These furparents may even hesitate from making travel plans, as the mere thought of leaving their pets behind for long stretches of time can be heart-breaking.
This is where local business Fetch Me Later aims to help as they offer daycare and boarding services for dogs. During a recent visit, FMT Lifestyle caught up with founders Sarah Tan, 35, and Carlyn Wong, 33.
Located in Bangsar, Fetch Me Later is a cosy place and most of the pooches can be seen playing together in designated areas as a team of employees – or nannies – keep a close eye on them.
According to Tan, daycare starts as early as 7am and ends at 7pm, and furparents may drop or pick up their pooches any time in between.
So, what happens in daycare?
“We normally have a schedule for the day. Basically, they have fixed times to poop, pee, eat and play,” she said, adding that the dogs spend most of their time indoors but are let outside several times a day to relieve themselves.
Wong added that some of the dogs even have their favourite friends just like children at school do – how cute!
She said that some dogs are sent to daycare to help prepare them for boarding in the future.
She explained that many dogs struggled with separation, mainly because during the pandemic, their furparents never left home. So being separated from their humans was never something the dog had to deal with.
“When they come here for daycare, we bond with them, teach them our routine so that they are more comfortable when they come for boarding,” she added.
Those whose dogs are in daycare and boarding will receive at least two updates via WhatsApp daily.
Food, however, is not provided as they believe it’s better for the dogs to eat what they typically consume at home to avoid diarrhoea and allergies, among others.
Nevertheless, dog owners can still purchase cooked or raw food from them.
As this is a free-roaming facility, the duo has safety precautions in place. All canines must have completed their annual vaccination, including the Bordetella vaccine to prevent kennel cough. Tick and heartworm prevention is also a must, and the dogs must not be aggressive towards other dogs and humans.
Prior to admission, dog owners are required to answer a list of questions via WhatsApp before they are invited along with their pooch to the Fetch Me Later premises.
During the visit, Wong conducts a physical examination to gauge the dog’s comfort level with a stranger. “I have to see the dog for myself. I also have to make sure that my team is safe,” she said, adding that the dog will also be introduced to other canines there.
While they do not have a set age range for dogs they accept, Tan shared that puppies must have completed the required vaccinations while senior canines should not suffer from serious medical conditions.
Ultimately, the duo aims to make this a one-stop centre for the convenience of dog owners. As such, they also provide grooming services such as fur and nail trimming, ear cleaning, paw shaving and pet spa.
Plus, they also organise “barkday” parties to celebrate a pooch making another trip around the sun – and this includes a delicious cake baked by Tan!
Additionally, they also organise annual Bordetella vaccination drives. “We invite a vet over to make it easy for our clients,” said Wong.
So, what keeps the duo going? “I feel like this is my calling. I can’t see myself doing anything else if it’s not with dogs,” said Tan.
“The biggest satisfaction is watching them grow. We had puppies who were four to five months old and were really small. Now they are three to four years old already. We take pride in raising them,” Wong concluded.
Follow Fetch Me Later on Instagram. For more information, send a WhatsApp message to 016-288 7562.
Fetch Me Later
8, Lengkok Abdullah,
59000 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur