Policies

New Clients

Are you a new boarding client? Welcome to Chateau Barkingham. A 50% deposit of the total bill is required for all new clients

Food

Remember that just as you are going on Vacation, your dog should feel like he is going on vacation and enjoying his stay. With the change in environments, your dog may not eat as much, so I recommend bringing Cooked Chicken, Cooked Hamburger, or Good Quality Canned Food to enjoy their stay.

Please put your Dogs food in pre-measured, sealed containers with lids or in plastic sealable bags (i.e., If your dog needs 1 cup AM and PM, you will pre-measure 2 x 1 cup meals for each day. With medication and food, please bring enough for your pet’s stay plus a few days extra in case of an emergency or for an extended stay. A feeding fee will be applied if your pet does not have food and needs to use our “house” brand.

• Small Dogs = $1.50
• Large Dogs = $3.00

If your dog is not a good eater, we recommend cooking Chicken Breast or Boiled Hamburger. Dogs that are stressed can go for several days without eating. Then as human’s stomachs hurt from not eating, it is the same for dogs.

Only if your Dog has had canned food, please bring. Canned food is very rich. We do not want your dog to have diarrhea.

Medication

If your dog is taking any medications, be sure to bring them in the original bottle. This ensures that we can provide accurate information to a veterinarian in the event of an emergency. Medication MUST be in a medication bottle with the medication name, pet name, dosage, and frequency of medication clearly marked. Please also provide any cheese or pill pockets that you typically use to administer your pet’s medication. Chateau Barkingham charges $1 per each medication administered.

Leash and Collars

For the safety of everyone, all dogs are required to enter and exit the facility on leash. Remember, your dog may be friendly, but we may have other dogs in the lobby who are not. Please check your dog’s collar, so that it is not going to slip over the dog’s head. There should be enough space for 1 to 2 fingers between the neck and collar. This is a safety reason. Loose dogs are in danger.

Bedding and Toys

Feeding dishes, water bowls, and bedding are provided by Chateau Barkingham. Chateau Barkingham does our best to keep close track of everyone’s belongings, but mix-ups and other accidents can occur. So, if you do decide to bring belongings for your dog, please make sure to clearly label all items and be aware that you are bringing them at your own risk. Chateau Barkingham will not replace lost or damaged bedding toys or other belongings.

Destruction of Property

Owners of dogs will be responsible for any destruction your dog may do, including Chain Link Fencing and Damage to Suites and property of Chateau Barkingham.

Behavior

All dogs must be non-aggressive to ALL TYPES and SIZES of dogs and to people. Owners will certify their dogs have not harmed or shown aggressive or threatening behavior toward any person or any other dog(s). Please remember: your pet will be spending time with other dogs and the safety and health of all animals is our main concern.

Escape Artists

Our fence is 6 feet tall with the majority of the bottom embedded in 3 inches of concrete. This aids in preventing dogs from trying to go under fences. We have seen a 6-month-old cocker spaniel put herself in the corner of a fence and crawl up to the top and get over the fence. A German Shepherd or Weimeriner can jump the fence with little to no effort. This is terrifying for us as well as the owner. We must be aware of this problem. Once a dog knows it is able to do this feat, it will continue this adventure. Due to the extra supervision, your pet would have to have while exercising; there will be a $20.00 a day fee applied to your pet’s stay.

Risks

Owners acknowledge that dogs are unpredictable in behavior, are aware of the risks involved in the play, and assume all risks. Accidents can happen from time to time and could include a cut paw or a scraped leg from playing in our natural outdoor area. Dogs have the opportunity to be dogs and could possibly hurt themselves. Owners must understand that our environment is very different from life at home. They will run and play hard, scrape their paws, pick up sticks, chew on twigs, grass, you name it!

Payments

All fees are due at drop-off. Cash, checks, and major credit cards (Visa and Master Card) are accepted. Please note that payment via Visa or MasterCard will incur a 6% administrative fee. A $30.00 service charge will be applied for all returned checks. All dogs must be checked out by 10:00 a.m. or be charged for another day. If you arrive late to drop off or pick up your dog outside our hours of operation, there is no guarantee that a staff member will be available to assist you.

There are NO refunds for EARLY pickups: This means if you come home early from vacation, there is NO REFUND

Cancellations and Deposits

We require 72 hours (3 Days) of cancellation notice prior to the day of drop off to avoid losing your deposit (72 hours of cancellation notice prior to the day of the drop is required for Holiday Boarding).

The deposit Amount is 50% of the stay OR 1-night cost.

Rescheduling

We do ask owners to assume responsibility for their pet’s reservation. If your schedule changes and necessitates rescheduling a reservation, we ask that you kindly give us a full 72-hour notice. Failure to give 72-hour notice will result in a “cancellation charge” equal to 50% of total bill.

Bitch in Season

If you have a Bitch in season, please bring proper undergarments for her. Bring enough for every day she is here.

If you know your Bitch will come in season during her stay, please advise the staff.

Abandonment

If a pet is not picked up by the scheduled departure date, we will attempt to contact the owner immediately. A pet will be considered abandoned after seven (7) days if all attempts to reach the owner and family (including phone, mail, and email) are unsuccessful (according to PA State Law). An abandoned pet will become the property of Chateau Barkingham and will be re-homed as we see fit.

It is important for you to leave an emergency contact number other than someone that usually travels with you so that in the event you are unable to contact us, we have someone to contact about your dog’s stay. If you abandon your dog, you will still be responsible for the full boarding stay and any expenses incurred, including but not limited to any applicable attorney’s fees or court costs.

Thank goodness this has never happened!

Changes to our Policies, Procedures, Services, and Rates

Our Policies, Procedures, Services, and Rates may change from time to time. While we will attempt to notify you of these changes, it is ultimately your responsibility to check back on our website regularly so that you are aware of our most current Policies, Procedures, Services, and Rates. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone at our sole discretion.

We request that you kindly allow 15 minutes for the check-in process. To make your check-in process more timely, please fill out all necessary forms prior to arrival.

If you have any questions about our boarding policies or procedures, please do not hesitate to ask us.

Thank you for choosing Chateau Barkingham as your pet’s home away from home – we look forward to seeing you soon!