Meet Hayley Mullins: The Kennel Manager & Dog Whisperer of Abingdon

Meet Hayley Mullins, Kennel Manager Discussing All You Need To Know About Boarding Your Pet

Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes when you board your beloved pet? This conversation pulls back the curtain on pet boarding with insights from someone who truly lives for animal care.

Kennel Manager Hayley Mullins joins Dr. O'Hara to reveal what makes Abingdon Animal Medical Center's boarding services special. From spacious indoor-outdoor runs to three daily walks and personalized attention, Hayley explains how they transform boarding from a stressful experience into a comfortable home-away-from-home. She shares practical advice about what's provided (everything from food to toys) and what personal items you might want to bring for your pet's comfort.

The heart of this episode centers on how they handle pets with special needs or anxiety. Rather than forcing nervous animals into uncomfortable situations, Hayley describes their intuitive approach of reading body language and adapting to each pet's comfort level. Dr. O'Hara calls Hayley a "dog whisperer," sharing the remarkable story of Churro, a rescue dog who couldn't walk on a leash. For six months, Hayley physically carried the 45-50 pound dog outside three times daily—demonstrating the extraordinary commitment that defines their care philosophy.

You'll also discover their approach to cat boarding, day boarding options for busy pet parents, and why some pets develop such strong bonds with specific caregivers that they'll only trust them. Whether you're planning a vacation or just need occasional pet care, this conversation provides reassurance that your furry family member can receive attentive, compassionate care tailored to their unique personality.

Ready to learn more about boarding options for your pet? Call or text Abingdon Animal Medical Center at 276-628-9655 or visit MyAbingdonVet.com to schedule a tour or book your pet's stay!

To learn more about Abingdon Animal Medical Center visit:
https://www.MyAbingdonVet.com
Abingdon Animal Medical Center
19586 Dennison Drive
Abingdon, VA 24211
276-628-9655

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to Tail Talk with Dr O'Hara, where Eastern
Tennessee and SouthwestVirginia's favorite pets get the
spotlight they deserve.
He's the heart behind AbingdonAnimal Medical Center, combining
small-town charm withstate-of-the-art veterinary care
.
Whether your furry friend purrs, barks or just steals your
socks, this is the place fortips, tails and a whole lot of

(00:28):
tail wagging.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Boarding your pet doesn't have to be stressful.
Dr O'Hara introduces HaleyMullins, kennel manager at
Abington Animal Medical Center,to share what pet parents should
know before drop-off day.
Welcome back everybody.
Skip Monty, co-host slashproducer, back in the studio
with Dr O'Hara of AbingtonAnimal Medical Center and a very
special guest, haley Mullins,who is the Kennel Manager at

(00:59):
Abington Animal Medical Center.
Haley, dr O'Hara, welcome backto the show.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Thank you for having us.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Absolutely Glad to have you and, Haley, special
treat to have you here with us.
We appreciate you taking timeout of your busy schedule to be
here.
So today we're focused on thekennel and want to know can you
walk us through everything petowners need to know about
boarding their pets?

Speaker 3 (01:27):
pet owners need to know about boarding their pets.
Yeah, so we have indoor-outdoorruns here at, I mean, an animal
medical center, so they areable to go in their outside runs
all day while we're here, aslong as the weather is nice.
They get walked three times aday.
We'll feed them breakfast anddinner.
Some people feed lunch, sowe'll feed them lunch too.
Dinner some people feed lunch,so we'll feed them lunch too.
And we provide food, bedding,treats, toys whatever you need

(01:50):
we'll provide it for noadditional cost.
But if you want to bringanything from home, like if your
dog has a special diet or aspecial blanket that they want,
you can bring that as well.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
Or a special toy that they got to have.
Yeah, I've got a beagle thatjust can't do without a banana
toy that he can't follow.
Hopefully he hasn't swallowed.

Speaker 4 (02:15):
We don't allow choking hazards those kids Right
.
So it's dangerous.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
It's often the wrong, so it's gotta be something big
and hard that they can't swallow.
I would think Very good.
Well, haley, what are the mostimportant things pet owners
should do before they boardtheir pet for the first time?

Speaker 3 (02:35):
So I don't think there's really anything in
particular they need to reallydo to prepare for boarding.
Do to prepare for boarding.
I would say that you might wantto introduce them to new
environments earlier in lifewhen they're younger, so they're
not as nervous being introducedto a bunch of new dogs and a
bunch of new people.
But other than that there'snothing really to prepare for.

(02:58):
I would say.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Well, if, let's say, a pet has special needs or
they're very anxious, you knowhave a lot of anxiety issues,
how do you handle those types ofspecial situations?

Speaker 3 (03:14):
So we do.
As far as medical needs,obviously we are connected with
Dr O'Hara, so any medical needsthey would need while they're
here we'll let him know andhe'll take a look at them.
As far as as anxiety, we kindof just work with them.
We're not gonna push themfarther than they want to do if
they don't want to go out andwalk.

(03:34):
We're not gonna stress them outand make them go.
So we kind of just read theirbody language and figure out
what makes them comfortablegotcha well.

Speaker 4 (03:44):
Haley and I'll jump in here because haley's just,
she's amazing with the dogs.
Like I said, she's kind of adog whisperer.
She's very gentle, I mean.
I do joke, though, that shewill ruin your dog by spoiling
over spoiling it, so it won't bethe same, but you know.
But she just gives all theattention to detail.

(04:04):
She really cares about them.
For instance, there's this onedog that came from a bad
environment in a rescue.
This date for us for like sixmonths, right mm-hmm name was
churro and the dog could notwalk on a leash.
It could not so every daybecause it was never taught that
.
We don't know the fullbackground on it, but it was
full grown dog.

(04:24):
Haley would literally carry itout into the yard.

Speaker 3 (04:28):
Haley's like 45, 50 pounds.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh, wow.

Speaker 4 (04:33):
Every day, six months , three times a day.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
What for six months?

Speaker 4 (04:40):
Yeah, he stayed with us for six months as they were
trying to find a home or fosterhome for him.

Speaker 3 (04:44):
He is in a foster now and I keep in touch with Happy
Tails, actually, and check onhim every now and then.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
Oh well, that's very sweet.
I'm surprised you didn't sayokay, I'll just take him home
myself.
I'm sure you think that a lot.

Speaker 3 (04:57):
Oh my gosh, I have four at home, right now, oh my
gosh.
We have four at home right now.
Oh my God, we have a lot.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, Now what about?
We've talked a lot about dogs,but what about cats?
Do you guys board cats as well?

Speaker 3 (05:11):
Yeah, we have three boarding right now.
Actually, we have a spaceinside the clinic that they can
board.

Speaker 2 (05:18):
Oh, okay.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
And same thing with the dogs.
We can provide anything theyneed.
But if you want to bring stufffrom home, we can do that too.
We don't lock them though.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
That's what I was getting ready to ask.

Speaker 3 (05:29):
It is important right now, but it has a harness and
goes on walls.

Speaker 4 (05:33):
Wow, dimitri, it does yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Wow, well, you know, my daughter has a cat well, a
kitten.
She's about a year old, but shesent me pictures the other day
of her walking the cat with aharness on and I'm like I didn't
know you could even do that,yeah the owner brought her in
and just had the leash and hadhis harness on and I was like,
all right, something new.

(05:57):
There you go, there you go.
Well, do you guys do, is itjust?

Speaker 3 (06:05):
overnight stays or do you guys do daycare as well?
Yeah, we offer day boarding aswell, and they get the exact
same thing.
Usually they'll have alreadyeaten and don't need dinner, but
they'll still be in the samekennel and they get walked and
played with during the day.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
And is there?
Are there any big differencesbetween daycare and overnight
boarding you mentioned?
You know, food is one thing?
No, not really, just the factthat they're not staying
overnight do you have manyclients that that just bring
their dogs in for daycare?

Speaker 4 (06:35):
not a whole lot from time to time, but usually it's.
It's mainly they're they'regoing on a vacation or they've
got a medical thing with afamily member, or we're just
available for you.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
Something comes up.
You need to drop your dog offfor the day.

Speaker 2 (06:52):
Gotcha Emergency type situations.
Well, doc, you shared a storyabout Haley carrying a dog in
and out for six months to walk.
Can you share another storyabout a pet who had a great
experience boarding at at yourshop?

Speaker 4 (07:09):
Well, I mean that's all, like I say, the experience
you're getting Haley and withthat she's just so, she's so dog
and cat driven and she's justreally just super with them.
Experience wise, I you'retalking about anxiety with
boarding.
I mean we have this.
We have a dog that is veryanxious and, honestly, hailey's

(07:31):
the only person.

Speaker 3 (07:32):
I can really I don't know exactly who he's talking
about.

Speaker 4 (07:34):
We won't name names, but she's the only person that
can deal with it and she dealswith him, fine.
And everybody else this dog isnot like.
We have to bring this dog inthrough the back way, not
through the clinic.
It's a drop-off exchange.
But when he's here and he'swith haley, everything goes fine
, but like if I.
You know, it's an adventure forme to try and give this dog a
vaccine or something when heneeds it, but, and with haley

(07:57):
she can do anything dogwhisperer yeah, we have a
handful actually.

Speaker 3 (08:04):
That really, I guess it's just used to seeing me take
care of them every day, thatreally only trust me to be able
to do anything with and it'sjust taking the time to get to
know them and you know, really,let them know that.
Hey, it's okay, you're fineshe's like their nanny.

Speaker 4 (08:24):
Yeah, very good.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
What does?
Does doc?
Does Haley ever have to assistyou?
You said it's an adventuresometimes giving a vaccine to
some of these dogs that love her, but only her, yeah.

Speaker 4 (08:35):
I'll have them over for moral support.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Very good, awesome.
Well, doc, thanks so much.
Big shout out to Haley for allthat, all that you do for, for
our furry friends, and we'll goahead and wrap up this, this
today's episode, and see younext time, thanks.
Haley thanks for being here andmaybe we can hopefully have you
back sometime.
Thank you you can tell us.

(09:00):
Tell us some dirt about the docthank you, you can tell us,
tell us, some dirt about the docI will just kidding he has no
dirt.
Anyway, you guys have a greatrest of the day you too thanks
for joining us on Tail Talk withDr O'Hara.

Speaker 1 (09:20):
If your four-legged family member needs a checkup, a
stylish groom or just a cozyplace to stay, give us a call or
text at 276-628-9655 or visitMyAbingdonVetcom to book your
appointment.
Abingdon Animal Medical CenterA small town feel with
state-of-the-art care and plentyof belly rubs.