The cramped kennels of yesteryear are gone, replaced by luxe dog and cat hotels complete with live video streams, aquariums, and all-day play.
The stress of saying goodbye to your dog when you leave town is no more. Many dog hotels, like BauserHaus Dog Daycare Boarding (2818 Breckenridge Industrial, 314-961-3911, bauserhaus.com) or Traveling Tails Inn (2764 Route 66 Business Park, Edwardsville, Ill., 618-659-2366, travelingtailsinn.com), offer live video streams so you can make sure your dog is all right.
Plus, these kennels and others like The Watering Bowl (7409 S. Lindbergh, 314-892-8779, thewateringbowl.com) will let your dog play outside all day (weather permitting) to indulge in the ultimate doggy recess. If Fido’s a little smelly after all of that fun, you can have The Watering Bowl wash him, or bond with him while washing him at its facility yourself.
In addition to boarding, Kennelwood Pet Resorts (multiple locations, 314-429-2100, kennelwood.com) offers free puppy day care (about four hours of playtime) and free grooming for all dogs 6 months old and younger. It also has a free Pet Matchmaker service. This Patti Stanger of pooches will make sure your family gets the right dog or help locate a missing pet.
But boarding isn’t just for the dogs. Cats at Petropolis (16830 Chesterfield Airport Rd., 636-537-2322, petropolis.com) get to stretch their paws in 7-foot tall “jungle” suites, with climbing towers, toys, or views of a 255-gallon aquarium. They also get playtime around a koi pond with a waterfall.
