The Pet Lover’s Guide

Imagine coming home from an especially tough day at work to be greeted at the door by your dogs or cats (or both!). Getting all that lovin’ makes you feel like the most important person in the world. You immediately relax, are in the moment, and whatever happened earlier takes a back seat.

Whether it’s because of their snuggles, purrs, sweet expressions, or many kisses, we love our pets so much. Think about it: they enjoy playing with us, make us laugh, and are always happy to see us—even when we return after being gone for only 10 minutes. What’s not to love?

And they actually improve our health too. According to the Mayo Clinic, all that cuddling with our pets causes our brains to release oxytocin, the hormone that defends our bodies against stress. They also make us feel less lonely.

Is it any wonder we want the absolute best care for them?

No matter if you’re looking for pet resorts for while you’re on vacation, daycare so they aren’t alone while you’re at work, healthcare for everything from a yearly physical to when they’re not feeling well, or to adopt a pet to give them a second chance, we’ve got you covered.

Pet Resorts for Their Vacations

When you’re going on vacation, you deserve peace of mind. That means finding top-notch pet resorts/boarding that give your best buds everything from playing and naps to private luxury suites and even TV time.

Best Friends Fur Ever • Serving Baltimore and Harford Counties in two locations, Best Friends Fur Ever ensures dogs have the best time on their overnight stays. They offer a resort-like atmosphere, including indoor and outdoor play areas, playtime camera access for pet parents, extra social times for dogs needing it, 24/7 supervision 365 days a year, private kennel runs, calming solutions for anxious dogs, and more. If your dog is older or has special needs, they provide extras like administering medication, special diets, and special eating times. For VIP pups, they have Lux Suites for single dogs or siblings that include a window view, TV for their entertainment, and 24/7 camera access for you to look in anytime you want.
410-671-7529 (Joppa); 410-773-7529 (Cockeysville)

Cat Sense Feline Hospital and Boarding • When you head out of town, don’t feel guilty—especially if your cat is staying at Cat Sense. Your feline friend will be chilling in a four-level cat condo. Besides allowing your cat to stretch out and move around, the cat condos keep their fleece bed, food, and litter box separate. Their caretakers will give them lots of playtime and unconditional love.
410-420-0535 (Bel Air)

Downtown Dog Resort & Spa • Have dogs, cats, or both? Downtown Dog Resort & Spa caters to them all. The resort offers dogs everything from classic boarding in individual kennels to Ultra Resort Rooms or Mini-Luxury Suites (for dogs under 30 pounds or senior dogs), both of which feature flat screen TVs and comfy dog beds. Social dogs can participate in group play. But if your pup prefers being alone, they can do Run N’ Fun, where a staff member will play with them alone. Feline family members stay in The Cat Nip Inn, which includes premium food, comfortable bedding, housekeeping, and daily treats. We can hear them purring already!
443-869-4071 (Downtown Baltimore)

Parkwood Pet Resort • At its three locations throughout Baltimore, Parkwood Pet Resort not only provides days of play as part of their overnight stays, but also offers guests added grooming or spa treatments. The resort has budget-friendly cabins ideal for smaller pets as well as cozy, spacious rooms. At Pikesville, luxury suites can fit up to four dogs in the same family, with twin beds, large TVs, real grass potty pads, and 24/7 live video. Their trained staff gives love, engagement, and positive interaction. If you need to be away for more time, Parkwood can accommodate longer stays.
410-705-4104 (Pikesville), 410-539-7626 (Locust Point), 410-568-8273 (Parkwood West)

Wagging Lounge Dog Resort • When you board your pet at Wagging Lounge Dog Resort, they can play in doggie daycare, get full-service bath & spa treatments, engage in exercise programs and enrichment activities, have personal cuddle time (aww!), or even head to the Treat Counter for a snack! At bedtime, they snuggle up in a Standard Suite, Quiet Cottage, or Luxury Villa. In Lux Villa, they can have privacy in fully furnished rooms with pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, and water and food bowls at the ready. Did we mention the Treat Counter?
443-546-3391 (Columbia)

Trusted Daycares for Busy Owners

No need to feel guilty as you head off to work each day, because there are many local doggie daycares that can not only keep your best friends from being lonely, but also give them tons of playtime with other dogs or staff.

Dogtopia • No matter what location you choose, Dogtopia’s professionally trained staff will treat your four-legged family member like their own. Your pup can safely play with other dogs, while having the opportunity to burn off some energy. The doggie daycares have a number of safety protocols in place such as certified Canine Coaches; full walls; compressed rubber floors to lower the impact on your buddy’s feet, joints, and hips; for anxious dogs, there’s soundproofing throughout; and a climate-controlled environment. Your dog will have so much fun, you might have to beg them to come home.
240-232-5523 (Canton), 410-541-5222 (Towson), 443-438-1518 (Owings Mills), 410-670-8427 (Clarksville), 410-202-2021 (Bel Air)

Camp Bow Wow • Want your dog to be a happy camper while you’re at work? Check out Camp Bow Wow, where it’s not just daycare, but CampLife. Certified camp counselors will make sure your dogs get the exercise and socialization they need in spacious play areas. The camp also offers additional services such as training and grooming. And when you need a fix of your fuzzy pal, peek in anytime by tuning in to their live camper cams!
443-586-9885 (Timonium)

Baltimore Bark House • Baltimore Bark House has a cool philosophy—they meet your pups where they are. So, if yours is quirky, needs time to warm up to others, is selective, or the social life of the party, their trained pros provide a supervised, supported, and safe program for them. Dogs play indoors in the Bark House and outdoors in the Bark Park, a secure area providing fresh air, playground structures to climb on, and seasonal splash zones. For more peace of mind, staff are trained in first aid and Pet CPR!
410-513-9166 (Highlandtown)

Reisterstown Pet Resort & Spa • In Reisterstown Pet Resort & Spa’s Dog Daycare, your fuzzy family member can socialize with other dogs based on their type of play and their size. On 50,000 square feet of fenced-in play areas, pups can participate in fun and stimulating activities and on play equipment or, if they are not as social, they can have individual private playtimes. There is a seasonal in-ground pool as well as a straw-maze. When they get tired out, dogs can snooze and relax in private comfort suites.
443-590-9880 (Reisterstown)

Good Doggie Day Care • For pet parents who just need partial coverage for your pups, Good Doggie Day Care has you covered. Dogs can go for a whole day or a half-day session, either morning or afternoon. On weekends, if you just need a couple of hours to run errands, they offer daycare at an hourly rate—how cool is that? Whether your dogs love running through tunnels or going on agility equipment, checking out ramps, slides, or climbing structures, playing with toys or balls, or (in the spring and summer) splashing in the pool, their days are designed just for them!
443-983-4310 (Hampden)

Top Animal Hospitals for Care

When your fur babies feel under the weather, the first thing you want to do is get them to a vet—stat! The following animal hospitals provide great care for your pets and support for you.

Animal Care Center • The Animal Care Center in Joppa offers everything from basic preventative to advanced care as well as dentistry and soft tissue surgery (removing and testing lumps/masses). The vets treat dogs and cats for their first vet appointments all through their senior years. If your fuzzy family member needs a specialist, they refer you to the best board-certified specialists around. Whether they’re providing same-day urgent care, pet laser therapy for everything from osteoarthritis to joint pain, or helping with behavioral issues, the vets and staff are kind, compassionate, and caring. As part of their comprehensive care approach, they even offer pet grief counseling services as well as they know how much we love our best friends.
410-676-2525 (Joppa)

Northwind Animal Hospital • The vets at Northwind Animal Hospital treat your pets like they would their own. They believe that preventative care with wellness exams will keep your pets living healthier and longer—and that’s what we all want. Offering state-of-the-art diagnostics and testing, as well as routine and advanced surgical procedures, your best friends get the best care. By collaborating with multiple board-certified veterinary specialists within their network, they can give your pets advanced care when needed.
443-998-9771 (Parkville)

Exotic Pet Vet • Have an unusual pet and having trouble finding care? The Exotic Pet Vet in Ellicott City may be just what you need. The vets provide specialized and emergency care for avians such as parrots, cockatoos, macaws, canaries, finches, chickens, and ducks; reptiles and amphibians such as snakes, geckos, bearded dragons, turtles, and frogs; and small mammals and pocket pets such as rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, hedgehogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, and rats. Call before going—especially if your exotic pet is experiencing an emergency—as specialty vets work various shifts. 443-967-5164 (Ellicott City)

Fullerton Animal Hospital • From preventative wellness exams through routine to advanced surgical procedures using best practices and state-of-the-art equipment, Fullerton Animal Hospital vets aim to treat your pets the best for all their healthcare needs. When you know something is “off ” with your fuzzy family member, the staff can run blood tests and other labs or do diagnostics to determine what’s going on, explain it to you, and provide treatment.
443-998-9490 (Nottingham)

Eastern Animal Hospital • Eastern Animal Hospital offers care for pets from puppies and kittens through seniors. The 12 veterinarians provide top-tier care: everything from wellness and preventative care to spay and neutering, from teeth cleaning to surgery, and labs to diagnostics. The hospital has both cutting-edge-technology and urgent care as well.
410-633-8808 (Bayview)

Pleasantville Animal Hospital of Fallston • From puppy’s and kitten’s first visit through exams for senior pets, Pleasantville Animal Hospital of Fallston offers these and more including vaccinations, spay and neutering, microchipping, pet dental care, as well as parasite and heartworm prevention. The practice also provides an online pet portal, so parents can order prescription refills, schedule appointments, as well as check vaccines and other healthcare reminders—kind of like a MyChart for pets.
410-877-3838 (Fallston)

Impactful Rescues to Support

Whether you always want to adopt via a rescue or you want to support them with your time and/or money, there are a number throughout the area that need all of the above. Some also need fosters parents who will bring rescue pets into their homes until they find their forever family members. Take some time and help out. Even a few bucks will make a difference.

Baltimore Humane Society • Established in 1927, this nearly century-old rescue became a “no-kill” shelter in 2011. Located on 343 acres of protected wildlife sanctuary, the Baltimore Humane Society (BHS) adopts out dogs and cats, but also rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and rodents such as mice, gerbils, and hamsters. The rescue works with veterinary partners so that if you adopt from BHS, your first wellness visit with them is free. BHS provides low-cost spay/neuter for feral cats. Just $20 will get you the surgery, rabies vaccine, FVRCP vaccine, and more. Volunteer and fostering opportunities are available.
410-833-8848 (Reisterstown)

Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter • The Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (better known as BARCS) is an open-admission shelter. This means they will accept and care for any animal no matter their health, history of abuse/neglect, and age/temperament. Besides dogs and cats, BARCS takes in farm animals, wildlife, and exotic animals. More than 12,000 animals will move through it this year. Adoption fees are waived for VIPs—Very Important Pets that are either not adapting to shelter life or have health or behavioral issues.
410-396-4695 (Brooklyn)

Black Dogs & Company Rescue • Comprised of all volunteers, Black Dogs & Company Rescue (BDCR) specializes in black dogs, but will help all breeds and colors of dog. They focus on black dogs because they tend to be the last ones adopted because, as theories state, their facial expressions are harder to see when potential parents see them in shelters, and they’re more difficult to photograph. BDCR rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in Maryland and nearby states. Because the rescue is small, they are always looking for folks to adopt, volunteer, and foster as well as give donations. We thought it was just black cats that weren’t adopted as often!
443-499-3506 (Throughout all of Maryland)

Luna’s House • Founded in 2006, Luna’s House is a really different kind of companion animal rescue. It’s named after a neglected French Lop rabbit, and the first animal Luna’s House adopted out was Samantha, a Chilean rose tarantula. We’re not kidding! Besides adopting out dogs and cats, they also have rehomed rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice, degus, hedgehogs, birds, reptiles, and even—wait for it—hermit crabs. The rescue is heavily involved in the community, holds fundraisers, and accepts donations.
410-671-2954 (Edgewood)

Small Miracles Cat & Dog
Rescue•Founded in 2006 initially as a cat rescue, Small Miracles Cat & Dog Rescue has rescued 12,000 cats to date, and since it added dogs in 2011, 7,000 pups. A private, nonprofit, no-kill shelter, Small Miracles rescues homeless, abused, and abandoned cats and dogs, and places them in loving homes. Potential pet parents can view adoptable animals either by visiting the shelter or checking their online posts via Petfinder.com. Adoption fees cover both the cost of care and initial veterinary services, as all adoptable pets have been spayed or neutered, had a vet exam, distemper and rabies vaccines, preventative stool checks, and de-wormer and flea prevention meds. Dogs also receive a heartworm test and Lyme disease and Bordetella vaccines, and cats receive tests for FIV and feline leukemia.
410-461-516/410-274-3530 (Ellicott City)