This is part of a series of blog posts about starting your own dog daycare or boarding business.

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Dogs might just be a long, okay very long, distant cousin to Houdini, it's incredible the ways they find to escape. And with 4th of July just a couple days away, we felt it would be a great time to discuss dogs escaping and suggestions to help prevent such an event.

Did you know: 

• July 5th is one of the busiest days of the year for animal shelters? 
• About 30% of all lost animals incidences each year happen on the evening of July 4th? (Dog Time, 2019)   
• Calls to shelters on the morning of July 5th increase by 40%?

According to one article on Huffpost.com, the summer months are especially busy for shelters due to the many festivities that can cause a dog to escape. This is due to the celebration crowds, loud noises, and doors left open (Hanson, 2017).

There are some suggestions to lessen the chance of your dog flying the coop. One idea is to keep your dog in a safe and calm area away from crowds. Another is to exercise your dog earlier in the day, which can leave your dog tuckered out therefore being more calm for the big show. 

The most important thing to do, right away after bringing your dog home, is to make sure they are properly licensed. Verifying your contact information is an easy step to insure your dog is returned to you safely and quickly. The average cost to license your dog is around $10-$20 per year. While the fine for an unregistered dog can be up to a $300!

Another great addition to the required licensing, is to have your dog micro-chipped. The microchip is a tiny ID device that is implanted under the skin between the dog's shoulders. A simple scan of the area by a vet or shelter can instantly display your contact information. The procedure itself is very quick and no more painful than the standard shot (Hanson, 2017). The average fee for micro-chipping at a vet is around $45 which includes the device and registration. Verifying your contact information for the microchip is also important to do, perhaps at the beginning of summer. Some shelters even offer free micro-chipping for dogs in the days leading up to the 4th of July holiday!

Taking your dog to a dog boarding facility for the holiday is another great way to keep it safe!  Your beloved pet can spend all day playing with his friends - while at night it is safely housed in a kennel or luxury suite designed to keep it safe! At Gator Kennels, we are determined to keep dogs housed in our kennels safe! Other kennel manufacturers use materials such as chain link fencing or stainless steel grated gates which are very easy to climb over. Think about when you were a kid and you would "hop the fence," chances are you stuck your foot into one of the fence holes, gaining purchase to make the leap. The same goes for dogs, even the tiniest opening can allow a dog's toenail to fit, giving them a boost up and over. 

Gator Kennels are essentially seamless therefore not allowing the dog to gain any footing for scaling. Our goal here is to provide a safe and secure kennel for your dog while also looking professional, being easy to clean, and having a sturdy structure.

We hope that your dog remains safe and calm this 4th of July

                                                  www.gatorkennels.com