Plans change on the way home from an airport, a hospital or a job site, and a friend, neighbor or relative sometimes makes the pick-up instead. The simplest way to keep that smooth is to put the name on paper before the stay begins.
Where the names go
The boarding agreement is filled out once, and its first page collects your own details and those of a second owner if there is one. It then asks for an emergency contact who is not traveling with you and who may make decisions and pick up your pet. Below that is a line for other people who are allowed to pick up. Anyone you write there can come to the counter and take your dog or cat home.
Why the kennel asks
A boarded pet is in the kennel's care, and the staff hand a dog or cat only to someone the owner has approved. The list protects your pet the same way a school pick-up list protects a child. It also helps when your trip runs long, because the staff already know whom to call.
What your helper should know
Pick-up windows are 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM every day except the closed holidays. Check-out is by 11:30 AM, and an afternoon pick-up adds half of the nightly fee, so tell your helper which window you have in mind. The hours page lists the holiday closures. The balance is due at pick-up, and the kennel takes cash, checks, debit, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, so your helper should know how the bill will be settled.
If you add a name during the stay
Call 707-678-6600 and tell the staff. Updates made by phone are the quickest way to cover a last-minute change, and you can also correct your account details through the online account under Book / My Account.
Pets that are not picked up on time
The agreement asks you to call if your pet will not be collected on the scheduled day. That call is the moment to mention a new person, a new date or both.