When is day care not day care.........

[woodlander]

We have used a doggy day care service for Sweep for about 18 months now and we are very content that Sweep has a good time when she's there and she is well looked after.  (She doesn't go everyday by the way - maybe a 2/3 days a week)

Our dilemma is that usually we drop Sweep off in the morning about 8.30ish and the carer drops her back to our house sometime during the afternoon.  (We pay extra for the pet taxi service).  Just recently Sweep has been dropped back as early as 2.30pm and so if we don't get back until say 5.30 she is on her own all afternoon.

Part of the reason of paying for pet sitting is so she has company during the day when we are not there so being alone all afternoon is not really what we want.  Are we being unreasonable in thinking that a 2.30pm drop off is too early and not really a full day? 

I would appreciate your thoughts - are there any other COLERs out there who use doggy day care. 

[johndoran]

I suppose it depends on what has been agreed but if sweep is being returned earlier than usual or was origionally agreed then yes i think you have a justifiable complaint. 8.30 to 2.30 in my opinion is not a full day by any means.

[Victoria25]

Poppy does 1 day per week 8-5

[emms]

I wouldn't class 8.30-2.30 as a full day.  I guess whether it is acceptable would depend on what was agreed initially and how much you are paying

My local doggy dare care has a range of price bands depending on the lenth of the stay rather than 'per day'.  

[vikki.k]

I wouldn't think that was a full day. My two are in day care when my OH works away and that wouldn't work for me.

The next three days I will be dropping mine off at 7/7.30am and pick them up at 7pm, for me day care needs to fit in with my job so I would need to finish early if the day ended at 2.30pm. Could you explain this to them and ask why it needs to be so early?

[Joules]

I suppose it depends on what has been agreed but if sweep is being returned earlier than usual or was origionally agreed then yes i think you have a justifiable complaint. 8.30 to 2.30 in my opinion is not a full day by any means.

I agree - what times did you agree at the start?

[Bounty]

sorry boring lawyer here 

I have a few questions- did you sign any form of agreement/contract?

Did it say on there what constitutes a full day - number of hours or anything?

If not, when you started to pay what was agreed,

I personally think that 8.30-2.30 would not be seen by anyone as a full day.

If you want to PM me for some advice, feel free.

[woodlander]

HI guys - thanks for your thoughts - we did not sign an agreement just verbal discussion - I think we shall have to have a little chat.  Out of interest we pay £14 per day plus extra for pet taxi.  I wonder how this compares with others.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

I don't use day care, but my dogs go to that type of set up when we're on holiday (they stay in the home with the resident dogs and get to play in a field together during the day and are walked also then sleep in the home by an Aga at night ) and I'm charged £15 for a day - including the night.

I don't think your dog will be suffering at all with those times but agree that if you are paying for a 'day' then you need to understand what that is. As an aside one of the dog walkers around here charges £16 for a dog walk (about 1.5 hours) so charges really vary...

[vikki.k]

We have been using our day care since Baja was about 12 weeks I guess, we were charged £8 per 24 hours, but I used to do 7.30am-6.30pm but could have had him in overnight if needed.

Now we have Mole, we get a discount of £2 per dog so I pay £12 for having both of them in for 24 hours, but now do 7am-7pm. This is on the cheap side and the guy has now become a friend so hasn't put our prices up........although that could be because we are such good costumers 

Luckily for us, I can come and go when I want so dropping them in and collecting when ever I want, it's easy to do as I just let myself in now.

I know just how important it is to find a great place, if we didn't have this then I have a horrible feeling I would have to put them both in to a boarding kennel for 3 days solid when OH works away as not everyone is willing to be so flexible on times.

I hope you manage to sort out the problem