Frequently Asked Questions
 
Why choose to leave your pet at Shangri-La Kennels over a pet sitter, friend or neighbor?
First and foremost WE are professionals. WE have been providing pet care for your friends and neighbors pets for over 30 years. WE have the education, training and experience others do not have.  WE have the reputation and respect of area veterinarians, dog clubs and professionals in our industry.  Have you ever thought about what would happen if your pet is left in your home while you are away and there is a fire? What if your pet becomes ill? What if there is a power outage?  A break in? What if your pet escapes from your home or yard?  Are you sure your pet will get fed, get his medication, be cared for properly?  How much attention will he get with someone coming in once or twice a day for a few minutes?
Boarding at Shangri-La Kennels provides your pet with individual attention, loving care and stimulation he deserves throughout the day and evening. We live on the premises so we are on site to watch over your pet. When you leave on your trip you can be assured that your pet is safe and secure with us, all his needs will be met and you will return to a happy pet.  
 
Are you licensed by the State of Maine?
Yes. We are inspected every year by the Animal Welfare Dept. We are licensed by the state of Maine and meet all state codes and requirements.  Our building is also inspected annually by the Auburn Fire Dept and meets all fire safety codes.
 
Can I see where my pet will be staying? Are you open for a tour?
Yes. We encourage this. We are open for your inspection so you may see where your pet will be staying. Other kennels may say no, because of insurance concerns. They just don’t want you to see what their facility looks like behind those closed doors. But we are not hiding anything.  We want you to be comfortable and feel that your pet is in a clean, safe environment. Come see us… compare us with our competitors.
 
Can my pet come meet you before his/her stay?
Yes. We would like to meet your pet before he comes but that’s not required.  But we’d love to see him if it fits your schedule.  In fact we will allow you to leave your pet with us for a couple of hours before you go on your trip as a trial run at no charge to you. This gives your pet a chance to get a feel of our kennel, get to know us beforehand and have a short stay to get acclimated here before you go away.  Call to arrange a trial run.
 
Can I call to check up on how my pet is doing?
Yes. We will tell you how your pet is doing, how he is eating and how his stay is going.  We want you to have a relaxing time away without worrying about your pet. So call and check in. If you call off hours, we have an answering machine. Leave a number and will call you back in a timely manner.
 
What are the accommodations like?
Every dog has its own indoor pen and outside run area. Each Cat has its own spacious indoor pen with a cat tree and window to the outside.  The area is well lighted and we have music playing throughout the kennel. We have several large outdoor fenced in areas for individual play time. The building is heated.
 
Does my pet interact with other animals?
No. We want your pet to be safe and healthy. We provide individual care with personal attention. Other places have community areas and pets are sometimes traumatized by bullies.  Pets come back with wounds. Communal areas can not be disinfected. You can be assured your pet will not have an illness passed onto him or have another pet get aggressive with him while he is with us.
 
How much attention does my pet get while boarding?
Because we live here on premises, we are in contact with your pet all day long. They are as much a part of our family as they are yours.  Be assured you will see a difference in your pets when you pick them up. Tails will wag, your cat will purr and they will be eager to return to us for another visit.
 
What should I bring for my pet?
Pet beds, blankets, toys, treats. You may bring anything you think will make your pet comfortable having with him. We do not need pet dishes.  We provide cat litter and litter boxes. We are not responsible for items left with your pet. Be aware that some pets will chew or destroy items left with them.  If an item is left that we determine may not be healthy for our pet, we will set it aside.
 
My pet needs medication while staying with you. Can you give them when it’s needed?
Yes. There will be a charge of $1 to administer meds 1x a day… $2 for 2x a day.
We also care for your pet’s ears, administer ear medications and clean the ears. There will be a $2 charge/cleaning for that service.
 
Can I bring my own food and treats?
Yes. Some pets are quite fussy or do not do well with a change of diet. If you want to provide a diet from home we will see that it is fed to your pet. If food is not brought from home we will be feeding Purina Dog Chow for the dogs and we have a variety of dry and can cat food for the cats. If you wish you may bring an entire bag of food or break it up into daily baggie allotments.
 
I have two pets being boarded together. What happens at feeding time?
We will separate your pets during feeding tome to assure that one pet doesn’t eat two bowls of food. Some pets take longer to eat or if each pet has a different diet you can be assured they will get the food they each require and have the time to eat their food without the worry of losing their share.
 
My pet eats multiple times a day. My pet free feeds. How do you feed?
Your pet is used to your feeding schedule. Let us know what your needs are and we can easily accommodate them. 
 
Can I provide things that need refrigeration or are frozen?
Yes. We have a refrigerator and freezer in the kennel to store food or treats that need to be kept cold.
 
What if my pet needs medical attention or becomes ill?
We will contact your veterinarian first. If they are not available we will take your pet to the Emergency clinic in Lewiston for treatment. All veterinarian fees will be paid for by the owners.
 
Can I make arrangements to pick up or drop off outside of the scheduled hours?
We do have set hours of operation and would prefer you respect them. However we understand that sometimes you need help getting out of town outside of our hours. Call and we will see if our schedule can help you.  There is a $10 fee for dropping off or picking up off hours. 
 
Can I extend my pets stay if my flight gets cancelled or I have road emergencies and cant get back when I said I would?
Yes. A phone call alerting us of a change in your plans is welcome.  Many people have unexpected emergencies, break downs or just want to extend their trip because they are having a good time, the weather is nice and they want to stay longer. We can keep your pet for any extended time you need. Just let us know so we are aware of the change of your pick up date.
 
Can I cancel my reservation if my trip or plans get cancelled?
Yes. Plans change, kids get sick, accidents happen. Life sometimes steps in and your vacation gets delayed. Please let us know as soon as you know so we can give your kennel space to someone else looking to go away. A reservation made and not shown up for loses us income and the possibility of boarding another customer.  There is no fee for cancelling. 
 
Do you care for other pets besides dogs and cats?
Yes, we can care for other small pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets.  We’ve even cared for an exotic turtle.