18Apr/113
How much does it cost to run a kennel?
Just wondering! In the future I would love to get dogs from shelters and train them and find them good homes and of coarse I would keep some of them.
I don't plan on doing this now but maybe in the future. My mom wants to live on a farm and a farm would be the perfect place to let dogs run and play and train them.
Thanks for helping. I will do more research as well.
April 18th, 2011 - 18:02
It depends a lot on what type of kennel you plan to run and your location. While you may get a few more adopters for your trained dogs, you’ll never be able to charge an adoption fee that would cover your costs, in your case. You’d either have to have another business to cover the expenses, or have a good support group of volunteers raising money for you, and you’d also have to register as a non-profit. Now if you were to run a boarding kennel, and do the rescue work on the side, you could probably pull enough cash to support your endeavors with the rescues if you kept them to a minimum and the boarding were the priority.
Some of the largest costs I encountered were heat and water usage. Sanitation came in next, then of course food. Licenses vary by location. No matter where you live, paperwork is abundant. In my state, you must keep a file on every dog which includes all shot records from their owner’s vet, when the dog came in, when it left, who brought it in, who picked it up, any problems the dog had while in your care, when it was fed and exercised, what other dogs it came in contact with…on and on and on.
April 18th, 2011 - 18:36
This like any other animal adventure can become costly
First you have to build a secure well set up kennel facility, preferably with indoor/outdoor runs for each individual dog.
As well as a fenced in exercise area, a bathing and grooming area, and a food set up area.
Now you have not purchased any dishes, toys, beds, grooming supplies food, these are all things you have to consider.
Then the big one…….vet costs, you have worming programs and wellness checkups that need to be done, shots that need to be up to date etc etc.
With out knowing exactly the area you live in it would be hard to calculate costs and even if I did it would still be hard to do costs.
When I was still doing rescue I had upwards of 25 dogs at any given time the cost can run into hundreds of dollars a month.
You would also have to find out how much your kennel license would cost and even if you could get one in your area. Remember most local townships and counties say only 2-3 three dogs per house hold then you are required to carry a kennel license.
I am not trying to dampen your spirits, bless you for wanting to be a rescuer, just trying to show you the reality of costs before you start.
If you try to work with the local shelters, they will often help you with food costs etc as you are only taking their “overflow”
I’m sorry that people like you and I have to be but, at least we are here for those wonderful critters that others cast off for what ever no good reason.
I wish you luck but, do loads of homework, there are also feeding programs available through some feed suppliers that give you big discounts by purchasing exclusively from them.
April 18th, 2011 - 19:09
From experience it takes quite a bit..
things u don’t even take in to consideration..
so U need a financial backing to put in all the necessary equipment.
do Ur research and give it lots of thought.. but it sounds like a cool idea, hope it works for u..