hi there guys this may not be a normal post but as i have been coming on here for about a week now and no that most of the people on here are mainly genuine good hearted people i need to get something off my chest i have worked at my current place of employment for over 8 years and have been getting more and more unhappy there.
working at the kennels has been a great oppurtunity for me but i must say that i am very concerned more so latley about my employers committment to her dogs tending to let the money side of her business rule her heart.
i am really thinking about quitting but dont know if i could bare to seperate my self from the dogs as to me i love them like they are my own and i dont trust that if i left they would be looked after as they should be and get enough love and attention as they all deserve im in a bit of a pickle and i cant talk to my employer as tried that once already a few years back and basically got told that if i didnt agree with her ethics i could be replaced in so many words.
If only the people that came to the boarding kennels knew what really goes on i think that her business wouldnt exactly be so popular. has anyone else ever been in a similar position to this and what did they do any advice would be greatly appreciated because like i said earlier i am at a loss as to what to do thanks.

Hi,

I think you are in a difficult situation, I haven't been in that situation before, but would just like to say whatever feels right is the way to go.

What are the things that worry you about the kennels, would it be worth speaking to the council (who I think licence kennels) about it if you are really worried and maybe they could keep an eye on them?? Not sure if that would do any good?

Good luck and hope it works out for you.

Manda
X

Poor you. What a dilemma. :(
As Manda says, can you contact the council, or mention something of your worries to the on-call vet? Do you feel you could tell us more details of your worries, or would that put you in an even more awkward situation?

thanks for the replys the things i dont agree with are thngs like telling the borders owners that their pet will get a least two daily walks when indeed she has no intention to walk hardly any of them at all. I would walk each and every one of them my self eachday if i had the time to do so you see its not just the boarders we look after of witch there is 53 of them at full capacity it is also my employers 18 great danes(not includeing any litters of pups there may be) and her four springer spaniels. she is greatly understaffed as she does not like to pay to much on wages and needs the boarding kennels to basically fund the danes.
i dont beleive that the dogs are given enough excercise or one to one time perticularley her own because she normaly comes out to see them once a fortnight if they are lucky unless she has a show to go to or has people coming to look at pups. I work as many hours as i can ust to ensure that i can do as much as i can in a day and considering i do basically everything that should gie you a good idear of how stretched things are. none of the dogs are underfed or physically misstreated as such its more sort of general standards that an animal should get in my oppinion. dont think the council would consider these strong enough violations to warrant any such actions. im on holiday for two weeks at the moment and miss the dogs already so much that i have visited to day just to check up on them as i am quit devoted to them and that is the only thing keeping me their at the moment.

Im sad to say this happens a lot and to some just to dump their dog at kennels whilst they go away on holiday is easy and now they go away so many times a year I actually was amazed last christmas when revellers where dropping their pets off at kennles and saying to them have a lovely christmas holiday ! what did they think? that there dog was going pertying everynight instead of stuck in a kennel and dont forget the dogs get to watch for signs and will know whats going to happen my dogs get excited when we start preparing to go caravanning cos they know they are coming too. the very least that could happen is that the dogs could get a walk each day but i beilive some kennel insurance wont cover them for this. we have just achived after years of fundraising some kennels for our rescue dogs they get walked every day and free running as well.

i can't believe people put their dogs in kennels at xmas etc when they are still at home, i would hate xmas wothout seeing my lot open their stockings:) my labs honestly love going to kennels (once a year!!)as they get totally spoilt.when we get the suitcases out milo goes loopy cos he loves the kennel girl so much, he gets special treatment cos he's soo bad and she takes pride in her job.in the past i sent my first dog to a local kennels recommended by the vet and he came out literally covered in his own dirt after a week.the owners justification was that i hadn't asked for him to be bathed!!!!i reported it to the vet but he didn't seem to care!

you poor thing what an awkward situation to be in. You want to quit but worry about the way the dogs will be cared for if you do.
I agree get the place inspected.
It may sound callous, i understand your fears f the poor dogs in this witch's care, but if you really cant bear it and it doesnt get any better, you should put yourself first and look elsewhere.
Hopefully an inspection will get the place sorted out. Don't be scared of giving a detailed account of what goes on (and what should but doesnt e.g. exercising the dogs) this woman obviously is out to mak a fast buck witout a thought to the ethics of the way she runs the place.
Im sure we're all behind you
Lynz

What an awful situation to be in.

I agree with everyone else...get the place inspected.

Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean...If you left, how on earth would the dogs be treated? Well, if you got the place inspected, the kennel owner would have to buck her ideas up considerably.

I also understand how you feel about the dogs....the really sad thing, is that you can't do everything for every dog....although I, and I know you, would like to be able to.

It's very difficult...and I know we can't make things any easier for you, but i'd definitely consider giving the local council etc a ring. And as for yourself, I'm sure there are many kennels out there that would kill for someone like you! (Mine being one of them!!!)

Hope all goes well for you,

take care, and good luck

Lisa

thank you all for your very kind replys if i was to gat the kennels inspected would i be able to do it with out them knowing who i am ....
because if not i will undoutbly loose my job
that dosent bother me only the fact o who she will replace me with as im thinking of the dogs and if they will have a good kennel hand or not. the only other thing that worrys me is if i do report it and people find out the truth about the way in wich she runs her business this may affect the future of the danes as well because she would not be able to afford there upkeep and not sure ow she would cope with this fact would she find them good homes ect that is also my big concern....
i think catch 22 would be an appropriate phrase.

I have been in your situation, i worked at my local boarding kennels for 5 years, 4 of which i was the manager, i left 8 months ago and i am now doing my dream job, working with protection and detection dogs, i am currently learning how to train bomb dogs and search and rescue dogs as well as preparing for my british institute exam for security dog users. I didnt want to leave the dogs behind (we also bred) as i looked after all the gundogs, i had a few favourites there and when they retire i would love to have them but i havent got room, and i know for a fact my labs mum i could never have in doors.
Any way i still visit the dogs and thay remember me i sometimes get a better greeting from the dogs than the owners of the kennels, but i left very quickly to go and work for one of their customers as a result they now wont serve him or use the kennels, more to their loss really as he spends loads on the dogs, the dogs always come first.
It is hard when you first leave and i still miss the dogs, i try not to go down to much as it is very hard but when the kennels are only 5 mins away from your job it aint easy just to walk past.
As for reporting to the local authorities do what you think is best, i could easily have the kennels where i worked shut down,but i know that the staff there look after the dogs, the dogs only get bred from when the staff let on when their in season (as you can imagine i never let on as a result most of the dogs get rehomed after one litter), all i think about though is the dogs, i was to report the dogs would all get put in rescue centres, thats if they even get there they could all just get sold on without home checks to people that could continue to breed from them, the way i think about it is the dogs are healthy the staff make sure the get everthing they need, they regulary go to a vet, and as you can imagine they havr to have checks from the local authority, and i would like to add they also have one of the breed rescues there, they are struggling to find kennels, so if the kennels were shutdown then where would the breed rescue go?
I you do quit good luck, but whether you report to the authorities or not its up to you.
good luck
tanya

Its really difficult -I sympathise.

I worked in a boarding kennels for a summer, and in the main loved it. I got very fit and learnt to handle a wide variety of dogs. But the male owner would tease defensive aggressive dogs through the bars with a broom, then when the owners came to pick them up, would say what a lovely time the dogs had had and how happy they had been. I was disgusted, and although i know some kennels are wonderful, would for that reason never consider leaving mine in any kennel. You can never tell what goes on behind the scenes.

Sadly whilst i was there, a dog got out over the paddock wall and was killed, if they had only had better fencing it would not have happened. I did infact leave because of the owner teasing dogs, but was quite young at the time and didn't have the confidence to tell them why. Now i certainly would.

It is very hard - I wish you luck with your decision. Certainly if folk are being told lies, it maynot hurt to just make the authorities aware.....

Take care

Lindsay

Hi,
I really sympathise with you, as most of the others! Personally, I have no experience of kennel work, and fortunately, have only ever had to board Baillie once, but he was to be boarded in 4 wks when we go on holiday, but one of our friends have stepped in to the breach!! ... So that's taken a load of my mind I can tell you :)
As for people who board at Xmas etc, I could never do it, I worry constantly when I'm away, Is be being looked after? Is he being walked? Are they spending any time with him? Is he eating? Because he is such a big softie and so devoted to me - he's like my shadow - buy I wouldn't have it any other way.
I think, just to put your mind at rest, you should speak to the Council, perhaps you could tip them off anonymously! I totally understand your dilemna but I don't feel you'll get any peace of mind until you try to do something about it.
Good Luck and let us know how you get on
Sharon
X

thanks will do going to have it out with my employer on monday if she dosent start to change anything then i will get intouch with proper authorities.
keep your fingers crossed for me.

I think you should leave and find a more morally responsible employer.
Like you - I don't feel that the authorities will take any action at all if the dogs are not in any form of distress or physical neglect. Due to one of my dogs being kennelled and requiring to access him out of hours I had a key to a boarding kennels once and was enlightened as to what went on behind the scene at this particular place.
Clients brought their own beds and as soon as they went they were taken out so the kennel owner wouldn't have to wash them, leaving a wooden slatted pallet to sleep on. I remember a little elderly and blind chihuahua (sp?) in the kennel opposite I used to find huddled in a little shivery ball in winter. I'd pop him down my shirt to warm up before putting his bed back in and then taking it back out at the crack of dawn so they wouldn't know I'd done it :(
Another labour saving trick was to withhold water overnight for ease of kennel cleaning the next day. Most were fed a dry diet as well. B****y disgraceful! I'd fill their bowls as well before I left.
Horrible place. I didn't have any choice but to put my dog in there but I certainly wouldn't have recommended them to anyone. But the kennel owner knew fine well what I thought of their practices.
If you go down the line of confronting and reporting then I wish you luck
Lara x