{
 "license": "CC BY 4.0",
 "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
 "attribution": "Source: Dogs Away (dogsaway.co)",
 "generatedAt": "2026-11-07T06:25:32.985Z",
 "city": {
  "slug": "houston-tx",
  "name": "Houston",
  "state": "Texas",
  "st": "TX",
  "lat": 29.7604,
  "lng": -95.3698,
  "url": "https://dogsaway.co/houston-tx/",
  "boardingUrl": "https://dogsaway.co/dog-boarding/houston-tx/",
  "daycareUrl": "https://dogsaway.co/dog-daycare/houston-tx/",
  "markdownUrl": "https://dogsaway.co/houston-tx.md",
  "pulledAt": "2026-07-07",
  "censusAt": "2026-09-08",
  "indexable": true,
  "counts": {
   "facilities": 332,
   "boarding": 304,
   "daycare": 207,
   "catBoarding": 24,
   "dedicatedFacilities": 303,
   "vets": 26,
   "open24": 9,
   "pricedCount": 158,
   "boardingRateCount": 116
  },
  "boardingMedian": {
   "value": 48,
   "unit": "USD/night",
   "basis": "Median across 116 of 332 indexed Houston facilities with an overnight rate found on their own website. Crawl protocol: homepage plus linked pages matching rate keywords, 2026-07-07. First-dog standard rate; holiday and add-on pricing excluded.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  }
 },
 "metrics": [
  {
   "id": "boarding_median_price:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "boarding_median_price",
   "label": "Median published overnight boarding rate",
   "value": 48,
   "unit": "USD/night",
   "format": "currency",
   "n": 116,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "Median across 116 of 332 indexed Houston facilities with an overnight rate found on their own website. Crawl protocol: homepage plus linked pages matching rate keywords, 2026-07-07. First-dog standard rate; holiday and add-on pricing excluded.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "boarding_price_p25:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "boarding_price_p25",
   "label": "25th percentile boarding rate",
   "value": 37,
   "unit": "USD/night",
   "format": "currency",
   "n": 116,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "25th percentile across 116 of 332 indexed Houston facilities with an overnight rate found on their own website. Crawl protocol: homepage plus linked pages matching rate keywords, 2026-07-07. First-dog standard rate; holiday and add-on pricing excluded.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "boarding_price_p75:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "boarding_price_p75",
   "label": "75th percentile boarding rate",
   "value": 59,
   "unit": "USD/night",
   "format": "currency",
   "n": 116,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "75th percentile across 116 of 332 indexed Houston facilities with an overnight rate found on their own website. Crawl protocol: homepage plus linked pages matching rate keywords, 2026-07-07. First-dog standard rate; holiday and add-on pricing excluded.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "boarding_price_spread:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "boarding_price_spread",
   "label": "Boarding price spread (p75 ÷ p25)",
   "value": 1.59,
   "unit": "×",
   "format": "ratio",
   "n": 116,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "Ratio of the 75th to the 25th percentile published overnight rate across 116 Houston facilities, 2026-07-07. Both figures share the same population and period.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "daycare_median_price:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "daycare_median_price",
   "label": "Median published daycare rate",
   "value": 33,
   "unit": "USD/day",
   "format": "currency",
   "n": 111,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "Median full-day daycare rate across 111 of 332 indexed Houston facilities publishing one on their own website, 2026-07-07.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "rate_findable_share:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "rate_findable_share",
   "label": "Share of facilities with a rate findable on their website",
   "value": 39.1,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 297,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "116 of 297 Houston facility websites we crawled had an overnight rate on the homepage or a linked rate page, 2026-07-07. A facility counted as not-found may still publish a rate outside that crawl scope, on a page requiring login, or quote it by phone — this measures findability, not disclosure.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "facility_count:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "facility_count",
   "label": "Indexed facilities",
   "value": 332,
   "unit": "facilities",
   "format": "count",
   "n": 332,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "dogsaway-index",
   "basis": "Count across the 332 Houston facilities in the Dogs Away index, 2026-07-07. Index scope: the counties of the Census metro area, plus places within 30 miles of downtown, categories per /about/#score.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "boarding_count:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "boarding_count",
   "label": "Offering boarding",
   "value": 304,
   "unit": "facilities",
   "format": "count",
   "n": 332,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "dogsaway-index",
   "basis": "Count across the 332 Houston facilities in the Dogs Away index, 2026-07-07. Index scope: the counties of the Census metro area, plus places within 30 miles of downtown, categories per /about/#score.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "daycare_count:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "daycare_count",
   "label": "Offering daycare",
   "value": 207,
   "unit": "facilities",
   "format": "count",
   "n": 332,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "dogsaway-index",
   "basis": "Count across the 332 Houston facilities in the Dogs Away index, 2026-07-07. Index scope: the counties of the Census metro area, plus places within 30 miles of downtown, categories per /about/#score.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "dedicated_facility_count:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "dedicated_facility_count",
   "label": "Dedicated boarding/daycare facilities",
   "value": 303,
   "unit": "facilities",
   "format": "count",
   "n": 332,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "dogsaway-index",
   "basis": "Count across the 332 Houston facilities in the Dogs Away index, 2026-07-07. Index scope: the counties of the Census metro area, plus places within 30 miles of downtown, categories per /about/#score.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "vet_count:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "vet_count",
   "label": "Veterinary practices that board",
   "value": 26,
   "unit": "facilities",
   "format": "count",
   "n": 332,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "dogsaway-index",
   "basis": "Count across the 332 Houston facilities in the Dogs Away index, 2026-07-07. Index scope: the counties of the Census metro area, plus places within 30 miles of downtown, categories per /about/#score.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "open24_count:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "open24_count",
   "label": "Advertising 24-hour operation",
   "value": 9,
   "unit": "facilities",
   "format": "count",
   "n": 332,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "dogsaway-index",
   "basis": "Count across the 332 Houston facilities in the Dogs Away index, 2026-07-07. Index scope: the counties of the Census metro area, plus places within 30 miles of downtown, categories per /about/#score.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_vaccines:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_vaccines",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Vaccination requirements",
   "value": 51.4,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "143 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 135 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_bordetellaWindow:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_bordetellaWindow",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Bordetella timing window",
   "value": 4.7,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "13 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 265 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_fecalTest:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_fecalTest",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Fecal / parasite test required",
   "value": 1.4,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "4 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 274 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_spayNeuter:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_spayNeuter",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Spay/neuter policy",
   "value": 32.7,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "91 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 187 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_trialRequired:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_trialRequired",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Trial / temperament evaluation required",
   "value": 37.8,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "105 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 173 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_proofRequired:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_proofRequired",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Records verified vs. taken on word",
   "value": 38.1,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "106 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 172 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_staffOvernight:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_staffOvernight",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Staff on site overnight",
   "value": 15.8,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "44 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 234 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_staffRatio:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_staffRatio",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Staff-to-dog ratio",
   "value": 0,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "0 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 278 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_groupSizeCap:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_groupSizeCap",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Maximum playgroup size",
   "value": 0.7,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "2 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 276 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_staffCertification:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_staffCertification",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Pet first aid / CPR certification",
   "value": 6.8,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "19 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 259 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_playModel:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_playModel",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Play model (all-day / rotation / no group play)",
   "value": 23.7,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "66 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 212 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_separationBasis:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_separationBasis",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Groups separated by size / temperament",
   "value": 24.1,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "67 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 211 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_hoursOutOfKennel:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_hoursOutOfKennel",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Hours per day out of the kennel",
   "value": 12.2,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "34 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 244 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_soloOption:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_soloOption",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Option for dogs who can’t do group play",
   "value": 26.6,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "74 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 204 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_kennelType:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_kennelType",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Housing type (wire crate / suite / free-roam)",
   "value": 41.3,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 276,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "114 of 276 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 162 sites carried no such statement, and 2 more were described by reviewers but not stated by the operator (counted as not published). Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_outdoorAccess:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_outdoorAccess",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Outdoor access (yard / run / indoor only)",
   "value": 48.4,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 277,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "134 of 277 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 143 sites carried no such statement, and 1 more were described by reviewers but not stated by the operator (counted as not published). Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_capacity:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_capacity",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Capacity",
   "value": 0.7,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "2 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 276 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_climateMonitored:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_climateMonitored",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Climate control / alarm monitoring",
   "value": 36.3,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "101 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 177 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_liveCamera:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_liveCamera",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Client-viewable live cameras",
   "value": 19.6,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 276,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "54 of 276 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 222 sites carried no such statement, and 3 more were described by reviewers but not stated by the operator (counted as not published). Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_photoUpdates:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_photoUpdates",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Daily photo / report-card updates",
   "value": 23.3,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 262,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "61 of 262 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 201 sites carried no such statement, and 18 more were described by reviewers but not stated by the operator (counted as not published). Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_tourPolicy:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_tourPolicy",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Facility tour policy",
   "value": 18.3,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "51 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 227 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_incidentPolicy:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_incidentPolicy",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Injury / fight policy and notification",
   "value": 2.5,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "7 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 271 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_vetAccess:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_vetAccess",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Vet on site / on call",
   "value": 4,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 277,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "11 of 277 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 266 sites carried no such statement, and 1 more were described by reviewers but not stated by the operator (counted as not published). Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_medicationAdmin:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_medicationAdmin",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Administers medication",
   "value": 27.1,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 277,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "75 of 277 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 202 sites carried no such statement, and 1 more were described by reviewers but not stated by the operator (counted as not published). Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_feedingPolicy:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_feedingPolicy",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Accepts owner-supplied / raw food",
   "value": 26.6,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "74 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 204 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_acceptingClients:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_acceptingClients",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Accepting new clients",
   "value": 0.7,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "2 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 276 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "disclosure_onlineBooking:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "disclosure_onlineBooking",
   "label": "Facilities publishing: Online booking available",
   "value": 14,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 278,
   "of": 332,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "39 of 278 Houston facility websites we reached and reviewed publish this, 2026-07-07. Every candidate passage the extractor surfaced for this field was read by a curator; 239 sites carried no such statement. Measures what operators publish on their own websites — not what they would say if asked.",
   "asOf": "2026-07-07"
  },
  {
   "id": "stated_catBoarding:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "stated_catBoarding",
   "label": "Facilities stating they board cats",
   "value": 33.9,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 245,
   "of": 245,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "83 of 245 dedicated facilities in Houston, TX whose websites we reached state that they board cats, 2026-10-08. We read up to 20 pages per site plus linked PDFs. A recall check of 30 sampled sites that stated nothing found 2 that did (7%), so the true share may be slightly higher. Measures what operators publish, not what they do."
  },
  {
   "id": "stated_minimumAge:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "stated_minimumAge",
   "label": "Facilities stating a minimum age",
   "value": 22,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 245,
   "of": 245,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "54 of 245 dedicated facilities in Houston, TX whose websites we reached state a minimum age for boarding or daycare, 2026-10-08. We read up to 20 pages per site plus linked PDFs. A recall check of 30 sampled sites that stated nothing found 3 that did (10%), so the true share may be slightly higher. Measures what operators publish, not what they do."
  },
  {
   "id": "stated_illnessPolicy:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "stated_illnessPolicy",
   "label": "Facilities stating an illness policy",
   "value": 9.8,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 245,
   "of": 245,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "24 of 245 dedicated facilities in Houston, TX whose websites we reached state what happens with a sick or contagious dog, 2026-10-08. We read up to 20 pages per site plus linked PDFs. A recall check of 20 sampled sites that stated nothing found 1 that did (5%), so the true share may be slightly higher. Measures what operators publish, not what they do."
  },
  {
   "id": "stated_cancellationPolicy:city:houston-tx",
   "metric": "stated_cancellationPolicy",
   "label": "Facilities stating a cancellation policy",
   "value": 15.9,
   "unit": "%",
   "format": "percent",
   "n": 245,
   "of": 245,
   "evidence": "calculated",
   "source": "facility-website",
   "basis": "39 of 245 dedicated facilities in Houston, TX whose websites we reached state a cancellation rule for boarding, 2026-10-08. We read up to 20 pages per site plus linked PDFs. A recall check of 40 sampled sites that stated nothing found 2 that did (5%), so the true share may be slightly higher. Measures what operators publish, not what they do."
  }
 ],
 "licensing": {
  "status": "resolved",
  "tier": "C",
  "stateLicensesBoardingKennels": false,
  "stateInspectsBoardingKennels": false,
  "summary": "Texas does not license or inspect dog boarding and daycare facilities at the state level. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's Licensed Breeder Program covers commercial dog and cat BREEDERS only — the threshold is keeping five or more intact adult females — and does not reach boarding kennels, daycares, or the veterinary practices that board. There is no state inspection regime, no public inspection record, and no state license number to look up. What Texas has is a disclosure law, Health & Safety Code chapter 824. Local requirements are set city by city: the City of Houston requires a commercial pet service facility license from BARC under Chapter 6, Article IV, Division 5 (§§ 6-121–6-130) of the city code — $200 a year, expiring every 31 December, with no inspection required for issuance although BARC Animal Enforcement may inspect — and that is a city permit, not a state regime, and was not joined to facility records. Unincorporated Harris County has no kennel or boarding permit that we could find.",
  "boundary": "IMPORTANT — Chapter 824 requires disclosure TO THE CUSTOMER AT BOOKING. It does not require a facility to publish anything on its website. A facility that says nothing publicly may be fully compliant. The Houston commercial pet service facility license is a city permit issued without a pre-licensing inspection; no list of licensees was found and none was joined to any facility record. Nothing in the Dogs Away index measures or implies compliance with Chapter 824 or with Chapter 6 of the Houston city code, and no page may state or suggest that a facility is licensed, unlicensed, compliant or non-compliant.",
  "register": null,
  "checkedAt": "2026-09-08"
 },
 "analysis": {
  "headline": "Thirteen Houston-area kennels answer the overnight question by saying someone lives on the property. Eight say nobody stays; 234 of the 278 sites we reviewed say nothing.",
  "body": "Houston is a Tier C market like Dallas. No Texas agency licenses or inspects dog boarding facilities. Chapter 824 of the Health and Safety Code requires any kennel boarding more than three animals to tell an owner in writing, and take their signed consent, if the dog will be left unattended overnight or the building has no working fire sprinkler system — a form at the counter, not a sentence on a website. Houston adds a city permit: under Chapter 6 of the city code a commercial pet service facility needs a $200-a-year license from BARC, the city animal agency, issued without a pre-licensing inspection. The ordinance leaves out veterinarians and veterinary hospitals, 26 of the 332 listings here, and it stops at the city line, which this market does not. We found no public list of permit holders, so no facility record carries one, and unincorporated Harris County has no kennel permit that we could find.\n\nThe index covers the counties of the Census metro area plus places within 30 miles of downtown, from Galveston to Conroe and Katy. Of the 332 listings, 297 publish a website, and we crawled and reviewed 278 of those. Forty-four address overnight staffing, 15.8 percent against 13.7 in Dallas and 20.9 in Chicago. Thirty-six say a person is on site, and the most common way of saying it is not a night shift but a house: 13 say someone lives on the property, 12 of them outside Houston. Clear Lake Kennels in Webster: \"We have two residents live on-site, ensuring your pet is never alone.\" The Canine Castle in Alvin: \"I do live on-site with my family above the Royal Chambers room.\" Wag'n World is the most specific about what a night shift does: \"One final overnight potty break between 11 PM and 3 AM.\" Eight say nobody stays. Wet Nose Lodge & Spa gives a reason: \"We believe dogs sleep better at night when everything is dark, peaceful and quiet.\" Hounds Town's three locations share one answer: \"While we don’t have staff staying overnight, we have an established routine for weekends and holidays to ensure the dogs are properly taken care of.\" The other 234 are silent, which under Chapter 824 is lawful.\n\nThree websites put the Chapter 824 subjects themselves online. Pooch's Boarding and Daycare in Tomball says it \"does not maintain staff onsite at the facility overnight\" and that \"The facility is not equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler or water suppression system.\" Red Bluff Pet Resort in Pasadena has the owner acknowledge \"the facility’s notice on lack of fire suppression and overnight staffing.\" VCA Stafford Oaks Animal Hospital states that \"the Hospital is not equipped with a functioning fire suppression sprinkler system\". The law asks for none of this on a website; these three let an owner read it before booking.\n\nNot one facility in 278 publishes a staff-to-dog ratio; Dog BnB says \"Our staff-to-dog ratio exceeds industry standards\" and never gives the figure. Two publish a playgroup cap: The Dog Academy in Katy (\"Groups are capped at 15 dogs and organized by size and age\") and Barks & Wildlife Retreat in Spring (\"capped at 8 dogs\"). Two publish a capacity, Pupsties in Sealy \"keeping our group at a maximum of 14 dogs\". Seven publish what happens after an injury, Camp Run-A-Mutt most candidly: \"Dogs may acquire minor injuries during normal play activities\". Thirty-four say how long a boarded dog spends out of its room, from Pawtown Pet Resort's three outings a day \"for approximately 10-15 minutes each time\" to Dogtopia Waugh's \"open-play for 10 hours each day, with a two-hour break from noon to 2 PM.\" Sixty-six describe a play model: 36 all-day open play, 28 open play with enforced rest, nobody structured rotation, and two no group play at all — Clear Lake Kennels: \"We avoid chaotic pack daycare environments.\"\n\nAdmission is where Houston operators publish most. One hundred and forty-three publish a vaccination list, 51.4 percent against 47 in Dallas, and every one requires rabies; all but two require Bordetella. Canine influenza is the split: required by 36, recommended by 31, unmentioned by 74, and waived by Pet Paradise's two locations — \"Currently, Pet Paradise is not requiring dogs to be vaccinated with the canine influenza vaccine.\" Leptospirosis is required by 26. Thirteen say how long before arrival a vaccine must be given, from 48 hours at BoneVoyage in Galveston to \"one month prior to boarding\" at Good Shepherd Inn in Santa Fe; six say ten days, four of them K9 Resorts locations with the same line. Four require a fecal test, 1.4 percent against 4.6 in Dallas and 20.6 in Chicago. One hundred and six say they will check the paperwork, and Rover Oaks is the strictest: \"No hand-written records or owner-administered vaccinations are acceptable.\"\n\nSpay and neuter policy splits five ways across 91 facilities: 48 confine it to group play, 35 require it outright, three require it of males only, Pet Paradise sends intact dogs to a pricier one-on-one suite, and three do not require it — among them Lone Star Pet Lodges: \"We do accept any males or females that are intact for lodging and grooming.\" Stated ages run from six months to Korob Pet Hotel's 24. One hundred and five address the temperament evaluation: 36 require one, 17 a free one, 50 only for some dogs or services, and Pet Paradise not at all. Fifty-one publish a tour policy, most of them open-door; Olive Branch Dog Boarding in Alvin offers video only (\"We do NOT offer in person tours.\"), and Rover Oaks closes for the length of a stay: \"Clients (or friends of clients) are not allowed to visit pets during their stay.\"\n\nPrice is more findable in Houston than in Dallas, and lower. One hundred and sixteen of the 332 listings publish an overnight rate, 39.1 percent of the 297 sites crawled against 37.0 in Dallas. The median is $48 a night, against $50 in Dallas and $60 in Chicago, with the middle half between $37 and $59 — a spread of 1.59x, wider than Dallas's 1.40. The bottom is Fabian Boarding Kennel in Galveston at $20 and three sister vet clinics — Atascocita, All Community and Kings Crossing animal hospitals — sharing one price page with small kennels at $21 to $23; the top is Peace Love Dogs, whose luxury packages start at $99. One hundred and eleven publish a daycare rate, median $33, the same as Dallas.\n\nOne structural caveat belongs on every number here. Ninety-two of the 332 listings share a website or chain domain with another listing, led by PetSuites (15), Dogtopia (14), Camp Bow Wow (10), PetSmart (8) and VCA (7); 14 of the 36 all-day play answers are PetSuites location pages on one template. Four businesses are listed twice — Houston Bark Park, Meadowlake, Pawsh Dog House and Pampered Pet Inn — and every count above includes both listings, as the metric records do. Many of this market's disclosure decisions were made once, at a head office, and counted many times.\n\nNone of this is a ranking and none of it is a judgment, and the Houston permit does not change that. A city license issued without an inspection shows that a form was filed and a fee was paid; it says nothing about who is in the building at 3am. Experienced operators disagree in good faith about whether overnight staffing is a necessity, and an owner asleep in the house beside the kennel is a different answer from a night shift. Texas has taken no position beyond requiring that the customer be told. What the index measures is narrower: which of these facts you can find out before you pick up the phone."
 },
 "facilityCount": 332
}