Happy Paws charges by the night, like a hotel, and check-out is by 11:30 AM. The half-night charge covers the afternoon your pet stays beyond check-out.
A worked example
Say a dog stays in a Business Class kennel for three nights at $59 on the 2026 rates, which is $177. Picking up the next afternoon adds half of one night's fee. A cat in the cattery is $35 a night and follows the same rule. Dogs sharing a kennel pay half of the combined nightly fee.
When an afternoon pick-up makes sense
Flights are the common reason. If you land at Sacramento in the afternoon, a same-day pick-up can be easier than waiting overnight. SMF is about 40 minutes from the kennel without traffic. Some families also prefer a calm afternoon over a rushed morning, and the extra half night is the price of that.
What you cannot do
The office is closed from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, so there is no pick-up over midday. After 5:00 PM it is closed too. On Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve the afternoon window is 1:00 to 3:00, and on the seven closed holidays no pick-up is available.
Bath timing
If you want your dog bathed before pick-up, give the staff your arrival estimate so bathing and drying finish in time. Baths are priced by size and coat, so please ask.