Where pets feel at home.

Welcome to Ellie's Critter Corral, your premier destination for top-notch dog boarding services in Mid-Missouri! Located in Jefferson City. We pride ourselves on providing a safe, comfortable, and fun-filled environment for your furry family members while you're away.

At Ellie's Critter Corral, we understand that your dog/cat is more than just a pet—they're a beloved member of your family. That's why our dedicated team of experienced caregivers is committed to delivering personalized attention, affection, and care to each and every guest.

Our spacious and climate-controlled facilities offer ample room for dogs of all sizes to stretch their legs, play, and rest comfortably. Whether your dog prefers romping around in our secure outdoor play area or lounging in cozy indoor accommodations, we ensure they feel right at home.

We have large indoor suites (6'x5') for any size dog, as well as two 6'x5' indoor suites with attached 5'x5' outdoor runs for large breed dogs or multiple pet families. Our cat condos (3'x2.5') include an elevated perch and are located in a seperate room for decreased noise and a low-stress environment.

We are a small facility so we have limited availability, but this allows us to spend extra one on one time with each guest. Keep in mind that we fill up fast especially around the holidays, so please call in advance to reserve your pets suite.

We also offer a variety of other services to meet the needs of your furry friends, including bathing, nail trims, ear cleanings, and anal gland expressions. We hope to offer a full grooming service in the future! We also offer personalized care plans to ensure that your pet receives the attention and care they need to stay happy and healthy.

With a focus on safety and security, we maintain strict cleanliness standards and adhere to best practices in animal care to provide you with peace of mind while you're away. Additionally, our convenient location and flexible scheduling options make it easy for you to drop off and pick up your furry friend on your schedule.

Discover why pet parents across Missouri trust Ellie's Critter Corral for their dog boarding needs. Contact us today to schedule a tour or make a reservation for your pets next staycation!

Hi my name is Kaitlyn. I am the owner of Ellie's Critter Corral. I was a certified Veterinary Assistant for over 10 years before deciding to leave the veterinary field and start my own animal boarding business. I am so excited about this new chapter and can not wait to share it with you. Enjoy a scenic drive through the country and find us located just South of Jefferson City.

You may be wondering how Ellie's Critter Corral got its name. In June of 2020 my husband, Ben and I found out we were expecting our first child. We were over the moon with excitement and could not wait to meet our newest addition. At the 20 week morphology scan we found out the gender (which was a precious baby girl) and also were informed our sweet baby girl had a very severe congenital heart defect. We were referred to multiple specialists in St. Louis where our hearts were shattered as we received devastating news with each visit. At 31 weeks we were told Ellie's heart condition was so severe that it could cause myself to develop "mirror syndrome." Mirror syndrome can cause severe pregnancy complications and even heart failure to the mother. Knowing this the doctors highly recommended I be admitted to the hospital and induced that same day. Ben and I were in complete shock. We decided to drive home from St. Louis to gather our thoughts and pack our things for the hospital stay and return the following morning for induction. Around 3am I woke up feeling incredibly sick so we headed back to St. Louis to be admitted and induced. The doctors told us it was possible that Ellie's heart would not be strong enough to keep beating until delivery, but we never gave up hope. Unfortunately, a few hours before our sweet Ellie was born the doctor informed us there was no longer a heartbeat. Those words were the hardest words to hear. Our hearts shattered into a million pieces, nothing can ever prepare a parent for that kind of pain. After a long 26 hours of labor our beautiful Angel was born sleeping. On December 2nd, 2020 Heaven gained a new Angel and Ben and I were blessed with our perfect guardian Angel. We will never understand why these things happen and the pain will never go away, but we find comfort knowing our baby girl is with Jesus. In June 2022 Ben and I were blessed with our rainbow baby who will learn all about her big sister when she is a little older. 

I know this is a long post and thank you if you took the time to read it. I hope I can honor Ellie and make her proud  in everything I do. Ellie's Critter Corral is just starting out, but my hope/goal is to donate a percentage of its profits to the fetal heart center to help other families going through this. 

I appreciate all your support and prayers and can't wait to meet you and your furry family member(s)!

Ellie's Critter Corral is owned and operated by a previously certified veterinary assistant of 10+ years. Kaitlyn also pet sat for individuals in their homes during her time as a veterinary assistant. With over 10+ years of experience in the veterinary, pet boarding and pet sitting industry, we have gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in caring for pets of all shapes and sizes. We understand the unique needs of each pet and their owners, and we work hard to exceed their expectations.

 At Ellie's Critter Corral, our mission is to provide the highest level of care for your pets while providing peace of mind for their owners. We strive to create a safe, comfortable, and fun environment for all pets in our care. 

 Ellie's Critter Corral was not a new build. The building was previously a milking parlor! For those local to the area you may remember it as Bode Dairy. The "Bode brothers" owned and milked dairy cows on this property since 1850. The farm has been handed down through generations and my father in law, owned and operated the Dairy from 1981-1999. 

This specific milking parlor was built in 1985. We started a complete remodel/makeover on the building last year. Please keep in mind it is still a work in progress and I have so many plans and goals to accomplish in the future!  Over time there will be additional play/exercise areas, continued renovations, new painting on the exterior of the building(hopefully this spring) and if needed more kennel runs built. All those things of course depend on the success of Ellie's Critter Corral and we greatly appreciate your support!