DOGGY LAMA FEATURED AS A CURATOR’S PICK FOR BEST DOG BOARDING ON SF GATE.COM 2024
If you need pet boarding in the East Bay but need help determining where to turn for trusted, safe accommodations, you’ve come to the right place. From dog daycare to long-term pet hotels, we searched for local pet boarding services with the best reputations for when you need dog or cat boarding nearby. We’ve highlighted helpful information about each East Bay animal boarding business below, from lodging types to pet activities offered. Now, you can easily find the best kennels in the area no matter what kind of pet you have or any special care they require.
molly featured in BROKE-ASS STUART INTERVIEW
"WE’VE DEMYSTIFIED THE NEW DEADLY DOG FLU WITH THE PROS"
Molly talks about how some of the media is sensationalizing the new dog flu in contrast to what vet schools tell us is known so far about the flu; reminds guardians that dogs, especially the puppies still need socialization even if there's a new flu to be aware of, and advises dog guardians how to keep their dogs safe while we learn more about this canine influenza.
Molly’s photo of Doggy Lama clients featured as Bay Woof’s cover photo
our doggies are cover dogs!
Molly’s photo of Daisy, Goji, Willow, and Luna striking heroic poses at Pt. Isabel Dog Park was chosen as the August 2022 cover image of Bay Woof online magazine. Bay Woof provides community-supported content to the dog lovers of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
BAY WOOF FEATURES MOLLy’s ESSAY
“tHE GIFTS DOGS GIVE US” IS NOVEMBER 2020 FEATURE
Molly says: I was honored that my little piece got published in the Bay Woof ‘s Gratitude issue. Those are my photos, too. I tried to share how fortunate I feel to be a professional dog walker--the joy and even creative fulfillment I feel as I hike on hills and across open spaces with my off-leash pack.
Mushroom ID Safari: December 22, 2019, 1 PM
meet Molly and local mycology expert Alan Rockefeller at the Redwood Bowl Staging Area off Skyline Blvd., Oakland, CA.
It’s mushroom season! Mushrooms are fascinating but can also be deadly, especially amanita phalloides, or death cap mushroom, which can cause liver damage and death to dogs and humans.
On this Sunday afternoon excursion, walk through Redwood Regional Park with other dog guardians and mushroom/nature lovers. If you have a dog in your family and you like to hike with them, this event will help you to know how to identify deadly mushrooms and avoid them. There is a $10-20 cash donation requested, which will go directly to Alan. Although you can bring your dog to the park, it's probably best if you don't, as we’ll be leaning into small spaces to look at, touch, and sometimes smell, many mushrooms found in the Bay Area. If you do bring your dog, please have another handler with you to hold your pup while you lean in to check out the mushrooms. This is a public event and is sponsored by Doggy Lama Pet Care, Inc.
VOTED East Bay's BEST DOG WALKER 2019
Readers of the Bay Woof voted us 2019's best dog walkers in the East Bay.
“When your dog darlin’ deserves an off-leash adventure, choose Doggy Lama (which offers on-leash dog walking, too,) and your border collie, Pomeranian, GSD, or mutt can be roaming the canopied trails of an East Bay Regional Park with a small pack of pals for an hour while you are tethered to your desk."
MoLLY featured in Bark magazine’s “DOT-COM DOG WALKING: When it comes to our dogs’ safety, is the gig economy a good model?”
Molly was interviewed for the Spring 2019 issue of Bark magazine about how the dog walking industry has changed with the introduction of app-based walking companies like Rover and Wag. Molly is presented as the voice of “old-fashioned” dog walker selection and training! We agree with the article’s conclusion that, “We owe our dogs nothing less than hiring skilled, compassionate and trained professionals to care for them when we can't.”
Named One of the Top Women-Owned Businesses in the bay area 2019
March 9, 2019: On International Women’s Day, the Localwise blog featured Doggy Lama as “One of the Top Women-Owned Businesses Paving the Way in their Industry”
Localwise said working with the "close-knit team" at Doggy Lama walking dogs in the sunshine is “the best day job on the market!”
VOTED East Bay's BEST DOG WALKER 2018
Readers of the Bay Woof voted us 2018's best dog walkers in the East Bay.
"When you and your remarkable retriever (or any beautiful breed) find your way to Doggy Lama, you know there’s no need to trek anywhere else. The veteran team at this Oakland organization prides itself on not just taking dogs for walks, but on bestowing them with an adventurous off-leash experience along the lush trails of Redwood Regional Park, Anthony Chabot Regional Park, and Strawberry Canyon (to name a few locales). With safety always at the forefront, these walks are provided to groups of six, and every tail-wagging, four-legged hiker comes back well-exercised and well-traveled."
Rattlesnake Awareness- TV Interview with Molly Kenefick
Click below to see Molly's interview on KTVU News' segment on Rattlesnake Awareness for dogs on the trails.
Named #1 DOG WALKER in oakland 2017
Pet owners voted Doggy Lama Pet Care the top Oakland dog walker on the Bay Area A-List (CityVoter).
Customer reviews: “Molly and her crew are the best!” “Totally reliable—they have been watching our gal for 3+ years.” “You can’t go wrong with Doggy Lama.” “Far and away the best doggy professionals in the Bay Area—they go above and beyond on a daily basis.”
VOTED East Bay's BEST DOG WALKER 2016
Readers of the Bay Woof voted us 2016's best dog walkers in the East Bay.
"Dogs at Doggy Lama go on adventures instead of hikes, and the most typical excursion is an hour off-leash group gallivanting in East Bay parks. Molly Kenefick is the owner and founder of Doggy Lama and has a skilled team to fill in all the gaps."
Named One of the Top Five Best Dog Walkers 2016
Pet owners voted Doggy Lama Pet Care one of the top five Bay Area dog walkers via the Bay Area A-List.
“For more than a decade, Doggy Lama Pet Care, Inc., has been a trusted dog walking and pet sitting service for cats and dogs in Oakland, Berkeley, and Emeryville. Dog walkers and pet sitters say they do have fun at work, but they take their jobs very seriously. They say they feel very fortunate to be able to work with the Bay Area’s wonderful pets and guardians.”
VOTED OAKLAND'S BEST DOG WALKER 2015
Oakland Magazine readers voted us 2015's best dog walkers in Oakland and the East Bay.
Humane Education with Hopalong
Molly and her friendly and mellow pug, Moishe, are available to make no-cost humane education presentations to East Bay kids through Hopalong Animal Rescue. Please contact us to schedule a presentation. Recently Molly's been working with five- to ten-year-old children and typically covers fun dog facts, dog sports, what jobs dogs have, and how to safely pet a dog.
"Stop Petting Strangers' Dogs"
A jounalist wrote the article, "Stop Petting Strangers' Dogs" in CITYLAB, the online version of The Atlantic, and quoted Molly about barrier frustration, resource guarding, and dog body language.
Voted Best Bay Area Dog Walker
2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 by ‘Bay Woof’ Magazine in their 'Beast of the Bay' awards.
“This year marks the fourth straight BOBA win for Molly Kenefick’s Doggy Lama Pet Care, which serves the East Bay’s Oakland/Berkeley/Montclair “triangle.” Pooch lovers everywhere seem to agree with our readers, and Doggy Lama has racked up an impressive collection of “bests.” Molly’s recipe for success? Start with rigorous training, add an aptitude for fun and adventure, and top with a dollop of sweetness. Example: Doggy Lama posts photos of your playing pups on Flickr and Facebook so you don’t get too lonesome for your special canine’s smile.”
City Council ProclAmation
Molly was presented with an City Council Proclamation for her mentoring work with eighth grade Oakland public school children in small-business in 2012-2014.
Oakland Youth-Friendly Business NOminee Award
The Oakland Youth-Friendly Business Network nominated Doggy Lama Pet Care for an Oakland Youth-Friendly Business Award. Doggy Lama has mentored middle-school and high-school students from Oakland schools.
"Oakland Business Goes to the dogs"
The Oakland Tribune did a piece on Doggy Lama Pet Care after we won awards several years in a row. It talks about how Molly lived for five years on a boat in the Berkeley Marina and that some of our team have included a chaplain, trained police-dog "decoy," and a MAR technician (lost pet detective)!
Voted Best Dog Walker 2011
Doggy Lama Pet Care voted 'Best Dog Walker' in Parents' Press Magazine's first annual 'Best of the East Bay 2011' awards!
"A ROMP WITH TOP DOG--MOLLY KENEFICK"
An Oakland neighborhood newspaper, the MacArthur Metro, did a profile on Molly. Her childhood pet was a turtle because her dad has always been allergic to any animals that "have hair." Since childhood Molly has craved snuggling time with furry animals, so in grammar school she used to walk her neighbors' dogs for free!
Named top 5 places to board your dog 2008
San Francisco magazine calls us a doggy B&B and voted us one of 2008's "Top Five Places to Board Your Dog."
"More like a visit to a fun aunt or uncle than a formal hotel stay, Doggy Lama offers care for your dog in the home of one of four staffers. All are licensed, insured, and bonded, and never have more than four dogs at a time in their Berkeley, Oakland, and Hayward homes. Adventures are planned for every day of the stay..."
Voted Best High-Tech Doggie Care 2007
We were voted 2007's Best High-Tech Doggie Care by the East Bay Express because we use our Flickr account to post pictures daily (hourly, sometimes) of the pets we take care of—the Express says, “It’s like being there with your furry one.”
“Elmo loves to be wet and dirty. Hey! Get your mind out of the gutter—this photo caption describes a deliriously happy dog, not a reference to your favorite Sesame Street character run amok. Because when it comes to dog walking, Doggy Lama Pet Care’s Molly Kenefick is a step, a click, and one whopping Verizon bill ahead of the competition..."