HCOL ladies: Is this $$ ridiculous?

mrs.jacinthe

I've posted about this before, and we just can't find anyone who really wants to give up everything they're doing for 2+ weeks and house/pet sit for us, even for free airfare.  (which is understandable ... people have lives)

Anyhow, our current best boarding option for Dot is a local "bed and barkfast" inn which is cage-free.  Dot would be in a room for "couch potatoes" with <10 other dogs, several couches, dog beds, etc.  She'd get outside time 3-4x per day for 20 minutes at a time, as well as attention and petting from the in-room care person.  They have on-site 24-hour supervision and there is an on-call vet just down the street.  Cost is $39 bucks per day if we pre-pay.  So we're looking at $600+ for our 15-day trip back east (including dropping off the day before we leave and picking up, most likely, the day after we get back). 

Does that sound ridiculous?  I'll be honest, it sounds ridiculous to me, but we moved here from LCOL and I just have no idea if it's reasonable or not.

lanyac

I live in a LCOL area, and I pay about that to board my dogs. Its supervised day care during the day, with areas outside and inside. They've got webcams! Lol. And at night, they get their own crates. I suck it up and pay. Thanksgiving cost me around $500 and I was only gone for a few days. 

lanyac

http://www.ruffhousing.com/lodging-pricing.cfm is our place, if you're curious. 

wypadek

I live in LCOL to MCOL and I don't think that's ridiculous at ALL! I pay $67 a night to board two dogs (second dog is a discount). I think one is $42 and that's at a doggie day care during the day, both inside and outside and separating small and large dogs when needed.

firedancer22

Jesus, I would LOVE to pay that!  Cheapest here is $50 per day.

Caz1221

I live in Boston (which I think is HCOL), and we pay close to $100 per night ($97.50 to be precise) to board our two dogs in the "hotel" run by the company that walks them.  So when we went away for a week (8 nights) In February (for the very first time since we got the dogs), it came out to about $800 (1/2 of which was paid in advance).  I've looked at comparable places in Boston, and they are the same price if not more.  Plus, I completely trust our walking company with the boys, something I can't say about many people.  So for me, $39 per day would be completely amazing.

M6girl

I'm in Palm Beach area and pay $35/day.  If we can make the drive, we try to board Hilo in Charlotte, NC (I think LCOL) with his breeders and they charge $35/day.  $39 sounds about right.

spalko

I pay $30/day for both dogs ($15/dog). They get a mile walk twice a day, plenty of outdoor play time, and a cushy (and spacious) kennel for them to relax in. In the area that I live in this is considered cheaper as the average is usually $40-$50/day. I think for what you are getting $39/day is a good price!

cs026a

We pay $40 a night for boarding with all day doggy day care. 

We're in PA.  

Mryan209

$39/night sounds like a steal to me.

velocitygrl

We pay $36/day for boarding and doggie daycare during the day, and I've paid up to $46/day for in-home boarding with our trainer in Denver.  Your prices sound ok.  

Ron*N*Kel

$40 here in Ohio when I checked. I think $40 is reasonable. I think maybe why you think it is so much is the final cost! It does add up.

kellbell1919

I think that is reasonable. 

What about checking with local vets to see if their vet techs pet sit or posting an ad on a college job board?

mrs.jacinthe

Wowza.  I had no idea that everyone paid that much.  Our boarding facility in Ohio was $22 a night, so this price increase seems ridiculous to me.  But if it's in line with what everyone else is paying, I guess it's about right.  **sigh**  I hate spending money.

msmerymac

$39 seems very reasonable to me.

But the $600 would make me go too. Sometimes the total number is a shocker.

We're getting a pet sitter for our special needs cat and other cat for some trips this year, and it's a few hundred bucks as well (but she doesn't charge more for multiple pets and I trust a sitter with Sam's food and medicine more than a boarding facility). Still, I can't say I didn't consider just bringing Sam with me to my parents' house.

 

ETA: For the pet sitter, for 2 visits a day, it will be close to $50/day.

Dana JR

Ouch. I don't think I've ever paid more than 20 a night. I usually board at my vet though. I don't really care about all the luxury perks, long walks, fancy beds, etc. They're going to be miserable no matter what.  

GrayGhost13

I live in an moderate COL urban area, and our daycare/boarding place charges $33/night for something similar.

So what they're asking may be a 'lil high for my city, but in an HCOL, it's probably not bad.