AIEA, Hawaii -- When Cathy Barker's husband, an Army Soldier, was away on deployment last year, she wanted to take their two young sons on a trip to visit family on the mainland.
"My kids wanted to be with family, especially because my husband was gone," Barker said.
But there was a catch.
The Barkers also had two yellow Labrador Retrievers, 14? year?old Kona and 6?year?old Amana. Traveling from Hawaii to the continental United States with two large dogs wasn't a practical option, but Barker didn't want to leave her pets with just anyone. Kona, in particular, needed special care and attention.
"She was an older dog and she had health issues. She had a hard time moving and getting around," Barker said. "She was on medication (for arthritis)."
Fortunately, Barker was able to turn to the MWR Kennels, located next to the Hawaii State Animal Quarantine building in Aiea.
The MWR Kennels are operated by the Army Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and is open to all service members on the island, including retirees and Department of Defense civilians.
Deploying personnel, personnel in guest or transient housing, temporary duty military personnel, regular or military leave personnel, civilian personnel and all other branches of service personnel may board their dogs and cats.
"I was comfortable leaving (my older dog) there," Barker said. "I knew the staff would notice if something changed with her. I don't know how to explain it, except to say that the dogs aren't just dogs to them. They're companions. The staff, they play with the dogs, they interact with the dogs, they're not just doing a job.
Kona has since passed away, but Barker said she is grateful to have had a trustworthy place to board her while she was alive. Amana still goes to the MWR Kennels when the Barkers vacation off-island.
Were it not for the MWR Kennels, Barker said her family would have experienced a lot more stress trying to figure out where to leave their pets.
"It's too much to ask another family to watch our dogs, especially during the holidays," she added. "It might have come down to us not being able to afford to take the trip."
Edwin Gonzalez, MWR Kennels manager, said the welfare of the animals and customer service are his staff's top priorities. He said he has driven to the Kennels on his day off to check in a dog or cat when the owner got the drop off day mixed up because he understands that when a family is new to Hawaii or in transition, changing plans may need to be accommodated.
Over time, he said he has also gotten to know his clients and their pets, many of whom are repeat visitors.
Charles Robinson, a Navy retiree, said he leaves his Shar Pei/Labrador Retriever mix, Keno, at the MWR Kennels every other month, for several weeks, while he vacations on the mainland, and has been doing so for almost five years.
"I heard about (MWR Kennels) from a friend of ours," he said. "We went out and looked at the place. It was well kept and big. There was more space for the dogs than at other kennels."
Hanna Jurinka, whose late husband was a Navy retiree, was also impressed by the cleanliness of the kennels, but it was ultimately the quality of the staff that kept her coming back.
"I feel that she's in good hands when she's there," Jurinka said of her Jack Russell terrier/Chihuahua mix, Allie. "The staff there is fabulous, and they genuinely care about the animals."
-- MWR Kennels Fees
The MWR Kennels accepts cash, check, Visa and MasterCard payments. The fees for boarding dogs and cats are as follows:
•There is a $2 per day pet food fee.
Note, if you are providing your pet's food, it must be in a hard, ant-proof container with a good rubber seal. No Ziplocs, plastic bags, dog food bags (with or without Ziploc) and no Tupperware. Containers must have an airtight seal. An approved container for your pet's food can be provided for a $2 per day fee.
•Large kennels, 16-feet by 5-feet (for dogs 16 pounds and up) are $18 per night. For an additional pet, it's $14 per night.
•Small kennels, 4-feet by 10-feet (for cats and dogs under 15 pounds) are $14 per night. For an additional pet, it's $9 per night.
•Grooming, which includes baths and brushing, will be provided per request of customer.
•Baths. If you provide the shampoo, fee is $5 for small kennel dogs and $10 for large kennel dogs. If kennel provides the shampoo is $10 for small kennel dogs and $15 for large kennel dogs.
•Brushing. Fee is $3 per brushing.
-- MWR Kennels are Moving
The new location is a larger adjacent lot next to the current location and will feature several "condo" kennels with separate compartments to accommodate up to four dogs from the same family.
MWR Kennels personnel expect the move to be completed before the Thanksgiving weekend. Call (808) 368-3456 or visit www.himwr.com/recreation?and?leisure/fmwr?pet?kennels.
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