These days, one word is common to almost all Norwegian kennels: Fully booked.
During the pandemic, a record number of Norwegians got a dog or cat, and after two years of restrictions, the travel desire of several Norwegians is great.
This can present problems for Norwegian dog and cat owners who have not yet found animal shelters.
Because even though there are still several weeks until the joint holiday takes off in full, there are almost no dog and cat hotels in Norway that have vacancies left.
According to several Norwegian kennels TV 2 has spoken to, the demand has never been greater.
– DOG HOTEL: Several Norwegian dog owners will struggle to find a place at the kennel during the summer holidays, according to several players. This is probably due to the fact that a record number of Norwegians got a dog during the corona period. Photo: Jeff McIntosh / PA / NTB
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Extreme demand
TV 2 has spoken to over ten Norwegian kennels in different parts of the country.
“Yes, are you the yeast”, “extreme progress” and “I have never experienced the like” are among the response Norwegian kennels give on whether they expect a good summer season this year.
– AIR TURN: Three dogs on a walk in the woods during their stay at Standal dog hotel. Photo: Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell
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– It’s completely crazy! We have actually had it so hectic that for the first time in 91 years of operation, we have had to say no to ordinary guests even outside the school holidays. It has never happened before, says Jørn Standal, owner of Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell in Nittedal, to TV 2.
– GOOD SUMMER: The owner of Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell in Nittedal, Jørn Standal, thinks it will be a good summer at the kennel. Photo: Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell
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Standal is Norway’s largest kennel with room for a total of 150 animals spread over approximately 100 dogs and 50 cats. Nevertheless, they have to say no to some customers during the summer holidays due to the extreme demand.
– DINING ROOM: There is room for a total of 50 cats at the cat hotel in Standal. Demand has completely exploded this year compared to earlier. Photo: Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell
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At Byneset kennel in Trondheim, general manager Geir Haugum says that they even have customers who drive the dog all the way from Oslo to Trondheim to get a passport.
– Compared to last year, it is much earlier full, and most people booked stays for the summer holidays already in January and February, he says to TV 2.
Also in Bergen, the demand for the joint holiday is completely out of the ordinary.
– FULL: Kennel owner Merete Hvide on Askøy is degraded by desperate customers who need dog care during the summer holidays. Photo: Askøy Hundegård / Privat
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– It’s absolutely huge! I have room for 27 dogs at the same time, but I am sure that I could have filled up three times as many if I had room, says owner of Hundegården Askøy, Merete Hvide, to TV 2.
She says that June is already partially fully booked, while the high season in July has reached maximum capacity.
– If someone cancels, the place fills up in just an hour or two, she says.
– It’s completely crazy! I have never experienced anything like this in the five years I have run a kennel. I get ten phone calls and emails from customers who need passports every single day.
Koronafenomen
The same is the case at Gardermoen dog and cat hotel, which can accommodate between 60 and 70 dogs, in addition to 30 cats. Now almost all the seats are taken.
– It just crashes in with orders, says general manager Ann Kiellberg to TV 2.
– For cats, we have three or four places left, but there are not many dog places left either, maybe 10-15 during the joint holiday, she adds.
– CROWN DOG: A record number of Norwegians acquired a dog during the pandemic. Now many of them will be alone for the very first time. Illustration photo. Photo: Hendrik Schmidt / AFP / NTB
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The kennel is only a few minutes from Norway’s largest airport, Oslo Airport.
– We have customers who travel here from all over the country. There are very many who will travel from the airport and think it is convenient to have the dog nearby, she explains.
Both Kiellberg and Hvide say that it is largely new customers who flock.
– I think it is because many have gotten a dog in the corona era. Most of my new customers have dogs that are only a year or two old, says Hvide.
– Many people made another quick decision in a short time that was impulse-driven, and acquired a dog without reflecting further on what it entails, Standal adds.
– FOREST TRIP: Three guests at Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell on a walk in the forest. Photo: Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell
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Fewer to choose from
And with so many corona dogs and cats needing passports this summer, there is a fierce battle for places.
In addition, several kennels and cat boarding houses have closed down after several months without customers in the pandemic. This has further increased the pressure on some players.
– For me, two competitors disappeared in the corona era, and three or four dog hotels were closed in the Oslo area. It has increased the pressure on bookings considerably, says general manager of Bærum Kennel, Peder Kielland, to TV 2.
– In 2020, there was poor care. By then, the lights had been off for much of the year, he adds.
– FEW SEATS: In the Oslo and Bærum region, several kennels had to close down during the pandemic. Thus, there is even more competition for the few places available. Photo: Bærum Kennel
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Bærum Kennel has room for a total of 50 dogs, and several dog owners book stays between one to two weeks during the joint holiday.
If a family with a dog is going to the South for two weeks during the joint holiday, it is not unusual to have to shell out up to 7,000 kroner in dog care.
The daily price for a dog at a kennel in Norway in July varies from 270 kroner in Stavanger to 650 kroner in Bergen. In addition, it is not uncommon for additional prices for dogs at maturity, animals that must have daily medication and puppies.
– HAPPY DOG: A happy Boxer walks through a flower meadow at Harmonien Kennel in Stavanger. Photo: Harmonien Kennel / Privat
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For cats, the price is somewhat lower, with a daily price that varies from 150 kroner in Stavanger to 270 kroner in Bærum.
– I think it is awkward when I have to say no to regular customers because I have taken in many new customers who were previously out to book a place, says Kielland.
– There is no one who gives feedback on the price of the summer, because people are just happy to get a place.
Concerned about increased dumping of cats
But especially cat owners can have a problem if they have not yet booked a pension stay for the pod.
– LOST: Every year cats are dumped because the owners are not able to take care of them. Animal protection Norway believes it is a gross violation of the law on animal welfare. Here is a cat that has been accommodated at Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell. Photo: Standal Hunde- og Kattehotell
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Because in addition to the fact that many cat boarding houses have closed down during the pandemic, many are used as quarantine places for Ukrainian cats this joint holiday. This includes Airpet animal boarding at Gardermoen.
– Now we are so full of Ukraine animals that we do not have the opportunity to bring in ordinary dogs, says general manager Henny Lidal to TV 2.
– I can count on one hand how many available places we have for dogs and cats during the summer holidays. There are not many places as the situation is now.
– KENNEL: Cats at Airpet Kattehotell by Gardermoen. The kennel is largely used as a quarantine place for Ukrainian cats during the summer holidays, which means that “ordinary cats” do not get a place this year. Photo: Airpet Kattehotell Gardermoen / Private
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This makes the animal protection organization Dyrebeskyttelsen Norge react. They are worried that the lack of kennel places will increase the risk that cats in particular will be dumped when the owners go on holiday.
– Every year we help thousands of animals, and about 90 percent of them are cats, says general manager and veterinarian, Åshild Roaldset, to TV 2.
– CONCERNED: General manager and veterinarian, Åshild Roaldset, at Dyrebeskyttelsen Norge, is worried that some Norwegians will dump the cat if they do not find housing during the joint holiday. Photo: Animal Protection Norway
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If someone dumps a dog, it is immediately a police matter. This is not the case for dumped cats. Then only volunteering can help, she says.
– We believe it is a gross violation of the Animal Welfare Act.
At Engene Gård in Vestby, owner Christel Flagestad has decided to only take in cats during the summer holidays, after several cat boarding houses in the area closed down.
– ALONE IN THE HOLIDAY: According to Dyrebeskyttelsen Norge, there are far more cat owners who dump the cat if they do not find a passport during the holiday compared to dog owners. Illustration photo. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB
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She was fully booked for July already for Christmas.
– We get a lot of desperate calls from people who are going on holiday, where the neighbor can no longer look after the cat. Then it is often too late to book a place at the kennel because it is full everywhere, she says, and adds:
– People do not think about it until they stand there.
The joint holiday takes place in weeks 28, 29 and 30, of which the last two weeks of July are often the busiest period for holiday trips.
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