Summer and holidays can be some of the busiest—and most profitable—weeks of the year for boarding and daycare businesses. But high occupancy can also magnify small weaknesses in your operation.
Successful peak-season planning isn’t simply about filling every available space. Here are four mistakes pet care businesses should avoid.
1. Forecasting Occupancy Using Last Year’s Numbers Alone
Last year’s occupancy is an important starting point, but historical numbers don’t tell the entire story.
Review when you sold out, peak arrival and departure dates, and how many clients you turned away. Then look beyond your facility. What was happening economically during that period, and what are your customers experiencing today?
Changes in household budgets, travel patterns, consumer confidence, and discretionary spending can influence whether clients travel, how long pets stay, and whether owners purchase additional services.
Historical data tells you what happened. Good forecasting asks why—and what has changed.
2. Focusing on Peak Season Pricing but Forgetting the Policies
Peak-season pricing deserves attention, but your holiday strategy should go beyond adding a surcharge.
Review deposit requirements, cancellation policies, minimum stays, payment requirements, and booking deadlines. Communicate these policies before reservations are finalized and include them in confirmations.
Most importantly, train your team. Employees should understand not only what the policies are, but why they exist and how to explain them confidently to clients.
A well-designed policy loses much of its value if your frontline team cannot communicate it consistently.
3. Assuming Your Everyday Emergency Plan Is Enough
More pets, more employees, and greater activity can increase operational risk.
Before peak season begins, update emergency contacts, confirm veterinary partners and holiday hours, review evacuation procedures, and prepare for weather events, power outages, and staff call-offs.
Managers should also clearly understand escalation protocols: Who gets called? Who has decision-making authority? When does an incident need to be escalated?
An emergency SOP only works when the people responsible for carrying it out understand their roles.
4. Letting Available Space Determine Capacity
An empty kennel doesn’t necessarily mean you have capacity for another pet.
Forecast staffing needs based on expected occupancy, review PTO or Vacation time early, cross-train employees, schedule experienced team members during high-volume periods, and create backup coverage plans.
Your true capacity is determined by the number of pets your available team can safely and effectively care for—not simply the number of spaces you can fill.
One Question Before Peak Season
Instead of asking, “How full can we get?” ask: “Are our forecast, policies, emergency plans, and people ready for how full we expect to get?”
Peak-season success is built before the rush begins.
