Summer Boarding

Summer is going to be very busy at Armadillo Pets as we're now almost completely booked up for the summer season!

Bunnies: Availability until the 2nd August and after the 25th of August.
Guinea Pigs: Availability until the 28th July, and after the 21st of August for our cages.  We have two spaces for bring-your-own-cage left for most of the summer (with a couple of patches where we only have space for one more).
Rats: Good news!  We still have summer availability for you!
Hamsters (Syrian, Chinese and all four dwarfs): Availability until the 2nd August and after the 15th August - some limited availability between these dates, please contact us to confirm.
Gerbils and Mice: Good news for you too, our whopping 5ft tank is still available over the summer for deep substrate burrowing fun!
 (All dates inclusive.  Dates in between ranges are very limited availability or
no availability, but please contact us to make sure we haven't had a cancellation!)

See that we have limited availability for boarding on the dates you are hoping for?  Don't despair!  We offer pet sitting visits to your home in Farnham (and surrounding villages) throughout the summer.  Your pet never leaves the comfort of their own home, and your house keeps its lived-in-look (no post piling up by the front door, and plants watered!) while you're away.  Please contact us for availability!

Summer Pet Boarding

Are you off on holiday over the summer?  What about your pets, who will care for them?  Armadillo Pets offers pet care by knowledgeable, insured and CRB-checked staff.  We hear tales of owners that trust neighbours to care for pets who forget during their own holiday bustle, or trusting friends with no experience or knowledge of pet first aid.

Our boarding prices include fresh food, dust-free substrate (suitable for your pet), and large enclosures.  We are members of the National Associates of Registered Pet Sitters, and Pet Sitters International.  For our small pet owner's peace of mind, we are also members of the Southern Hamster Club, National Fancy Rat Society, Rabbit Welfare Association (RWAF) and the British Exotic Mammal Association.

Trained, insured, CRB-checked, highly knowledgeable, and members of reputable trade and welfare associations...that'll be Armadillo Pets then!

Rowledge Village Fayre Today

 Excuse our longer response times today, we're at the Rowledge Village Fayre.  If you're local to Farnham, do come along (map below, or click here for directions) from 12pm.  There is a Fun Dog Show from 1pm, and we're handing out free dog treats from a whole range of brands, as well as selling pet goodies and raising money for charity!
Rowledge Village Fayre Map

Rowledge Village Fayre

The time has come, the armadillo said, to perform one's best trick and stuff one's self with treats!

And your dog can too!  On the 27th of May, we are taking part in the Rowledge Village Fayre.

For dog owners:
We are sponsoring the Fun Dog Show with beautifully made rosettes and prize bags including treats, toys and coupons.

At our stall, are running a free pick'n'mix of dog treats from brands such as Barking Heads, Harringtons (who have donated treats for the event!), Fish4Dogs, Laughing Dog, Pet Munchies, Billy + Margot and more!  And you did read that right, stop by our stall to say hi, choose the mix of treats to suit your dog, and we pop them in a bag!  Free!  Can't get cheaper than that!

We are also running a guess-the-number-of-dog-treats for you to win more, with all of the funds going to the Rowledge Village Fayre fund.

But we haven't forgotten that Farnham is full of other animals either!

We have a cat goodies raffle with donated food from Meowing Heads (who also own Barking Heads), as well as BecoThings items and fun toys!  All proceeds from this are going to the Farnham and Wey Valley Cat's Protection who do a sterling job caring for local cats in need of new homes.

Don't have a dog or a cat?  What about rabbits, rats, hamsters and gerbils?  We are running a a guess-the-weight jar for small pet owners as well with treats and toys suitable for everything from mice up to rabbits.  Come along and try your luck!

And if that wasn't enough, we also have lots of lovely BecoThings for sale at below RRP!  Cat bowls, dog bowls (small, medium, large and slow-feeder for dogs prone to bloat), balls, hoops and poop-bag holders in a range of colours.  BecoThings are made from rice husks and bamboo left over from the farming industry, and so are non-toxic, eco-friendly, quickly biodegrade and most importantly, all of their bowls are dishwasher safe!  The toys are coated in vanilla-scented natural rubber to add bounce and an irregular shape that dogs adore.  We use the toys on our dog walks, and the cat bowls also make fabulous food bowls for rabbits and guinea pigs, and brilliant shallow sand baths for hamsters (our dwarf hamsters adore chinchilla sand baths to dig in, bath in, and some even seem to think it is perfect to toilet in!  Keeping their fur non-greasy, and their cage easy to clean).
If you want an item in a colour we don't have, we also are offering free Farnham delivery for all products ordered at the village fayre price.  Can't get better than that - cheaper than the shops plus free delivery!

Easter Holiday Time!

Easter is almost on us...have you booked your pets in for their home-away-from-home luxury holiday?  Or their no-rush-plenty-of-fuss pet sit visits in their own home?

We're close to being booked up, so please contact soon to avoid being disappointed!

Happy Birthday!

So, not Armadillo Pets' birthday today, but it is the owner's birthday today!  She's spending the day caring for Mebe and Pede (cats), Orinoco (a pygmy hedgehog), Leo (the female leopard gecko), and Scruffy and Jeffrey (the guinea pig boys).

Who could be sad about that much in the way of cuddles?

Aftermath of Crufts

Crufts 2013 was fantastic, definitely worth going to.  We saw the judging of a number of breeds, including the Miniature Poodles and the Schipperke, as well as displays by the West Midlands Police on how they train their attack dogs, the Kennel Club's Good Citizen Dog Scheme, as well as introductions to Bloodhounds, Working Trials and Obedience.

We also talked to Kennel Club members about Heelwork and Freestyle, as well as Rally and Agility showing.

We visited the Discover Dogs stands, and met our favourites, the three varieties of miniature dachshunds!  As well as the Eurasier's (our second favourite).  We also spoke to the owner of the Keeshonds, who was lovely - informative and helped along by some very, very adorable dogs!  We also chatted to the owners of three gorgeous Beagles, and met some simply beautiful Staffies.

We also walked around all of the stalls...
And just generally enjoyed the entire experience!

The hotel we stayed in was also great, and I'd recommend it to Crufts-goers in the future.  It was cheap, close to the NEC, easy to find (although their car park isn't fantastically sign posted, once out the front, the bar staff were welcoming and happy to direct me), the room was large (for a single), and comfortable with an en suite.  I'd go there again!
The link to it is here: www.innkeeperslodge.com/birmingham-nec-coleshill

Annual Closure 2013

Armadillo Pets is planned to be closed between the 23rd of February and 4th of March (inclusive) for our annual closure 2013.  If you need boarding until the 24th of February due to the Half Term holiday, please contact us soon and we will try to accommodate all requests.

If you are going to Crufts this year, we will see you there (in our purple uniform!) as we are heading up on the evening of the 6th of March, and will return late on the 8th of March (inclusive), and will be closed during these dates also.  If you plan to go, do drop us an email, and we'll keep an eye out for you!

We apologise for any inconvenience, but look forward to returning refreshed with the latest set of pet care gadgets, toys and treats to pamper your pets on the 9th of March!

Valentines Offer 2013

Going away for Valentine's Day week (11th-17th of February) and have a pair of pets?  We are offering all pair-bonded pets a 33% discount on all pet sits and small pet boarding.  Our pet sits are suitable for cats, rabbits, rodents, reptiles, and birds.  Our small pet boarding is suitable for rabbits, all rodent species and reptiles.

Why 33%?  Because of the way people use keyboard characters to type lovehearts <3

And we'd <3 <3 to see your pets this February!

Spring Half Term 2013

Going away this half term?  Book now to avoid disappointment as our small pet boarding books up quickly during the school holidays!

2013 - A New Year

Christmas and the start of the New Year have been manic, but in the loveliest way.  We have met new animals, and struck up friendships with them, as well as seeing summer and ad hoc clients as we passed out Christmas gifts to our furry, feathery and scaled customers.  We hope you enjoy your gifts, and from the responses we got (in person and otherwise), you seem to be doing just that!

Our next big holiday is the Winter School Half Term.  Don't forget to book pet sits and boarding in advance as we are already taking requests!

We have also had our first repeat boarding client, Sweep the rabbit.  Sweep is quite possibly the softest bunny I have ever touched (certainly a velveteen rabbit!), and seems to love sitting in my lap, relaxing and having conversations (in rabbit, naturally - nose wiggles, head tilting, and in his case, ear movements!)

 
We also have a couple of tentative requests for other repeat customers in the next few months, so within 6 months of opening, our small pet boarding is hitting a firm stride.  Over the holidays we've cared for a range of species, Sweep and Smartie the rabbits, Popcorn and Nugget the guinea pigs, Wilma, Gracie and Mittens (all boy cats!), 'Big' and 'Little' the un-named turtles, Rainbow and Snowflake the dwarf hamsters, Captain and Squeak the rattie boys, Quentin the pygmy hedgehog, as well as chickens and alpaca.  Combining business with a family Christmas has been a blur, but I honestly cannot say there has been any pet over this holiday that hasn't been less than a delight.  They have all been friendly, playful, cuddly or exploratory depending on their species, but all I would welcome back in a heartbeat!
All of our clients received, as part of their pet's seasonal gift, a voucher for themselves, and one for a friend.  So for January, we are not running promotions other than this.

Unless, of course, you are a dog owner and interested in purchasing a Dicky Bag?  We are planning on buying some of these fantastic bags (for holding the 'bad' part of dog ownership while out on walks!), and are offering 15% off the retail price to our customers in exchange for their bag having our logo on it.  We'll be placing the order at the end of January, so if you are interested, let us know by then!

I hope all of our clients had a fantastic holiday, and go on to have a great 2013, and don't forget to...

Christmas Season Bookings!

We're booking up rapidly for Christmas right now with three bunnies, two map turtles, one pygmy hedgehog, two guinea pigs, one Syrian hamster and one dwarf hamster so far!

 We still have space for two guinea pigs in our Orchard accommodation, 6 rats, and a 5ft glass tank (which is suitable for up to 3 gerbils, one Syrian hamster, or similar).

 We do also have space for you to bring your pet's own cage, but this is going quickly as well.

 Don't leave it until the last minute if you want your pet to board with us!

 If we do book up in boarding, or your pet has specialist cage needs (or even has a cage too big to bring), we do offer pet sits in your home through-out the season.


Terms: Collection or drop-offs on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day all subject to twice daily rate - boarding animals staying over these days, but not being collected/dropped off are not affected by this.  Pet sits during these days are charged at twice daily rate, but sits on all other days are at normal rate.

Goodies!

We have a few bits and bobs we brought home from the Discover Dogs show on the 10th of November from our goody bags, and so we're offering a trade to all you dog owners!

 In exchange for cute photos of your pets, you may take whatever is useful to you.  A fair trade, we think, as all dogs are cute (yes, even staffies!).  We're happy to let you collect from us in Rowledge, or we can deliver anywhere in GU9 and GU10 free of charge!

Your photos can be sent via email, twitter or facebook.

We have two 20% online discount code vouchers for Red Mills pet foods - we met them at the show (lovely Irish accents, and lovely people!).  Very friendly company that offers natural foods and gave us extra packets of their treats to try!


Two tins of Butchers Pro-Vitality dog food - came in our Discover Dog's bag, but as we don't currently have a dog, they are going to go to waste - if anyone wants to take them for a trial with their own pet, you are more than welcome to!


And lastly two sachets of James Wellbeloved adult dog food, as well as a £5 off voucher.  Also lovely people (did one of the most cost-effective gift bags - you got a lot, but it wasn't horrendously priced).  We also got some tasty treats from them as well, and the reusable bag it came in now holds our brand new Aqua Mat dog towels for when we walk your dogs!


Terms: Absolutely none!  If you'd like any, or all, send us a photo of your pet via twitter, facebook, or email, and you can take as much or as little as you choose on a first-come-first-served basis.  We're happy to deliver to anywhere in GU9 and GU10, or for you to collect from us in Rowledge at a time suitable for both parties.

November Reviewer Discount Month - 5th Nov to 30th Nov 2012

Have you used Armadillo Pets?  If you write a review about us and let us know, you qualify for a 10% discount on your next booking with us!

 You may choose where to leave your review, but here are some suggestions:
Your reviews help others make good decisions, and keep us in business.  Word of mouth is our most vital advertising method, so we want to thank you for helping us :)

Terms: For all services.  To take advantage of this offer, you must have reviewed Armadillo Pets on at least one of the links provided, and have booked your pet service before 11pm on the 30th November 2012, and your voucher may be used on any pet service that begins on or before the 1st May 2013, and can last up to one month.  After we have verified your review, we will email your coupon for your discount within 5 days.

Reviewer Discount Week - 22nd Oct to 4th Nov 2012

Have you used Armadillo Pets?  If you write a review about us and let us know, you qualify for a 10% discount on your next booking with us!

You may choose where to leave your review, but here are some suggestions:
Your reviews help others make good decisions, and keep us in business.  Word of mouth is our most vital advertising method, so we want to thank you for helping us :)

Terms: For all services.  To take advantage of this offer, you must have reviewed Armadillo Pets on at least one of the links provided, and have booked your pet service before 11pm on the 4th November 2012, and your voucher may be used on any pet service that begins on or before the 1st May 2013, and can last up to one month.  After we have verified your review, we will email your coupon for your discount within 5 days.

Facebook Discount Week - 15th to 21th Oct 2012

This week is a Facebook discount week!  Like Armadillo Pets on Facebook, then send us an email to let us know, and we'll give you a 10% off coupon for any service until the end of the year.

Terms: For all services.  To take advantage of this offer, you must have 'Liked' Armadillo Pets on Facebook, and emailed us, as well as booking your service before 9am on the 31th December 2012, and your voucher must be used on any service that begins on or before the 31st December 2012.  The voucher will be emailed in response to each verified 'Like'.  All new clients must complete a free meet and greet at their convenience before any service, as per usual practice.

Discount Week - 8th to 14th Oct 2012

Next week's discount is buy one weekend of small animal pet sitting (consequtive Friday and Saturday, or Saturday and Sunday), get a voucher for 5% off your next pet sitting booking!

Terms: For pet sitting bookings only.  Applies to 30 and 60 minute sits for small pets, exotics, and birds only.  To take advantage of this offer, you must book your weekend pet-sit before 8pm on the 14th Oct 2012, and your voucher must be used on any stay that begins on or before the 15th April 2013.  The voucher will be included with either the receipt of payment, or left with the client's daily log sheet in their home.  If any of the weekend pet sit is cancelled on the client's bequest, a voucher will not be offered.

Discount Week - 24th to 30th Sept 2012

Next week's discount is buy two workday weeks of dog walking (two lots of 5 consecutive days), get one walk free!

Terms: For individual dog walks only.  Applies to both 30 minute and 60 minute walks only.  To take advantage of this offer, you must book both weeks before the 30th Sept 2012, and both weeks of walk as well as free walk must take place before the 30th of December.  If any of the paid walks are cancelled, Armadillo Pets reserves the right to cancel the free walk, or charge for it at the normal rate.

Websites & Find Pet Boarding

The Armadillo Pets website is now semi-live.  Admittedly, right now it is just a place-holder page with not much bar the email address and phone number, but at least it is there and active!  We've gone with Goznet Systems, a web design company in Farnham to finish off the design created by Designer Mate, so we're on the road to having a fully functional and stylish website, but I'm just glad we have got our own web domain sorted out - check it out at www.armadillopets.com!

In  addition, our Find Pet Boarding page seems to be doing well with 34 hits so far - I'm tempted to change from free listing to paid so that our website is shown, we shall see.

Very exciting stuff either way!

Bark in the Park 2012 & July Exotic Hedgehog Show - 28th July

Bark in the Park 2012 is being held at Calthorpe Park in Fleet on the 28th of July between 11am-3pm.  Also on the 28th is the Northamptonshire Exotic Hedgehog show - do comment if you want more details on either of these things.  Unfortunately, on both counts, Armadillo Pets have prior commitments (that's the day I'm off for my pet first aid course in Banstead), but that just means we hope you have fun without us at both of these events!
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