A Home Away Kennels

Heated/cooled dog and cat boarding kennel with indoor, outdoor, and extra large kennel runs. Exercise and bathing available. Owned and operated by Bill Barnes DVM, Sue Jeffcoat, & Bridget Curry. Small dogs start at $12 per day, plus $1 per time they are let out to be exercised. Prices go up with the size of the dog.

Was previously known as Pelton Kennels.

2007-02-12 12:40:58   You know, I've been there, tried a few times and both times have had bad experiences. I mean, you can't be $12 per day, you just can't. But every time I've gone they have "forgotten" to give back toys, bones, harnesses, etc that I brought with my dog. At first I thought well, give them some grace, but it has happened more than once. Also the lady is not the most friendly. I mean I realize that some animal people are not people people, but I guess I like thinking my dog is going to be in a happy place and I haven't really gotten that vibe. Anyone else been there and had a good experience?? I wish I had better things to say because it's local and affordable. —SoCalGal

2007-03-26 13:49:33   I've left my dog here twice and had no complaints either time. The kennels are roomy, the atmosphere is rural and pleasant, and if your dog gets along with others he/she gets to go out for group play and exercise. They may not be people people but they seem to do just fine with dogs; what else do you need? They did lose a toy the first time but a $5 toy isn't much against knowing your dog is in a decent place and being cared for well. They seem to be very conscientious about the health and welfare of the animals. —JulieSimpson

2008-01-23 16:12:13   I would not recommend this kennel. We left our dog here over a long weekend. When we dropped her off DURING OPERATING HOURS the woman who admitted her seemed extremely agitated that we were even there. She was NOT NICE. The kennels looked shoddy and not very clean. I had serious doubts about leaving my dog there at that point but unfortunately it was too late. We picked up our pooch after 5 days at this kennel and took her home...where for the next 4-5 days she had extremely bad diarrhea. We ended up having to take her to the vet less than 24 hours after we picked her up from the kennel. We still don't know why she was so ill. When we called the kennel to see if they had noticed anything they said they hadn't and that she seemed fine (even though we could see diarrhea stains on her dog bed that she had used at the kennel). We will not be going there again. There are TONS of other kennels in the Davis/Woodland area if you look (not all are here on the daviswiki though) that are way better and only slightly more costly. In the end, after the vet bill, the doggie medicine, the steam cleaner and the food for our dogs modified diet during her sickness we spent way more money at this cheap place than we would have at a different kennel. We won't be sending our dog back here. We found a better place (listed on daviswiki actually). —recoveringPhD

2008-02-13 08:47:52   We always take our dog. No they are not people friendly but they always seem happy to see our dog. Yes, you do tend to "lose" smaller items you bring, especially if you are boarding the dog for over a week but really the price makes up for that. recoveringPhD, did you bring your dog's food with you to the kennel? Our dog has a very sensitive stomach and we noticed she had really bad diarrhea after being boarded there once so we started bringing our own food and she is always fine now. —Likakana

2008-02-13 17:44:59   Likakana, we did bring our own dog food. Our dog is also a little sensitive to changes in diet so we always make sure to bring her food (as well as extra in case we are delayed). Regardless of the diarrhea situation I just didn't feel comfortable leaving her there and I just didn't like the kennel. I'm glad to hear that your pup does well there though. —recoveringPhD

2008-09-20 07:43:04   We left our cat here a few years ago...and I learned a valuable lesson - always check out a kennel before you decide to leave your pet there. The kennels did not seem heated or that clean...I did not want to leave my cat there, but we had a plane to catch and little choice. The cat was fine when we picked him up, I would just never leave him here again. —AcMach

2008-09-29 19:52:00   We brought our dog here a few times, and we've never been totally happy with it. After taking poochie there over this weekend, we will not be going back. For one, the bag of food that was returned to us was almost as full as it was when we dropped it off. Our dog is not exactly a picky eater, so it appears that they neglected to feed him adequately. This is not the first time that has happened. We also paid extra for play times, but every time we've picked him up, he has had tons and tons of energy. I've also noticed that the same three dogs, presumably the owner's, are in the play field every time I go there. I've never seen any other dog in there! Anyways, its a good deal, but ultimately is not worth it to us any more. —ifoundthistape

2008-12-30 07:04:21   Behold: this is what a professional looks like! Healthy, safe, affordable, fair! A boy and his dog thank you! —lilmonstu

2009-08-21 10:45:39   I have boarded my dog there a couple of times and will do so again. It is an older kennels, but I found them to be clean and very shaded with lots of trees. I feed my dog twice a day and they had no problem with that. The lady was quiet with me but friendly towards my dog, which is more important. —sah133

2010-03-29 17:51:04   I left both my large dogs there for three nights. I would agree that the kennels don't appear especially clean, and everything is really old and broken down. However, the owners are friendly and it looks like they also live on the property. My dogs came back just fine...a little dirty and stir-crazy, but that's to be expected when they are thrown into a different environment for 72 hours. And, you can't beat the price. I've also read on here that they don't return toys and what not, but the owner was very careful to make sure everything we brought was given back. I would use them again if needed! —scompton15

2011-01-06 18:03:29   I have used this facility since 2005. Originally I came here because they have such BIG kennels, with plenty of room for the dogs to move, and in and outdoors during the day. I HATE facilities where the dog is in a cage most of the day. The bottom line for me is that my dog always jumped with joy when we got there, and readily went off with the owner. YES, the owner's not the least bit people friendly, and is rather intimidating ... but she's dog friendly. As they got to know the dog, they had her spend more and more time playing with other dogs, reporting to me how she got along well with x dog or Y dog. (The front yard is for their own dogs, the back yard is where boarded dogs play.) As my dog got older and more and more frail, they were kind to her. They changed her sheets and blankets when she got sick (returning personal soiled items in a plastic bag). In all those years there she only got sick once. The owner never learned MY name, but she sure knew my dog lol. A couple of years ago the owners' husband passed away very suddenly. They nevertheless did not leave the kennel unattended for any time. Rather they made sure they had coverage. That for me beats a fancy place where they go home at five and don't come back till the next morning. I have NEVER seen a cage dirty there, and I show up at any time during the day to drop off or pick up. Yes, I have a love/hate relationship with the place — worry about whether they're too hot or too cold etc, but as long as my dog is happy to go there, I figure she knows best. FWIW I don't spoil my dogs, but I do love them and give them lots of affection and care. They're indoor dogs who stay with me most of the day. PS: My prior dog passed away at 15, so I haven't been there in a year. I am taking a new dog there for a week. My new dog is a bit more finicky so I will see how she gets along. If there is any change to how I feel about the place I will re-post —SandraDann

2011-08-20 22:05:46   I don't reccomend this place. The ladies there are pretty rude and didn't seem to care for my elderly dog. My dog was scared to go there and she basically got dragged into her cage. The room behind the desk area is a cold dark cement room with lots of dirty cages. Many times my dog has come back with bad diarhhea, and they didn't bother to tell us that until we got home. The cat cages, my... they are the worst. They are wire and both my cats paws got callused and sore. They were both skinnier, dirtier, and not happy at all. There was also some confusion as to who was getting helped and who had what animal. They didn't understand we had 1 dog and 2 cats, so we had to explain to the lady that we did, and she just looked at us like we were crazy. Bottom line— cheap price—messy/unwelcoming place for the animals—go elsewhere! —Churro615