Help! Border Kennel Issue

[Animal House]

How frustrating, shame you paid the bill though. Can you put in a complaint to......err, the body that overseas boarding kennels? If there is one?

[coogie]

I find this really, really surprising. I am sorry your dog was injured and don't know the full story obviously, but I and family members have used Border Rivers often, both the kennels and the fitness centre. It always appears super safe, the kennel was purpose built AFAIK so the dogs don't see each other and to reduce stress on them. My sister's GSD and several friends' Shar Pei (notoriously difficult in kennels) have all stayed there with no issues at all,everything is very sturdy colour bond and secure.

Issy my girl has gone there every single week for the last three years to have hydrotherapy, and they are super particular about separation of the dogs, always know which ones need more space, ask people to wait outside, move away etc. They are very cautious and ask the owners to be careful crossing over from the parking area through the house yard, every dog to be leashed at all times etc. I understand none of this helps you as it was your dog that got injured, but I just want to say they are really not lazy or uncaring, quite the opposite.In fact they are one of the very few people I would leave my dogs with. I hope your dogs recovers soon.

[DeltaCharlie]

I find this really, really surprising. I am sorry your dog was injured and don't know the full story obviously, but I and family members have used Border Rivers often, both the kennels and the fitness centre. It always appears super safe, the kennel was purpose built AFAIK so the dogs don't see each other and to reduce stress on them. My sister's GSD and several friends' Shar Pei (notoriously difficult in kennels) have all stayed there with no issues at all,everything is very sturdy colour bond and secure.

Issy my girl has gone there every single week for the last three years to have hydrotherapy, and they are super particular about separation of the dogs, always know which ones need more space, ask people to wait outside, move away etc. They are very cautious and ask the owners to be careful crossing over from the parking area through the house yard, every dog to be leashed at all times etc. I understand none of this helps you as it was your dog that got injured, but I just want to say they are really not lazy or uncaring, quite the opposite.In fact they are one of the very few people I would leave my dogs with. I hope your dogs recovers soon.

How do you know what kennel was used? I can't see it mentioned anywhere

[coogie]

It is in the title, 02dogs names it in the other thread as well and it is the kennel they said they were going to visit when they were looking for a sitter who could keep their dogs apart back in January but then decided to go for a kennel.

[HazyWal]

I find this really, really surprising. I am sorry your dog was injured and don't know the full story obviously, but I and family members have used Border Rivers often, both the kennels and the fitness centre. It always appears super safe, the kennel was purpose built AFAIK so the dogs don't see each other and to reduce stress on them. My sister's GSD and several friends' Shar Pei (notoriously difficult in kennels) have all stayed there with no issues at all,everything is very sturdy colour bond and secure.

Issy my girl has gone there every single week for the last three years to have hydrotherapy, and they are super particular about separation of the dogs, always know which ones need more space, ask people to wait outside, move away etc. They are very cautious and ask the owners to be careful crossing over from the parking area through the house yard, every dog to be leashed at all times etc. I understand none of this helps you as it was your dog that got injured, but I just want to say they are really not lazy or uncaring, quite the opposite.In fact they are one of the very few people I would leave my dogs with. I hope your dogs recovers soon.

How do you know what kennel was used? I can't see it mentioned anywhere

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/262055-dog-kennels-brisbane-area/

How awful for you O2Dogs I would still get legal advice.

[DeltaCharlie]

It is in the title, 02dogs names it in the other thread as well and it is the kennel they said they were going to visit when they were looking for a sitter who could keep their dogs apart back in January but then decided to go for a kennel.

Ahh, I thought they misspelt Boarder as in Boarding Kennel :) I hadn't seen the other thread so was a little confused.

[persephone]

It is in the title, 02dogs names it in the other thread as well and it is the kennel they said they were going to visit when they were looking for a sitter who could keep their dogs apart back in January but then decided to go for a kennel.

Ahh, I thought they misspelt Boarder as in Boarding Kennel :) I hadn't seen the other thread so was a little confused.

and I thought it was border (collie)

[Christina]

Maybe the gate wasn't latched properly but you will never know.

I guess you had to pay the bill to retrieve your dogs.

The small claims court is the way to go if you would like to try & recoup the vet bills. May be worth it or not, depending on the fees involved, of which I have no idea.

You must be absolutely furious after your specific instructions. Its not impressive really.

[Boronia]

If you Google this sentence--> 'if a waiver is signed does the Australian consumer law still apply' you will find some of the links are informative, it seems that you may still have further legal rights against the supplier.

[alpha bet]

One thing we should remember is we only have one side to the story... hence I would be very careful about naming the kennel online.

Also important to remember that when working with animals, sometimes shit happens.... that is life... No kennel would purposely put dogs together that are an issue, however if the kennel is a big kennel there could be many different staff and perhaps one of the workers was not so careful, because after all, the dogs are from the same family and hence us kennel operators would not expect them to be such a problem.

As you say you inspected the kennel and gave instructions (in writing?) in which case it would seem fair that the kennel should either - refund you the cost of boarding the dogs or refund you the cost of the vet bill.

Personally as a kennel owner... if a client came with two dogs and gave instructions that the dog is not to even be in visual of each other.... I would not take that client on... I am a small kennel and if the dogs that live together are that much of an issue I don't need that headache.

[HazyWal]

No kennel should put dogs together full stop when asked, whether it be in writing or not. It's a common request and if they can't adhere to the most simplest of requests then maybe they shouldn't be running a kennel at all, that sh*t shouldn't happen. I recently boarded my greyhounds just for the day and the thing that attracted me to this kennel in the first place was they do not board specific breeds. It may not be "PC" but the safety of my greyhounds goes beyond that, I just don't need the headache...or the vet bill.

[Loving my Oldies]

One thing we should remember is we only have one side to the story... hence I would be very careful about naming the kennel online.

Also important to remember that when working with animals, sometimes shit happens.... that is life... No kennel would purposely put dogs together that are an issue, however if the kennel is a big kennel there could be many different staff and perhaps one of the workers was not so careful, because after all, the dogs are from the same family and hence us kennel operators would not expect them to be such a problem.

As you say you inspected the kennel and gave instructions (in writing?) in which case it would seem fair that the kennel should either - refund you the cost of boarding the dogs or refund you the cost of the vet bill.

Personally as a kennel owner... if a client came with two dogs and gave instructions that the dog is not to even be in visual of each other.... I would not take that client on... I am a small kennel and if the dogs that live together are that much of an issue I don't need that headache.

Re your last para: you are obviously a responsible kennel owner who recognises your limitations for the good of your business and your clients and that is an excellent way to operate.

From all the stories posted here over the years, there are some that don't understand that and, as well, any industry has its good and bad players.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Apparently one broke into a secure area the other one was in.

There's not many photos on the kennel's website of the pens where the dogs are kept but the doors look like regular house doors that a reasonable person would expect to hold a dog.

But if something like this happened where the fault was caused by a failure of the kennel structure - I can't see how the kennel can expect the dog owner to pay.

Not sure where the liability would be if the dog had attacked a human or someone else's dog. Fun and money for lawyers, I'm sure.

I'd had some internet conversations with the kennel owner and thought him quite sensible and reasonable about dog training at least. There must be a way through if it doesn't get too much of who is right and who is wrong.

[GeorgieB]

No kennel should put dogs together full stop when asked, whether it be in writing or not. It's a common request and if they can't adhere to the most simplest of requests then maybe they shouldn't be running a kennel at all, that sh*t shouldn't happen. I recently boarded my greyhounds just for the day and the thing that attracted me to this kennel in the first place was they do not board specific breeds. It may not be "PC" but the safety of my greyhounds goes beyond that, I just don't need the headache...or the vet bill.

If they don't board specific breeds due to perceived aggression issues, I would be concerned they think the breeds they do board are all friendly and perhaps not be cautious at all about potential issues between dogs?

[HazyWal]

No kennel should put dogs together full stop when asked, whether it be in writing or not. It's a common request and if they can't adhere to the most simplest of requests then maybe they shouldn't be running a kennel at all, that sh*t shouldn't happen. I recently boarded my greyhounds just for the day and the thing that attracted me to this kennel in the first place was they do not board specific breeds. It may not be "PC" but the safety of my greyhounds goes beyond that, I just don't need the headache...or the vet bill.

If they don't board specific breeds due to perceived aggression issues, I would be concerned they think the breeds they do board are all friendly and perhaps not be cautious at all about potential issues between dogs?

How do you know it's "perceived" and not experience? No concerns for me at all, a kennel that has been operating for many years, they board a lot of greyhounds and are greyhound owners/trainers themselves.

[Maddy]

No kennel should put dogs together full stop when asked, whether it be in writing or not. It's a common request and if they can't adhere to the most simplest of requests then maybe they shouldn't be running a kennel at all, that sh*t shouldn't happen. I recently boarded my greyhounds just for the day and the thing that attracted me to this kennel in the first place was they do not board specific breeds. It may not be "PC" but the safety of my greyhounds goes beyond that, I just don't need the headache...or the vet bill.

If they don't board specific breeds due to perceived aggression issues, I would be concerned they think the breeds they do board are all friendly and perhaps not be cautious at all about potential issues between dogs?

Really?

The kennel is obviously concerned with managing risk by entirely excluding certain breeds that are known to be prone to DA. Recognising that some breeds are higher risk does not mean they assume all other dogs are zero risk. If anything, the fact that they are aware that certain breeds are higher risk suggests to me that dog aggression and its management is something they're experienced in.

[GeorgieB]

I don't know the kennel, perhaps they do. But I would be concerned they think they are not equiped to handle DA dogs and so exclude potentially DA breeds ?

I would need more reassurance.

Edited March 24, 2015 by GeorgieB

[Maddy]

I don't know the kennel, perhaps they do. But I would be concerned they think they are not equiped to handle DA dogs and so exclude potentially DA breeds ?

I would need more reassurance.

If their policies concern you, find a place where they'll happily toss the bull breeds in with the SWFs

[Simply Grand]

One thing we should remember is we only have one side to the story... hence I would be very careful about naming the kennel online.

Also important to remember that when working with animals, sometimes shit happens.... that is life... No kennel would purposely put dogs together that are an issue, however if the kennel is a big kennel there could be many different staff and perhaps one of the workers was not so careful, because after all, the dogs are from the same family and hence us kennel operators would not expect them to be such a problem.

As you say you inspected the kennel and gave instructions (in writing?) in which case it would seem fair that the kennel should either - refund you the cost of boarding the dogs or refund you the cost of the vet bill.

Personally as a kennel owner... if a client came with two dogs and gave instructions that the dog is not to even be in visual of each other.... I would not take that client on... I am a small kennel and if the dogs that live together are that much of an issue I don't need that headache.

Re your last para: you are obviously a responsible kennel owner who recognises your limitations for the good of your business and your clients and that is an excellent way to operate.

From all the stories posted here over the years, there are some that don't understand that and, as well, any industry has its good and bad players.

Yes this. Alpha bet, I think it's much more professional to do as you do and say up front that is not something we deal with than to say yes we will do that then not do it.

Having said that, I certainly know that when dealing with both animals and humans sh*t happens and things go wrong. However I get the impression from this situation that the kennel should have taken some financial responsibility for what happened here.

The only time I've boarded two of my dogs together I specifically wanted them to be housed and run together for the comfort to each other, and correct me if I'm wrong kennel owners but suspect I'm not alone in that, so if an owner specified they wanted their dogs kept separately I think I would take it seriously and would do everything I could to make sure they were kept separate.

[Simply Grand]

I don't know the kennel, perhaps they do. But I would be concerned they think they are not equiped to handle DA dogs and so exclude potentially DA breeds ?

I would need more reassurance.

If their policies concern you, find a place where they'll happily toss the bull breeds in with the SWFs

I hardly think that accepting bull breeds as boarders automatically equates to running them loose with small dogs.