Leaving a pet at home during a trip can be daunting, especially if they’re anxious or not used to being by themselves. Pet hotels, though, have popped up as a solution for those with particular canines that need extra comfort that a normal sitter simply cannot provide.
The stays aren’t meant to last forever, but they offer a quick refresh that can even be luxurious when compared to a pet’s home. However, what if the owner doesn’t want to pick up their pet? What would a pet hotel even do in that situation?
One TikToker met a pet parent who tried to do exactly that. After numerous attempts to call and text for a pickup, the owner still had not gotten their pet from the hotel. Days passed without the owner even providing an emergency contact for the animal. Melanie Milborn (@melanie.milborn), a Florida microbaker who works with dogs at the pet hotel, ended up adopting the abandoned pet. She explained this in a video with over 45,000 views.
Still, it raised a question for many people. What happens if a person never comes back for their pet after they pay for a pet hotel?
What Happened At This Pet Hotel?
Milborn, who used to work at a dog hotel, received quite a few dogs around Christmastime. One pooch named Penny checked in around that time. The owner had boarded her normally. Milborn didn’t note any particular red flags about the initial stay, and the woman even said she would miss her dog “so much” before leaving. They promised to send photos via email, and the woman simply left.
At the end of Penny’s stay, though, the woman didn’t come back for her. Milborn gave her a call to let her know that she was supposed to swing by for the dog. That’s when the woman said she “forgot” and that she’d get the dog the very next day. By that time, the pet hotel was full. They had so many dogs that they didn’t really have a place to keep Penny.
The next day came and went. Toward the end of the day, Milborn once again made a call to the pet parent and let her know she needed to get her dog. The woman again told her she wouldn’t be able to.
“This went on for four more days,” Milborn explained. After multiple attempts to get the woman to pick up her dog, she finally admitted she didn’t “want” to pay the pet hotel fees to pick up the dog. Stunned, Milborn realized that the dog now had no home. So, she decided to keep her.
How Often Do Owners Abandon Their Pets?
Unfortunately, Milborn’s predicament is common, even among other specialties. “I am a dog trainer,” one commenter said. “And I cannot tell you how many times that’s happened.”
Abandoning a dog can lead to criminal charges depending on the state, but it still happens. Owners sometimes realize they can’t pay the pet hotel fees, similar to this case. Sometimes they might think a pet is “too old” and they aren’t equipped to care for them anymore. Or, they decide to leave their pet in a “safe place,” instead of a shelter.
Usually, these owners are still forced to pay the pet hotel fees because they have a credit card on file. One of the particulars of this situation that Milborn mentioned was that it wasn’t clear whether the pet hotel was charging her per day after she missed the first pickup.
“I’m surprised they don’t have to leave a credit card on file,” one commenter said. Milborn replied, “We usually do and I honestly do not know how the owner handled it after I took her!”
While the story ended up being a happy one, with Milborn ending up with a new pet, pet hotels don’t always have the resources to manage abandoned animals. Pet owners who think it’s a better solution may end up with legal fees and criminal charges. Plus, a pet getting dropped off at a pet hotel doesn’t mean that someone will keep it. It’s up to the pet hotel to make the next steps. There’s no clear answer as to what will happen to any abandoned animal. Luckily, though, Penny found a new home with a supportive, loving family.
Millborn Tells The Story
In a comment to BroBible, Milborn said that Penelope (Penny) was only a year old at the time, with that customer being her only owner.
“It was clear she needed a lot of training,” Millborn said. “Perhaps Penny was just a handful to her and she didn’t want to deal with it anymore.”
She revealed that shelters in the area were “all way over capacity,” so the chances of Penny being euthanized were quite high.
“No other employees were able to take her, and I already had [two] large dogs of my own,” she said. “[I] was living in a 1,200sqft apartment, so I didn’t even consider it.”
Millborn waited for the owner up to a week before deciding to take her in. She adds, “My husband fell in love with her instantly and we just knew we had to find a way! We, unfortunately, were headed out for a vacation right as this all happened, so Penelope had to spend another week [at the hotel.] It [had] been almost a month at this point. As soon as we got back home, we picked her up right away and brought her home to our little apartment!”
On Abandoning Pets At Pet Hotels
Discussing the likelihood of a pet getting surrendered during a pet hotel stay, Milborn stated that she’s seen it before. She cited vet offices as an example.
“…People couldn’t afford a treatment or a surgery and decided to give up the dogs,” she revealed. “It happens all the time, and it’s really sad and very damaging to a dog’s mental health. Separation anxiety in dogs is all too common these days because of it.”
She suggested that pet owners have an emergency contact to pick up a pet in case of an emergency, as it can be incredibly beneficial. For those who cannot afford a pet hotel, Milborn recommended seeking out a house sitter. Regardless, the content creator emphasized that Penny’s arrival ended up being a blessing, even if there were a few bumps in the road for her to end up in her and her husband’s home.
@melanie.milborn Part 4 of real and unbelievable interactions – this one actually worked out in my favor 🙃 #dogs #smallbusiness #customerservice #customersbelike