Pet Boarding Cost Calculator
Total pet boarding cost from nightly rate, days away, and add-ons like daycare, grooming, medication, and special diet handling.
Pet boarding pricing is one of those services where the headline rate hides most of the actual bill. The nightly rate covers a kennel and two basic feedings. Almost everything else is an add-on: medication administration, special diet, daycare or extra walks, grooming, and the holiday surcharge if your travel dates fall on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or July 4th.
The honest math:
total = (nightly_rate × nights) + (daycare × days) + per_visit_fees + grooming + meds + holiday_surcharge
Reasonable 2026 ranges in the US:
- Standard kennel boarding: $35-65 per night (small dog), $50-90 (large dog)
- Cat boarding: $20-40 per night
- Premium/luxury boarding (cottages, suites): $80-200 per night
- Add-on daycare or extra play time: $15-30 per day
- Medication administration: $5-15 per day
- Special diet (cooked meals, raw food handling): $5-10 per day
- Bath at pickup: $30-80 depending on size
- Holiday surcharge: 25-50% on top of nightly rate
A worked example. Two-week vacation, medium dog, Memorial Day weekend included. Standard rate $50/night × 14 = $700. Daycare add-on for half the days = $20 × 7 = $140. Twice-daily insulin = $10 × 14 = $140. Bath at pickup = $50. Holiday surcharge for the 3 Memorial Day weekend nights = $150 × 0.30 = $45. Total: $1,075. The advertised $50/night turned into $77/night actually.
Alternatives to commercial boarding. Pet sitters who come to your house are often cheaper for one or two pets, around $25-50 per visit (typically two visits per day). For a 14-day trip with two visits per day, that is $700-1,400, usually less than premium boarding for a multi-pet household. Rover and similar platforms run $35-65 per night for in-home dog sitting, which is in the same ballpark as kennel boarding but includes the dog living in someone’s house instead of a kennel. House sitters who stay at your home are usually $40-100 per day plus utilities; that’s the most expensive option but the lowest stress for the pet.
A note on what the price does and doesn’t include. Standard boarding includes a kennel, scheduled feedings (with food you bring, usually), at least two daily potty breaks for dogs, and basic interaction. It does not usually include long walks, individual play time, training, or much human contact beyond cleaning rounds. If your pet needs more than that, you are paying for daycare add-ons, which is where the bill grows.
Vaccines required almost everywhere: DHPP, rabies, bordetella for dogs; FVRCP and rabies for cats. Many places now require canine influenza too. If your pet is not current, expect either a vet visit before drop-off or a refusal. Bordetella has a 5-day window to take effect, so do not get it the day before boarding.