Kennel Cleaning SOP Template

1.Purpose

To clean and disinfect kennels, runs and common areas thoroughly and consistently, reducing the risk of spreading infectious disease between patients.

2.Scope

Applies to hospital kennels, boarding runs and exercise areas. Surgical suite cleaning is covered by the surgical preparation SOP and general clinic disinfection by a separate protocol.

Definitions

Dwell time

The length of time a disinfectant must remain wet on a surface to kill the target pathogens.

Contagious case protocol

Extra cleaning and disinfection steps used after housing a patient with a known or suspected contagious disease.

Turnover

The full cleaning and disinfection cycle completed between one patient leaving a kennel and the next patient being placed in it.

3.Responsibilities

Kennel Attendant

Cleans and disinfects kennels, runs and common areas on schedule and between patients.

Veterinary Technician

Moves patients safely before cleaning and confirms contagious case precautions are followed.

Practice Manager

Schedules cleaning tasks, reviews logs and approves repair requests for damaged kennels.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Approved veterinary disinfectant with labeled dwell time
• →Hose or pressure washer for runs
• →Scrub brushes and squeegees
• →Kennel cleaning log
• →Fresh bedding, bowls and toys
• →Warning signs for wet floors

Personal protective equipment

• →Disposable nitrile or rubber gloves
• →Waterproof apron or coveralls
• →Non-slip closed-toe boots
• →Eye protection when spraying disinfectant

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Move the patient before cleaning

   Veterinary Technician

   Move the patient to a holding area, exercise yard or exam room before starting to clean its kennel, never cleaning around an occupied space.

2. 5.2

   Remove waste and soiled bedding

   Kennel Attendant

   Remove solid waste, soiled bedding and disposable liners from the kennel and place them in the appropriate waste container.

3. 5.3

   Rinse gross debris

   Kennel Attendant

   Hose down or wipe the kennel to remove gross debris before applying disinfectant, since organic material reduces disinfectant effectiveness.

4. 5.4

   Apply disinfectant and observe dwell time

   Kennel Attendant

   Apply the approved disinfectant at the labeled dilution to all surfaces and let it sit for the full dwell time printed on the label before scrubbing.

   Checkpoint: Disinfectant remains wet on every surface for its full labeled dwell time before rinsing.

5. 5.5

   Scrub all surfaces

   Kennel Attendant

   Scrub walls, floor, bars, gates and feeding bowls with a brush to remove residue and biofilm the disinfectant alone may not lift.

   Warning: Do not mix disinfectants with other cleaning chemicals; follow the label for safe use.

6. 5.6

   Rinse and dry completely

   Kennel Attendant

   Rinse all disinfectant residue from surfaces and allow the kennel to dry completely before replacing bedding.

7. 5.7

   Replace bedding and enrichment items

   Kennel Attendant

   Place clean, dry bedding, bowls and toys appropriate to the next patient into the kennel.

8. 5.8

   Apply the contagious case protocol when needed

   Veterinary Technician

   For a kennel that housed a patient with a known or suspected contagious disease, extend the dwell time and disinfect surrounding surfaces per the contagious case protocol before reuse.

   Checkpoint: A kennel used for a suspected contagious case is held out of rotation until the extended protocol is complete.

9. 5.9

   Clean exercise yards and common runs

   Kennel Attendant

   Clean and disinfect exercise yards and shared runs on the scheduled frequency, removing waste before each use by a new patient.

10. 5.10

    Launder soiled linens separately

    Kennel Attendant

    Launder soiled bedding and towels separately from clean linens, using hot water and an appropriate detergent to reduce contamination.

11. 5.11

    Inspect for damage

    Kennel Attendant

    Check kennel doors, latches, flooring and drains for damage while cleaning, and report anything needing repair to the practice manager.

12. 5.12

    Log completion and restock supplies

    Kennel Attendant

    Record the kennel number, time and cleaner's initials on the kennel cleaning log, and restock disinfectant and bedding supplies for the next shift.

6.Quality checks

• →Disinfectant remains wet for its full labeled dwell time on every surface.
• →Every kennel turnover is logged with time and initials.
• →Contagious case kennels follow the extended protocol before reuse.
• →No patient is placed in a kennel with visible residue, odor or standing water.

7.Records

• →Kennel cleaning log
• →Contagious case protocol log
• →Damage and repair reports
• →Disinfectant restocking log

8.KPIs

• →Percentage of kennel turnovers completed within target time
• →Number of contagious case protocol activations per month
• →Number of damage reports per quarter
• →Kennel cleaning log completion rate

9.Common mistakes

• →Rinsing off disinfectant before its labeled dwell time has passed.
• →Skipping the extended protocol after a suspected contagious case.
• →Placing a patient in a kennel that is still wet from cleaning.
• →Not reporting a cracked or damaged kennel surface that is hard to disinfect.

10.Revision history