Services opens Kadena's new pet boarding facility Published March 29, 2007 By By Airman 1st Class Ryan Ivacic 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Kadena's Karing Kennels opened a new pet facility March 23, bringing animal boarding services to a 300 percent increase for cats and a 30 percent increase for dogs. The $2.4 million complex, located just inside of Gate 3, is climate controlled and has five wading pools for dogs built in to the 8,800-square-foot complex. "The old facility was grossly undersized to the point we could not properly take care of pets the way we can now with our new kennels," said Mike Therriatt, chief of the Community Support Flight. "The new facility puts us at 100 percent compliance according to the American Kennel Boarding Association. We are actually meeting the AKBA standards in all areas now and even exceeding in some areas." The old kennel is located just beyond the Chibana housing area and will continue to be used for pet adoption services. The new Karing Kennels features a 24-cage cat "condo" and 80 kennels for dogs. It has a grooming service with built-in showers and hydraulic grooming tables, as well as a kennel kitchen for food and medication preparation. According to Mr. Therriatt, Karing Kennels is an accredited member of the AKBA. "We are excited to have a new facility available to us with new offerings such as our outdoor obedience training area," he said. The Karing Kennels animal boarding facility was approved by Congress in the fiscal year 2005 construction program and paid for with local non-appropriated funds, which are profits generated from Services facilities.