Pet Lodging
Enclosed, temperature-controlled barracks for dogs and a separate, quiet play room for cats. Outside for fresh air whenever they are not in their bunk.
From $53 a night
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord · Since 2008
The only privately owned kennel on a military post in the country.
Boarding, daycare, grooming, and pet transportation designed specifically for the JBLM community. Set on 12 acres with purpose-built kennels, we’re here to provide trusted, convenient care for military families and their pets.
04907 Pendleton Ave, JBLM · Boarding drop off Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:30pm
Dogs and catsMedication at no extra chargeFamily quarters formulti-pet householdsPet transport to the airport and the vet
What We Do
What services does The Pet Brigade offer?
The Pet Brigade offers dog and cat boarding, doggie daycare, dog grooming and pet transportation from one building on Pendleton Avenue at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. It also runs poop scoop, dog walking and litter box cleaning at homes on post. Boarding starts at $53 a night and daycare at $25.50 for a half day.
Doggie Daycare
Community play, walks, frisbee and, through the summer, the sprinklers and the pools.
From $25.50 a half day
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Grooming
Baths, haircuts, ear cleaning, nail trims and teeth. The groomers work to one rule, which is that the dog stays comfortable.
Priced by breed and size
See the detail →Why We Are Here
Why is there a private kennel on Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
The Pet Brigade is the only privately owned boarding facility on a military post in the United States. Regis and Nancy Jackson spent several years working with the Army contracting office and JBLM Morale, Welfare and Recreation before opening on 14 April 2008, so military families would not have to drive off post for pet care.
The Pet Brigade exists because pets are part of military life and military life does not run on a civilian calendar. Since 2008 it has helped thousands of soldiers with lodging through a deployment, rehoming and fostering, transport for pets moving across the globe, and the ordinary week-to-week care in between.
Regis and Nancy Jackson worked with the Contracting Office of the U.S. Department of the Army and with JBLM Morale, Welfare and Recreation for several years before the doors opened on 14 April 2008. That is the reason the kennel sits inside the fence instead of half an hour outside it.
- Long stays through a deployment, a TDY or a PCS heat embargo
- Foster families for pets while a soldier is deployed
- Transport to the airport, to the vet, to JBLM lodging and back
- Open to military families, retirees and civilians with JBLM access
The Barracks
What are the kennels at The Pet Brigade like?
The Pet Brigade's barracks are entirely enclosed and temperature controlled with heat and air conditioning. Fresh air is pumped in continuously and isolation panels cut the noise and stress that comes with it. Each kennel was custom built by the Horst Company, and staff keep to your pet's own routine, diet and bedding.
What that means in practice on a hot Washington afternoon or a wet January morning is that the temperature inside the barracks does not follow the one outside, and a dog three runs down barking does not carry to yours.
Bring bedding and toys from home if you want to. Staff keep to your pet's own routine and diet rather than a house schedule, and anything else that would help your dog settle is worth telling the office at drop off, because they will work with it.
Holiday Photo Days
What fun things do dogs get up to at The Pet Brigade?
Beyond community play, walks and summer pool time, The Pet Brigade dresses a photo set for the holidays. Guests have posed on Easter, Valentine's Day, summer beach and Halloween sets, a few of them in costume, and every picture below is one of their own guests.
Fourth of July
Birthday party
Game day, here for the snacks
Halloween, cape and all
Valentine's Day
Easter
Every one of these was taken on a set The Pet Brigade built for the season.
Hours
What are The Pet Brigade's drop off and pick up hours?
The Pet Brigade takes boarding drop offs and pick ups Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:30pm, and Saturday from 9 to 10am or 4 to 5pm. Sunday is closed to both. Daycare runs Monday to Friday from 5:45am to 6:00pm, with Saturday daycare by appointment only.
Boarding, drop off and pick up
- Monday to Friday
- 9:00am - 5:30pm
Pick up 9am-12pm. Pick up 12-5:30pm carries a next-day fee. - Saturday
- 9-10am and 4-5pm
Drop off in either window. Pick up 9-10am; 4-5pm carries a next-day fee. - Sunday
- Closed
No drop off or pick up.
Daycare
- Monday to Friday
- 5:45am - 6:00pm
Full and half days. - Saturday
- By appointment
Call the office to arrange. - Sunday
- Closed
A night of boarding runs from drop off until noon the following day.
In Their Words
What do customers say about The Pet Brigade?
The Pet Brigade is rated 4.7 out of 5 across 622 Google reviews, checked on 3 September 2026. The three testimonials below are published on their own website with names and ranks exactly as printed, and most come from military families who boarded a pet through a deployment or a permanent change of station.
“The staff is terrific! Benny is visibly excited to be dropped off every day. They care about the animals and Benny is always in good hands.”
2nd Lts William & Kristen Johnson“My wife knew instantly from talking to you that she could trust your team. We were able to relax knowing your group of dedicated professionals was caring for our dogs.”
Terry M. Webb Jr.SMSgt, USAF“My three dogs are treated just like we treat them at home, like family. I have never had a bad experience. I will go back again and again.”
Anne ChampneyStraight Answers
What do people ask The Pet Brigade before they book?
Every question below came to The Pet Brigade's front desk through this website's contact form, from families getting ready to board, drop in for daycare or book a groom. The answers use the current rates, hours, vaccination policy and services. Where a question needs a person, the answer says to call the office rather than guess.
How much does boarding cost?
Dogs are $53 a night for the first dog and $50 for each additional dog. Cats are $37 for the first and $35 for each additional. An intact pet is $5 more a night, and holidays are $10 more per pet. A night runs from drop off until noon the following day. Full rates are on the rates page.
What does daycare cost?
A single day is $36 for the first dog and $26 for a second. A half day, or the daycare and groom bundle, is $25.50. Packages bring it down: 5 days for $165, 10 for $310, 20 for $570, and they have to be used within six months. Second-dog pricing runs alongside every package on the rates page.
What vaccinations does my pet need?
Dogs need rabies, distemper and bordetella; cats need rabies, feline leukemia and distemper. Distemper can be any combination shot, so DA2PP, DHPP, DHLPP and FVRCP all count. The full list is on the vaccinations page. If a vaccine is not recommended for your pet, they need a written exemption letter from your veterinarian.
Can my dog stay over a Sunday?
Pets stay through the weekend. What closes on Sunday is drop off and pick up: the published hours are Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9-10am or 4-5pm, with Sunday closed to both.
I have three dogs. Can they board together, and do they get outside?
Yes to both. Family quarters are larger kennels for households with more than one pet, so dogs who live together can stay together. Every dog is outside for fresh air whenever they are not sleeping in their bunk, and the day includes community play time, walk time and, in summer, the pools.
Can you give my pet medication?
Yes, and there is no extra charge for it. Bring the medication in its own packaging with the dosing written down, and tell the office at drop off. Both owners are registered nurses, which is a large part of why the kennel is run the way it is.
Do you board cats?
Yes. Cats have their own play room well away from the dogs, with carpeted posts, perches, hiding places and, in their words, all-day movies. Cat boarding is $37 a night for the first cat and $35 for each additional cat.
Can I see the place before I book?
Yes. Stop by the office for a tour any time of day, no appointment needed. There is more on the tour page.
How do I make a reservation?
Reservations run through PawPartner, their booking portal, for boarding, grooming and daycare. Transportation, poop scoop, dog walking and litter box service are arranged by phone on (253) 912-4898.
Where are you, and can I get to you?
04907 Pendleton Ave, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA 98433, on Joint Base Lewis-McChord itself, off Pendleton Avenue near the Lewis Army Museum. It is the only privately owned boarding facility on a military post in the United States. Access to the post is controlled by JBLM, not by the kennel, so if you do not hold a DoD ID, call the office before you drive out: (253) 912-4898.
Next Step
Ready when you are.
Boarding, daycare and grooming book through PawPartner. Everything else is a phone call.