speaking) in the mid-west and east coast, we’ve been turning away lots of potential new business to protect your dog’s health. Here’s what we’ve been doing and why.
Most current information suggests that if a dog is exposed to the dog flu at a dog park, veterinarian office, grooming salon, doggie day care, dog hotel or anywhere else, he or she will be displaying symptoms within 21 days. Between exposure and 21 days the dog can be both sick AND contagious but there may be no way to tell without getting a culture from the dog and of course since the dog isn’t showing any symptoms no one is collecting a culture. We know that many people travel with their dogs or move to the Bay Area from areas impacted with dog flu. We also know that so far the Bay Area has largely avoided dog flu. Given the asymptomatic period of 21 days, last year Pet Camp implemented a 30 day “Bay Area is home” requirement before we will accept a new camper. We hope that, by requiring a dog to be in the Bay Area for 30 days before it comes to Pet Camp, anything that dog was exposed to before making the Bay Area home has shown itself.
UV Germicidal Light and Air Scrubbing Technology used at Pet Camp
We know this reverse quarantine isn’t foolproof and that the UV Germicidal light and air scrubbers we installed can’t guarantee that nothing will ever happen, but we also know that doing everything we can to protect the health and safety of your dog, even at the expense of losing some new clients, is part of the Pet Camp culture. We hope that if we’ve turned you away pending your 30 days in the Bay Area you’ll give us another chance to have your dog camp with us.
Thanks for reading.