Running a pet boarding facility is a round-the-clock operation. From the moment a client drops off their Labrador for a week-long stay to the moment they pick it up, the facility team is responsible not just for the animal's physical care but also for managing a constant stream of reservations, owner check-ins, dietary updates, and emergency contacts. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), Americans spent approximately $9.3 billion on pet boarding and grooming services in 2023—and that figure continues to climb.
But the revenue opportunity comes with an operational challenge: boarding facilities are chronically understaffed relative to their peak demand periods, and the administrative workload is substantial.
Managing Reservation Surges Around Holidays
Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break, and summer vacation periods generate reservation spikes that can overwhelm even well-organized front-desk teams. A virtual assistant can act as the first point of contact for all inbound booking inquiries—managing the facility's online booking system, fielding phone calls and texts, confirming vaccination records, and coordinating check-in and check-out logistics without requiring an additional on-site hire.
During off-peak periods, the same VA can proactively reach out to past clients with early-bird booking incentives, reducing the revenue volatility that makes holiday-dependent businesses hard to plan around. Software platforms like Kennel Booker, PetExec, and Gingr all support the kind of remote access a VA needs to manage bookings effectively.
Owner Communication: The Emotional Layer of Pet Boarding
Pet owners—especially first-time boarders—experience genuine anxiety about leaving their animals. A 2022 survey by the Pet Sitters International (PSI) found that 74% of pet owners consider communication quality the most important factor when evaluating boarding and pet care services. They want updates, photos, and the reassurance that their animal is thriving.
A virtual assistant can manage this communication layer systematically. Coordinating with on-site staff to collect daily photo and video updates, then distributing them to clients via email, text, or through the facility's app, is a time-intensive but straightforward task—perfect for a remote VA operating on a consistent daily schedule. The result is a differentiated customer experience that drives repeat business and five-star reviews without consuming the attention of staff who are physically caring for the animals.
Administrative Operations: Vaccination Records, Contracts, and Billing
Before an animal can check in, boarding facilities must verify current vaccination records, have owners sign liability waivers, collect emergency contact information, and—often—process deposits or full pre-payments. Managing this paperwork flow, chasing incomplete records, and following up on unsigned agreements is exactly the kind of recurring administrative work a VA handles efficiently.
Post-visit billing, refund requests, add-on charge reconciliation, and receipt generation are additional administrative functions that facilities often handle unevenly when relying solely on on-site staff who are also cleaning kennels and feeding animals.
Growing the Business with Targeted Marketing
Beyond day-to-day operations, a VA can support the business development side of a boarding facility: managing Google Business Profile updates, responding to online reviews, maintaining an email newsletter list, and coordinating partnerships with local veterinary clinics and pet stores for referral programs. These growth activities rarely happen consistently when the owner is the only one doing them.
Pet boarding operators ready to delegate the communication and admin load can explore dedicated virtual assistant services at Stealth Agents, where VAs are trained to support service-based pet care businesses.
The facilities that invest in structured owner communication and streamlined operations today will be the ones that retain clients year over year—regardless of what competitors open in the neighborhood.
Sources
- American Pet Products Association. "APPA National Pet Owners Survey." americanpetproducts.org, 2023.
- Pet Sitters International. "Pet Owner Communication Survey." petsit.com, 2022.
- IBISWorld. "Pet Grooming & Boarding in the US — Industry Report." ibisworld.com, 2024.