⏱️ 6-minute read

To ensure a safe, calm, and positive experience for every dog in our care, we ask all pet parents to please review the below guidelines before booking.

Eligibility & Safety Requirements

• Park Slope Pals cares for small dogs only (25 lbs. or less).

• Dogs must be at least one year old, spayed or neutered, free of fleas and ticks, and not in heat at the time of their stay.

• Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations (rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella) for the health and safety of everyone.

  • We respect that families make different healthcare choices for their pets, but we can only accept dogs who meet our vaccination requirements.

  • Knowingly providing false information creates serious health risks for both people and other dogs, and may result in liability if harm occurs.

• Pet parents must disclose any bite history or behavioral concerns prior to booking.

Our Home & Capacity

• Care is provided in Britt and Michael’s home, where dogs enjoy a calm, smoke-free environment — and plenty of quality time with Furby.

• Capacity is intentionally limited to 2–3 boarders at a time, allowing for individualized attention and close supervision.

• A meet-and-greet is required for all new clients; this gives each dog a chance to get comfortable with the space and meet Furby.

What To Expect: Care & Communication

• Pet parents receive multiple updates each day, including photos, so they can feel connected and reassured while away.

• If a dog has special care needs — e.g., medications, mobility support, or unique routines — these are happily accommodated. Details should just be shared in advance.

What To Bring

• Pet parents only need to provide their dog’s food but are encouraged to also provide their dog’s bed, treats, or favorite toy to help them feel at home.

Hours & Timing

Daycare

• Standard hours are 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

• Pick-ups after 6 p.m. are charged a $15 late fee. (If something outside your control comes up, just let us know — we’re glad to work with you.)

• Same-day conversion from daycare to boarding may or may not be possible (depending on our already-planned number of boarders).

  • But if it’s possible, the full boarding rate is charged additionally.

Boarding

• Standard check-out is noon on the dog’s final day.

• Pick-ups noon - 6 p.m. are charged at our daycare rate.

• Pick-ups after 6 p.m. are charged at our boarding rate, as this includes dinner, walks, and other elements of evening care.

• Drop-offs and pick-ups aren’t scheduled 11 p.m. - 7 a.m., to protect rest for our household and the dogs in our care.

  • If a flight delay or similar circumstance affects your timing, just reach out as soon as you’re able and we’ll do our best to work something out.

Pick-up & Drop-Off Service

• Pick-up and drop-off service is available for clients in Park Slope, subject to time of day and scheduling availability.

  • Daycare morning pick-up (from your home to ours): $15.

  • Daycare evening drop-off (from our home to yours): $30, as evenings are reserved for dinner, walks, and other care for the dogs boarding with us.

  • Boarding: $30 for pick-up and $30 for drop-off.

  • To add this to your booking, simply note it in your request and we’ll confirm availability.

Booking, Payment & Stay Changes

• Bookings may be made up to 6 weeks in advance and must be made by individuals 18 years of age or older.

Payment

• Full payment is due via Zelle upon booking confirmation. (For new clients, that’s once we’ve completed the meet-and-greet and confirmed it’s a good fit on both ends.)

  • Since we operate at limited capacity, spots are held on a first-paid basis; submitting payment promptly ensures your dog’s spot is secured.

  • Dogs cannot be accepted into our home until payment has been received.

  • Venmo is accepted with a 2% processing fee.

• Rates can always be found here.

• Households booking a second dog for identical dates receive a 20% discount for the second dog (each night for boarding and each day for daycare).

Pricing Notes

• Daycare is priced at a flat daily rate, regardless of hours.

• For weekend daycare (Saturday and Sunday), a $10 surcharge applies.

• For boarding that overlaps with a major U.S. holiday or high-demand date, a $15 surcharge applies each day of the full stay.

• For last-minute daycare requests (less than 24 hours’ notice) or boarding (less than 48 hours), a $15 or $30 surcharge applies, respectively.

• For boarding of 14 or more consecutive nights, a $25 surcharge applies each day of the full stay.

• For stays requiring intensive medical care (e.g., time-sensitive or multi-step medication protocols, active health monitoring, potential emergency transport, etc.), a $20 surcharge applies each day of the full stay.

  • If emergency transport to a veterinarian is required, the cost will be passed through to the pet parent with receipts provided promptly.

• For boarding requiring constant care — meaning a caregiver is present with your dog at all times — a $50 surcharge applies each day of the full stay.

Stay Changes

• Changes to drop-off time, pick-up time, or stay length are accommodated whenever possible, subject to availability — the more advance notice, the better.

  • Extending a stay by a full day or more is a bigger ask than a shift in pick-up or drop-off time, since we cap our capacity at 2–3 boarders and may have already committed those spots to other pet parents.

• Because we organize our household and turn down other bookings around each dog’s full stay, early pick-ups and stay shortenings are treated the same as a late cancellation: the rate for the full booked stay still applies, though we’ll make exceptions for emergencies, serious illness, and similar circumstances.

• Later pick-ups are welcome when we have availability and may affect pricing, which we’ll communicate promptly.

Refer A Friend

• If you refer a friend whose dog completes their first stay, you’ll receive $20 off your next booking — and they’ll get $20 off their first booking with us, too! Just have them mention your name when they book.

Stomach Upset

• Stomach upset is one of the most common issues dogs experience, and most of the time it’s minor and resolves quickly on its own.

  • But in the event it seems serious (e.g., persistent vomiting or diarrhea), we follow a standard care protocol aligned with VCA Animal Hospitals’ guidelines: consistent hydration, rest and low activity, close monitoring, no treats, and temporary separation from other animals. You’ll always be notified promptly.

Emergency Protocols

• While medical emergencies are extremely rare, we have clear protocols in place to ensure your dog receives immediate care if needed.

  • In the event of a medical emergency, pet parents will be contacted immediately and, if necessary, the dog will be personally transported to the preferred veterinarian (as requested in our intake form) or the nearest emergency vet clinic.

  • If pet parents cannot be reached immediately in a medical emergency, we are authorized to proceed with emergency veterinary treatment to ensure the dog’s safety and well-being.

  • All medical expenses and decisions will be communicated clearly and promptly. If needed or helpful, we will also work with with the pet parents’ pet insurance provider.

Unsafe Behavior

• The safety of every dog and person on our premises comes first.

  • If a dog displays aggressive or threatening behavior that puts others at risk or makes continued care untenable, we reserve the right to end the stay early.

  • Pet parents would be contacted to arrange pick-up, with a 50% refund on the unused portion of the stay.

• To be clear: This policy is only for genuine safety emergencies. Dogs will be dogs, and each dog is also an individual — we would never end a stay early over normal or quirky behavior.

  • We’re talking about rare, extreme situations — ones where even our protective gear can’t help us keep everyone safe, and where we think most pet parents would agree that relocation is the right call, if only for the dog’s own well-being.

Insurance & Responsibility

• Park Slope Pals is insured through Pet Care Insurance (PCI), and pet parents are encouraged to carry their own pet insurance, as well.

• While damage is extremely rare, pet parents may be responsible for property damage that falls outside normal wear and tear or previously disclosed behavior. If this occurs, we’ll provide documentation and discuss it with pet parents promptly and transparently.

• In the extremely rare event that a dog in our care causes an injury to a caregiver (e.g., a bite) that requires a doctor’s visit or medication, pet parents will be contacted immediately and that cost will be passed through — we’ll always provide full documentation.

Thank you for taking the time to review these guidelines.

We know much of this is common sense, but we believe it’s important to be clear and thorough from the start — it’s how we ensure every dog in our care has the best possible experience.

We will care for your dog as if they were our own!