Safeguarding Dogs

Where possible we try hire candidates with past day care work experience. Should this not be possible we only hire people who are dog owners or have experience working with dogs in another capacity. All team members are required to complete their 2 week supervised probationary period and successfully pass written and verbal training tests

We deploy double doors on our pet shuttle to ensure maximum safety and security meaning there will always be two door divides between the road-side and your dog. Similarly on the site, we have double gates meaning there will always be two gates between your dog in our secure fencing and the wider estate. Its the two-door rule we stricly enforce and have embedded in the design of our facility and Pet Shuttle. Smaller vans do not allow this and present a danger when (un)loading dogs near the roadside without this double door, thats why we invest in full sized vans

All team members and dogs are required to continue their training and developement whilst with us

Unlike other day care centres we never double or triple crate dogs in our Pet Shuttle. Each dog gets their own crate space and we have a one-crate-one-dog policy. This ensures maximum safety and comfort. Our large full-sized vans make this possible

Our ratios are kept low (and far exceed licencing requirements) to help ensure the safety of every dog in our care. It also helps us give more individual attention to each dog. We want to set every dog in our care up for success with team members who can meet their unique needs. A low dog-to-staff ratio is enriching not only for your dog, but our team also

We do not simply stop at adhering to the licencing requirements we go above and beyond these standards to ensure ultimate satefy and well-being of those dogs attending day care with us

In the summer we ensure every aspect of the day care environment is temperature controlled, including the pet shuttle. We have thermometres to objectivly measure the temperature in different areas and deploy A/C units, ventilation and shade to manage the temperature. Cooling mats and water are also used

We only accept well mannered and well socialised dogs meaning a safe and happy environment for all

We clean and sanitize all play and rest zones every day – often more than once a day – with veterinary-grade cleaners and disinfectants. This ensures a safe, clean, and sanitized facility that reduces the risk of spreading infectious diseases

A balance of rest and play is important for dogs’ physical, mental, and social health. Like human athletes, rest helps dogs avoid physical injury and provides a space for them to unwind, so they don’t become overstimulated or over-aroused during play. Rest time at 84 Acres takes place on the Pet Shuttle to and from the site each day

We require all dogs to attend day care at least once a week because we know that consistency and continuity promote safety. Many of our dogs in fact attend 3+ days a week