WYOMING, Mich. -- A fire destroyed a Muskegon County kennel on Friday morning and killed dozens of dogs being boarded. It’s now raising concern for others whether they want to leave their pets in the hands of another while traveling for spring break.
FOX 17 talked with dog boarders in Wyoming on what their safety guidelines are.
The owner of theWell Mannered Dog Center in Wyoming said they have a number of procedures in place to ensure all dogs are safe during their stay.
“I have staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year,” said owner Kathryn Snyder. “No dog is left alone, ever. That, to me, ensures a lot of security for any kind of problem.
“What I suggest is that a person looks at the kennel, looks at the amount of people there. Hands and eye on staff. If you’re concerned about fire, look for a fire suppression. Make sure the decision between kenneling and non-kenneling.”
At the Well Mannered Dog Center they have a fire-suppression system throughout the entire building, which is 26-thousand square feet.
“I don’t care if you stick a dog in a kennel and put a cot and a TV with them, it’s still a box; and in an emergency, a dog cannot move out of a box,” Snyder said.
She’s a business owner prepared for the unexpected. A few years ago, her building was struck by a tornado. The building may have been heavily damaged, but her policies were in place and no dogs were harmed. “I was phoned immediately by my wrangler that was here. No one else knew what the problem was. The police, fire department didn’t even know the tornado had hit the building. We were first,” she said.
“Had the dogs been crated or kenneled, surely I would have some lost, but they were able to move, get away from anything falling, that type of thing. A dog is going to try and protect itself, and if you contain it, it can’t," Snyder added.
The owner said she has a procedure manual for all her staff. They know everything from how to clean with chemicals safely to appropriate temperatures for dogs to be outside.
