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89 (02) 792-7602 21-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul chungwha77@gmail.com www.cwhospital.co.kr Hospital hours Mon - Sat : 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Grooming hours Mon - Sat : 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For reservations, call (02) 794-9967. j (02) 797-3040 pethotelm@gmail.com www.thepethotelm.com j Korea Animal Transport (KAT) & Chungwha Animal Hospital The Pet Hotel M Chungwha Animal Hospital A s you make preparations to leave the city or country over the com- ing holidays, many pet owners must consider how they will en- sure proper care for their animals while they’re out of town. Some owners may be fortunate enough to have a person who can take care of their pets in a pinch, but over busy holidays like Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Seollal, it’s not uncommon for friends to also have plans. Fortunately, Korea has a va- riety of options for these kinds of situations. Here are some things to consider and pre- pare for when boarding your dogs or cats in kennels, also known as pet hotels. Itaewon Station Exit 4 Chungwha Apt. Exit 3 A pet hotel how-to Things to check out before you check in Column by DR. LIMGWARN KANG DVm 1. Prepare vaccination records Leaving your pets in a pet hotel is not as sim- ple as you might think. Since there are other animals in the facility, hotels usually require you to bring rabies and core vaccination re- cords in order to keep all pets free of detri- mental and contagious diseases. 2. Indicate what kind of pet food your pet is eating Given the variety of food products available for dogs and cats (which are categorized based on age, indoor/outdoor, prescription, etc.), the hotel staff should be informed of the type and quantity of food you give your pet at mealtime. This is especially crucial when boarding pets with medical conditions. 3. Inform the hotel manager about your pet’s medical history For an animal, being separated from one’s owner can be a significant event. It’s much easier for them to become anxious without their owner present, and this uneasiness can impact a pet’s immune system, thereby pre- disposing animals to a possible infection or allergic reaction. For example, feline herpes viruses typically manifest when the cat’s im- mune system is interrupted by a stressful in- cident. The condition often carries symptoms such as sneezing and coughing and, most im- portantly, the herpes could easily be transmit- ted to other cats. For this reason, it is always better to give a heads-up to managers and provide them with previous health records. 4. Choose a pet hotel that is affiliated with an animal hospital Although many hotels are adequately pre- pared for accidents, a facility that has trained medical staff on hand for any possible emer- gency is worth seeking out. Furthermore, if you notice your pets are not feeling well at the start of the stay, you can ask for a medical check-up when boarding. 5. Sanitation and space to move should always be the first priority Pet owners should try visiting the pet hotel at least once before dropping off their pets so they can see the space and the degree of hygiene. Generally speaking, pet hotels with lots of room to stretch to find in larger cities, but seeking out a spacious pet hotels are hard to find in larger cities, but seeking out a spacious facility is worth the effort when you imagine your cat or dog locked in a cage for several days. Fortunately, there are sever- al hotels in the Itaewon and Gangnam areas that provide sizable playgrounds for dogs and cats to roam freely during the daytime, and individual cages for them to sleep in at night. This advice was compiled by Pet Hotel M, a pet boarding facility affiliated with Chunghwa Animal Hospital that recently opened in Itae- won.