McKenna Kennels Pet Resort Offers True “Home Away From Home” for Dogs and Cats

tacoma pet boarding

 

tacoma pet boarding
McKenna Kennels Pet Resort is situated on 32 idyllic acres, making it a tranquil, beautiful environment for your pet’s visit.

If you’re a pet owner, you want the best for your canine or feline companion. When you have a vacation coming up, or are looking for somewhere for your pet to go while you’re at work, who do you turn to? If you, like me, think of your pet as “family,” then there is one boarding and dog daycare option that stands out above the rest: McKenna Kennels Pet Resort.

Serving Pierce County since 1933, McKenna Kennels Pet Resort is located in the quiet, scenic community of Roy-McKenna. This kennel and daycare business has long been a favorite of  military families, professionals, and any busy person-on-the-go who wants to balance reliable care, affordable prices, and a positive experience for their pet.

Located on 32 securely-fenced acres, McKenna Kennels has a great reputation with pet owners, who come from all over the county (and beyond) to board their dogs and cats. What makes them different? Well, for one thing, the staff at McKenna Kennels truly loves animals. It’s been a family business for four generations, and as I toured the property recently with Hilary Gonias (great-granddaughter of the founder), it’s clear that pet care runs in the genes. As she showed me around the sprawling, lush green property, she greeted each dog by name, amid plenty of tail-wagging and smiling on the guests’ part. From the office to the large outdoor play yard, the entire business has a relaxed, home-like atmosphere that helps make the transition to being in a new environment go smoothly.

tacoma pet boarding
Dog guests at McKenna Kennels Pet Resort can look forward to daily individual or group play in the large, outdoor play yard at no additional cost.

The second thing that makes this business unique is that they offer daily outdoor exercise time for dogs at no additional charge. This feature has been a huge hit with customers, who report that their dogs are happy and stimulated while staying at McKenna Kennels. As Gonia brought several dogs out into the big, fenced exercise yard to start a game of fetch, she told me a little more about how they operate. “We consider each dog like a family member, and want them to really enjoy their time here,” says Gonia. Instead of your dog sitting in a kennel all day, they will be able to run and play each day, and socialize with other dogs if they want to (there are also individual outdoor play areas available).

McKenna Kennels offers two boarding options to best suit your dog’s needs. Outdoor kennels are for larger and more outgoing dogs. The kennels are roomy and clean, and each has a heated dog bed for your pooch at night. Walking into the outdoor-kennel facility, it’s evident that the dogs know and love the staff, who learn each dog’s personality and preferences.

For smaller and more sensitive dogs, McKenna Kennels also offers an indoor kennel option. The indoor kennel building is bright and homey, with personal kennels for each pooch. They also feature an open “living room” space, where each dog gets to come out and relax for a couple of hours a day. It even has a comfy couch for dogs to lounge on, so your pup truly can feel like it’s a “home away from home.”

tacoma pet boarding
Owner Hilary Gonia plays fetch with three happy pooches at McKenna Kennels Pet Resort. Gonia and the rest of the staff love dogs and cats and it is evident in the happy pets there.

Gonia and her staff make it their personal mission to see that every single dog is happy during their stay. “We try to treat them as if they were our own,” she says. They also take pride in the highest safety standards. (“Safety and fun are our two priorities,” Gonia notes.)  All pets are required to be current on vaccinations prior to visiting, making sure it is a healthy environment for your animal companion.

McKenna Kennels is ideally situated not just for dogs, but for cats as well. A quiet area near the front office houses the cat kennels, and I was surprised to find the visiting cats (who are notoriously anxious about being away from home) calm and content. It seems the staff’s relaxing energy even spreads to their feline boarders; cats can enjoy a comfortable, feline-friendly environment where they are well tended to during their stay.

Even if you’re not planning a trip soon, the busy family may want to look into dog daycare at McKenna Kennels. Started about a year ago, the program is quickly gaining popularity through positive word-of-mouth. In addition to giving your dog a safe, engaging place to be while you’re at work, it also helps dogs learn to socialize and become more adaptable to new situations. Gonia has watched many positive outcomes of the daycare program, and says she can see a dramatic difference in dogs’ confidence levels after participating. Animal experts agree that day care for your dog indeed has many great benefits.

tacoma pet boarding
Dogs get excited when they enter the friendly, family-like atmosphere at McKenna Kennels Pet Resort.

McKenna Kennels offers reasonable pricing, as well as senior and military discounts. They are proud to serve many military personnel and their animal companions. They also offer additional options such as medication services (check with staff for details), and several social and exercise options (in addition to the daily exercise time already provided). You can choose “social time” (dogs get to be interactive and out for most of the day); “one-on-one” play time with humans in the yard; and “nature walks,” which walk more active dogs around the large property, all for very modest additional fees.

As I watched two of the regular canine visitors, Scout and Athena, run and play, I realized that a visit to McKenna Kennels Pet Resort is truly like “day camp” for dogs – fun and stimulating in a secure setting, giving dogs a great adventure and their owners peace of mind.

Do you want your dog to be not just safe, but happy too, when you’re away? Trustworthy, reliable, dog-knowledgeable, affordable – these are just some of the reasons to board your cat or dog or enroll your dog in daycare at McKenna Kennels Pet Resort. To learn more about them, call them at (360) 458-2981, visit their website, or come out for a visit (bring your pooch if you’d like). You can also follow them on Facebook.