Kennels are a cornerstone of daily operations in any veterinary facility, shelter, or boarding service. Whether you’re managing sick patients, housing post-op animals, or caring for long-term boarders, your kennels need to hold up to constant use, cleaning, and the occasional unpredictable patient. 

Eventually, even the best-built systems reach a point where repairs are no longer enough. That’s when it’s time to evaluate whether your kennels still meet your standards for safety, hygiene, and efficiency.

Signs That It’s Time for New Kennels 

Your team interacts with your kennels dozens of times a day. They’re often the first to notice when something isn’t working as it should. During your regular walkthroughs or deep cleans, watch for these common red flags: 

• Cracked welds, broken panels, or loose fittings. Structural damage can compromise safety. Animals may injure themselves on sharp edges or escape through small gaps. 

• Latches that stick, loosen, or don’t close securely. When a door doesn’t shut properly, that kennel should be pulled from use until it’s repaired. Over time, repeated latch failures can slow down your team and lead to stressful containment issues. 

• Rust and corrosion along joints, hinges, or base areas. Minor rust can sometimes be cleaned, but advanced corrosion may indicate deeper material breakdown. This can pose health risks if animals lick, chew, or scratch at the damaged surfaces. 

• Standing water or poor drainage after cleaning. If your staff is diligent about sanitation but odors or moisture linger, your drainage system may be failing. Older kennel bases or floors can trap waste and cleaning agents, leading to recurring smells and unsanitary conditions. 

• Excessive wear and staining. Scratched or worn surfaces become harder to disinfect, even if they’re cleaned regularly. Visual wear also affects how your facility is perceived by clients, inspectors, and potential partners. 

Even when your team is doing everything right, equipment failure can put animals at risk. If injuries, escapes, or sanitation concerns are recurring issues tied to kennel condition, it’s time to begin planning for replacement. 

Choosing the Right Time to Upgrade  

Upgrading kennels takes time and coordination, and it’s not something most facilities can do overnight. The best time to start planning is before your current systems reach a critical point. 

For small installations or one-to-one replacements, most projects can be completed in a few days. Larger renovations that involve reworking layouts, improving drainage, or upgrading entire banks of cages may take several weeks, including planning and fabrication time. 

If budget is a factor, consider breaking the project into phases. Many practices begin by replacing the most problematic kennels, then expand as time and resources allow. 

If your space needs to stay operational during the upgrade, temporary kennel panels and gates can be used to create safe, flexible enclosures for animals. These can be reconfigured daily to suit your patient flow, giving your team the tools to adapt as the project progresses. 

Avoiding Common Installation Challenges 

Timing matters. If your business experiences seasonal slowdowns, that may be the best opportunity to complete a major facility upgrade without disrupting appointments or boarding schedules. 

Be sure to evaluate your existing layout before ordering new kennels. Traffic flow, access to water and drainage, and proximity to treatment areas all impact how your team uses the space. Many facilities find that older kennel configurations don’t support modern workflows, especially in multi-functional spaces like recovery areas or isolation rooms. 

TriStar Vet can help you reconfigure your space with systems that fit your current needs. Our team can also help assess whether it’s more efficient to retrofit your space or start with a clean slate. 

Long-Term Value and Daily Efficiency 

A kennel upgrade should support more than just aesthetics. Thoughtfully designed systems make it easier to clean, move animals safely, and reduce stress on your staff. 

When evaluating new options, look for features like: 

• Easy-access doors for safer animal handling 

• Elevated floors or drainage options for faster clean-up 

• Rounded corners to minimize bacteria buildup 

• Durable materials that won’t degrade after repeated disinfecting 

Our dog kennels, cage banks, and cat condos are built from heavy-duty stainless steel and handcrafted for maximum durability. Every design is created with real-world veterinary workflows in mind, including fast disinfection, staff safety, and comfort for the animals in your care. 

Many clinics report time savings after installing properly configured kennels, simply because their teams no longer have to wrestle with broken parts, repeat cleanings, or inefficient layouts. 

Supporting Practice Transitions and Facility Growth 

If you’re thinking about expanding your space or selling your practice in the next few years, upgrading your kennels can also serve a strategic purpose. Buyers, inspectors, and potential partners pay close attention to infrastructure. Damaged or outdated kennels may raise concerns, even if other areas of your facility are in good shape. 

By investing in newer systems now, you’ll improve your day-to-day operations while increasing the long-term value of your business. 

Get Customized Solutions for Your Unique Space 

Most veterinary spaces weren’t built with a one-size-fits-all approach, and your equipment shouldn’t be either. Tight corners, narrow hallways, shared rooms, and limited floor drains can make off-the-shelf kennels hard to work with. 

That’s why TriStar Vet offers custom kennel systems tailored to your space and patient needs. Whether you’re building out an exam area, updating a boarding room, or reconfiguring a surgical recovery space, we can design a solution that fits your workflow, improves sanitation, and meets your budget. 

Choose from a variety of sizes, configurations, and colors to match your existing layout and support your staff’s daily tasks. 

Talk to Our Team About Your Upgrade Plans 

TriStar Vet has been designing and manufacturing veterinary kennels for over two decades. All of our equipment is built from stainless steel and designed to stand up to the demands of high-volume animal care. 

We work with veterinarians, shelter directors, boarding managers, and animal care teams across North America to develop solutions that last. If your kennels are showing signs of wear, or you’re planning for growth in the coming year, we’re here to help. 

Contact us online today or call 877-459-7827 to schedule a consultation. Our team can walk you through your options, help plan your layout, and make sure you’re investing in a system that will support your facility for years to come. 

Be sure to download or request a free catalog from our website.