Most boarding stays at Happy Paws involve no card on file at all. The term comes into play once a stay runs past four weeks, so this entry is for deployments, relocations and long trips.
The rule on the 2026 sheet
The 2026 rate sheet says no deposit is due at other times of the year unless your pet's stay is longer than four weeks. In that case a credit card is placed on file and charged every two weeks. The live rates page adds that the charge is made in advance. For every other stay, the balance is due when you pick up your pet.
A worked example
Take one dog in Business Class for six weeks, which is 42 nights. A stay of 14 or more nights is billed at the long-term rate on the sheet, $53 a night instead of $59 for one dog. Two weeks in advance is 14 nights, 14 x $53 = $742, so the card would be charged that amount at each two-week mark, using the 2026 rates. Use the stay estimator for your own dates and class.
Card on file versus holiday deposit
They are separate rules. The holiday deposit is 50 percent of the stay, due 30 days before drop-off, for stays beginning near a major holiday. The card on file belongs to the length of the stay. A long stay that also begins near a holiday touches both rules, so please call 707-678-6600 to confirm how they apply to your dates.
Payment methods
The kennel accepts cash, checks, debit cards, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. For a card on file, you need a credit card on your account before the stay begins. Read what payment methods do you take for the full list.
Who uses it
Month-long stays are usually a move, a deployment, a long trip abroad or a recovery. Military families can read deployment and long-term boarding, and anyone planning a month or more can start with long-term dog boarding and what to expect from a month-long stay. The boarding agreement is still signed once, even with an online account.
Setting it up
- Send your booking request through the Book / My Account link, or call.
- Tell the kennel the pickup date, so the length of the stay is clear.
- Add the credit card to your account when the kennel asks for it.
- Expect a charge for the next two weeks at each two-week mark.