I recently had a more extended wait time on getting a return call from the kennel. I was concerned and came here to look at reviews thinking that perhaps they had closed for business. But, I got a return call this morning and have booked my dog for this next weekend. We have been bringing our Dobermans here for many years. We've always had very good care. The young women who run the operation now, are competent and capable, and I have not had any issues with them. I have inquired about what happened to Rita. Apparently she has some dementia or memory issues and has gone into care for that. Her husband apparently is still running the finances, etc. but day-to-day operations are being handled by the young women mentioned another reviews. For what it's worth, I have never had any of the issues others seem to have had with this place. And I understand the frustrations of, dealing with new people instead of Rita. But I am grateful they are there and hope that the operation continues to be provided and the good care that I have received for my dog continues. Liberty, my current Doberman, is a picky eater and also very sensitive to other peoples energy. While she's never happy to leave me, she does seem to love the girls and gets good care here. read more

Unfortunately this kennel is closed and property for sale. I didn't know until I posted on Facebook on the La Tuna Canyon page and was told the owner died. This kennel was great. My dogs were safe. They didn't have to be around other dogs. Unfortunately, the trend in dog boarding is having dogs play with all the dogs there. I only want my dogs with other dogs when I'm supervising. Things go wrong quickly, and that is not protecting my dogs. read more

Please don't bring your pets here! You're better off paying a little more and bringing them somewhere where they'll actually be properly taken care of. This place has a terrible reputation for hoarding and animal abuse in the past, if you dig a little you can find more info on it. I brought two of my pups here recently and one came back PARALYZED. Both vets have confirmed my pup was in perfectly good health and agree that whatever trauma occurred must've happened at the kennel. I have pictures and videos of my pups prior to dropping them off here in perfectly good health. I'm also fully aware it's a kennel and not a daycare- I prefer it that way for training purposes hence why I chose this place to begin with. Now they're LYING and saying I've "never been here" and that my dogs were "covered in feces" yet I've been bringing my older dog here for TWO years and have receipts from my dogs being at the groomers the night before.... I was horrified when I saw my pup in a filthy kennel paralyzed and rushed to bring him to the vet, cried ALL NIGHT and paid for TWO vet bills from two different hospitals to ensure he got the best care! The last time my older pup stayed here he came home malnourished and covered in fleas despite being on flea medication- that's how terribly infested they are. They also kept his food. I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt since my experiences earlier on were good so I brought them two of my recently acquired pups while I'm in the moving process. I've also worked with animals for nearly 8 years now as an exotic animal specialist, dog walker, dog trainer, dog daycare attendant and veterinary assistant. So I am very aware of proper dog handling and kennel procedures! I've spent a lot of time, care and money on my dogs. I've spent up to $5k on training for my oldest dog, they all eat premium dog food and are supplemented with raw food and are all up to date on vaccinations. The LEAST you could do is help with the vet bill, call and help us investigate or apologize. If you really cared about animals, you would do better. read more

Starcrest Boarding Kennels - Pet Sitting Near Me - Sun Valley, California

I used Starcrest as my go to boarding kennel years ago, but then became leery after reading the bad reviews. I recently boarded my two small and one large dog for a week. The check-in was thorough, friendly, and they noted all of my requests. At pick-up time, the check out was wonderful, with a detailed description of how each dog responded to kenneling. All of my dogs looked great! I'll continue to use Starcrest in the future. As a side note, I went into the kennels to put my dogs in their kennel at check in. There were beautiful, well bred dogs, all healthy, and of course lots of beautiful mixed breeds. I met people who were going in to drop off their dogs, who have loyally used Starcrest. The dogs happily trotted to the kennel. I think that if all of the happy, returning customers wrote reviews, their rating would change. read more

I just pick up my fur babies today and they were both happy to see us and they took care of them really good we facetime eveeyday to see them playing ... I will bring them again there when we need a sitter. sometimes u need to try before u believe the bad reviews you cannot pls anyone ... Thank u Starcrest will see u more in the future. read more

I agree with the other recent reviewers----There are significant changes for the worse at Starcrest and I will no longer leave my beloved pet family members in their hands. My patronage here goes alllllllllllllllll the way back to the previous owners Eva and Regina so I am coming from a place of truth. Current owner Rita has never been a good people person----most especially on the telephone, but for quite a few years she was doing a solid job running her business and giving the impression that your pets were safe and getting some kind attention. HER attention. So you could get past her "issues" and know a good pet person was looking after things. More recently Rita has turned over face-to-face customer contact, and apparently a lot of other responsibilities, to 2 girls who I guess are sisters who I have no trust in at all. The younger one comes across as an emotionless zombie----which is a terrible energy when handing over a precious pet for a 10 day stay. The older one is slightly better in this regard but completely lacks a sense of being any kind of amazing dog/cat person, isn't warm, doesn't greet your pet cheerfully, and is disconnected and officious when checking you in. I really think these 2 are too immature and inexperienced to be entrusted with anything this important. I also had a problem with my credit card being hacked immediately after my final transaction with the older sister who ran it on our pick-up visit. This was a card we rarely use at all so there weren't a lot of places to cast our suspicions. For the record, it is *possible* the credit card problem didn't occur at Starcrest. When I attempted to get Rita on the phone, literally a dozen times over 4 days, leaving message after message along the way, in an attempt to bring it to her attention, I was 100% unsuccessful and never got a return call. When she finally, FINALLY stormed to the phone and gruffly asked "WHAT??" and I told her my concerns, she was dismissive and defensive and also expressed how much she LOVES the two girls I've described above. Suddenly, she passed off the phone off to her husband, who I never knew existed, without saying she was ending the conversation. read more

I've used this place to board my dogs for many years, over 10. I honestly can say that I never had any issues until this Thanksgiving week 2023. I left both my pets, small under 15 lbs. They always ran towards the place which really would ease my mind when leaving them. This last time one of my pets has been having non-stop diarrhea every since I picked her up two days ago. She is very well trained in holding it and going potty until she is outside, but the poor thing has been unable to do so and has soiled the crate every night since I picked her up. My other pet seems fine. I called to find out if anything unusual happened. I have to say they do respond to calls and that is where they get the star. In my call I found out that they decided (without calling me to check) to feed my pet wet food, which she is not used to. why? because she was not eating her dry food. I had brought her food which she sometimes is picky, especially being in a place like that. A phone call would have made them aware of it. Additionally, they told me, they were placed in a kennel with "barkers" around them, which are large dogs that bark all day and night and it was worse this Thanksgiving week. The third thing I found out is that because they are small, they do not take them out to their front area because "they may lose them" So they take them to the side and because they had too many dogs they were out only 10-15 minutes of the day (!!!) After having this conversation I realized that this is not a wise choice for me to leave my babies even thought of the convenience they are across the street from me. I am truly disappointed in this experience. I hope my dog gets better and will have to re-think where to board them in my upcoming trips. read more

Do NOT take your dog here if you want them to be mishandled or left with feces or urine on them because that's exactly what they will do.! They did not bother to call only stating that there was one "misnumber" our dog was left in a horrible condition and had to be put down because of the negligence that took place here. I don't see how a kennel like this could do such a thing , let alone still be open. HORRIBLE SERVICE, DO NOT BELIEVE THE OTHER REVIEWS AS THEY ARE MOST LIKELY RETURNING GUEST WHO HAVE HAD A "PLEASURED" experience! To hell with this place! read more

This is our third time bringing our dogs to Starcrest. I can tell that their experience there is good because they have no reservations when they arrive. One of our dogs, Lola, is allergic to every protein but fish, and the staff does a good job making sure she doesn't eat anything she is allergic to. Goku wouldn't work out in one of those doggie spas, so I'm very thankful that these guys take good care of my furry friends. I have never have any problems with Rita, as I make sure my dogs are properly vaccinated, and I send her pdf's of the vaccines right when we get them. I think Rita really cares about the dogs, and it makes me less anxious when I have to be without them for a week. Thanks Starcrest! read more

Starcrest Boarding Kennels - Pet Sitting Near Me - Sun Valley, California

This is a kennel. Not a dog spa. Dogs have heated/air conditioned indoor space and outdoor, too. They get a chance to play in the yard and get lots of love and attention from the staff. These folks know dogs. First rate. Our Maggie goes happily and comes home healthy and happy. Certainly recommend for people who want a kennel for a day, weekend or longer. read more

Starcrest Boarding Kennels - Pet Sitting Near Me - Sun Valley, California

I used this facility for the first time with my German Shepard and I have no complaints. Their check-in and check-out procedures was fast and efficient. I will use them again. read more

I took my golden retriever to Starcrest Boarding Kennels, he came back very happy and clean. The place is very clean and the staff is very nice. I will definitely take my dog there again. read more

Our dog always seems to enjoy her vacation there. Maybe it's partially due to the yummy chicken that Rita lovingly prepares for her guests. We've never had an issue with dropping off because our dog Abby is happy to see any of the caregivers. We like not having to worry about dogs playing together and perhaps not getting along. Highly recommend. read more

Overall, we like this place a lot. My old dog loved this place and looked happy when she came back. My new dog loves this place too. I did not give a five star only because it sometimes takes several phone calls to talk to someone. Considering they probably short off staff, I totally understand. read more

We have been taking our pets to Starcrest for about 15 years, but we will be looking for new options before we need to board our two dogs again. Years ago, the owner's hands-on care of our chronically ill dog was a great comfort to us. But on the last two visits with two other dogs, we have reason to believe that our pets are not getting the care or individual attention that this kennel was once known for. One of our dogs is pretty reactive to other animals, and the staff made us go get him out of the kennel at pick up as a result; we were concerned that staff was uncomfortable handling a challenging (not aggressive) dog, and the kennel space we saw was dark, dirty and run-down. On our most recent visit, one dog went in with a hot spot that I pointed out when we dropped off. At pickup, the same spot was FILTHY - clearly the kennel she was in was very dirty. To top it off, neither the owner nor the staff were wearing face masks, even to interact with customers in the small office space. The service at Starcrest has declined, and we don't feel comfortable going there anymore. It's too bad, because it used to be a homey, high-quality kennel. read more

I'm only giving one star because you can't give none. The person "helping" to check you in is about as helpful as a yeast infection. Told me adamantly that I couldn't leave my dogs because I hadn't brought their clvaccination records, and then helpfully told me when I came back that I could have called my vet and have them send the records over. When I came back, I sat for about 30 minutes while waiting for one person to check in ahead of me, which is fine, but then she refused to take my dogs food, beds or toys. By this point, she'd moved on to another customer - clearly a regular - and she was done with me. The owner did her best not to help as well. Overall it's taken me nearly 3 hours to get my dogs into boarding. I wouldn't recommend this place in a million years, and will never be leaving my dogs here ever again. Worst kennel ever read more

It has been 3 years and many stays at Starcrest since my first time visit review of this fine establishment. Normal routine is that Frida can barely contain herself as soon as we leave the 210 and turn on to Las Tunas Canyon and she is on full tilt as we pull into Starcrest's parking lot. She loves her time there. When we pick her up she has clearly been very well cared for and ready for a very long nap (plus I think she puts on a wee bit weight while she's there-it's those chicken and cheese treats I'm sure of it!!). Our experience with Rita and her very capable crew continues to be that they are pro's at managing and caring for all the dogs that are in residence. I find the rash of disturbing reviews on this site to be those of a troubled few who have it completely wrong. We are very pleased with our Starcrest encounters and look forward to many more. read more

I wrote a review last September, and it still stands. We recently boarded Charlie again and he -was delighted to be there -was happy and energetic and clean when we picked him up -all his toys and unused treats and food were returned (we tend to load him up with extra. He has sensitive digestion and needs special treats and food) -the office has been reorganized and cleaned up and looks great! Thank you to all the women who are attentive and caring! We will be back! read more

They take care of EVERYTHING. Your pooch is in great hands with the owner, Rita. With their Chicken and Rice diet, my little pup pulls me into their gates, everytime we visit read more

Starcrest Boarding Kennels - Rita, the loving owner - Pet Sitting Near Me - Sun Valley, California

Trying to reach Rita, the owner of Starcrest Kennels. Does anyone know where she is???

I had a catastrophe at my home, and while it's being torn apart, I have to board my three rescue dogs. I was recommended to Starcrest, so I called them first. The catastrophe destroyed everything from my photos and tax records to receipts and of course---pet vet records. I had just renewed their registrations though, which I still had in my car. On my first call, the young lady I spoke with said this record would be enough, as they were all adopted from shelters and the required vaccines for boarding would have been handled with the recent, valid registration. Cool...I'll bring those, and we're in business. Next, my insurance company asked for an estimate of charges from Starcrest so they can pay me back the $83/day. I called again, and this time the call went south, as the lady on the line, who I would come to know as the owner, Rita, told me "no" she couldn't provide anything like that. I printed a page from their website, but State Farm REALLY wanted to see dates, and proof that the dogs were being boarded. Rita cannot, will not provide. So there's one strike, but I'm desperate, because the walls are coming down in the house, I'm headed to a hotel, and the dogs need a safe place to stay. We load up three rambunctious dogs, their bedding, their food and their bowls and drive from Van Nuys to Sun Valley where Rita smiles at me as she turns us away because I have no proof that my dogs have been vaccinated. Okay, I know that I don't have a nice folder filled with vet records, but my house is flooded, I have lost everything that means anything, my dogs are homeless, and I am bringing them proof of vaccine/registration that I was told would be good enough just the day prior. Perhaps the records weren't good enough---please tell me on the phone before I plan around taking another day off of work, please tell me before I put my dogs into the car and schlepp over there, and then have to schlepp them back into a house that is half demolished. And please don't smugly smile at me as you give me the bad news. That's just beyond infuriating. I called Barton's. They told me up front, "no, that's not enough, we're SOOO sorry." And they gave me all of the information I needed to get my dogs vet records sorted out, which is a pain-in-the-rear while I am sorting out so much else, but at least they apologized, were up-front, and clear. Also, they provide documentation for my insurance so I can be reimbursed, which means a great deal. read more

Absolutely appalling conditions and treatment of animals. We left our dog with these maniacs for two weeks and when we picked her up she was completely FILTHY, with dust and dirt just CAKED into her fur. It was also immediately apparent she'd lost some serious weight while there, obviously having been neglected or fed properly. She obviously hadn't been brushed the entire time, with shedding hair matted into her coat and falling off of her in clumps. Imagine your pet--the one you love and take care of and feed and shelter--and when you come home from work it looks like an abandoned animal at the city shelter. She looked like one of those feral animals that live under the freeway. When we got her home we brushed so much fur off of her that it filled an entire plastic produce bag. That's not a joke. An. Entire. bag. Then we soaped her up and bathed her as well as tossed her collar in the wash as it had dirt seemingly rubbed into it. And the worst part? The Sand Valley fire had started just a day after we'd left on our car trip, but both times we called to confirm if the kennel was near the fire or smoke path, and if was necessary to have a friend come get our pet, the owner was all levels of 'why are you bothering me?' and brushed us off. It was only when we returned that we discovered the area had been smack dab in the middle of the smoke and it appeared that the animals had been left in fire smoke. Our dog has been breathing raspy the whole day and when we took her to the vet we were told she'd lost 2.2 lbs. In two weeks. It just so happened that we'd had the dog at the vet about two weeks before we'd made the mistake of boarding her at this hellhole so we have verified weights to judge against. It's impossible for any pet to have lost that much weight in TWO WEEKS running in circles in a play yard that small. I know, you're reading this and thinking it's hyperbole. How can all this happen to one animal? Believe me when I tell you that I have NEVER seen a kennel neglect animals like this in my life. I urge you to scroll down and check the Yelp! "not currently recommended" reviews where other pet owners have sadly experienced similar mistreatment to their pets as we have. Starcrest Boarding Kennels is the face of animal cruelty. UPDATE: The woman who recommended this hellhole, and defended it vociferously, finally admitted they were mistreating her dog and gave up on them. It ain't just us, people. read more

To the response to the owner: Your response to my review is another shining example of how bad your customer skills are... read more

I think they are closed. They haven't returned multiple calls on the number listed here and the cell phone number on their website is disconnected. I tried multiple times in January to reach them and also in March. read more

We have boarded our dog Roxy here over the years and she is always well cared for and happy. (although we would like to believe no one can make her happy but us....of course the dog humors us on this point!). The premises are clean and the owner is wonderful; we picked up our dog again today and she's clean and happy. Now, if I could just say the same about us after spending a week in New York! I highly recommend this business, it's the best facility we've ever used. read more

You can tell the owner really loves her four-legged visitors!! My wife and I hate boarding our little maltese and yorkie, but we dropped them off at Starcrest and felt very at ease when we left. They ask you lots of questions about your pooch, and seem to cover all the little details you want them to know about. Big grassy exercise areas for dogs of all sizes, and they get to hang out in big individual runs during the day. There's no way of knowing how often your pups get out, but they say each dog gets to run around 3x a day. The owner cooks chicken and other treats for the dogs, and also runs a dog rescue program on the premises.. You can tell that Starcrest is a very caring and kind operation!! The price is extremely reasonable, and the location (La Tuna Canyon) is really pretty and serene. Of course this isn't like the trendy $90/night places in LA, but I have a feeling it's just as good of a value!! read more

We have only had good experiences boarding our dogs over the years here. The owner is caring and her staff is experienced with handling dogs. I am happy to recommend Starcrest Boarding Kennels. read more

Best boarding facility in Los Angeles! We've been taking our pups there for 7 years and have never had an issue. Our dogs actually run into the office and kennels as soon as we get out of the car. Rita is great and the girls are super nice. read more

This will be our third time bringing our pit mix Luna to Starcrest. Our puppy is very reactive to other dogs so the facility having individual kennels and outdoor running spaces is just perfect for us. Staff are very friendly and always there to answer our questions and also hear out the small niceties and requests that we have to make sure our puppy enjoys her stay. We highly recommend Starcrest and owner Rita for providing a safe haven for our pets when we travel. read more

This place needs to be shut down by animal control. She gets paid to kennel dogs while she hoards and neglects dogs she takes in under the premise she is a "rescue". She is NOT rescue. She makes no effort to rehome any of the animals in her care. Over 50! They have disease, worms, are under fed and caged in filth. I have one of the dobermans she kept in a cage for years- he is beyond traumatized. We will fight until we get these dogs away from her. read more

Had my dog here over the holidays and he was in good hands! Great space for dogs who don't like being cooped up all day, and for dogs who can't go to group boarding/need more individualized attention. Staff was all very friendly and welcoming. read more

Starcrest is the only kennel we have been using for over 7 years. We have three rescue dogs and only trust Rita, the owner, to care for them. We bring in our own food and vitamins, which they are happy to give them. When we bring our dogs in they so happy to be there, we can't get them out of the car fast enough. We go on three and four day trips and even two weeks, and our dogs always come home clean and they don't smell. We have been there at random times and see dogs in the play area being supervised and the kennels are clean. I have read some of negative different postings below and can only say you can't believe everything you read. There are many people who do and say things to hurt others, which is cruel to an establishment who cares so much about the well being of our animals. read more

Starcrest is the best. Rita the owner truly loves dogs (and all animals). She cooks chicken fresh everyday to add to kibble either that you bring for your baby or the kibble that she has. Your doggy children are taking to the yard twice a day to run and frolic. We have to babies that stay and they are kept together in the same kennel. These kennels are HUGE!! Not like super small cages at other kennels. Our neighbor also takes her dog to Starcrest. Our doggies have so much fun there that they come home happily exhausted!!! My husband and I can enjoy our vacation knowing that our dogs are in a safe, clean, caring and loving place. The girls that work with the dogs are truly wonderful as well. You couldn't find a better place for your baby. read more

We have boarded our needy, difficult dog here numerous times. Service is great, the pooch is always happy, the price cannot be beat and the isolated location delivers a calm sense of almost rural nature to the animals more used to the noisy city. Our big boy gets all the love he needs and his complicated diet and regime of pills is easy for the crew at Starcrest to follow. read more

This was the first time I used the kennel because it was highly recommended by a family member. I could tell that the staff have a real compassionate feeling for animals. My two shepherd mixes were shelter rescues and I was concerned if they might feel abandoned again when left at the kennel. When I picked them up, they had their same demeanor and had no issues while they were there. I will definitely use them again without any hesitation. read more

Apparently my 2 dogs enjoyed themselves, when it was time to go home - they went back and scratched at the kennel door to go in.

I adopted two sick doberman puppies from Starcrest about 5 years ago. They are the loves of our lives and we couldn't be happier. They are terrific dogs and it was fortuitous that we happened upon Starcrest when we did. My experience with Rita, the owner is that she has very challenged people skills (as noted in a number of other reviews here). She is very well meaning but doesn't seem to fully understand how her behavior can be abrasive to people - or maybe she does but doesn't care. That said, thank goodness she is as dedicated to the Doberman's as she is. They are a magnificent and sensitive breed that deserve to be helped. For those who really want to rescue a dobie , just overlook her behavior and know she is really looking out for the animals. At the end of the day that is what really matters. read more

We've been bringing our dog, Tommy, to Starcrest for his entire life. He is 13 1/2 years old now! He likes to go there and he comes home hoarse from all the barking he gets to do over there. The owner, Rita, and her staff are pleasant and obviously love the dogs who board there. Rita also runs a Dobie rescue at the facility. We love Starcrest Kennels! read more

If I could post a zero star rating I would. I requested that my male dog NOT BE KENNELED with my 2 females when I reserved kennels weeks ago. All the dogs were put together, and ended up in a fight. The owners now DENY I requested separate kennels. Upon further research, I discovered there has been horrible hoarding and abuse here. Steer clear!!!! read more

Our dog Millie is our first baby. Millie can be a lot to handle but Rita and the girls at Starcrest have been taking great care of Millie since she was a puppy. Whenever we are going to drop Millie off at Starcrest we ask Millie if she " wants to go see Rita" and she excitedly jumps in the car. We are so grateful to have a place like Starcrest. read more