Tolly Farm
94 Mulgrave Street
Ashhurst
New Zealand
enquiries@tollyfarm.co.nz

Frequently asked questions about boarding at Tolly Farm.

Over time, there have been questions that seem to crop up fairly regularly, about the service we offer, why we do things the way we do, or queries about the care of your pet. We have collected the most common of these questions here to hopefully answer some of them for you.

Q. Where are you located?

A. We are located at 94 Mulgrave Street, Ashhurst. Here is a map showing where we are in Ashhurst.

Q. If I provide my own food for my pet is there a discount on the boarding fee?

A. Managing multiple pets' diets increases the workload particularly during busy periods. However we can appreciate that keeping your pet on their regular diet can have benefits for their digestion, so we do offer that as a service, but sorry there is no discount.

Q. My pet is only a puppy or kitten, can I get a discount?

A. It is our experience that puppies and kittens are less likely to be properly kennel or litter tray trained, and therefore require more, not less care and attention. Also because we limit the numbers of animals we take, your puppy or kitten is taking up the space of a full grown dog or cat. It is space and service that we sell. Thus, we cannot offer a discount for younger animals.

Q. My flight leaves at 1pm, so can I drop my pet off at lunch time?

A. We adhere strictly to our open hours for many reasons. When you visit us at Tolly Farm you will notice that we are in an urban area, backing onto a rural outlook. Traffic on the driveway sets the dogs barking, which is difficult to manage unless we have structured times for you to visit. Our neighbours accept that there will be noisy times in the morning and the afternoon, when all dogs are exercised and fed. During the middle of the day the dogs have a nap, and they sleep well during the night when we adhere to this program. When the routine is predictable all the animals here find the circumstances less stressful, and that sum total is our aim. If it is not convenient to drop the animal off during our open hours on the day you leave, then please arrange to drop them off the night before, or arrange for a pick up if that suits.

Periodically we have clients (mostly regulars) who attempt to stretch the envelope of our opens hours, with all manner of excuses as to why they didn't make it on time or misunderstood when those hours were. If you have a novel excuse you may get a wee smile or even a giggle, however you will also be charged a ridiculous after hours fee to encourage you to observe them in future.

Q. If I can't drop my animal off in the middle of the day, does that mean that you aren't there 24 hours a day?

A. We do work from home as a full time occupation, however we do leave the property from time to time during hours when Tolly farm is closed, to conduct pickups and drop offs, vet appointments and export activities. If your pet spends 24 hours a day with you, it may be that boarding is not the most suitable or practical solution for your travel plans. Animals that spend a lot of time with their owners can experience separation anxiety, which will not be observed at home, and only becomes apparent in the kennel environment. Unfortunately it is not something that can be cured or fixed in the kennel either, and is potentially dangerous when the animal fixates on escaping or self mutilating. If you spend all day and night with you pet, perhaps having someone mind your pet in your home would be a safer route to go.

Q. What vaccinations does my pet require?

A. Your vet is in the best position to assist you with this. Your dog will need to be vaccinated for Parvovirus and Distemper, as these diseases are commonly fatal once contracted. Kennel Cough is worthwhile, but not a critical requirement for boarding with us. Leptospirosis is also worthwhile when dogs come into contact with livestock, which can occur here when we walk dogs in our paddocks. Again this is not a critical requirement as both Bordetella (Kennel Cough) and Leptospire infections can be effectively controlled and treated with antibiotics. Be aware that Leptospirosis is a human health issue, people can contract it, and it is debilitating.

Cats require vaccination for respiratory diseases (Cat flu) and feline enteritis.

When undertaking a vaccination program please be aware that one injection the day before boarding is not sufficient. To develop immunity a booster is required 3 - 4 weeks later, at a minimum.

Q. My pet was vaccinated 2 years ago, but I have heard that vaccinations last for up to 3 years, will you take my pet?

A. It is true that many vaccine manufacturers now produce vaccines that last for the extended period, but it cannot be assumed that your pet was vaccinated with the appropriate vaccine. To answer this question, we defer to your veterinarians recommendations, and for that reason it is important that a next due date is provided on your certificate, or else the assumption must be that the booster is due annually. Your vet will have all the recent recommendations and literature to make the most sensible decision for the welfare of your pet.

Q. My pet was vaccinated but I can't find the card, will you take my pet?

A. It is really a tough situation, when it's a statutory holiday, you are a new client, we don't have your vaccination details on record, we can't ring your vet, and you have no evidence of vaccination. Unfortunately and regrettably we would have to turn you away, regardless of when you plane flies out etc. Any quarantine kenneling we have available is strictly held for emergencies only. The risk will most likely be to your dog if immunity is compromised, especially because other dogs in the compound who are vaccinated have been walked on public tracks and have come into contact with the diseases that could affect your dog. If your dog is in fact vaccinated and we have to turn you away on the paperwork technicality, we can't apologise for the promise we make to all our customers, that any animal they come in contact with here will be vaccinated. Hopefully by offering a full explanation here we can avoid that situation occurring.