Holiday planning usually follows a familiar pattern. You figure out who’s hosting dinner, book the flights or map the road trip, request time off from work, and start making lists. Then, often just a few weeks before you leave, someone asks:

“What are we doing with the dog?”

Unfortunately, that’s often the moment many families discover their preferred boarding facility may already be filling up.

If you’re planning holiday travel and will need dog boarding in Springfield or anywhere in Western Massachusetts, one of the easiest ways to make your trip less stressful is to reserve your dog’s stay as soon as your travel dates are set.

Here’s why holiday boarding fills up, when you should reserve, and how a little planning now can make check-in much smoother later.

Why Holiday Boarding Fills Up

The math is simple.

A boarding facility has a fixed number of kennels. Unlike a hotel that can add rooms or a restaurant that turns over tables throughout the evening, a boarding kennel has a limited amount of space. Every kennel exists so each pet receives the supervision, cleaning, exercise, feeding, and individual attention they deserve.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, school vacation weeks, and peak summer travel are some of the busiest times of the year because so many families are traveling during the same period.

Once those spaces are reserved, we can’t simply create more.

At Porter Road Pet Care, reservations are required, and during busy travel periods we often maintain a waiting list. That’s not a marketing tactic—it’s simply the reality of operating a boarding facility with a limited number of accommodations while maintaining the level of care every pet deserves.

When Should You Reserve?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but one piece of advice is always true:

Reserve your dog’s stay as soon as you know your travel dates.

Holiday availability can change quickly. While we’re often able to accommodate reservations made a couple of weeks before a holiday, waiting always carries the risk that the dates you need may no longer be available.

Travel Period

Recommended Booking Time

Thanksgiving

At least 2 weeks in advance

Christmas & New Year’s

At least 2 weeks in advance

February School Vacation

At least 2 weeks in advance

April School Vacation

At least 2 weeks in advance

Fourth of July

Summer Vacation

At least 2 weeks in advance

At least 2 weeks in advance

If your travel plans aren’t completely finalized yet, it’s still worth reserving your dog’s stay.

Our cancellation policy simply asks that you let us know as soon as your plans change, and there is no cancellation fee.

Holding a reservation you may not need costs you nothing. Waiting until the last minute could mean the dates you want are no longer available.

First-Time Guests Should Plan a Little Earlier

If your dog has never boarded with us before, giving yourself a little extra time is always helpful.

Booking ahead allows everyone to:

  • Complete any required paperwork
  • Verify vaccination records
  • Confirm your municipal dog license
  • Schedule a complimentary trial visit
  • Answer any questions before your trip

Taking care of these details well before your departure makes check-in faster and far less stressful.

Holiday Office Hours

One detail that occasionally surprises first-time boarding clients is that our front office doesn’t maintain normal business hours on every holiday.

Closed for Drop-Offs and Pickups

Our office is closed for arrivals and departures on:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Easter Sunday
  • Independence Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

Your pet will continue receiving the same feeding schedule, medications (if needed), cleaning, outdoor time, and attentive care. The only difference is that arrivals and departures cannot take place on those holidays.

Reduced Holiday Hours

Most other holidays operate with reduced office hours:

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

For example, if you’re returning home on Christmas Day, you’ll simply plan to pick up your dog on December 26 instead.

Our team will review the office hours that apply to your reservation when you book.

If This Is Your Dog’s First Boarding Stay, Don’t Make It a Holiday Stay

This is probably the most valuable advice we can offer.

A holiday stay isn’t the ideal introduction to boarding.

Holiday reservations are often longer, the facility is busier, and you’re usually farther from home if questions come up. That’s a lot of new experiences all at once.

Instead, consider scheduling a short trial visit before your holiday trip.

Your dog has the opportunity to:

  • Become familiar with the building
  • Meet our staff
  • Experience the daily routine
  • Learn the sights, sounds, and smells of the facility

At the same time, our team gets to know your dog’s personality and can identify anything that may help make a future stay even more comfortable.

Perhaps most importantly, your dog learns that boarding isn’t permanent—you always come back.

Porter Road Pet Care offers complimentary trial visits for first-time boarding guests.

Don’t Wait to Update Vaccinations

The holiday season is also one of the busiest times of year for veterinary offices.

If your dog needs vaccinations or boosters before boarding, appointments become harder to schedule the closer you get to the holidays. Most vaccines also require one to two weeks before they’re fully effective.

When you reserve your boarding stay, take a few minutes to verify your dog’s vaccination records.

If something has expired—or will expire before your trip—you’ll have plenty of time to get everything updated without scrambling at the last minute.

Massachusetts Boarding Requirements

Massachusetts regulates licensed boarding kennels through Ollie’s Law, which established statewide standards for animal care, sanitation, staffing, recordkeeping, and facility operations.

Licensed facilities also have a maximum capacity. That means we can’t simply “fit in one more dog” once we’re full.

Planning ahead helps ensure your pet has a reserved space while allowing us to continue providing every guest with the care and attention they deserve.

If Your Plans Change

Travel plans sometimes change, and that’s okay.

If your reservation is no longer needed, simply give us a call as soon as you know.

There is no cancellation fee, and during busy travel periods another family is often waiting for an opening.

Likewise, if you’ll be arriving later than expected on drop-off day, please let us know. Without notice, your reservation could be released to another family.

Holiday Boarding Checklist

Before your trip, make sure you’ve:

✔ Reserved your boarding dates

✔ Verified your dog’s vaccinations

✔ Confirmed your municipal dog license is current

✔ Updated your emergency contact information

✔ Packed any medications your dog will need

✔ Reviewed holiday pickup and drop-off hours

✔ Scheduled a complimentary trial visit (for first-time guests)

The Holidays Don’t Change How We Care for Pets

While families are celebrating with loved ones, our work continues.

Dogs staying with us continue receiving the same feeding schedules, medication administration, outdoor time, cleaning routines, enrichment, and attentive care they receive every other day of the year.

The calendar may say “holiday,” but our commitment to the pets in our care never changes.

Book Your Holiday Boarding at Porter Road Pet Care

Located in East Longmeadow, Porter Road Pet Care proudly serves families throughout Springfield, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Chicopee, Ludlow, Enfield, and communities across the Pioneer Valley.

Our staff trains through PackPro, a comprehensive education platform designed specifically for professional pet care providers. Training covers canine behavior, animal health, disease prevention, safety, emergency response, customer service, and daily facility operations. Continuing education is a permanent part of how we care for every pet entrusted to us.

If you’re planning holiday travel, now is an excellent time to reserve your dog’s stay.

Give us a call at (413) 525-3532 to reserve your dates, stop by during business hours for an informal tour, or ask about scheduling a complimentary trial visit for your dog’s first boarding experience.

Book your dog’s boarding when you book your trip.

Your future self—and your dog—will be glad you did.