Peak season means more pets, more joy, and unfortunately, more airborne pathogens circulating through your facility. Here’s the science behind respiratory outbreaks in boarding and daycare operations and practical steps to protect your business.

Respiratory infections spread primarily through the air, not surfaces. When even one infected dog coughs, sneezes, or simply breathes, they release millions of viral and bacterial particles into your facility’s air. The problem? Many animals are asymptomatic carriers, they show no symptoms but actively shed microorganisms.

These invisible aerosolized particles don’t settle quickly. One dog can shed millions of infectious agents that remain viable in your air for hours after they leave, circulating through your building and HVAC system to every corner of your facility.

This is why outbreaks can happen even in facilities with rigorous cleaning protocols. It’s not a failure of your standards, it’s a gap in how the industry has traditionally approached disease prevention.

During peak season when you’re running at 3-4x normal capacity with faster turnover, this creates a perfect storm. Most of your dog’s aren’t regulars. New dogs arrive constantly from different households and facilities. One asymptomatic carrier on Monday infects other dogs, goes home, and comes back to you later sick, or gets blamed on you. High turnover doesn’t reduce your risk. It multiplies it.

As an indoor air quality specialist, here are the practical steps that make a real difference for disease prevention:

1. Change Your HVAC Filters More Frequently

• Normal operations: Bi-weekly or monthly filter changes are standard.
• Peak season: Switch to weekly changes. Use MERV 13 or higher filters to capture smaller particles carrying viruses and bacteria (not recommended if not changing weekly).
• Mark your calendar now, this is the easiest air quality prevention step most facilities miss.

2. Monitor Your Facility’s Humidity Levels

• Keep humidity between 40-60%.
• Too dry (<30%): Viruses and bacteria survive longer in the air, and respiratory membranes become more vulnerable to infection.
• Too humid (>60%): Mold growth and bacterial proliferation increase.

3. Maximize Outdoor Air Ventilation in Your Facility

• Check that exhaust fans are working properly.
• Don’t recirculate air from isolation areas back into main kennel spaces.

4. Pay Attention to Air Flow Patterns in Your Facility

• Are you pulling air from kennel areas into your lobby or front desk? Simple airflow mistakes can spread illness throughout your entire pet boarding facility.

Here’s where the science gets exciting. UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation) systems use UV-C light to inactivate airborne pathogens in real-time, neutralizing viruses and bacteria as they circulate through your HVAC system.

Unlike filters that capture particles, UVGI kills microorganisms at the DNA level—a technology supported by the CDC and ASHRAE for disease prevention in buildings.

Proven efficacy for disease control: Independent studies published in the Journal of Applied Veterinary Research (JAVAR) and the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) demonstrated:

What continuous air disinfection means for your facility:

• Continuous protection against airborne illness, not just when you change filters
• Effective against asymptomatic shedding and invisible viral transmission
• Neutralizes respiratory pathogens before they spread to other areas
• Inactivates viruses and bacteria while reducing infectious loads immediately
• Works 24/7 without chemicals or ongoing maintenance

SECTION 179 TAX DEDUCTION: Save thousands this tax season, deduct your UVGI system in full under Section 179. Consult your accountant to calculate your specific tax savings.

FINANCING AVAILABLE: Protect pets now, pay overtime, flexible financing makes clean air affordable today.

FREE FACILITY SIZING: Get a free, expert air quality assessment, know exactly what your facility needs before peak season hits. No obligation, just expert guidance.

Download your simple action steps to stop outbreaks before they start.

Immediate actions (this week):

• Mark your calendar for weekly HVAC filter changes through peak season
• Check that all exhaust fans are functioning properly
• Purchase MERV 13 filters ONLY if you can change them weekly or as needed; clogged filters damage furnaces. If not, stick to nothing higher than MERV 8.
• Verify humidity levels are between 40-60% (invest in a monitor if needed)

This month:

• Audit your facility’s air flow patterns, identify where air is pulling from areas with animal activity
• Ensure isolation areas have separate air handling or don’t recirculate to main spaces
• Review your current ventilation with an HVAC professional

Strategic upgrade:

• Request a free facility assessment for continuous air disinfection (UVGI system sizing)

You’re the experts in animal care. We’re the experts in indoor air quality. During peak season, the animals in your care, and your reputation, deserve air that’s as clean as your facility standards.

Don’t wait for an outbreak, schedule your free air quality assessment today and protect your pets, staff, and reputation.