I guess I'm lucky... My petsitter is Laura (UABassoon) so I trust her completely. On the rare occasion that we go somewhere or just need a break, like all parents sometimes, Laura is usually more than happy to look after the kids. I prefer to keep them home, in their own environment, to lessen the stress of being boarded.

I did board Chloe and Charlie once, and that was because I was going thru a hard time, and I was flying to MI, and didnt have any other alternative. I called the kennel every day to check up on them.

Plus, I actually groomed in a boarding kennel for a while. It was supposed to be one of the better ones, since it was owned by a major company, but I was often shocked at the conditions and treatment of the animals. They always tried to make it seem like it was such a GREAT place, but it was terrible. The animals never really got any excercise unless you pay them extra for 20 mins of playtime. blah... After that, I'll never board my kids again.

And most petsitters are friends of friends, for the most part, so in general I'd trust a petsitter more than anything else short of leaving them with friends or family.