2010 Readers Choice Awards

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TQ6XHN7


Click on the above link to cast your vote for Best Friends Prairie View! 

Summer Vacation Tips For Your Pets

Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer vacation season. In the flurry of booking flights, hotels and car rentals for themselves, many vacationers forget to plan the family pet's vacation.


Step 1: Make a reservation
Book your pet's boarding stay as soon as possible. Summer is the busiest season for boarding, and many kennels fill up early.  If you've never boarded your pet before, be sure to visit the facility and ask questions. Just stop in during regular business hours and ask for a tour. (If you are told you must make an appointment, be wary: the staff may have something to hide.)

Step 2: Prepare your pet
Making reservations isn't all you need to do. To get your pet ready: 
•Update vaccinations. A top-quality kennel will require proof that they are up-to-date. Take your pet to the veterinarian one to two weeks in advance of your departure date.
•Purchase a supply of pet medication and special food (if any). Be sure to include an extra day or two, just in case you are delayed returning from your travels.
•Pack a familiar toy for your pet's stay, but don't bring his favorite in case of possible loss.
•Prepare a list of contacts. Include your veterinarian's phone number, your contact information at your vacation destination, and a local contact to serve as your "backup" in an emergency if you can't be reached.

Step 3: Enjoy your vacation
When you deliver your pet to the boarding kennel, give him an affectionate good-bye and leave. Don't cause a prolonged farewell scene, which will only create anxiety for your pet. Instead, use a happy tone of voice as you turn him over to the staff and he will feel reassured.  If this is your pet's first time boarding and you are anxious about how he will do, make arrangements with the kennel staff to call and check in. A quality kennel will understand that pets are part of the family and will be happy to take a call from a worried pet parent.

To make boarding a bit easier for first time clients, Best Friends has instituted a special "first night free" program. Check with your local Best Friends center for details.

Best Friends American Pet Motel

I thought some of our regular best friends would find this article interesting.  A lot of you have shared many family pets with us throughout the years, some of you have been here since the beginning.  We love you guys! 

We have been Best Friends American Pet Motel for quite some time now, but as you can see we still have some of the same fun loving staff, spacious rooms, and fun activities!  We have obviously made many changes throughout the years from our recent addition of a Dog Park, our newly remodeled indoor outdoor camp room, and we now offer in home care.  There are more changes to come in the upcoming months.  We look forward to reminiscing about the old times and making new memories with all of our best friends! 

Here's to our pets, our real love in life. 

Dogs In Need Of A Foster Home

Please help these two adorable goldendoodles find a foster home! The beige one is Trixie she is 6, the black one is Shaggy he is 4. Their Mom has to go out of the state temporarily for a work assignment and is unable to take the dogs with her. They are both very well behaved, they are regular grooming clients with us here at Best Friends. Mom would prefer to keep them in the same home. For more information on these two you can contact Kristin via email at kmccabe501@comcast.net

Paw Painting In Dog Camp

Today in camp we made a paw print mural. I thought I would share some of the cute pictures. The mural is hanging in camp for those who want to see it.

January Pet Guest of the Month, Lizzy

This is Lizzy, she is our January Pet Guest of the month here at Best Friends Pet Care. Lizzy is a beautiful Australian Shepherd that loves to spend her time here in doggie play group with the other dogs! Thanks for being a loving friend to us all Lizzy. We love you!

Christmas Boarding

Book online and save $5.00!  Is your pet new to Best Friends?  If so their first night with us is complimentary! 

Holiday Boarding Savings

Thanksgiving

We are booking up fast so call today to reserve your pets a room at Best Friends! We will even have a holiday turkey roast for all of our furry friends on Thanksgiving.

For all of our new best friends your first night with us is free! (first time boarding guests receive a complimentary first night of boarding)

Chicago's Top Cat Contest

This is Winter, he is one of the cats that Young at Heart Pet Rescue has here at Best Friends, in the cat sanctuary. We think he is Chicago's coolest cat!

You have all heard the saying "cats are cool, and dogs drool". If you believe your cat is cool then this a contest for you. Sun Times Newspaper has a contest for Chicago's coolest cat. You can submit your cat's picture and a brief description and it will be posted on the website. At a later date they will vote to find out who the coolest cat really is.

Dog Adoptions....Marmaduke style!

No need to adopt as many as Marmaduke did, but please don't forget October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month! For those dogs you do not have room for volunteering to walk them is a great idea too! If you do, don't forget October 24th is National Make A Difference Day, log in those hours and help America make a difference in people and animal's lives.

Best Friends loves to make new Best Friends. Every new friend that stays with us, their first night of boarding is FREE! They also get $10 off their first salon appointment.

Thanksgiving Special

Online Reservations

No more trying to remember to call and make a reservation in the morning for the dog! Best Friends now offers online reservations. After a long day at work, you are finally sitting down at the computer booking your vacation on Travelocity, now you can switch sites and book the furry family members their vacation too! As long as the location you are booking with has your email on file in the center you can book away! If you are a brand new client to our center, welcome, call us so we can enter all of your information in, and then you too can book online. For those of you who do have a pet that has never boarded with us before don't forget first time boarding guests get their first night FREE!