Tail Waggin Ranch
151 Seth Thomas Ln, Swansboro, NC 28584
Overview
Tail Waggin Ranch is Eastern North Carolina's only Five-Paw Rated pet facility offering both daycare and boarding services in 8,000 sq ft climate-controlled bunkhouses. Features include 3 indoor play areas, 2 outdoor prairies, live webcams, pools, and certified groomers on staff. They offer military discounts and require rabies, distemper, and bordatella vaccinations for boarding pets.
Amenities & Policies
Required vaccinations: Rabies, Distemper, Bordatella
Policies & Details
Hours & Billing
Care & Play
Safety & Emergency
Extras
What Reviews Say
164 reviews analyzedTail Waggin Ranch receives overwhelmingly positive reviews praising the caring staff (especially Rachel and Jamie), convenient cameras, fair pricing, and dogs who love attending. However, serious red flags emerge: multiple dogs returned injured or sick without notification, a puppy died from kennel cough, one dog came back pregnant after intact males/females were mingled, and allegations of dogs left caged 12 hours overnight. The owner responds professionally to most negative reviews but occasionally becomes defensive, questioning reviewer legitimacy. While the majority experience is positive, the high-severity safety incidents (injuries, death, pregnancy) are concerning and suggest inconsistent oversight, particularly during overnight boarding.
People love
Staff shoutouts
Worth noting
Dog sustained serious injuries (deep cuts on neck from training collar left on) - owner not notified
“His neck was torn up with deep cuts... They didn't even mention the cuts when I got him and I had to take him straight to the vet for antibiotics.”
Dog returned with ear chunk missing, puncture wounds - no notification to owner
“He had a chunk taken out of his ear, puncture wounds on his other ear and his back... No one told me what happened to him. No one even told me he was injured.”
Puppy died from kennel cough - owner not warned about outbreak
“Kennel cough was running rampant and they didn't say a word... my puppy ended up suffering and dying.”
Dogs left caged 12 hours overnight with no attendant
“They are left in their cages at nighttime from 6:30 PM until someone comes in to relieve them in the AM (7ish). 12 HOURS of being caged.”
Dog returned pregnant after boarding - mixed intact males/females
“One of dogs came back with Kennel Cough and PREGNANT... apparentley the staff feels that it is OK for unfixed male and females dogs to co mingle with little or no supervision.”
Alleged worker mistreatment of dogs caught on camera
“Workers would beat dogs off camera (caught on camera a couple times too).”
Grooming services not completed as requested(5 mentions)
“When I5 day bath . I specifically said it when I made reservations... all they did was hose them down... Their nails weren't trimmed and they smell worse than when I brought them in.”
Communication failures - not informing owners of issues(4 mentions)
“They didn't even mention the cuts when I got him... We had to take him straight to the vet.”
Kennel cough infections(4 mentions)
“I have took my dog there twice and each time she came home with Kennels Cough!”
Overnight boarding care concerns(3 mentions)
“12 HOURS of being caged and not having anywhere to relieve themselves.”
Billing/pricing disputes(2 mentions)
“Due to their attempt to grossly overcharge us... The drop-off times on the website are different than what is posted on the wall.”
At a Glance
Min puppy age
4 months
Pricing
Boarding
$30–$85/night
Daycare
$20–$55/day
Is this your business?
Submit a free claim. After approval, manage core listing details from your owner dashboard.
Claim this listingOther Facilities in Swansboro
Ponderosa Pet Ranch
Swansboro, NC
Contact for pricing
View Details