Overnight stays
What if my dog gets sick during a stay?
Nobody books a stay expecting a sick dog, and most stays pass without a sniffle. Still, an owner two states away needs to know what happens if something changes. This page sets out what is in place, what you should leave with us, and where emergency care is once you leave Cape Ann.
The short version
Monitoring catches it; your paperwork tells us what to do next
Two things protect your dog during a stay. The first is 24/7 monitoring: our handlers are with the playgroups all day and the building is watched through the night, so a dog that goes quiet, stops eating or starts coughing is seen early. The second is the file you leave with us. Your vet's name and number, an emergency contact and a plain description of any ongoing condition let the front desk act quickly instead of guessing.
What we will not do is play vet. If a dog looks unwell, decisions about care sit with you and your vet, and our job is to notice early and to reach you both as the current protocol sets out. Ask the front desk to walk you through that protocol when you book. That conversation takes five minutes and settles most of the worry.
- 24/7 monitoring during the stay, handlers with the groups by day
- Your vet's name and number on file before drop-off
- An emergency contact who will answer while you are away
- The front desk confirms the current illness protocol and any costs when you book
How it works at Dogtown
Leave us six things at drop-off and the hard part is done
The vaccination requirements are the first line. Every dog at Dogtown has current Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella vaccinations on file and a city license, checked at the free evaluation on a weekday morning between 6:30 and 9:30 AM. Bordetella is the kennel cough vaccine, the illness owners worry about most at any facility. The AVMA's vaccination guidance explains what each vaccine does and why boosters matter.
Beyond the vaccines, what you hand over at drop-off does the work. Pre-portioned meals make a missed meal obvious. You may bring any necessary medications; ask the front desk how medications are handled during a stay before you rely on it. And write things down. A handler at 7 AM on a Sunday should not have to remember what you said in the lobby on Friday.
- 01
Your vet's practice name and phone number, and whether they know your dog is away
- 02
An emergency contact in the area who can make decisions if you cannot be reached
- 03
A plain note on any ongoing condition, allergy or recent illness
- 04
Pre-portioned meals, so a skipped meal shows immediately
- 05
Any necessary medications, labeled; ask the front desk how they are handled during a stay
- 06
Your travel dates and time zone, so we know when a call will reach you
What it means for your dog
Puppies have small reserves, adults hide it, seniors need a baseline
Puppies have small reserves and cannot afford to miss water. A puppy that skips a meal is common on a first night away; a puppy that skips water or has loose stool more than once is something to raise straight away. Tell us at drop-off what normal looks like for your pup, including how often it usually goes out.
Healthy adults tend to hide discomfort in a group, which is exactly why handlers who know the dog matter. A dog that normally leads the play and instead lies at the fence is telling us something, and the report card in the Dogtown app will say so. Tick season runs April to November on Cape Ann, so a dog that arrives after a week of Dogtown Common walks should have had a tick check first.
Seniors and dogs with a diagnosed condition need a baseline. Tell us what a normal day looks like: how far they walk before stiffening, how much water they drink, whether they skip breakfast. With a baseline, a change is obvious. Without one, a slow senior looks like a slow senior. The Deluxe bundle's orthopedic memory-foam bed, at $15 a night, is worth asking about for stiff joints.
- Puppies: flag skipped water or repeated loose stool, not a single skipped meal
- Adults: a tick check before drop-off in tick season, April to November
- Seniors: give us a baseline for water, appetite and stiffness
Emergency care near Gloucester
Know where the 24-hour hospital is before you need it
Cape Ann is a peninsula, and the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital is not on it. Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn is open around the clock, about an hour's drive from Eastern Ave in normal traffic as an estimate. The City of Gloucester keeps a list of local emergency veterinary offices on its website, and it is worth reading before a stay so that you and the front desk are working from the same names.
If your regular vet is on Cape Ann, tell them the dates you are away and that Dogtown may call. Some practices will hold a note authorizing treatment up to an amount you set; ask yours. That single step removes the worst-case delay, which is a clinic that cannot reach an owner and will not act without consent. It also means the clinic already knows your dog when Dogtown calls.
At Dogtown
The care behind the stay
The same vaccination checks, matched playgroups and monitoring cover daycare days and overnight stays alike.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Will you take my dog to the vet if it gets sick?
Who pays for veterinary care during a stay?
What if my dog has a cough at pick-up?
Should I skip the stay if my dog was sick last week?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital
- Gloucester local emergency veterinary offices
- AVMA on vaccinations
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Leave us the details, then travel.
Book the free evaluation, bring the vaccination records, and give the front desk your vet's number and an emergency contact before the first night.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
