Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to bring for my pet's hotel stay?

Depending on the pet, you will need to bring:

their cage (hamsters, gerbils and mice)
their usual dry food (we provide unlimited hay, fresh fruit and vegetables and treats if required)
any special bedding you'd like them to have (we provide dust extracted wood shavings, Aubiose hemp bedding, Carefresh paper bedding, hay, newspapers, fleece liners and Bio-Catolet paper cat litter)
rabbit up to date vaccination card if not already seen
pet insurance policy (if you have one)
favourite toys and home comforts such as litter trays, sand, and grooming brush
your pet!

What happens when I arrive to drop off my pet at Hare B&B?

We will welcome you in and ask you to place your pet(s) on the temporary landing table where we will check your pet for any signs of illness. We ask that you try and maintain a distance of at least one metre. We will also use this time to discuss anything you need us to do while you are away, if not already mentioned on the pet profile form. Please allow ten minutes for this. Please label your carrier and your food with your pet's name and surname. If everything is okay, simply leave your pet in its carrier, food and any other accessories with us, then you can be on your way.

What happens at collection?

We will arrange for your pet(s) to be brought out to you in its carrier at an agreed time. We will discuss your pet's stay and take payment for any extra costs incurred during their time with us.

How do you ensure a clean, safe environment for my pet?

We use Anigene HLD4 V, a disinfectant that kills all known bacteria, viruses and fungi. All accommodation is checked and soiled material removed once a day. If an animal is staying for longer than a week, we will clean the accommodation out thoroughly at the end of the first week (there will be a small charge for this).

In the summer months, all outdoor hutches have insect proof screens and there is a flyscreen on the conservatory doors to prevent flies getting in to the indoor pets. We check bums every day to ensure there is no sign of flystrike.

If we are visiting your pet, we ask that you tell us where to find your cleaning equipment and we will use this to maintain the cleanliness of your pet's home.

How far will you travel to visit my pet?

We visit people's homes within a three mile radius of our address, and for a small additional fee, we will visit up to five miles away. We are based in Whittle le Woods so these areas include Clayton le Woods, Leyland, Farington, Chorley, Riley Green, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Brindle, Brinscall, Wheelton and Withnell. If you live just outside of these areas, we may still be able to assist you so please don't hesitate to contact us.

Can I meet you before you take care of my pet?

Yes. For home visits, we will arrange a "meet and greet" with you so that we can get to know you and most importantly, your pet. For pets staying with us at the Pet Hotel, you are more than welcome to visit us and have a look round first. Given the current situation, appointments must be made in advance to ensure that there is no more than one human customer on our site at any one time.

How do you keep my keys secure when visiting my pet?

Your keys will be kept securely at our home and we never put your address on the key. Nobody else will be able to identify the keys as belonging to a particular address. When ending the home visits, we never just push your key through the letterbox in case there are unforeseen delays and we have to visit your pet again. We will arrange a mutually convenient time when we can hand the key over to you, or leave it in a secure, agreed, place.

Do you look after any other pets?

We're sorry, but we can only look after small furry animals at our Pet Hotel as we do not have the room (or licence) to board cats and dogs. As a rule, we do not look after reptiles or birds with any of our services as we do not have the experience or know-how. However, if strict instructions are provided, this may be a possibility so do please ask.

What are your opening times?

We are open 7 days a week from 9:30am until 5:30pm. We will arrange an exact time for drop off and collection within these times. We may be able to accommodate different times if requested in advance.

Why do you have an appointment system?

We are exceptionally busy all day, especially during school holidays so having appointments means that we can plan our day. Exercise is under supervision only so most animals need to be put away if I am attending to somebody at the door. If a customer is only 15 minutes late, this will have a knock on effect for all of the other animals. It may mean that I am late for a home visit, or late in administering medication to one of our guests. Put simply, whilst I am waiting for customers to turn up, I cannot be attending to the other animals in my care. We understand that things go wrong and appointment times will be missed; all we ask is that you let us know.

Habitual lateness, with no notification and no justifiable excuse will result in a refusal to be boarded at Hare B&B.

Do I need to vaccinate my pet?

It depends on the pet. If you have a dog that needs walking then yes, it must be up-to-date with all vaccines and worm and flea treatment. We will ask for evidence of their vaccinations before we can exercise your dog.

If you have a rabbit then yes, your rabbit needs to be vaccinated against Myxomatosis, RVHD1 and RVHD2. Your rabbit will have had either the Nobivac Myxo-RHD vaccine and the Filavac or Eravac vaccine, or the relatively new combination vaccine that covers all three; Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS. Whatever vaccination you choose, they must be completed at least three weeks before we are due to look after your rabbit- this is applicable to the pet hotel all year round and for home visits during peak season. We will ask for evidence of the vaccinations before we start our period of care.

We encourage you to take every precaution against Flystrike before your pet enters our care, and also against E. Cuniculi, a parasite that can be spread via contact with other rabbit's urine and faeces (if exercising on the lawn).

All other small rodents do not have to be vaccinated.

We are offering a new service in 2022, where we will visit an unvaccinated rabbit in their own home. This can only happen out of season when we are less busy in the pet hotel. There is an additional cost for this service due to the extra PPE required and time involved.

Will my pet be able to run around and have some exercise?

That depends on you; all rabbits and guinea pigs have access to our garden and patio area in a range of secure runs (weather permitting), but if you would prefer that not to happen, that's fine too. Whilst we insist that all rabbits are vaccinated, we cannot clean the grass down after use and there may be the potential that rabbits come into contact with for example, E. cuniculi. We can, however, clean and hose down the patio making it safe for your pet. If you are worried about E. Cuniculi, but would like your rabbit to exercise on our garden, you can give your rabbit a course of 9 tablets before you admit them to the pet hotel. We do not accept liability for any illness that arises during our care.

We also offer the run of our kitchen diner or a run inside our house for all animals staying with us, dependent on the pet and your wishes. If you'd like to bring an exercise ball for your small pet to use, that's fine too. All play whether it be in the garden runs or inside, is supervised.

Do I have to sign a contract?

Once you have filled out the booking enquiry form, and if we have space available, we will send you some forms to fill in alongside our full terms and conditions. Together, all of these documents make up the contractual agreement between Hare B&B and you, the pet owner. You must fill in, read and accept these before we can confirm your booking.

Do you have insurance?

Yes, we have public liability insurance, but do please let us know the details of any pet insurance you have in place. We are also DBS checked for your peace of mind.

What if I have to cancel?

Our cancellation policies can be found on the relevant terms and conditions on our website.