Boarding is priced like a hotel, and this is the rule that handles late-day departures.
How the amount is set
The rate sheet states that afternoon pick-up is charged one half of the nightly fee. The half-day charge follows the pet's own nightly price: half of $52, $59 or $72 for one dog in Economy, Business Class or First Class, half of $35 for a cat. For dogs sharing a kennel, it is half of the combined nightly rate.
A worked example
A dog in Economy stays three nights at $52, which is 3 x $52 = $156. Pick up in the morning and that is the total. Pick up in the afternoon and half of $52 is added. The calculator on the stay cost estimator adds the half night when you choose the afternoon option.
Why it exists
The mid-day period is used for cleaning and for preparing runs before the afternoon arrivals. A pet that stays into the afternoon holds a run for part of another day. The half charge reflects that, without billing a full night. The kennel describes afternoon pick-ups as no problem, just charged the half.
Avoiding or accepting it
Plan a morning return if you can: the windows are 7:30 to 11:30 AM. If your flight or drive makes the afternoon easier, the half-night charge may be worth it. Day care is a separate service with its own rates. See check-out time and what happens if I pick up in the afternoon.
Dogs, cats and sharing
For a cat, half of $35 is added. For two dogs sharing a Business Class kennel, the nightly charge is $59 for the first dog and $50 for the second, and the afternoon pick-up charge is half of that combined nightly amount. Day care visits follow their own daily or hourly rates and do not carry a half-night add-on. If you are unsure which applies, ask when you book and the staff will walk through it.
Why owners choose it anyway
The half-night charge can buy a calmer travel day. Coming off a red-eye or a long drive, a rested owner picking up in the afternoon is better for everyone than a rushed morning. The cost is small compared with the stay, and it is stated in advance on the rate sheet.