Tail Talk with Dr. O’Hara

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

• Dr. O’Hara • Episode 6

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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

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Tail Talk with Dr O'Hara, where Eastern Tennessee and Southwest Virginia's favorite pets get the spotlight they deserve. He's the heart behind Abingdon Animal Medical Center, combining small-town charm with state-of-the-art veterinary care. Whether your furry friend purrs, barks or just steals your socks, this is the place for tips, tails and a whole lot of tail wagging.

Speaker 2:

Boarding your pet doesn't have to be stressful. Dr O'Hara introduces Haley Mullins, 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 slash producer, back in the studio with Dr O'Hara of Abington Animal Medical Center and a very special guest, haley Mullins, who is the Kennel Manager at Abington Animal Medical Center. Haley, dr O'Hara, welcome back to the show.

Speaker 3:

Thank you for having us.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely Glad to have you and, Haley, special treat to have you here with us. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to be here. So today we're focused on the kennel and want to know can you walk us through everything pet owners need to know about boarding their pets?

Speaker 3:

pet owners need to know about boarding their pets. Yeah, so we have indoor-outdoor runs here at, I mean, an animal medical center, so they are able to go in their outside runs all day while we're here, as long as the weather is nice. They get walked three times a day. We'll feed them breakfast and dinner. Some people feed lunch, so we'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 we'll provide it for no additional cost.

Speaker 3:

But if you want to bring anything from home, like if your dog has a special diet or a special blanket that they want, you can bring that as well.

Speaker 2:

Or a special toy that they got to have. Yeah, I've got a beagle that just can't do without a banana toy that he can't follow. Hopefully he hasn't swallowed.

Speaker 4:

We don't allow choking hazards those kids Right. So it's dangerous.

Speaker 2:

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 most important things pet owners should do before they board their pet for the first time?

Speaker 3:

So I don't think there's really anything in particular they need to really do to prepare for boarding. Do to prepare for boarding. I would say that you might want to introduce them to new environments earlier in life when they're younger, so they're not as nervous being introduced to a bunch of new dogs and a bunch of new people. But other than that there's nothing really to prepare for. I would say.

Speaker 2:

Well, if, let's say, a pet has special needs or they're very anxious, you know have a lot of anxiety issues, how do you handle those types of special situations?

Speaker 3:

So we do. As far as medical needs, obviously we are connected with Dr O'Hara, so any medical needs they would need while they're here we'll let him know and he'll take a look at them. As far as as anxiety, we kind of just work with them. We're not gonna push them farther than they want to do if they don't want to go out and walk. We're not gonna stress them out and make them go. So we kind of just read their body language and figure out what makes them comfortable gotcha well.

Speaker 4:

Haley and I'll jump in here because haley's just, she's amazing with the dogs. Like I said, she's kind of a dog whisperer. She's very gentle, I mean. I do joke, though, that she will ruin your dog by spoiling over spoiling it, so it won't be the same, but you know. But she just gives all the attention to detail. She really cares about them. For instance, there's this one dog that came from a bad environment in a rescue.

Speaker 4:

This date for us for like six months, right mm-hmm name was churro and the dog could not walk on a leash. It could not so every day because it was never taught that. We don't know the full background on it, but it was full grown dog. Haley would literally carry it out into the yard.

Speaker 3:

Haley's like 45, 50 pounds.

Speaker 2:

Oh, wow.

Speaker 4:

Every day, six months, three times a day.

Speaker 2:

What for six months?

Speaker 4:

Yeah, he stayed with us for six months as they were trying to find a home or foster home for him.

Speaker 3:

He is in a foster now and I keep in touch with Happy Tails, actually, and check on him every now and then.

Speaker 2:

Oh well, that's very sweet. I'm surprised you didn't say okay, I'll just take him home myself. I'm sure you think that a lot.

Speaker 3:

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:

Yeah, Now what about? We've talked a lot about dogs, but what about cats? Do you guys board cats as well?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, we have three boarding right now. Actually, we have a space inside the clinic that they can board.

Speaker 2:

Oh, okay.

Speaker 3:

And same thing with the dogs. We can provide anything they need. But if you want to bring stuff from home, we can do that too. We don't lock them though.

Speaker 2:

That's what I was getting ready to ask.

Speaker 3:

It is important right now, but it has a harness and goes on walls.

Speaker 4:

Wow, dimitri, it does yeah.

Speaker 2:

Wow, well, you know, my daughter has a cat well, a kitten. She's about a year old, but she sent me pictures the other day of her walking the cat with a harness 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 had his harness on and I was like, all right, something new. There you go, there you go. Well, do you guys do, is it just?

Speaker 3:

overnight stays or do you guys do daycare as well? Yeah, we offer day boarding as well, and they get the exact same thing. Usually they'll have already eaten and don't need dinner, but they'll still be in the same kennel and they get walked and played with during the day.

Speaker 2:

And is there? Are there any big differences between daycare and overnight boarding you mentioned? You know, food is one thing? No, not really, just the fact that they're not staying overnight do you have many clients that that just bring their dogs in for daycare?

Speaker 4:

not a whole lot from time to time, but usually it's. It's mainly they're they're going on a vacation or they've got a medical thing with a family member, or we're just available for you.

Speaker 3:

Something comes up. You need to drop your dog off for the day.

Speaker 2:

Gotcha Emergency type situations. Well, doc, you shared a story about Haley carrying a dog in and out for six months to walk. Can you share another story about a pet who had a great experience boarding at at your shop?

Speaker 4:

Well, I mean that's all, like I say, the experience you're getting Haley and with that she's just so, she's so dog and cat driven and she's just really just super with them. Experience wise, I you're talking about anxiety with boarding. I mean we have this. We have a dog that is very anxious and, honestly, hailey's the only person.

Speaker 3:

I can really I don't know exactly who he's talking about.

Speaker 4:

We won't name names, but she's the only person that can deal with it and she deals with him, fine. And everybody else this dog is not like. We have to bring this dog in through the back way, not through the clinic. It's a drop-off exchange. But when he's here and he's with haley, everything goes fine, but like if I. You know, it's an adventure for me to try and give this dog a vaccine or something when he needs it, but, and with haley she can do anything dog whisperer yeah, we have a handful actually.

Speaker 3:

That really, I guess it's just used to seeing me take care of them every day, that really only trust me to be able to do anything with and it's just taking the time to get to know them and you know, really, let them know that. Hey, it's okay, you're fine she's like their nanny.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, very good.

Speaker 2:

What does? Does doc? Does Haley ever have to assist you? You said it's an adventure sometimes giving a vaccine to some of these dogs that love her, but only her, yeah.

Speaker 4:

I'll have them over for moral support.

Speaker 2:

Very good, awesome. Well, doc, thanks so much. Big shout out to Haley for all that, all that you do for, for our furry friends, and we'll go ahead and wrap up this, this today's episode, and see you next time, thanks. Haley thanks for being here and maybe we can hopefully have you back sometime. Thank you you can tell us. Tell us some dirt about the doc thank you, you can tell us, tell us, some dirt about the doc I will just kidding he has no dirt.

Speaker 2:

Anyway, you guys have a great rest of the day you too thanks for joining us on Tail Talk with Dr O'Hara.

Speaker 1:

If your four-legged family member needs a checkup, a stylish groom or just a cozy place to stay, give us a call or text at 276-628-9655 or visit MyAbingdonVetcom to book your appointment. Abingdon Animal Medical Center A small town feel with state-of-the-art care and plenty of belly rubs.