Pet Boarding / Kennel in Provo, Utah -
Ricmar Kennels

Pricing Policy

Effective January 1st, 2023

Dogs:

Small - $32 per period:
These are all toy breeds and very small dogs up to about 10 lbs.

Medium - $38 per period:
For breeds like Beagles, Corgis, up to Border Collies an Australian Shepherds or dog between 10 and 50 lbs.

Large - $46 per period:
For Labs, Weimeraners, Dobermans, Boxers, German Shepherds, Golder Retrievers or any dogs 50 to 80 lbs.

GIANT - The kennel cannot accept giant breeds (St. Bernards, Great Danes, etc.) or dogs over 80 lbs.

SENIORs - Animals 10 years or older require specialized care. We often refer such cases to veterinary-boarding facilities, however, we do make exceptions for healthy elderly animals who are not boarding for extended periods. Please feel free to contact us with your request and see our How It Works page for more details and exceptions on senior dogs.

Intranasal Bordetella Vaccines:

$27 each.

Discounts

Multiple Pet Discount:
Receive an additional $2.00 off per pet, per day when you board two or more dogs. Sharing the same kennel is not required.
Cash Discount
Pay with cash and receive $2.00 off per pet, per day from the regular price!

Payment Options

Credit Cards:
We accept all major credit cards
Personal Checks:
We are not accepting Personal Checks at this time.
Cash

What Constitutes a Boarding Period?

A boarding period is the unit of time that starts on the day of drop-off and ends at noon of every subsequent day.
The first day is always charged.
The last day will not be charged when pet is picked up in the morning hours.
The last day will be charged when the pet is picked up in the evening hours.
Evening hour pickups may stay until the next morning at no extra charge since last day is already charged.

Examples:

Drop off time: 6 PM on a Monday. Pickup time: 4 PM the following Wednesday:
Total boarding periods: 3 (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday)
Drop off time: 9:30 AM on a Monday. Pickup time: 12 Noon on a Thursday
Total boarding periods: 3 (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday)

Explanation:

Both of the above examples incur in the same charges. In the first, we must reserve the space for the entire day on Monday. Whether you leave your pet right as we open or right before we close, our "cost" is the same since we don't provide partial-day boarding.

In addition, picking up your pet on Wednesday afternoon instead of morning means that the space will remain empty that night as it is unlikely it will be filled in the last minutes before closing, therefore, PM pickups incur in a new period's charge.

Example two shows the longest time your pet can stay on a three-period charge.

Note:

Many kennels charge both for the first and last day regardless of times. We tried to "split the difference" by not charging for the last day if your pet is picked up during morning business hours.

We tried many different pricing policies and hours over the years and none is perfect for every case. We settled for the ones that seem to work for the majority of our clients. Just remember that if "this time" it seems unfair for your case, the "next time" it may work to your advantage.

Are You Open on Sundays?

Very few kennels operate seven days a week, particularly on Sundays. Since many of our clients return on Sunday afternoon and go to work early Monday morning, we decided to grant a two hour pick up period on Sunday evening so your pet can sleep at home that night as you get ready for the work week.

The tradeoff of opening our business on Sunday and because it is PM pick up only this day is always charged as a full boarding day.

The "up side":

If we were not open Sunday as most kennels, some of you who return home on Saturday afternoon would not be able to see your pet until Monday Morning. Also those of you who have to work on Monday morning could not pick up until Monday night and you would be charged for Sunday and Monday unnecessarily.

The "down side":

Those of you who need an overnight stay of Fri PM to Sat PM will not be able to pick up until Sunday night and by then you will be charged for Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Although you really need what seems like a single 24 hr. period, this type of stay represents the "worst case scenario" of our pricing policy.

Vaccination Requirements

All dogs must be current for all immunizations. Kennel Cough (Bordetella) is of outmost importance and must be up to date. Proof of vaccination should be submitted at drop-off time. We have intra-nasal vaccine available for emergency cases, but recommend to have this done by your veterinarian at least one week prior to boarding.

Important, PLEASE READ

The term Kennel Cough is commonly simplified as "a disease that can be prevented with a simple kennel cough vaccine". Nothing could be more incorrect. Kennel cough is an umbrella term that covers a myriad of upper respiratory infections ranging from viruses to bacterias, all of which are in constant flux, mutations and degrees of intensities. Your annual vaccine unfortunately protects against only three (Adenovirus, Parainfluenza and Bordetella) leaving out dozens if not hundreds of other known and unknown agents. When you pair this with the varying protection of each pet's immune system, there can be as many outcomes as there are dogs exposed to it.

We can go years without seeing a single case and then suddenly someone starts coughing and we are left guessing how exposure happened. We learned from Covid that some people are infected and contagious but asymptomatic, others show mild symptoms, some get hit harder but recover without any medical help, and that for a small minority, Covid degenerates into pneumonia and lives are at risk. Kennel Cough is EXACTLY the same.

It's unfortunate that the term "Kennel" Cough vilifies the industry as if the disease itself is "cooked" there. The term is simply a reflection that kennel settings provide the obligatory close contact among pets and an easy vehicle for difusion just like schools provide the perfect setting for the annual flu to circulate among children (yet it is not called "school flu").

Kennels see a vast array of upper respiratory infections come and go. "Cleanliness," (or the lack thereof) is neither the primary factor for this to emerge nor for it to instantly disappear. CIRD is transmitted primarily by droplets dispersed through coughing and barking of both symptomatic and asymptomatic (but infected) animals therefore surface cleaners do little to stop the spread.

In the rare chance that your dog contracts Kennel cough you should know the following:

Although In most cases the illness is resolved within 4 or 5 days it is safest to discuss and follow your veterinarian's advice.
Antibiotics are commonly prescribed to prevent further progression into the lower respiratory tract and they are very effective.
In the most severe (although very rare) cases it can progress into pneumonia (labor breathing, frothy green vomit) at which point it could mean an emergency visit.

As it is standard in this profession you will be required to sign a waiver of liability regarding this (and other) issues at check in time.

For more information please click on this link or give us a call.

A Note About Persistent Barkers

Over the years, our quiet rural corner of West Provo has succumbed to the expansive subdivisions we see all around Utah. Our kennel, once surrounded by pastures, is now within ear-shot of countless homes and neighbors. Because we do not use or encourage the use of bark devices we must be mindful of our noise levels. Barking is, of course, normal and expected, however extreme cases of dogs who bark persistently inside and outside might fall outside our ability to mange them. We beg your understanding and forgiveness if we must decline future boarding should your pet fall in that category.

Business Hours, For Your Convenience

Monday - Friday: 9:30 AM to 12:00 Noon, and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to Noon only
Sunday: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM only
For questions please email us.

Pet Boarding / Kennel in Provo, Utah - Ricmar Kennels