Boarding kennels can cause significant stress in dogs and cats, and understanding and minimizing this stress is important for the welfare of animals separated from their home environments.
Boarding represents a significant acute welfare challenge for many companion animals. The combination of separation from attachment figures, unfamiliar environment, proximity to strange animals, and changes in routine creates a stress response that is measurable in behavior and cortisol levels. While many animals adapt within a few days, the initial period involves genuine distress. High-quality boarding operations minimize stress through careful facility design, familiar object provision, appropriate social grouping, and exercise and enrichment. For animals with severe boarding anxiety, in-home care or trusted friends providing care is a welfare-superior alternative.