Ken Walks Dogs - ATX

This Memorial Day, the KWD team took to the water! 🌊 And while we soaked up some well-earned fun, we also embraced the moment to do what we do best: hold ourselves accountable.

Dog walking and pet sitting is largely an unregulated industry. No licensing boards. No mandatory inspections. No governing body checking in. That means the standard of care is entirely self-imposed… and we take that extremely seriously.

We’ve all seen the headlines in Austin this year with a handful of pet businesses. Pets lost in public. Accidents that didn’t have to happen. Businesses operating without a plan. Dogs lives lost in the process. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s a reminder that this line of work demands more than good intentions.

I wanted to be transparent with the humans whose dogs we love about what .austin is doubling down on. The list below is non-exhaustive and is what we consider to be the bare-minimum continuity of care (and if you happen to be a new pet care business, please feel welcome to weave these safety practices into your operations, and reach out if you need support!)

🐾 All dogs crated or seatbelted during transit
🚗 All KWD vehicles commercially insured + A/C inspected
🌡️ Enrichment over exercise in summer – we keep dogs cool and regulated
💧 Water available at all times, for dogs and walkers
🏥 On-call relationships with local ER vets
🐶 Slow, thoughtful, socially distanced dog introductions – always – between social dogs
🍽️ Dogs eat separately, every time
📍 Staff GPS-tracked during all services
🏊 No swimming in open bodies of water – approved pools only
🚫 No unattended dogs in vehicles – not even for a second
🚫 No greetings with strangers during walks
🩺 Pet first aid resources available to every team member

To our clients: THANK YOU for trusting us with the ones who can’t speak for themselves! We’ll never stop advocating for your pups every step of the way.

To our walkers and sitters: THANK YOU for maintaining the highest quality standard in safety and care. Most of this crew has been here for 3+ years now (and some for more than 5!) That’s a hard feat to pull off – couldn’t do this without you guys. 💕

AI isn’t coming to steal our jobs, Chester is.

Weekend Warriors 🐾 Town Lake field trip with Snow, the Portuguese Water Dog ❄️