Florida: New upscale pet boarding service to open near Orlando airport

Quick, everybody into the bone-shaped pool! Dogs and cats soon will have a “resort” of their own when a new pet boarding company opens near Florida’s Orlando International Airport.

Pet Paradise, based in Jacksonville, Fla., prides itself on creating posh digs for pets that include such perks as in-ground pools and play areas with artificial turf.

This could be convenient for travelers heading to Orlando with Fido and Fifi in tow. The location, about half a mile from the airport, will run 24/7 when it opens in April.

“When you say ‘dog kennels,’ people don’t think about the Ritz-Carlton,” company founder Fred Goldsmith says. The Orlando site will have accommodations for 125 dogs and 20 cats.

Pet Paradise has 21 pet boarding locations in six states (most in Florida, one in Arizona, none in California), many of which are built near airports such as Houston and Atlanta. Goldsmith says he uses the number of embarkations at a selected airport to project how much business he may have and how big of a facility he will need.

The Orlando location will provide veterinary services, grooming and day camp-boarding services. Some of the luxury suites for pets have TVs that allow owners to check their pets while they’re on the road.

Prices start at $44 a day for dogs and $26 a day for cats.

Info: Pet Paradise, (877) 738-7752